About Alyssa

Alyssa Charpentier is a novelist and freelance essayist whose fantasy novella, A Maiden’s Wish, received a critical recommendation from Kirkus Reviews and a Gold Award from Literary Titan.

Alyssa pens speculative fiction spotlighting the struggle between Good and Evil and light and darkness, in addition to pop culture writings featured in publications such as PopMatters, Today's Christian Living Magazine, and Asian Movie Pulse. Alyssa loves storytelling and critiquing inspiring, underrated, and/or misunderstood media—always in the spirit of artistic authenticity.

ARTICLE AND ESSAY PUBLICATIONS:

Alyssa has written pop culture, film/music analysis, and travel articles for the following publications and magazines (see my Publication Portfolio below):

PopMatters, Film East, IDAHO Magazine, Go World Travel Magazine, Geeks Under Grace, Asian Movie Pulse, Today’s Christian Living Magazine, and G-FAN Magazine.

FILM CRITIQUING:

Like film? Have strong opinions about yesterday and today’s cinema? You might love Alyssa’s film review and critiquing website, Stay Charp Cinema!

Who I am

Greetings, I’m Charpy!

I run on passion, music, monster movies, and matcha!

I am a fantasy author, pop culture/travel essayist, explorer, and budding film critic passionate about powerful, thought-provoking stories.

At age nineteen, I published my debut novel, Daughter Darkness (The Myrk Maiden Trilogy #1), and have been penning dark, daring fiction ever since!

Fun Facts:

I love hiking, traveling, and exploring

the outdoors!

My travels frequently center around California and my home region, the Pacific Northwest (Washington & Idaho)

Music is instrumental… to my life!

My favorite genres include rock, synth-pop/electronic music, ‘60s/’70s/’80s/’90s, scorecore, and anything with electric guitars or a dreamy, psychedelic flair!

Favorite bands/artists: Shinedown, Tame Impala, The Cure, Red Sun Rising, and Phil Collins

Godzilla, Sci-Fi, & Monster Fan!

What’s life—and the stories I write, for that matter—without monsters? I’m a lifelong Godzilla fan and creature feature enthusiast!

I want my books to challenge, wow, and inspire you.

I write dark and light fantasy, thrillers, issue-driven contemporary fiction, sci-fi, and poetry for the discerning modern (albeit probably old soul-infused) reader.

I write for—and about—the human experience.

I’d be honored if you joined me on my storytelling journey and explored what it means to be human alongside me.

(For my non-fiction writings, please see the portfolio below.)

PUBLICATION PORTFOLIO

An archive of my published articles and essays

Volcano: A Subtly Brilliant, Half-Baked Disaster Epic

Film East

Did you forget about one of Tommy Lee Jones’s greatest movies? I didn’t. ;) This playful deep dive essay defends one of my childhood favorite films

GENRE: Film Analysis

Wallace, ID, the Tiny Idaho Town Hollywood ‘Destroyed’

Go World Travel Magazine

My first travel article! Explore the charming and underrated town of Wallace, ID, setting of the charming and underrated Dante’s Peak (1997)!

GENRE: Travel, Film

Tame Impala: The Champion of Introverts

PopMatters

An artist spotlight exploring the musically gifted introvert Kevin Parker of Tame Impala

GENRE: Music Analysis

Akane Yashiro: Nothing so Strong as Gentleness

Asian Movie Pulse

A character study on the quietly powerful heroine from Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla (2002)

GENRE: Film Analysis

Should Christians Watch The Simpsons?

Geeks Under Grace

A pop culture-engaged believer's take on America's favorite dysfunctional family

GENRE: Pop Culture Analysis

Surprising Parallels Between the King of Kaiju and King of Kings

Geeks Under Grace

An exploration of the striking similarities between God and Godzilla—must be read to be believed!

GENRE: Film Analysis

Hope Endures

Today’s Christian Living Magazine (July 2023)

(REQUIRES SUBSCRIPTION TO READ)

A testimonial piece about the youth-maintaining joy found in Christ

GENRE: Christian Culture

Godzilla—the Deity of Destruction

G-FAN Magazine (Issue #131)

(REQUIRES SUBSCRIPTION TO READ)

My first published article about the supernatural qualities in the King of the monsters

GENRE: Film Analysis

Godzilla and Fatherhood—the Family Structure

G-FAN Magazine (Issue #135)

(REQUIRES SUBSCRIPTION TO READ)

An article about Godzilla's paternal roles in the film series

GENRE: Film Analysis

Nefarious: A Game-Changer for the Christian Film Industry

Film East

A review of the 2023 theological horror/thriller, Nefarious

GENRE: Film Analysis

Godzilla Fan In Japan

G-FAN Magazine (Issue #135)

(REQUIRES SUBSCRIPTION TO READ)

An article detailing my kaiju-related adventures in Japan

GENRE: Travel, Film

“You are so much more than oatmeal.” —Mark Justice, author of Gauge Black: Hell’s Revenge