In the midst of the pandemic I spent three weeks at a residency in New Smyrna Beach, FL working on a novel. It felt different to be recognized for my art and have the freedom everyday to read, write, steal a peach from the kitchen, smoke a cigarette. There was no full-length mirror in my room so I took this photo. It’s sort of a grim reminder that even when the only objective is creative work, I’m still concerned about the way I look. The text is from a piece called On Love, People, and Creation that I wrote while I was there. It’s my rules for making something, the rules that allow me to create.