Taylor Gillis

Small things. Quietly made.

I’m Taylor Gillis. I write memoir, poems, and children’s books—small stories about fatherhood, grief, and the emotional patterns we inherit (and sometimes break).

This site is where I share the quiet stuff I’m working on: personal essays, picture book progress, and odd little art experiments. I’m glad you’re here.

Get quiet updates, no spam, unsubscribe anytime.

From the Shop

Latest

  • Free Crappy Art (Yes, Really)

    For years, I’ve been making little paintings, sketches, prints—whatever you want to call them. Some were warm-ups. Some were experiments. Some were just me trying to figure something out with a brush or a brayer or a new ink. I kept them. Most of them, anyway. Not because they’re precious, but because they remind me…

    Keep reading

  • Pocket Treasures

    The minute we get home, you rush inside and turn out your pockets.This has been a productive walk. First, out comes a rubber band.Ryan, our mailman, seems to always drop them.“This one’ll be perfect for hitching train cars,” you say. Next, the penny.A little rusty, but Mom says when life shows you abundance, always accept.No…

    Keep reading

  • Read Books, Not Posts

    I know. I’m posting this on a blog. But I’ve been thinking a lot about attention lately—how fragmented it’s become, how often I reach for my phone without meaning to, how many half-finished thoughts I scroll past in a day. This little piece started as a reminder to myself: make fewer posts, read more books.…

    Keep reading

  • Caffeine Beckons.

    Here’s one of the digital risograph-style prints I made recently. I’m not sure if it’s art, a poster, or just a cry for help. But I love how it turned out. This is part of a small batch of prints I’m releasing—available in the shop. I’ll be posting more prints, poems, and picture book progress…

    Keep reading

  • Mornings

    For a while, I would sneak down early Start my day mindfully Just some quiet time before the day begins. Sometimes 15 minutes. Sometimes an hour. I knew how to minute the creaks. Step on the first. Skip the second. Around the landing. Two steps, then skip. Quiet the rest of the way. Silence was…

    Keep reading

  • Prologue – Help Wanted: Awkward Overthinker

    This is the beginning of the book. This book was written with the help of AI – but it’s not what you think. In early 2025, I opened ChatGPT for resume help. I’d been a stay-at-home dad for over four years and was getting the itch to return to work. After the resume was done,…

    Keep reading

More posts