The Girl Behind The Trauma
Featured Writer At Flint & Steel
When I saw that Ellie Jacobson was doing Featured Writer interviews for the publication Flint and Steel, I decided to volunteer.
Here are the questions I was asked and my answers:
How did you discover Medium and how long have you been writing here? I originally started writing on Vocal but I hated it… for several reasons. I joined a lot of Vocal-based writing groups on Facebook to keep my read count up and I saw a lot of other writers talking about a platform called Medium. It was half the price of Vocal, you could publish immediately without censorship and they were holding a contest with pretty big prize money. So I started writing for both platforms in August of 2021. I started joining publications and finally, a few months ago, I deleted my Vocal account completely and now I’m only on Medium.
What are you reading, listening to and/or watching these days? Reading: I’m currently waiting for the next book in the Detective Josie Quinn series by Lisa Regan to come out. It will be out in less than a month but I should have it in my mailbox pretty soon. I know the author so I get pre-release signed copies. HIGHLY recommend the series and her other books and not just because I know her but because she’s brilliant! Listening to: It changes based on my mood but the Hamilton Soundtrack is always on deck in my car. Watching: Currently binge-watching The Blacklist on Netflix. I had always heard good things about the show but never watched it. Decided to give it a shot.
What is around you while you write? I need total silence to write and my husband knows he’s not allowed in the room when I’m writing. I like to be alone with my thoughts and my laptop. My dogs are often with me, sleeping at the end of my bed but no cats are allowed as they tend to walk across the keyboard. I write in my bedroom with massive amounts of pillows behind me to support my injured spine/neck and the only sound I hear is the white noise of the AC and dehumidifier that keep my chinchilla safe. Sometimes I will hear him bopping around his cage or trying to throw things at the dogs. Otherwise, it’s quiet, cold, and pretty cozy.
What is your guilty pleasure(s)? Coloring and gummy bears. I have a very child-like mindset about a lot of things because I never had a real childhood. I grew up as a career ballerina (which I write about quite a bit) so the things that most kids my age were doing, I never was. I try to make up for it now. And coloring is definitely for adults too. I love it. It helps clear my mind if I’m blocked and gives me something to do before bed while my sleeping pills kick in.
What must be in your fridge (and/or cupboards) at all times? The only absolute REQUIREMENT in my house is espresso. I drink four shots before I leave for work and I bring hot cocoa to work with me that has two more shots of espresso in it. It’s way too much I know but it’s my only real vise. I make the hot cocoa with oat milk so I suppose that’s also a staple, along with the cocoa itself… but I could live without them as long as I still have my espresso.
If you could travel anywhere right now where would you go? (in the perfect bubble where money, covid, and the world is not an issue) Greece is currently number one on my travel bucket list but that list is quite extensive. I LOVE to travel and desperately want to go to Africa and Australia (for the animals and to try to meet my idol — Bindi Irwin — and shake her hand) as well. I hope to see all three places one day and many many more but those are definitely my top three.
Tell us about one of your Medium articles that you loved writing, that you are the most proud about? That’s a hard one. I write a lot about my past in an attempt to face my traumas. But if I had to pick just one I think it would be Dance Monkey: A Song Too Close To Home.
I took an upbeat song that most people bop along to and shined a light on what the lyrics are telling you. It’s the most true-to-life song about growing up as a dancer that I’ve ever heard and I think people need to understand what that life could be like. I also wrote a piece directed at parents to try to show them that giving their children a way out of things, no matter how talented they happen to be matters. I felt trapped in ballet, and it damaged me greatly.
Until Medium, I never really discussed that part of my life. Now that I’ve opened that floodgate, it’s hard to stop. I really want people to understand what that life is really like.
Tell us about your favorite Medium writers, ones you read on a regular basis. There are several but first and foremost is definitely Misty Rae. She and I tend to play off of each other’s pieces quite a bit. We’re very similar and constantly challenging each other to write things. Another is Teisha LeShea who I met in the Facebook groups and have a deep respect for. She is a voice that people should be listening to. I have great respect for the works of Shelley Wenger, a fellow vet tech, and Robert Sedam, DVM because I think it’s really cool that a vet takes the time to write about our field. Who couldn’t love Mama Ki, KiKi Walter? The first time she complimented one of my pieces I felt like I arrived because she has such a HUGE presence on this platform and her writing is incredible. I love Ravyne Hawke’s poetry, it’s beautiful and mesmerizing. There are so many amazing writers on this platform it would be impossible to list them all.
And your favorite Medium publications to write for and why? I have a strong obsession with prompt writing so I love publications that offer prompts. I’m new to Flint and Steel but I’m enjoying it a lot so far. I love QuickTalk, Know Thyself Heal Thyself, Modern Women, Amusing Responses (which has taken over for Promptly Written which I absolutely loved), The Memoirist, The Honest Perspective, The Storyteller’s Vault, CRY Magazine, and SongStories to name a few. I have my own column called Pet Health Matters in Pet Talks which houses all of my animal education pieces. I was recruited specifically for that one so it holds a very special place in my heart. I’m a member of several others but the majority of my pieces are housed in the above-listed pubs.
Where else can we find you outside of Medium? LOL basically nowhere unless you find me at work. I do not have a large social media presence. I’m only on Facebook and my privacy settings are pretty strong. I don’t add people unless I know them in real life. I was on Twitter for a short period of time and HATED it so I deleted it. I basically just work, write, and color. And of course, spend time with my animals.
It wouldn’t be an interview with me if I didn’t show them off!
*All below photos are property of Courtney Capone.
They are my entire world… and we will be adding two kittens and another dog soon so stay tuned! This world is held together by the man that I share it with. My husband:
So that’s me! Thank you, Ellie Jacobson for featuring me!
