If you’re looking for some tortured artist bullshit, I’m gonna disappoint you. I write for fun, not because I think I’m going to die if I don’t. And if you feel that way, knock yourself out, but don’t get it twisted. I don’t bleed ink or believe that heroin is the only conduit for art. While several of my best friends write some Capital L Literature, I’m far more interested in writing that entertains. Sloppy writing. Gritty stuff. Funny and irreverent.

A lot of my work is historical in nature and/or set in some far flung locale. My writing, like me, loves to live anywhere but here. You can find some of my selected pieces on this site, but know that I’m terrible about updating it. If you want to read in real time, follow my Substack, where I talk about what it’s like to surrender to your soul’s calling. We aren’t here to work and pay bills and die. Gross.

All this to say – I’m glad you’ve stopped by.

Professional bio:

Kelly Chastain holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Pittsburgh. Her work has appeared in The Burrow Press Review, San Joaquin Review, Gravel Magazine among others. She has work anthologized in Traveler’s Tales Best Travel Writing Volume 10, and a notable essay in Best American Essays. Currently, she is working on a historical novel and a memoir.