We recently connected with Alexandra Fleder and have shared our conversation below.

Alexandra, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Has your work ever been misunderstood or mischaracterized?

Up until I wrote my forthcoming novel, Joan of the Arcane, I’d been going through life wearing a proverbial mask. I didn’t want to go to college. I wanted to go to art school, but my parents refused to help me if I took that path, and for some reason I accepted this. I was raised to go along, to put my needs aside—which is exactly what I did, and it proved calamitous for me.

Instead of doing anything creative, I decided to work in litigation. My first few years as a paralegal weren’t so bad once I got used to the culture—constant tension, temper tantrums, and rampant alcoholism were regular facets of firm life. After six rough months, I learned to thrive in that environment. Sometimes I even enjoyed it, but then I got bored. I thought a change of scenery would do me good. I wanted to make more money so I took the jump into “big law.” That’s when everything went downhill. The pace was too fast; the stakes were too high. My body couldn’t cope with pulling all-nighters and I began to physically break down. I was frequently very sick. Seven years later, I hit full burn out. I kept having strange visions around this time. I saw myself in handcuffs; both of my bound wrists were chained to the computer. I had duct tape covering my mouth and I would see my body being dragged from the back of a train. It was quite persistent.

Then one day I couldn’t get off the couch. It felt like I got hit by a Mack truck. This was at the tail end of the pandemic when we were still working from home, but I couldn’t get myself to walk to my desk without sobbing. I took a one-month leave, but things didn’t improve. I felt anxious and nauseated by the thought of going back to work. I had the recurring feeling I was destined for some greater purpose than helping defend large corporations—and I was tired of doing what I was told. The repercussions for not following my true north had finally caught up with me. So I quit my job and, in my time off, read Women Who Run with the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estés. Shortly after, I got back into writing and haven’t stopped.

Alexandra, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m a novelist. I write about women who follow the siren song of their hearts. I write stories for the lone wolves and black sheep; people who were raised in chaotic backgrounds and feel like they don’t belong. My novel, Joan of the Arcane (She Writes Press), which comes out August 11, 2026, tells the story of Joan, a middle-aged woman and former punk singer who feels misunderstood.

While Joan’s kids were young, she stifled her authentic voice to fit in with her family, but now that her children have left for college, her old desires come bubbling up and she begins to question every aspect of her existence, including the stories she’s told by the authority figures in her life. As she follows her intuition, she gets closer to the truth—about herself and the society she lives in. On the surface, it follows a woman obsessed with conspiracy theories, but in the subtext, it’s a story about authenticity and truth.

I’m most proud of taking a chance on my dreams. It’s easy to get stuck in the mundane—work, cooking, cleaning, taking care of everyone else. In today’s society, we’re so overwhelmed with responsibilities and information that we sometimes forget our dreams. What we wanted to do as children doesn’t seem so important when you’re trying to cope with a 60-hour work week. And that kind of lifestyle is especially hard for women since our bodies are not built to work around the clock. Our natural rhythms get stifled under the hustle and bustle of modern life and most of us are just trying to survive. So to walk away from a secure job and to take a chance on who you really want to be or what you really want to do gets you labeled strange or lazy, selfish or delusional. God knows I’ve been considered all of the above. Going after your dreams never feels safe or comfortable. It’s scary as hell. Negative thoughts race through your head on a daily basis: I could fail. I could run out of money. I could embarrass myself. But I haven’t let these fears or labels dissuade me from reaching toward what I want to be, and that’s a writer. I like telling stories and playing with words. I like writing in a lyrical style and giving a voice to women who might get labeled witches or weirdos or worse.

I also crave satire and comedy. Joan of the Arcane has been categorized as Black Humor, in addition to Magical Realism, which I love because today everything is so ridiculous. Joan sees through artifice and dysfunction and calls things exactly as she sees them. It’s funny because so much in our modern world is illusion. When you realize most of what surrounds you is flimsy and false—made of carboard and papier-mâché—you just have to laugh at it all, almost to keep from crying.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I wish I knew that writing a book is a communal effort. I wish I knew how supportive other writers are, and I wish I would’ve joined a writer’s group earlier. The way I was raised, I was taught that asking for help made you weak and needy. So I have a terrible habit of doing everything myself. But now I’m trying to break myself out of that habit. I went to a writer’s retreat in France this past summer and it was the first time I read my work aloud to anyone. I was surprised to see how supportive everyone was. I was so used to being criticized by my family and by bosses in my old career that I was always bracing for some kind of attack—but I learned that was just a trick my mind was playing on me. Today I’m in an online writing group with the same group from France and they’ve helped me with the beginning of a new novel. I love that a writing group is this reciprocal thing where we can help each other and share ideas. I’ve even joined another group, Sisters in Crime, and have recently exchanged manuscripts with another local member so we could be Beta readers for each other. The feedback I received was instrumental in moving forward with that other manuscript.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

When people read my work, I hope they walk away with the concept that being authentic is the key to living the life of your dreams. And that the natural and spiritual worlds should not be ignored. Modern society has us so stuck in the physical, that most people cannot see past the 3D world, and they worship the wrong gods; money, power, and influence. But so much can be gleaned from taking a walk in nature, and listening to the whispering of your higher self. You can find solace and satisfaction there—and not in striving for financial wealth or driving a fancy car.

I encourage others to follow their hearts. As I was drafting this, I found a list I wrote this past summer that describes what my work is, and I thought I’d share it in the hopes that it inspires other artists and visionaries:

My work is honesty.
My work is devotion.
My work is place.
My work is extraction.
My work is channeling light from a higher source.
My work is reminding humanity of their divinity.
My work is ignoring anyone who tells me I should be doing something else.
My work is excavating shadows and exposing them to moonlight.
My work is trusting hunches.
My work is walking in the woods.
My work is listening closely.
My work is translating subtle languages.
My work is using all my senses.
My work is putting logic on the backburner.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.alexandrafleder.com/
• Instagram: @alexandrafleder
• Other: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Joan-of-the-Arcane/Alexandra-Fleder/9798896363682

Image Credits

Amina Touray