I am fine. I have always been fine.
Have you ever shrunk yourself?
If you feel everything inside and show nothing outside, I have lived there too.
Why I’m writing
At my worst, I would have given anything to read someone who had felt this and come out breathing. I couldn't find that book, so I'm trying to become it for whoever needs it next.
Who’s writing
I'm Stephen. I write from Phnom Penh, in prose and in poetry, about what's left when the performing stops. This is my first book.
The book
Love Is What's Left When I Stop Auditioning for It
A memoir in prose and poetry, coming in hardcover in 2028. Until then, I'm sharing the chapters on Substack as I finish them.
Free, always.
It includes depression, self-harm, and suicidal thoughts. Read at your own pace. Find someone to talk to →