New here? Start here

(Or: how I ended up writing about grief, telly, and Shed Seven)

Hi. I’m Elaine.

I write about the messy stuff - grief, PTSD, parenting a disabled child - and the absurd, funny, sometimes inappropriate ways all of that collides with pop culture.

In 2019, my twin sons were born at 24 weeks. One died. One survived, with complex and profound medical and learning needs. Nothing about that experience is neat or ‘inspirational’, but it permanently changed how I see the world, and how I write.

If you’re looking for bravery porn, relentless optimism, or tidy lessons tied up with a bow, this probably isn’t the place.

But, if you’ve ever laughed at the wrong moment or used television as an emotional life raft - welcome!

Alongside this newsletter, I co-host the podcast The Honeymoon Period, where I think out loud - with my husband - about the television and film we’ve been watching.

Why subscribe?

Because life is tragic and ridiculous, and I promise to write about both honestly - with humour, warmth, and just enough chaos to make you feel better about your own week.

A free subscription gets you all my published essays.

Paid subscribers get The Deep End - a monthly personal letter where I share what’s really going on behind the writing: the doubts, sparks, half-formed thoughts, and life shenanigans that don’t always make it into the free stuff.

If that sounds like your kind of place, I’d love you to stay.

— Elaine

PS: If you prefer listening, you might also like the podcast.