In which I long for a simplicity that does not exist. 

One Peach

On resilience and recovery in an industry rife with rejection.

"Falling down is very common. I myself came close to falling off the front porch last week."


A Class on How to Fall Down

An example of the strange but delightful subgenre "speculative nonfiction." Runner-up for the 2018 Steinberg Essay Prize, published in Jan 2019. Selected for Pushcart Prize XLV. 

We at Old Birds Welcome Messages from God, even if Unverifiable

There are lots of excellent and funny letters in McSweeny's "Open Letters" feature. Well worth investigating. 

An Open Letter to my Dad, Post-Cremation, Concerning his Missing Gold Teeth

Winner of the Phoebe Nonfiction Contest, 2015, published online. The issue is no longer on the website, and not archived. 

Annie Sheppard

Selected work