I’ve always been fascinated by the link between art and suffering.
How many artists have discovered their most profound work amidst personal turmoil?
Van Gogh’s “Starry Night.”
Sylvia Plath — The Bell Jar.
Edgar Allan Poe— The Raven.
All straddling the line between art and madness, chaos and beauty.
Are artists inherently drawn to darkness, or is there a predisposition to experience this shadow energy more than the average person?
Around 2015, I started writing my first thriller, 'She Died Famous.' I’ll admit, the things that were pouring out of me during those writing sessions were terrifying. The villain, a sinister alter-ego named Bob, mirrored the anxiety and dread I was grappling with at the time. Confronting him on the blank page was unsettling – was this entity, this ominous presence, actually inside me?
If The War of Art by Steven Pressfield wasn’t close by, I might have abandoned the project altogether. His advice: “The more scared we are of a work or calling, the more sure we can be that we have to do it.
Years later, I can read the novel with much more clarity.
She Died Famous, like most of my books, was my psyche’s attempt to navigate unchecked trauma in my soul. The unseen emotions that I had never processed. Writing, in a way, has been my salvation, illuminating the things I’ve hidden away.
None of us go through life unscathed. Most of us have to work our pain out on therapy couches and with trusted friends. But artists… It isn’t just enough to work through it. No, we use our pain as the building blocks for our art. We dive into the unknown corners of our minds, and journey through our shadows, hoping to use our suffering to create something meaningful.
The Eleven
In my latest novel, I’ll be exploring the intricate bond between art and madness and the ritual of creating in the shadows.
'The Eleven' centers on a mysterious secret society that has influenced some of history's greatest artists. This ancient order, which now has its shadowy hand in Hollywood, wields its power to sway the masses, presenting a speculative exploration of art’s relationship with suffering. I can’t wait for you to experience this story!
For a glimpse into this journey, here's the first book trailer!