Interactive Fiction
I have played interactive fiction and text-based adventure games since my middle teens, but in recent years I’ve gotten into writing and coding them as well. I have experience in both Twine and Inform.
My most recently completed interactive fiction project is a game about mental illness (specifically— depression, intrusive thoughts, and suicide) called Don’t Kill Yourself. More about the philosophy is accessible in the game’s architecture, but essentially, I wanted to write something that honored the experiences with depression I have witnessed in my loved ones and endured myself. The game has a clear win state (as the title might indicate)— living. By living through a hard day, that’s already a win, even if the option to give up seems like it’s always there. I hope you’ll play this game and leave me some feedback.
I also have a work in progress called Your Prince (… Is in Another Castle). Your Prince is a disability-friendly interactive novel and a coming-of-age story of self-discovery… with a little magical realism! It can be played in one of two ways: 1) by clicking on branching options with some of the most commonly anticipated interactions, or 2) within a more verbose framework with an interactive parser.
Podcasts and Radio
For the past couple of months (since Sept. 2022), I have been writing and recording a few teaser episodes for a podcast about my favorite musician and going through their discography one song at a time. I will post it here when it’s ready! Stay tuned.
Previously, I hosted a radio show called Venus Rising (2007-2011) on WSOE 89.3 (Elon University’s radio station). The format was mixed, with an emphasis on women musicians on the artsier or more experimental/alternative side of things, although sometimes I played some 80s pop and worldbeat, too. Representative artists include: Kate Bush, Polly Jean Harvey, Laurie Anderson, Tori Amos, Meredith Monk, Diamanda Galàs, Tracy Chapman, Liz Phair, Throwing Muses, Melt-Banana, 10,000 Maniacs, Wendy Carlos, Pauline Oliveros, and Oumou Sangaré.
I’ve also guested on podcasts, including my friend Jorge’s podcast Every Ist and Ism.
Criticism and Reviews
I sometimes write music reviews at ~outlandosdamour on RateYourMusic.
Here’s a critical essay on Diane Seuss’s frank: sonnets (published in ANMLY Lit).