An Interview with Lynn Shattuck & Alyson Shelton
Lynn Shattuck has been publishing essays on the topic of sibling loss for more than a decade. She was a paid columnist at Elephant Journal for ten years; several of her essays on the topic of grief and sibling loss have gone viral. Her writing has also appeared on The Huffington Post, Human Parts, Vice, The Fix, and Al Jazeera.
Alyson Shelton is an award-winning screenwriter and essayist. Her writing is widely published at outlets including The New York Times, Ms., and The Rumpus. She’s deeply proud of her collaborations with other female creatives, most notably, the comic Reburn and the film To Hold the Night. She’s anthologized in collections including Comics Lit Vol. 1 (Accomplishing Innovation Press), Broken Free: Writers on Estrangement (Catapult 2026) and The Loss of a Lifetime: Siblings on Love, Loss and Hope (Contributor and Co-Editor with Lynn Shattuck). She’s best known for her Instagram Live series inspired by George Ella Lyon’s poem, “Where I’m From” where she’s hosted close to 200 writers. The poem also provides the spine for her forthcoming memoir.
What inspired you to start writing this book?
In 1999, when I was 24, my brother died unexpectedly. In the wake of losing him, I tried to turn to the place I always turned when I needed help—books. Unfortunately, there weren’t any.
Tell us the story of your book’s current title. Was it easy to find, or did it take forever?
The main part of the title came from an essay I wrote in 2014, dubbing sibling loss “The Loss of a Lifetime.” The subtitle needed more massaging and shifted when we pivoted from seeking a traditional publisher to publishing independently.
Describe your dream book cover.
We’re really happy with our existing book cover. We worked with an artist, Elise McCall, to create imagery that represented both the depth of sibling loss, but also the possibility for hope and new growth.
If your book had a soundtrack, what are some songs that would be on it?
“Helpless,” “I Just Called to Say I Love You,” “Angie.”
What books are you reading (for research or comfort) as you continue the writing process?
I just started reading The Mourner’s Bestiary by Eiren Caffall, which is beautiful. Annie Sklaver Orenstein’s Always a Sibling is my other favorite existing book (besides our anthology) on sibling loss.
What other professions have you worked in? What’s something about you that your readers wouldn’t know?
Financial writing, managing a crisis team, working for a minor league hockey team
Who/what made you want to write? Was there a particular person, or particular writers/works/art forms that influenced you?
My grandma Jeanne was the first person who believed I could be a writer. I also recently found that my first grade teacher, Mr. Opitz, wrote on my report card that I had strong creative writing skills—this surprised me, as I didn’t realize it was a skill I was already developing at such a young age.
Where is your favorite place to write?
In my pink-walled office. I’m not really a pink-vibe type of gal, but I’ve grown to love the creative, feminine energy I find in our former den.
What advice would you give your past self at the start of your writing journey?
Just keep going. It will take longer than you’d like, and you will often feel like you’ve lost your way. Keep taking the next right step, and try to enjoy the journey.
What’s one thing you hope sticks with readers after they finish your book?
I hope readers feel less alone, and that they find slivers of their own stories in the essays.
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