willow j. ross
Bio
If your writing doesn't challenge the mind of your reader, you have failed as a writer. I hope to use my voice to challenge the minds of all those who read my work, that it would open their eyes to another perspective, and make them think.
Achievements (1)
Stories (30/0)
Hey body, what do you need?
The dark wood of my desk welcomes the morning stream of light that enters through the windowpane of our 1880s farmhouse. I hear the sounds of my husband in the kitchen and the sweet aroma of coffee drifts my way. It’s December, yet Chicago weather seems to be picking the temperatures like the most recent Powerball numbers: 16, 40, 41, 62... I think about the past year and cringe: I’m still without a job, my house is a complete mess, my dogs have a longer rap sheet than I do because of their barking, I am still 20+ pounds heavier than I wanted to be for Christmas pictures, and somehow in the middle of it all I developed anxiety. Happy New Year to me.
By willow j. ross2 years ago in Motivation
- Top Story - November 2021
Normalize being me. Top Story - November 2021
Our society has a saying: "normalize [insert anything, literally anything]." Normalize going to the movie theaters alone. Normalize girls having fat rolls. Normalize wearing bright colors, not changing your last name when you get married, natural hair. Anything. Seriously, anything you can think of can be put into that phrase. I'm sure you have even said it yourself a time or two, I know I have. This trend has become so widespread even Buzzfeed did an article about it where people shared things they wished were more socially acceptable.
By willow j. ross2 years ago in Motivation
Battling anxiety with confidence
When I say I battled anxiety with confidence I don’t mean that I had confidence while fighting with anxiety, I mean that confidence was my weapon. Full disclosure, none of this is scientific or has a positive track record outside of anyone else but myself, yet, if it can help even one other person I want to share.
By willow j. ross2 years ago in Motivation
- Top Story - November 2021
An honest cover letterTop Story - November 2021
To whom it may concern, I'm overjoyed to be submitting my 117th (maybe more) cover letter in the past eighteen months, nineteen days, and four hours to you! A company I have done three minutes of research, maybe read through the entire job description, and am not even sure if it's what I'm looking for. The smile I have on my face right now shows more excitement than I had on my wedding day two years ago, which before you ask because I know you will so I will tell you now. Yes, in five years I would like to have three children, all of which I will have while working for you, meaning you will need to pay maternity leave for all of them. So, I'll save you the trouble, and agree that it makes perfect sense to pay me less than the man you are looking at hiring for the same position. It will allow you to prep for me to have those children as you will need to hire a contractor to do the work for me while I'm gone. Near the end of my maternity leave, I permit you to send me subtle hits that my job will be gone when the leave is over so that I end up coming back early and saving you the trouble of having to pay two people for the work of one.
By willow j. ross2 years ago in Journal
I Hate Birthdays
“Hi, what are we in for today?” The lady behind the desk didn’t address me. I was okay with that. Honestly, I wished more than anything that I was invisible. Invisible people didn’t feel things. They didn’t stand awkwardly beside their mom as she checked them into their appointment, and they didn’t stand there feeling like their insides were constantly being attacked by a hammer.
By willow j. ross2 years ago in Fiction
Shattered Glass
Evidence of my escape clings to the hem of the once perfectly pure fabric. The cool dew and mud had tried to slow my racing feet, but I’d pressed on, ignored the grasping hands of the brush in the forest until I came to the glass lake. Jagged stones dig into my bare feet as I stand at the water’s edge.
By willow j. ross3 years ago in Fiction