Death Becomes the Wounded (In Conversation with Daphne Deitchman of Little Wounds)
Little Wounds by Daphne Deitchman released its very first pin one year ago, in July of 2016. Since then, Daphne …
My Journey as a Hospice Care Volunteer
The term hospice refers to both a philosophy and an approach to caring for the terminally ill, and it often …
Carnival and the Spectacle of Bodies
(featured image: The Carousel bar at Hotel Monteleone in New Orleans). When you think of Carnival, you might think of …
How About a Howe Sit? The Tradition of Early Germanic Grave-Sitting
Are you the type to enjoy a stroll through the cool, dark cemetery, taking refuge under the yews, perhaps picnicking …
In Search of the Corporeal: Westworld and the Meaning of Corpses
(photo of Westworld hosts Maeve and Clementine via Slate – by John P. Johnson/HBO) Last night I finished binge-watching Westworld. I’ve been …
Artistic Ofrendas: Remembering the Dead Through Art
Ofrendas are offerings laid out for dead family members and friends during the period Dia de Muertos, Mexico’s annual remembrance of …
Defying Morbidity: Tales From a Central Pennsylvania Funeral Home
(Photo is a photocopy of my grandmother’s photo of the Holcombe Funeral Home in November, 1959. You can spot the …
A Story in Strange California!
I am so excited that a story of mine will be included in Strange California: A Speculative Fiction Anthology, edited by …
The Brief History of End-of-Life and Comfort Care and its Ever-Present Myths
Featured image: Oxford (where Dr. Cicely Saunders initially studied) in autumn. Photo by http://offtonowhere.tumblr.com. Hospice care in the United States just celebrated …
Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley Award for Imaginative Fiction
Featured Image: Mary Shelley Original Drawing by CaitlinMcCarthyArt . After nearly two years, I am finally getting two short stories published, …
Cemeteries and Libations: Adventures in New Orleans
A few days ago I returned from a wonderful, sweltering New Orleans trip with my best friend. It was our …
Sailor’s Formalin: Bodies in Bourbon, Whiskey, and Rum
Featured image: Color label for qt. bottle. “Old National Whiskey,” a Louisville, KY whiskey sold by “Henry Coby, Colo. City, Colo.” Pre-1920. …
Elegy for Sylvia: Ted Hughes’ Birthday Letters
Featured Image: Sylvia Plath’s grave in West Yorkshire, England (Flickr/ UncleBucko ) via WNYC (desaturated for this blog post). Red was your colour …
Tomato Aspic, Stuffed Eggs, and Pimiento Cheese: How Southern Ladies Do Funerals
Nobody in the world eats better than the bereaved Southerner. Being Dead is No Excuse: The Official Southern Ladies Guide …
Thoughts on the Aid in Dying Decision in New Mexico
featured image: Laid to Rest in a Bed of Bluebells, by Rebecca Hampton “Physician-assisted suicide threatens all people and turns the …
The Dead and their Ghostly Baggage of Superstitions
Featured image via the enchanting WhiteWit.Ch. I haven’t posted an original blog post for a couple of weeks – have been …
The Sacrilege of Disturbed Undertaking: William Gay’s Twilight.
The heady atmosphere of the southern woods is where macabre secrets lie ensnarled in webs woven by centuries old ghosts; …
Hosting A Séance, Victorian-Style
There’s nothing more titillating than a room full of spirits. If you’re in need of entertaining inspiration over this long …
A Round-Up of Witchy Goodness and Occult Forces to Be Reckoned With
This week I’ve been immersed in occult studies, reading up on Satanism, Spiritualism, and Wicca; researching the Fox Sisters, Beyoncé’s invocation …
Mourning Baubles and Morbid Trinkets
I’ve always been drawn to Victorian mourning rituals, especially the regalia of full mourning attire worn by new (often affluent) …
