Blog

on AI, art, and writing

Lately, there’s been a lot of discourse about the impact of AI art and writing, and I’ll admit that I feel a bit of trepidation about the abilities of recently-unveiled artificial intelligence projects. There are so many possibilities to fear—its ability to replace creative workers, the hollowness of its art, the rampant intellectual property theft. I’m not that interested in wading into the debate about how human-like it is (this doesn’t ultimately matter to me, Read more…

By Kelsey.josund, ago

It’s Not a Compliment That You Thought I Worked in Marketing

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve met someone — almost always a man — who, upon learning that I am an engineer, responds, “Wow! I thought you must work in marketing or something!” And I get it: I’m a blonde woman who works at a startup, which makes me a rarity in general, and among engineering ranks in particular. Not only that, I adorn myself with many stereotypically feminine accouterments, from skirts to Read more…

By Kelsey.josund, ago

reflections on a year i barely felt

Winter I think I speak for most of the country when I say that 2021 has been a strange year. It began with triumph: covid vaccines on the way, a new party in the White House, an impending major climate change summit where perhaps real progress could be made. It began with tragedy: an insurrection in the first week of January, an impeachment trial that went nowehere, horrible news out of a frigid Texas winter. Read more…

By Kelsey.josund, ago

on climate optimism

My thoughts on climate change are riddled with contradictions. When I experience a heat wave or a month of smoke, I am rent by panic and fear that this is all the future holds. Then the crisis recedes and I return to my life, eating dinner out in the sun and hiking in the woods that did not burn down. When I read a new study about how far we have gone down a path Read more…

By Kelsey.josund, ago

all my friends are writing books!

One of the very best things about being an author is getting to know other authors! It’s so much fun to read books by people you know. Here are some upcoming books that I loved reading, all coming out in the next few months! For all of them, I received early copies in exchange for an honest review. Of Us and Them by TL Coughlin (@TL_Coughlin on Twitter) Goodreads Dragons and prophecies are both usually Read more…

By Kelsey.josund, ago

the return of Big Basin Redwoods State Park

Once again, here’s some nature content. Last week, I was lucky enough to get a tour of Big Basin Redwoods State Park, which has not yet reopened to the public. Originally created in 1902, Big Basin is the oldest State Park in California, and in many ways it’s the flagship State Park. Most of the park burned last year during the CZU Complex Fires, which were just a few of the thousands of wildfires ignited Read more…

By Kelsey.josund, ago

hey kids, editing is fun!

Sorry for the Taylor Swift reference in the title. If you know me in person, you know this is inevitable. A lot of authors hate editing. It involves tearing out chunks of your beloved story, reviewing your own work with a critical eye and figuring out everything you did wrong, and tons of red ink from your critique partners. It’s brutal! It shatters the illusion that your work is wonderful. And I get that! I Read more…

By Kelsey.josund, ago

on reading dystopias amid the apocalypse

The news lately has felt pretty apocalyptic. I won’t get into the international or even national headlines, because there’s far too much there. Instead, I’m going to stick close to my own home, and close to Platformed’s setting. When I wrote Platformed, I imagined a future embattled by climate change, overpowered corporations, and inept government. It was spring 2019 and I saw hints of all of these on the horizon, but I imagined a fire Read more…

By Kelsey.josund, ago

the story behind the story: PRETTY DEADLY

I love fairytales. I always have. I think every little girl grows up on Disney movies and Hans Christian Andersen books (fun fact, my great grandparents came from the town where he lived!). We dreamed of pretty dresses and royalty. But even as a child, I saw how much darker the original versions were than the animated movies. And, though I wouldn’t have known how to articulate why, I liked them better that way. One Read more…

By Kelsey.josund, ago