It began with two probes. My friend Jancie had just become a contributing editor for a new magazine, and asked if I’d write something. I hadn’t written much since dropping out of an MFA program in 2024. The desire to make was still there, but so was all this shame and angst. Eventually, my boyfriend Michael looked me in the eyes and asked me to consider believing in myself. I started to find the words shortly after, little by little, each day. Life is full of many firsts. Canoe is my first story.

True to my taste, there’s not really a plot, but I’ll try to describe things that give the story structure. It’s about a woman on her way to a dinner. It’s about loneliness, social anxiety, and an acuteness to one’s environment. It’s about thinking too much in a crowd. It is far from perfect! But it is mine and after all this time, I’m really proud. Read Canoe in In Review Magazine!

Thanks to In Review Magazine for publishing this story and to Jancie Creaney for the fabulous edits.