Reading Joelle Killian's piece "I Don't See How That's Any of My Business" was a "breath of
fresh air" (as one of our editors said) during our busiest week of submissions. We were happy to interview Joelle and hear more about the creativity and weirdness behind the story's inspiration.
What other creative endeavors do you pursue?
I danced and co-created horror-themed performances in my 20s and 30s, and took up drawing and painting in my 40s.
What place does weirdness have in your life?
Weirdness is a central organizing feature to my existence; it shapes what I read, watch, look at, listen to, think about, and talk about every day. Weirdness keeps the psyche open to the mysteries of the universe. And thankfully San Francisco is still managing to keep it weird, which keeps me tethered here.
What is the most recent record/album you bought or listened to?
I just danced to My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult’s "Confessions of a Knife" this morning, which demonstrates what my associations to “the 90s” are.
What will your biography be titled?
Askew, Regardless.
Alternately: Poor Impulse Control, Word Salad, Pizza Edgelords, Reverse Halloween, Out of Ideas, The Irregular Dreads, Professional Cosplay, or 0.8 Adult (my partner and I generate hyper-specific names for the days of the week, when we’re on a roll, so I have a huge treasure trove of titles).
Is a hot dog a sandwich?
This settled law on Judge John Hodgman’s podcast—NO, a hot dog is NOT a sandwich—and I stand by his ruling.
Unpopular opinion, go:
Psychedelics give access to diverse states of mind, which could help mental health professionals develop empathy for people struggling with challenging experiences. (Though perhaps that’s less controversial these days?).
Joelle Killian is a queer Canadian living in San Francisco whose fiction has appeared or is forthcoming in Fusion Fragment, Mythaxis, and Cosmic Horror Monthly. One of her doppelgängers is a psychologist writing about psychedelic therapy. Another was once in an undead dance troupe.
Read the full first issue here!
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