Vanessa Perry

I’ve been MIA.

Appointments, writing, health stuff. And now starting grad school.

But I finally started meds after numerous tests etc. And I daresay I’m starting to feel slightly better? It’s kinda a process of elimination.

I’ve got more appointments lined up but.. is that hope? Reprieve? Maybe?

We fiction writers and artists are a strange lot. I’m talking super strange. Well.

I’m glad.

A paperback book, The Shadow of the Gods by John Gwynne, that has a cover featuring a colossal- I mean dang huge- and fierce-looking dragon staring down a person with a shield and sword.

Now reading 🗡️

The Shadow of the Gods by John Gwynne.

I’m late to the party, as usual. And not even fashionably so. But let’s go!

My Mosaic A weird little stream-of-conscious creative post.

If you want to read a strange creative nonfiction, please, help yourself to my post.

It’s not a story. Nor is it a poem. It’s more like a lyrical essay. A lyrical.. list? I don’t know. Maybe somebody wiser knows.

Enjoy! Or block me. Both will be understandable.

Hemingway: The Mask of Masculinity and Revelations in The Snows of Kilimanjaro What does it mean to be one of America’s most interesting men?

Hemingway: The Mask of Masculinity and Revelations in The Snows of Kilimanjaro
open.substack.com/pub/annotati...

YouTube video by Vanessa Perry Hemingway: The Mask of Masculinity and Revelations in The Snows of Kilimanjaro

A rundown of Hemingway and his public persona.

youtu.be/K44kg6jMYj8?...

Graphic reads: "A Shared Reading Series: Identity Under Pressure". From January to June 2026. It lists the following reading list: January: “The Snows of Kilimanjaro” by Ernest Hemingway. February: The Once & Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow. March: “The Flowers” by Alice Walker. April: The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty. May: “The Open Boat” by Stephen Crane. June: Dragonfall by L.R. Lam.

I'm doing some read-alongs over on Substack for the first part of the year, if anyone is interested in any of them!

Specifically, I'll be noting observations on "identity" within each work.

Read more about it:
open.substack.com/pub/annotati...

I’ve felt horrid.

Stress seems to make everything worse tenfold, so I’ve been mostly avoiding the internet like the plague.

But I’m so thankful for books. I dunno what I’d do without them.

47 Meters Down gave me chills. Sharks with thalassophobia?! I love it!

I’ve never seen Dangerous Animals

Cover by 100 covers for Snowmane. It shows a snowbound landscape and a young woman with dark hair in a red dress walking across the snow. She is holding a large wooden staff. In the sky are the images of a white owl and wolf, both with yellow eyes.

I’ve a book coming out this month! It’s a fantasy novella about a bridegroom who brings an unwelcome guest to his wedding. It’s full of snow and massive animals. Perfect for this time of year.
It’ll be available as a pocket sized paperback too, complete with my illustrations.
📢📚 #Booksky

I didn’t get to see it in theaters but I remember being certain that folks were just overhyping it.

I was so surprised!

Hashimotos is still my only diagnosis. The only thing that is certain is that I likely do have one other autoimmune disease, *at least*.

But it’s just tests and more tests. And waiting on rheumatology in Feb.

I feel like ass most days. But I’m still hopeful!!!

Sjogrens. But there’s no in-network providers so even with insurance it’s gonna be like $350. 🤡🤡🤡 What a joke. So I’m gonna see if there’s any alternate paths there.

I do have the gene for Bahcet’s. But I’ve got many different observable symptoms from various potential autoimmune diseases. So, ⬇️

Oh, I’ve been MIA. But for those who have followed my whining about my health…

I did finally see endocrinology. Next week, I have my thyroid checked again since hashimotos is a bitch. But also checking for potential Addison’s.

I’m supposed to get a salivary gland biopsy to also check for ⬇️

Watching Godzilla 2014 for 846th time.

There is not a Godzilla movie that I don’t love. Even the 1998 one.

Might watch Godzilla Minus One after. Now that one- phew. What a great movie.

Right? And bills are not cheap. Expensive just to survive, much less thrive!

I also wish it didn’t! If we could just do things for the fun of it, it’d be great!

You’re doing a great job. I’m glad you’re here

Happy New Year! You have been and are such a big part of the community. Always looking to boost others even more than yourself. I see you. 🧐 And I’m grateful.

#Writer Sorry to use the tag outside of its intended purpose, but I wanted to wish a very lucky #NewYear to the hosts and participants of #HorrorWritersChat and my fellow creators of The #ShadowBoxArchives. I know 2025 was a lot, to say the least, but hopefully 2026 makes up for it and then some.

Happy New Year everyone! I hope 2026 is full of FIRE and TOGETHERNESS!

Finally get to watch Wicked For Good! So excited!!

Liminality & Character Change in “Dawn of The Firebird” & “The Hobbit” Beginnings & Identifying the In-Between

open.substack.com/pub/annotati...

I’m glad it was still enjoyable, even if in small moments! Hope you’re hanging in there!

Ursula Le Guin’s “The Wind’s Twelve Quarters” a short story collection

My stepson (19) got this for me for Christmas and it’s a perfect gift. :)

Merry Christmas everyone! It’s belated but was busy. Hope everyone was able to find a form of joy!

Coffee in a red ugly sweater Star Wars dark side coffee mug.

Basically surviving chaos and extreme fatigue via coffee.

Hopefully my appointments in Jan give me some answers for my health. 🫠

Thought this said gecko warfares and I was like wut.

It seems there is always something to do. But, before I run myself ragged, I shall watch Frankenstein (Netflix) tonight.

Tomorrow, I'm reading Dickens's A Christmas Carol for the very first time. Which is insane considering I've seen 75 million adaptations and read much of his other work!

Vanessa on Instagram: "The deep dive videos will be posted on YouTube. Short form vids with just the meat and potatoes will be posts on IG and TikTok. And the text version will be over on Substack! ... 0 likes, 0 comments - vanessaperrywrites on December 12, 2025: "The deep dive videos will be posted on YouTube. Short form vids with just the meat and potatoes will be posts on IG and TikTok. And the ...

Ive been MIA thanks to doc appointments and other responsibilities. But yeah! Thank hades for Friday. Also:

www.instagram.com/reel/DSLCdcf...