We're often enamored with the darker side of weird lit, and love publishing dystopian and horror moods. But we also always have an eye out for unique takes on hope, on sweetness, on different parts of the human perspective. Which is why we enjoyed Jane McBride's short piece "For a Spell." We all need a little lightness along with the dark. Read on to hear a little bit more from the author!
What makes you keep writing, even when it's hard?
Honestly? Compulsion. I don’t feel as though I have free will when it comes to writing. At the risk of sounding pretentious, I can’t not write. It’s simply not an option.
What other creative activities do you like to do?
Outside of writing, my current favorite form of storytelling is through Dungeons & Dragons. It allows me to play around in my preferred genre and it’s much more collaborative than writing, which is good for the social part of my brain. When I write a story, I choose what actions the characters will take; I control the plot. When I DM an adventure, my plot is subject to the whims of the players. It’s hilarious and frustrating and wonderful, and it reminds me not to take myself so seriously.
I’ve also recently dipped my toe into quilting and drawing, both of which I’m very bad at and very much enjoy.
What's your favorite thing to clean?
The bathroom, because it’s the smallest room to clean and it doesn’t involve the vacuum. I don’t understand why vacuums are so loud; that feels like a problem we should have solved by now. (Jane, if you hate the noise of the vacuum so much, why don’t you just sweep?). What am I, a fifteenth-century Puritan housewife? Get real.
What's your favorite tree?
Whatever tree I’m standing next to at a given moment.
Does your day job affect your writing topic or approach?
Definitely! I do most of my writing in-office when I have time between tasks. For me, the hardest part of writing is sitting down, so it’s helpful to have a space that forces me to sit at a desk for hours at a time.
What's your least preferred afterlife scenario?
I would be bummed if it turned out that one religion was completely right and there never were any mysteries around life or death. If I showed up at the pearly gates and Saint Peter was like, Hey, the Catholics specifically had it right all along! that would really take the wind out of my sails. The same goes for any religion.
That said, it would be hilarious if some old religion that is no longer practiced actually had the afterlife right. Imagine showing up in an ancient Egyptian afterlife and having to battle monsters through the different levels of Hell using only what was in your coffin when they buried you. That would be a fun surprise.
Do you consider yourself an organized or chaotic writer?
Yes!
Do you have a favorite book on writing or creating that's been a helpful resource?
There are so many books on writing that I love, but in honor of Weird Lit I’m going to recommend the weirdest book on writing that I love, which is Wonderbook by Jeff VanderMeer.
What are your long-term writing goals?
I hope to be a life-long publishing author, specifically in poetry and speculative fiction. In that vein, my current goal is to publish my first book, a middle-grade fantasy novel that I’ve been writing since I was a teenager.
Unpopular opinion, go:
There is no such thing as a bad book/poem/movie/etc.—just a book/poem/movie/etc. that wasn’t meant for you.
Jane McBride is a fiction writer and poet. Originally from Colorado, she now lives in New York City where she spends her time cooking with her roommates, playing D&D with her friends, and being bullied by her foster cat Egg Roll. Her poetry has appeared in After Happy Hour Review, Red Wheelbarrow Literary Magazine, Orchards Poetry Journal, and elsewhere. You can read more of her writing on her blog Loose Baggy Monsters (janemcbride.substack.com). “For a Spell” is her debut fiction piece.