At Home: A Guest Post by Zoje Stage

Read on for an exclusive essay from Zoje Stage on writing Something of a Calling.

In early 2020, I bought my first home—a townhouse that abuts a sloped, partially-wooded acre that can't be developed. The previous owner left a note to tell me about the deer and cardinals that were regular visitors, and the first neighbor to greet me was a peregrine falcon. This wedge of wild land became an instant source of joy for me and my cats, and we watched through the windows in awe of how a small area could boast such a rich ecology.

The wild animals behind my urban house permeated my thoughts to such a degree that ultimately, they inspired me to write a story. And because of my deep love for them, Something of a Calling, a dark cautionary tale, asks readers to consider the world from a non-human perspective.

As the years have gone on, I've become even more attached to these creatures. My effort to attract birds with black oil sunflower seeds drew the attention of a plethora of animals who now regularly stop by for a snack. There's a flat rock just off my back deck where I leave the seeds, and the does (and their fawns) know to catch my eye through the window so I come out and feed them. Watching the fawns visit and grow each year is one of the highlights of my life—and twice now deer have given birth practically on my deck. My other regular snackers include raccoons and groundhogs (and their kits), squirrels, chipmunks, shrews, and a skunk. Recently I saw my first possum—I knew they had to be out there somewhere.

In addition to the delight these animals have given me, they've also been a regular source of worry: multiple times I've felt helpless seeing injured fawns; the cable company's backhoe destroyed a long swath of land; chainsaws invade all too frequently, cutting down trees; a number of squirrels died this past winter due to a long cold spell and deep snow. I am constantly aware of this tiny patch of wilderness and the vulnerability of its creatures. And I inevitably feel that we—human beings—are the source of their hardships. As a society, we've shown a destructive indifference to the living things with which we share the neighborhood, and the earth.

While I haven't seen it described this way, the Anthropocene truly is the age of eco-horror. I find myself increasingly overwhelmed by humanity's toxic impact and the breadth of our collective mistakes and greed—and one outlet I have for processing it is writing. It's a gift to be an author and have a means for digesting and reimagining our world—especially when it's full of horrifying things. In some small way, I hope that Something of a Calling; inspires how readers think about nature—it isn't something far away; it's everywhere. If it's possible that a butterfly can trigger a hurricane, then perhaps our collective thoughts can trigger a compassionate ecological revolution.