Dean Criser Writes

Words and musings, sometimes confusing, but hopefully enjoyable, and always sincere.

A finely crafted leather-bound journal, its deep mahogany cover embossed with a subtle abstract emblem, lies open on a dark walnut writing desk. A vintage-style fountain pen with a gleaming brass nib rests diagonally across a page filled with elegant, illegible handwriting. Soft afternoon light filters through an unseen window, brushing the paper with a warm, golden sheen and casting refined shadows along the journal’s edges. In the softly blurred background, shelves of books in muted tones suggest a private study. Photographic realism, eye-level composition with a shallow depth of field, creates a sophisticated, contemplative atmosphere suited to a literary portfolio homepage.

About

A Work in Progress…

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Dean Criser Writes is a home for my writing and thoughts in all shapes and forms — from movie, book, and game reviews to my own stories and poems to general daily musings. This website is currently a work in progress, so please excuse the odd invalid link or other peculiarities.

Posts

Recent reviews, poems, and essays collected in one place.

A sleek, modern laptop with a matte black finish sits slightly off-center on a charcoal-grey linen desk pad, its screen glowing softly with an open document of delicately blurred text. Beside it, a neatly stacked pile of printed pages is secured with a brass paperclip, their corners slightly worn. A ceramic ink-black mug of tea sends up a thin wisp of steam. Cool, diffused morning light from a large window outside the frame bathes the scene, creating gentle reflections on the laptop’s surface. Shot from a slightly elevated angle in photographic realism, the composition feels clean, focused, and sophisticated, evoking the discipline and quiet intensity of a working writer’s space.
An antique typewriter in brushed charcoal metal, with round ivory keys and faintly worn letters, sits centered on a solid oak table. A single sheet of crisp white paper is rolled into the carriage, bearing just a few lines of indistinct text near the top. Around it, carefully arranged objects—a brass desk clock, a small stack of clothbound notebooks, and a black reading glasses case—suggest a writer mid-process. Warm golden-hour light pours sideways across the scene, catching dust motes in the air and creating long shadows that stretch toward the viewer. Captured in photographic realism from a low, cinematic angle, the mood is nostalgic, introspective, and quietly dramatic, ideal for showcasing authorial identity.
A close-up of a meticulously organized corkboard mounted on a deep slate-blue wall, covered with cream-colored index cards and narrow strips of paper connected by thin black thread. Each card bears blurred, handwritten notes, some pinned with brass tacks, others partially overlapping. A well-sharpened wooden pencil rests on the narrow black ledge at the bottom of the board. Soft, indirect studio lighting creates minimal shadows and emphasizes the rich textures of paper and cork. Photographic realism with a slightly off-center, rule-of-thirds composition gives a sense of structured creativity and plotting, echoing the intricate planning behind sophisticated storytelling and creative writing craft.

Newsletter

Occasional dispatches with new writing, drafts, and obsessions.