Essay Collection: Books Where Art Meets Psychology
Here's where you can find what I'm writing about books I'm reading, books I've written, and the broader world of books as a reader/writer
Here you will find links to the essays here on Create Me Free that are about books, mostly books I’m reading, occasionally broader thoughts about books, as they relate to the intersection of art + psychology.
Books From a Sylvia Plath Deep Dive
Pain, Parties, Work … Sylvia Plath’s Bell Jar Summer
If you’re familiar enough with Plath and The Bell Jar, then you’ll know that this year was the summer during which the book is based on. It’s actually not a whole summer but just a single month internship, when Plath was excited to be writing for a magazine in the city but was also falling into a deep depression that would lead to a suicide attempt upon returning home. I was surprised to learn that the prolific writer didn’t keep a diary during her trip, but she did write letters and these, combined with tales recounted from the other women at the internship with her, build the story that Winder shares with us.
Depression and Writing in the Mind of Esther Greenwood
I recently re-read The Bell Jar for the first time since I was in my late teens. I was surprised to discover how little writing is mentioned in the book, because I think of it as a book about the depression a writer goes through. And it is about that but perhaps I had conflated it with Sylvia Plath’s true life story and expected there to be many more mentions of writing itself. And yet, it actually makes sense to me now that I think about it, because during depressive periods, it’s often hard to write, and so why would a book about a depressive period feature a lot of writing? And upon closer examination, there is actual regular mention of writing as it relates to her mental health. I had just forgotten how much of the story was other stuff, too.
Art+Mental Health in The Last Confessions of Sylvia P.
The Last Confessions of Sylvia P. expands upon the story of The Bell Jar while also telling the fictional story of the appraisal and sale of the lost manuscript. This is a fictional story rooted in a lot of historical autobiography that is told through the lens of three different characters, alternating viewpoints by chapter.
Other Books I’ve Read
Lisa Carver's Heart-Wrenching Writing
Lisa Carver is a unique author who creates out-of-the-box books in terms of both content and design. And I love them.
On Yoko Ono, Dissociative Identity, Parenting a Neurodiverse Child and all of the ways art relates ...
Art and Mental Health Novels: All My Puny Sorrows by Miriam Toews
The book tells the story of two sisters, Elfrieda and Yolandi, who grew up in a small Mennonite community in Canada. Elfrieda, an accomplished concert pianist, struggles with severe depression and suicidal ideation, while Yolandi, a writer and mother, tries to support her sister while dealing with her own feelings of helplessness and grief.
Art + Psychology in The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls
Walls highlights moments of creativity and beauty that provided escape and hope for her and her siblings. The memoir portrays how art and imagination served as coping mechanisms and sources of resilience. Through her story, Walls offers a deeper understanding of how creativity can both reflect and help overcome emotional struggles.
Crafting Meaning: How to Find Belonging through Craft
Emily Esfahani Smith has authored a compelling book titled, “The Power of Meaning: Crafting a Life that Matters.” This book isn’t literally about hands-on crafting. Instead, it is a well-researched guide to finding meaning in life. However, her research can be combined with research into how crafting heals to help us in crafting meaning for our lives.
Book Review: Always Too Much and Never Enough
Always Too Much is a great example of a memoir that shares the socio-political through the lens of the personal in a way that is highly relatable and charming enough to be continually entertaining. It is not easy to discuss the relationships women have with their bodies and the way that this relates to animal politics, food politics, feminism and other important but heavy topics. Jasmin manages to weave them all together, sharing what can be considered sometimes-radical views without alienating her audience
Books I’ve Written Or Contributed To
Two Ways of Beginning a Book Chapter About Georgia O'Keeffe's Art and Mental Health
The final draft that I submitted to the editor/ publisher and the final final draft that ended up as the published version, giving you a chance to see what happens in the editing process.
Reflections on an author interview from over a decade ago and how much is still true
Back in 2012, I had just self-published Crochet Saved My Life and put a lot of effort into trying to promote the book. I did this through many means but mostly through connecting with others who were willing to share excerpts, interviews, etc. with their own readers. Today, I wanted to share with you one of those old interviews, originally published (and still available online) by Sylvia Browder.
Craftfulness Book Review: Mend Yourself by Making Things
Rosemary and Arzu were sitting in the kitchen one November, knitting in a rush to complete Christmas gifts, when they had the conversation that sparked the creation of this book. Crafting alone is amazing but crafting in community (even with just one other friend) is a powerful thing and this is just one example of where it can lead.
“Whatever challenges life throws at you, you are better able to meet them face-on and stay standing: you have got the tools to shield and save yourself. You are a warrior armed only with woodblock tools, knitting needles and a crochet hook!”
A Look Back at The Artist's Mind Virtual Substack Book Tour
Find links to all of the stops on The Artist's Mind virtual book tour - guest posts, interviews, excerpts - as well as information about how to set up and complete. virtual book tour on Substack.
Guest Posts
When Dickens stepped in to keep me company: How reading literature gave me purpose during a time of grief
A guest post for you from Jeffrey Streeter of English Republic of Letters. Making art is cathartic but simply experiencing art can also be extremely healing (or conversely, potentially traumatizing). We sometimes forget this when we watch tv or listen to podcasts or even read books. But then a work will grab us by the shoulders and shake us or hug us and we remember that the reason we make art is not only for us but for the others who may experience it. So, I am happy to be able to share this guest post with you about reading Dickens to deal with grief.
Facing Fears and Trying New Things: Guest Post and Excerpt by Maggie Maris + Crochet Exercise by Kathryn Vercillo
This is a journal with prompts and inspiration designed to help you find happiness in different areas of life. For my stop on the tour, I wanted to share the area that interested me most personally: Facing Fears. Maggie has generously allowed me to share an excerpt from that section of the journal and she has supplemented that by writing us a guest post about her own experience stepping out of her comfort zone and trusting her own creative intuition.
Other Book Stuff
The Research Phase in Writing Feels Like Falling in Love
In any case, my resumed relationship with Sylvia Plath may have remained just a one night stand, a nostalgic chat with an ex who holds up a mirror to where I was when we were once entwined, except that then I read The Last Confessions of Sylvia P … and now I am smitten. I am falling head over heels. At the very least, I’m ready for an intense summer fling. I returned to the library, grabbed every book by and about and inspired by Plath and am committed.
Literature as a Lens for Understanding the Limitations and Potential of Craftivism
In her work, Hemmings dives into novels and short stories from diverse cultural backgrounds—Zimbabwe, Chile, and India—to provide a rich context for understanding craft. These literary examples serve as a lens through which we can see how craft is intertwined with cultural practices, personal identities, and socio-political realities. It's a reminder that craft isn't just about making things; it's about the stories and meanings we weave into those things.
Kathryn Vercillo on writer's block, the editing process, reading as research, and being gentle with yourself
I live with chronic recurring major depression, and the symptoms of that are typically what might cause something like writer’s block for me. The number one thing is a combination of insomnia and fatigue that just makes it feel impossible to think, let alone write. Also symptoms including feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness … I stop seeing the point in any of it, so the motivation isn’t there to do it. So, treating the depression is really how I treat the writer’s block.
16 Writers/Artists/Thinkers Share Book Recommendations
One of the questions I always ask towards the end of the interview is what the person recommends I read (or watch/listen to/ learn about) next. Since my interviews are typically about the complex relationship between art and mental health, most of the recommendations relate directly to that, although sometimes the connection is a little subtler. Here are the recommendations I received from interviews in the past year or so, along with links to the original interviews here on Substack.