Shannon Éilis

It’s that time of year again where we’re all poor, cold, miserable, uninspired and eagerly awaiting the arrival of Spring. The perfect conditions to welcome and house that uninvited guest we all know and hate: writer’s block . I can’t put into words how uninspired I am, how blank my brain is, because there aren’t enough words up there in my noggin to string together an interesting image. Now, you’re probably assuming that I’m writing this because I’m going to offer some elaborate expert...

You probably remember the old show, don’t tell  saying being drilled into you at school. But do you remember the way it convinced us that every line in a poem we wrote had to include an image that represented a deeper metaphorical meaning? Or how telling was almost considered a sin? That obsession with always showing and never   telling is probably a part of the reason why many adults hate that over-flowery quality they associate with poetry, and consequently poetry itself. The reality is...

Since I was a young child, I’ve always loved to write. My Nana was an avid storyteller who would always teach me about the folktales and mythical creatures of Ireland. I still remember her warnings of the Fae and instructions of how to catch a Leprechaun (to this day, I believe I saw a Leprechaun at seven years old, but of course, I blinked and he disappeared. Sure, it could have been my imagination, but I swear it feels like a memory). We would sit up late at night writing horror stories and...