Bear’s Creative Writing
“I Am a Monster”
This piece was based on what I believed to be the internal (and likely subconscious) logic of three friends… people I care about who have wrestled with intense self-hatred. One of them said it was “100% accurate.”
Content warning: intrusive thoughts, self-hatred, and emotional intensity.
“Pearl Divers”
I wrote this story in July 2023, the day I stepped away from Tuonela Magazine and suddenly found myself overwhelmed by “grelief.” I was sitting in the sauna, crying and listening to Auri’s “Pearl Diving,” and thinking about what it means to form unexpected, life-giving friendships. This piece was inspired by my friend, Kathy Criswell, and it’s about daring to dive into friendship after you’ve been hurt a lot.
“I See You”
This was written based on a F(r)iction prompt for my adoptive son, Riku, during a time when he was starting to believe he could be loved.
It made him cry, and he asked me, “How do you see this?”
I told him, “Because you showed me.”
This is a letter to him, but it’s also for anyone who’s ever felt like too much and not enough at the same time. You are seen. You are loved.
“Magic Is Real”
This piece was written in under ten minutes based on a F(r)iction prompt. It reflects on the many small, magical influences that led me toward storytelling, from Tolkien and video games to music, tabletop roleplay, and my mother’s quiet encouragement. It’s a spell, a story, and a memory all in one.