Category Archives: Uncategorized

Get A Job

I’ve worked as a stained-glass artist, a translator, a marine biologist, and an archeologist. Or, rather, my characters have.  One of the most direct ways into inhabiting character and discovering details that lift a story beyond “mere” narrative has always … Continue reading

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The Surprise of What We Knew All Along

Oops.  I forgot to post last Friday.  I’ve cut down from every week to every-other-week, as some of readers may have noticed—but this is the first time since beginning this blog 18 months ago that I’ve completely forgotten. Last Friday, … Continue reading

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If I Gave a Reading in the Forest, and No Tree Fell, Would Anyone Buy a Copy of My Book?*

While in grad school, some seventeen years ago, I taught my first class and gave my first public reading.  Both were nerve-wracking—I practiced for days, reading aloud  from pages marked up with little arrows and accent marks.  You know, slow … Continue reading

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Try, Try Again

Whatever works for you, I tell my students.  There’s no one way to write, no hard-and-fast rule that guarantees success, as much as we want one.  And yet, certain koan-like statements have made it onto my bulletin board or refrigerator.  … Continue reading

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Moving Day

I spent the week packing, taping boxes, lifting boxes, taping, … You get the idea.  So, for today’s post, I’m linking to a recent piece I wrote for “Good Letter,” the blog of Image, a journal of art & faith … Continue reading

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