Right Mind

I’ve been trying to get my writer’s house in order lately, trying to organize the forces of the universe in my direction. It’s not that I think feng shui is going to make me the next Meg Cabot, but more like I’m trying to see my obligations beyond putting words on the page, and do [...]

Read Full Post »

Coolest

I got the coolest birthday card ever from my father-in-law. Every time I look at, I crack up.

The drawing is ‘Family Portrait’ by Ronald Searle. Searle is fantastic. Searle is the artist for the Molesworth books and St. Trinian’s.

Read Full Post »

‘Childcare’ by Lorrie Moore

Paul sent me this story because, he said, the voice reminded him of my stories. Because I am trying to do my duty by the short story, and because I am desperate–not so much to know how my writing looks to others but how it would look to me if only I could see it–I [...]

Read Full Post »

The Little Stranger

I started listening to Sarah Waters’ new book The Little Stranger on Friday last week, while I was doing reluctant battle with the rowing machine. Usually audiobooks are exercise-only entertainment.  This weekend I snuck in an extra chapter while toiling over the litter boxes (we have 5 cats – it takes a while) and tuned-in [...]

Read Full Post »

Ideas of Heaven – Joan Silber

Manuel Muñoz recommended this to me as an example of a short story that covers a long period of time.
It starts with the narrator’s childhood, and puts her world in context. Her father is fighting in the U.S. Civil War and while he is away she dreams he speaks to her from heaven. Then it [...]

Read Full Post »

What I’ve Been Up To

I’ve been busy making myself really tired.
First was the IUWC, which involved early morning classes, afternoon workshops, evening readings, lots and lots and lots of manuscript reading, and regular mortgage-paying, catfood-buying work somewhere in between. My story was discussed on the only day when there were 3 people on the schedule (other days were just [...]

Read Full Post »