author, poet, humorist, reader
(I wrote this short story in response to the prompt, “Make some sensory observations that are unusual.” I’m not really sure where the premise came from, but it was fall, and I was thinking about monsters and vampires and ancient beings and secrets. All great recipes for stories, however short.) Griselda Wing Chair Musings is […]
Disney’s The Little Mermaid came out in 1989 and earned $84 million on release. It was my favorite Disney movie when I was a kid, and I can still proudly sing every song in it, because, for some reason, those words have stuck with me all my life. Maybe it’s because I’m autistic (just didn’t […]
At book signings, I have some motivational stickers I place out on the table, because everyone loves free stickers. “You’re doing great,” some of them say. “Make yourself proud,” others proclaim. “Be positive, productive, persistent,” another urges. “Still here, still strong.” A declaration. All very good messages that invite us to be strong and resilient. […]
Launch season for my middle grade novel in verse, My Brother Oliver, has now wrapped up. I’m a little tired, and it’s summer, so I didn’t do as many events as I have in the past, but I can say I thoroughly enjoyed the events I did. Pages for Ages, San Antonio This is a […]
I love fairy tales. I’ve been reading to my kids from a gigantic volume of Grimm’s fairy tales since they were young (they’re now asking if we can read both the fairy tales and the gigantic Edgar Allan Poe collection I have on my shelf, because we like it dark). Some of these stories are […]
For as long as I remember, I’ve dreamed of being an author. The first time I read a book that made me feel deep things and changed my world and understanding and beliefs (what do you mean time and space could have a wrinkle, and love could be that wrinkle???), I wanted to do the […]
I ran as the sun came up—I couldn’t see it, because it’s been a very rainy season where I live in Texas. The drizzle wet my face. Sunrise makes morning runs so much better, but this one was a slog—humid and wet. My shoes were getting heavy. I wanted to turn back around and go […]
For as long as I can remember I’ve wrestled with Major Depressive Disorder. It was fairly predictable when I was a kid. But then puberty hit and suddenly sadness/anger/despair/fear/hopelessness/emptiness felt way bigger. And as I came of age and hit the teenage years, it was often heavy and stifling. Unbearable when I sat and thought […]
I have been hard at work putting together some free downloadable materials for my most recent middle grade book, My Brother Oliver, that teachers, parents, counselors, and book clubs can use in their different settings. These are all available for free and can be found on the book’s web page: https://www.racheltoalson.com/books/my-brother-oliver/ My Brother Oliver is […]
This short story was written on a day when I was thinking about the psychological phenomenon groupthink and how when we surround ourselves with only people who think like us, we tend to become less critical of ideas. I’m not sure what made me want to explore this concept in the context of a toxic […]