Catherynne M. Valente

This is an essay version of the talk I gave at the Stonecoast MFA Summer Residency at the University of Southern Maine, where I now find myself somehow a grown-up faculty member. Or at least, a third of it. I couldn't even get through all of it with a two-hour lecture slot, and when I fleshed it out

I’m so so thrilled about this new Thing that is in, but not yet of, my house. Mainly because it’s so cold and frozen over there’s no realistic chance of me drilling into anything to hang it. Even more thrilled about why I have it. Much, much less thrilled about why I wanted it. Depending on how up o

Note: This is cross-posted from my Substack where I keep my uncozy political writing. The rule remains that if any paying patron asks for something paywalled there to be posted here, I will do so within 24 hours. I prefer to keep this place loving and cozy and full of art, but some things are import

After the straight-up saga of Velveteen's incredible journey east, I thought you might like the happy ending. In case you don't follow me on BlueSky where I've been uncontrollably...oh god, am I about to use the word "squeeing" for the first time in years? I suppose I am. Uncontrollably squeeing abo

I’m just so proud of this I want everyone to see it! Also it took almost a year of assembling patches from various sources. And then just...a REALLY long time hand-stitching every single patch because, as it turns out, "iron-on" is apparently just a total lie it's perfectly okay to tell. And then I