The Beauty of a Hedgebrook Salon

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of being one of six workshop leaders at Hedgebrook’s December Salon, a day-long event at this writers retreat for women located on Whidbey Island, WA. The salon was an opportunity for women writers to partake in workshops, conversation, the famous Hedgebrook food and the capstone–a lively open…

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The 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…

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Blanche 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…

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Creating 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…

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About 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…

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Accordion 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…

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Mestiza, Mexipina, Miscolta—An abbreviated family history

When my mother Dolores and my aunt Magdalena were teenagers in San Diego, all ablush and keen for social pursuits, they were turned down for membership in the Filipina Debs Club. Purportedly, they did not qualify because they were mestizas. They were part Mexican, the fault of my grandmother. My grandmother Francisca was born in…

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James Not-the-Movie-Director Cameron

I’m married to James Not-the-Movie-Director Cameron. While being married to a movie director would certainly have its advantages for a writer who naturally sees the cinematic potential for her novel, being married to James Not-the-Movie-Director Cameron has its own rewards—a website, for example. First, I should say that my husband’s middle name is really Stuart.…

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