A.H. Gillett

There’s a certain terror that parents go through when they realize one of their children (or many of them) are actually ADHD/ADD, and it’s not some term thrown out there to excuse distraction or forgetfulness. That it’s not a joke. It’s not a stage. This is them. The anticipated challenges can be daunting, and no parent wants their children slotted as having something “wrong” with them, but…

“Productivity” is an interesting word. A “product,” according to Dictionary.com, is “a thing produced by labor.” It also defines it as a person or thing that is the result of a process. Defining an oft-used word might earn me a few eyerolls, but I feel it’s important to point out that a product is the result of labor or a process. You don’t have to have a method (aka, a process), to be…

I’ve decided to re-release “All Light and Darkness” on ebook as a novella. There are several reasons that spurred this decision, but the foremost is that I have completed the first draft of Book 2 in The Book of Leiden series, and… I love it! But, it does not play nice with the story I released as Volume 1. I wanted to expand Volume 1 into Book 1 — I have the chapters ready for it and…

ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder. It is also often referred to as ADD. They are the same thing. Previously, I talked about it being a state of being–an alternative brain development from the majority–rather than a disease or disability. I want to focus in on that a little more. Then, after divulging my personal experiences with being ADHD and not knowing it, I’ll go more…

Every New Year, I used to post a checklist of goals. I was a goal-oriented person who lived for the satisfaction of checking things off of a list. Then in 2019, I had a mental-emotional meltdown, and lists have had the exact opposite effect on me since. Now, the more I talk about what I’ve accomplished and what I planned to accomplish and what I hope to accomplish, the more it feels like a…

What should I call this thing that I am? ADHD. It’s a “disorder”–that’s in the name–but people usually opt for “condition” instead, but “condition” is getting a worse connotation by the day. I prefer reserving “condition” for referring to things like eczema not me. But, the reality is that my brain is wired to process and prioritize the world around me differently from the average person. And by…

This last fall, I passed the three year mark for being officially diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD). When I was first diagnosed I went on the search for resources, both academic and anecdotal, to advise me on how to live my life. Most especially, on how to be a writer who wants to not only write, but actually finish my writing projects. Only to discover, very few…

Tonight, my kids and I enjoyed a joke composition competition. Here are the results! (It’s very possible you’ve already heard these jokes, but we were pretty proud of them. ;D) Why did the skeletons not enjoy the movie? They thought it was tasteless. What is a zombie’s favorite exercise? Deadlifts. How do zombies feel after a race? Dead tired. Why did the skeletons break up? They were…

I've made the original "All Light and Darkness" short story that was published in Writers of the Future, Vol 34 available for free on my website. Enjoy!

All Light and Darkness by Amy Henrie Gillett I crest the hill, panting, sweat trickling through the filthy coils of my blue hair and down my dark face. The monochrome of the Dustlands pains my eyes–yellow and brown below and yellow-brown above. Dust cyclones rain down slivers of salt and sand, a fine powder that coats the throat. The blue moon, a mercury smile, waits for her red sister on the…

why? Why? WHY? The short answer: I’m a perfectionist. I (and others) found too many errors and issues in “All Light and Darkness, Volume 1.” The longer answer: AI. I’m rearranging the cosmos. Amazon sucks. The longest answer: 1. AI. As most of you are aware, a whole new world of creativity is opening up due to AI generated material. I’m someone who sees a lot of potential in AI as an…

Book Release! Finally!

I have been working on “All Light and Darkness” for 6 years. Now, I have finally released the first volume! It is also available on Kindle Unlimited so if that’s how you roll, check it out. Back Cover: An elite soldier, Leiden has followed the Vogt’s orders for years to repay a life-debt, but when an operation ends in catastrophe, he abandons the only life he can remember to search for a path to…

A Safe Place for Stories

There’s something called self-compassion. She’s the Cinderella of identity paradigms–scorned, ignored, and sent to scrub everyone else’s feet. Her evil step-sisters are Self-Esteem and Self-Hate. Keep that in mind. I want to tell a story. It’s the story of Story. A child sits snug in bed. His parents tucks his blankets around him. They tell him tales of ugly ducklings who become swans and…

Writing the Last Chapter for the First Time

Endings can be a relief. Endings can be new beginnings. Endings may not be endings at all. Writing the last chapter of All Light and Darkness was all three of these for me. All Light and Darkness is my first complete novel. I’ve attempted writing novels since I was fifteen years old. I’ve started many. Many many many… But finished none. I didn’t have the knowledge or experience to continue to…

The Beast that is Audience.

In my past life, I was a pioneer–one of those 19th century folk in covered wagons that you saw in 8-bit playing Oregon Trail. And when I died from dysentery, I must’ve skipped my drink at the River of Oblivion. The reason I bring this up: When people bring up social media platforms, I’m totally like, “What witchcraft is this?” O_O -_- O_O ^^^ that’s a blank-faced blink (say that ten-times…

Alien Armageddon and the Bailiwick of Guernsey

I lived on the Island of Guernsey for two months doing cultural research. I travelled all over the island and became very familiar with the history and stories there. I love the complexity. I also love the culture. It’s the kind of place where the locals prefer hiking boots to heels.The reason I chose this place to be the headquarters of the organization Returned Research and Rights (RRR) in my…