Lies, Fakery, and Fiction
I took vacation time from work last week to work on my new novel. I wanted to put myself on track to finish a draft by the end of the year. While I made good progress, I might have made more had I not allowed myself to be distracted by the Internet. I was posting…
Read MoreThe Art of the Long Walk
When my husband dropped me off at Golden Gardens Park last Thursday for the start of the Long Walk, many of the walkers had already assembled. “That’s not your demographic,” he chuckled. Indeed, many of the participants were decades younger than I. But at 59, I’m quite fit, having been a runner for over 30…
Read More“…where the land stops, the sea begins, and the mind keeps going. “
There’s a gem of a writers’ conference in my backyard. Okay, not literally. There’s a ferry ride from Seattle involved and a scenic drive on the Kitsap Peninsula across Hood Canal and up the northeast tip of the Olympic Peninsula to Port Townsend, a seaport city known for its ornate Victorian architecture. The Port Townsend…
Read MoreBlanche Ebbutt’s Advice
Blanche Ebbutt’s little book of advice was first published in 1913 in London and has since been reprinted multiple times and sold in novelty stores. It’s a tiny hardback and is literally a pocketbook, measuring 2¾ inches by 4½ inches. The title is DON’TS FOR HUSBANDS. I bought the book as an anniversary gift for…
Read MoreCreating a Scene with Charles Baxter
One of my favorite sections in Charles Baxter’s The Art of Subtext: Beyond Plot is “Creating a Scene.” Baxter points out that “In daily life, a writer may practice conflict-avoidance, but in fiction a writer must welcome conflict and walk straight into it.” I was reminded of this recently when I avoided in real life…
Read MoreThe Big Picture, Loose Ends, and the Dream Deferred at the L.A. Times Festival of Books
At the L.A. Times Festival of Books held April 21 and 22 on the USC campus, I was at the author table at the Philippine Expressions Bookshop booth for two hours each on Saturday and Sunday. The rest of the time was mine to visit other booths, laze in the sun and listen to music…
Read MoreSmall Presses, Big Pleasures
While there are exceptions, it’s rare that short story collections are published by the large presses. Thank goodness for small presses, without which readers would not have the vast pleasure of short story collections such as the ones I’ll mention here. Here are three small press story collections I’ve read in the last year that…
Read MoreAbout Cheryl Strayed’s WILD
I don’t often read memoir. I’m primarily a reader of fiction, drawn to imagined characters whose stories, when artfully told, hit you in the gut with your own fears, desires, and missteps. (Brief digression to laud the most recent work of fiction I’ve read—the beautifully rendered stories in This is Not Your City by Caitlin…
Read MoreAccordion Dreams
Let me first say that I have never played the accordion in my life. Never even strapped one on for size. Wouldn’t I remember if I had? Wouldn’t I remember the heft of it around my neck, my fingers grazing buttons on one side, hammering away at keys on the other, my forearms squeezing and…
Read MoreReading and Writing in San Diego
When I was in San Diego last month to participate in the Kartika Review reading and fundraiser (which, by the way, was a total blast), I decided to attend the San Diego State University Writers’ Conference happening that weekend. It’s one of those conferences that offer sessions on craft and publishing as well as opportunities…
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