First a disclaimer: I’m not a big fan of writing advice – of a certain type.  In fact, when I’m in that kind of pissy irritated mood that leads one to go out of one’s way to seek reasons to become more irritated, I’ll often skip around the internet from one blog to another thatContinue Reading

So, it’s Sunday morning and CBS Sunday Morning just did a feature on Susan Boyle. And damned if that number isn’t featured prominently: 47. Her age.  My age. Middle-age. I was an unrepentant weeper when she made her debut.  I watched the thing oh, I don’t know, maybe thirty times.  (Maybe 47 times?)  I readContinue Reading

So, I am teaching a class in writing Short Fiction at Bryn Mawr College this semester.  (An aside: I like beginning blog posts with “so” it somehow makes me feel less as though I am WRITING.) So, as luck would have it – thank you,luck – this class is made up of exactly the kindContinue Reading

First, a word about this blog.  True confession:  I don’t really know what I want this to be.  I don’t have a plan. That’s also, for anyone who’s interested, how I write stories  I have no plan.  I know almost nothing when I sit down to write.  Maybe a character.  Maybe a small fact aboutContinue Reading