The Red Chair is a short novella about the patients of the Brockville Asylum in Ontario, Canada. The novel follows Julie Barrows who was admitted into the asylum 21 times between 1914 and 1957. While the chapters begin with her, they often depart to tell the experience of other patients she came into contact with.

In this reflection, I explore the making of The Red Chair. I look at my research, writing, and editing processes through the lens of empathy and imagination. From encountering the archive to learning how to identify with shell shock, I look at what inspired me, the decisions I made and why, and what influenced me. The Red Chair is meant to foster an experience for the reader, but equally so, it fostered a unique experience for me as a historian and an author.

Wrote and performed a short interactive play on my archival experience. While at the Ontario Archives, I read several case files that reminded me of a deeply personal experience. This play is meant to illustrate the personal connections that may emerge in the archive and the emotions that connect us to the past