Disclaimer: These are not stories.
These entries are an attempt to make sense of depression and anxiety and living in the midst of an existential crisis. This is my cliché, unoriginal Hero’s Journey. Everything I write is inspired by real-life observations, surreal dreams, self-deprecation, fascination with transgressive and vulgar topics, and a desire to find peace and balance in my universe.
These entries represent the journey rather than the goal. They are unpolished and mostly unedited. As I lack formal training, this is an attempt to find my writing voice through trial and error. Like seeing how the sausage gets made or watching grass grow, it is often disgusting and/or boring. The writing is both inspired and uninspired, most often using pantsing and stream-of-consciousness techniques.
Authors who have inspired me for decades are Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., Neil Gaiman, and Charles Bukowski. I am more recently inspired by the novels of Stephen King and Chuck Palahniuk and the short stories of Raymond Carver and Amy Hempel.
(Aside: as my art is rooted in music and cinema, I want to also acknowledge that my writing is inspired by songs and films. Musicians whose lyrics have inspired me are Kurt Cobain, Mike Burkett, Tim Kasher, and John K. Samson. Filmmakers whose storytelling has inspired me include John Cassavetes, Werner Herzog, Gaspar Noé, and Jean-Pierre Jeunet.)