“There is, and always has been, a compulsive nature to my writing, because there is a desperate nature to my imagination.”
My name is Jamie Mason and my work is a blend of rural and urban settings, with a focus on transformation, treacherous curiosity, and the trauma of survival. Although I currently live in Calgary, Alberta, I grew up in small towns in Saskatchewan and those experiences heavily influenced my writing. I primarily write fantasy, horror and speculative fiction stories about ordinary people navigating dangerous worlds.
Why do you write? What inspires you?
I write because I have to. Pieces of stories intrude on my daily life like a stranger pressing ripped pages into the palm of my hand. Mysterious. Forceful. Pleading for my attention.
There are wells through which my imagination flows and I wish I could show them to you. I wish I could point to the origin and say, ‘this is where they are, everything, from the scent of mint to the sharp prick of a pin might spring from the ripped pages of that cursed leatherbound book.’ I only know that the more often I read the ripped pages, the more often they appear and pull me into worlds I had no hand in making.
Writing is also my process of learning and holding space for my thoughts, whether they be in fictional worlds or as monstrous forms. Reading my previous works is like finding a fingerprint on an undusted shelf or a polaroid selfie. It’s important to me.
How long have you been writing?
I’ve been writing for just over two decades. I wrote my first novel when I was twelve years old. An unpublished dragon rider story called ‘Crystal of the Sun’ and if you’ve watched any 90’s anime, such as Sailor Moon, Digimon, or Inuyasha, you’d recognize a lot of the tropes in that writing. A destined animal partner, collecting crystal shards, a slowly unveiled cast of characters that were prophesied. Not exactly literary fiction, but that’s what I love. Authentic, almost personal fiction with an unpolished and erratic heart.
Since that first novel I’ve written over 55 short stories, 300 poems, and 7 more novels. Most of my work remains unpublished, relegated to the annals in my Google Docs.
Do you want to share more of your work?
Thus far my writing has been predominantly private, shared only with friends and family. For the past ten years I’ve poured my public creative focus into my collaborative artistic visual practice, Rawry & Pohly. As I’ve become more comfortable with public reception I’ve realized that I would like to share more of my written work. To write with the intention of being read feels terrifying. It also feels necessary.
Tell us about the work you’re sharing with us today in this newsletter
“Brittle” is a poetic work from a book of unpublished poems that I wrote titled Wicked Offerings. The collection ruminates on unprocessed generational trauma, existential dread, and a childlike curiosity of death, all tangled with elements of horror and fantasy. This work is a reminder to myself that despite when the world feels increasingly hostile, there is a reason to continue. That survival itself is a privilege and not to be a skull buried in the dirt singing sweet songs to those passing by.
To read more of Jamie Mason’s written work including her most recent short story titled “The Great One”, visit the Ghost Stories YYC narrative art show opening on October 17, 2025 at the Ruberto Ostberg Gallery. The show closes in early November.
You can also find her at jlmason.carrd.co.