Growing up in Irvine, Disneyland trips were routine for Danielle Krikorian, who believes that the park helped foster her love for fairy tales.
Fairy tales would become a genre of interest for the ‘20 creative writing alumna as she discovered writing and a blanket of security, growing up with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). It was at the Disneyland parking structure when Krikorian got the news that, after multiple rejections, her OCD-inspired short story was going to be published in Open Minds Quarterly, and soon after, Kaleidoscope Magazine.
“My OCD would kind of sneak into my love of fairy tales and myths, and sometimes I’d have to take a step back, which was always really hard for me, even though it was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I love these things so much that it’s now taking over. It’s coming into this world,’” Krikorian told The Panther. “It always just felt really hopeful in those worlds.”
The Panther sat down with Krikorian to discuss her history as a writer, her journey with OCD and the publishing of her story, “Darci and the Hook, Line, and Sinker.”
In the third grade, Krikorian was diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Her parents encouraged her to write about her struggles with OCD, but she was hesitant to do so until college when she heard the song “Another Dumb Blonde” by Hoku and its lyric about a hook, line and sinker. These lyrics would remind her of the disorder.
In her classes, her character Darci, a young woman with OCD, began to take shape. “Darci and the Hook, Line, and Sinker,” which follows Darci battling OCD in a restroom, was inspired by the disorder’s distressing, lingering thoughts and its effects.
Regardless of whether or not they have OCD, Krikorian hopes readers come away with a sense of compassion for those who do and recognize the severity of the disorder. For those suffering, Krikorian wants them to know that they are not alone.
