Inciter Art
a writing, co-learning, and resource sharing space for an arts ecosystem with big ideas and bigger questions.
H. M. L. Swann is published in Oracle Fine Arts Review, Watershed Review, F(r)iction’s Dually Noted series, and more. She graduated with a master’s degree in Creative Writing from the University of Manchester in 2021 and completed Brink Literacy’s publishing internship in 2023. She was awarded a Write Hive mentorship in 2025, where she was mentored by Brenda LaTorre. Currently, she works as a writing tutor and lives in northern Minnesota with her partner. More info can be found on her website, www.hmlswann.com.
By
H. M. L. Swann
October 27th, 2026
I’ve had my fair share of hauntings. The basement café—where I served tourists iced americanos all summer long. The hotel laundry room—where I pulled heaps of white linen down the never-ending shoot. In each of these hauntings, I look back and see a ghost. A shadow of myself that has evolved into the person I am today. Most notably, though, was my time working as a nanny and parking lot attendant while I shared a room with a poltergeist.