I've written about this topic before, but it is on my mind again. I don't know why. It stays with me. A classmate of mine was murdered in 1981. We were in the same 8th grade history class. I'd spoken to her only once or twice. She was just a girl who sat in the …
Getting Back to Normal Perhaps
Recovering from surgery seems like a good time to blog again. But after I recover from this surgery, I'll start taking Tamoxifen and that should be it. Except for checkups every three months (until I graduate to every six months and then to once a year), all this cancer stuff should be behind me. I'm …
The Watership Down Effect
I found a beat-up copy of Watership Down on my mother's bookshelf. I was in the 7th grade and especially interested in reading what my mother read. A few weeks after finishing the book, I read it again. And before 7th grade was over, I read it a third time. The next summer I tried …
The Blue Jar by Marta Pelrine-Bacon
A lovely write-up someone did for me. Nothing like having something you've created reach someone else.
Save the Audience
Fran Lebowitz said the audience is important to the culture. I hadn't thought of an audience this way. I mean, yes, I've read a thousand times, "Know your audience." That rule I've failed to follow. Who is my audience? My demographic? I know more who it isn't more than I know who it is. But …
Finish Something
One thing I want to do is make hand made books. I've got no market for handmade books and one book takes a ton of time, so they aren't practical. But they're fun, and I'll probably make more. Years ago, I started a story about two rabbits, Ink and Mirabelle. This weekend, I finished one …
Over at my friend’s place…
My friend and amazing author, Ami McKay, interviewed me and did a nice write-up of my novel, The Blue Jar. She included a favorite photo of mine--us with Santa Claus and I'm wearing my "Who Killed Laura Palmer?" tee-shirt. If you can, go over there, read, and comment. Maybe share. I've known Ami since we …
Halloween!
I don't like gore and I don't like to be scared. But I love Halloween anyway. Since I childhood, I've been drawn to witches, magic, and mystery. And dressing up is fun. Today I showed one of my classes, the documentary The American Scream. I love the guy in the film obsessed with creating the …
Moms, Dreams, and Stupid Questions
My mother drew the unicorn. I can't draw like her. I've always wanted to, but have yet to manage it. Do you compare yourself to your parents? Is there something either on of them did that you wish you could do? My mother started to write a novel. She had only a few chapters written …
Hide!
You have to wonder why anyone would spend so much time writing a book, pitching that book, and bringing that book to market if that same individual was going to hide when one someone actually mentioned reading the book. Kind of silly. But I admit to doing that. It is exciting and weird to have …