Lex Vranick

the artist vs. the art, horror writer edition 🦇

🥀 “Homecoming” — short fiction, 90s teen witch vibes with a grief horror gut punch; full video & audio production available on .

🥀 “i have become a graveyard” — poetry, musings on life after grief and carrying those we have lost onward, first published in “What One Wouldn’t Do”, edited by — reprinted in “Death Songs”, a microchapbook available through Write&W(h)ine publications.

🥀 “The Body” — short fiction, Long Island nostalgia mixed with deep sea legends and a healthy dose of body horror; first published in “Dark Waters” edited by Rhonda Parrish — reprinted as a stand-alone and available through Write&W(h)ine Publications.

🥀 “Rockaway Beach” — short fiction, a slapdash 70s punk thriller infused with The Ramones and more Long Island nostalgia; published in “Gabba Gabba Hey” from .

🥀 “white knuckles and car crashes” — poetry, musings on mental health and functional depression as an undergraduate commuter student fixated on horror movies, published in the second issue of .

you know where to find the links 😉

This , I am feeling grateful for the women I am lucky enough to call my teammates. You all know me for ghosts and ghouls and things that go bump in the night, but by day? I’m Ms. Vranick — an elementary school teacher just trying my best for my students (and who sometimes has to turn off Abbott Elementary because it gets a little too real).

After a rocky start to the school year and an unexpected switch in both work environment and grade level, I was unsure of what to expect, especially leaving a team of four teachers to join a team of eleven. The change was needed, but that didn’t make it any less scary. These women have embraced me, encouraged me, mentored me, and made me feel welcome. While it can be a challenge to get all eleven of us in one place at one time, I am forever thankful to these incredible, kind, caring, thoughtful, funny, inspiring, amazing women.

Easing into 2026 with gratitude, patience, and grace.

The first few days of a new year always feel a little bit frantic; there is endless talk of resolutions set and goals to achieve as the next twelve months lay open and waiting for us to take them and run. Sometimes, I get so caught up in it all that anxiety starts to creep in before I’ve even had a chance to taste the champagne. So, instead of hard launching into January, I have allowed these first few days to unfold slowly and quietly.

If you need permission to take a pause and take a breath, this is it. Savor moments with your people. Slow down and enjoy this time. Recharge and reset, so that you’ll be ready to take on all those New Year’s goals that are waiting for you to chase them.

2025 Wrapped — the word of the year was BALANCE, and it was the perfect guide; I am ending these three hundred and sixty-five days feeling grateful for the ways in which I’ve been able to prioritize and make time for family and friends, writing and teaching, hobbies and relaxation. I have traveled, I have painted, I have said yes more than no, I have centered my mental health and wellness and embraced new opportunities, and while there are always more steps ahead, I’m proud of the strides taken this year.

Goodbye, 2025. It’s been real. 🥂