Earlier this week, I saw this post on McSweeney’s: “27 Reasons Why I Can Never Be a Writer” by Michelle Webster-Hein. It’s hilarious. I highly recommend you click over (and then come back here because I’ll miss you). Her list inspired me to write my own. I am a fiction writer, for better or worse, but — Read More
Resolutions.
Yesterday, I went to a yoga class and the owner of the studio asked if I had any resolutions for 2015. I was stumped. I don’t really do resolutions. I kind of just tackle new goals as they come up. Maybe this relates to me having a hard time seeing the big picture, the proverbial forest — Read More
On reading (and why the book must not die)
I saw an article in my Facebook feed the other day titled, “Science Shows Something Surprising About People Who Still Read Fiction.” The “surprising” thing is that those readers have better relationships (you can read the article here), but I was more stuck on the title. STILL read fiction? The “still” makes it sound like reading fiction — Read More
Books I read in 2014
I read 26 books this year, or about 1 book every couple weeks. I would love to read 1 book every week, but I don’t see how to make that happen with my schedule. As it is now, I read for about 20 minutes on my lunch break (if I take one), and 20 minutes — Read More
Big news: I got a book deal!
It’s an almost-Christmas miracle, everyone! Actually, I’ve had the news for a while, but I was expecting someone important (my agent, my editor, my publishing house, God) to say, “JUST KIDDING, SUCKER!” That has not happened, yet, so I’m pretty sure this is real. How it all happened is both a short and long story. — Read More
MORE gifts for the writers & readers in your life
It’s beginning to creep me out how Facebook stalks me. I posted last week about gifts for writers and readers, and ever since then, I’ve been getting all these notifications in my feed with additional gift ideas. Some of them are pretty cool, so even though I’m creeped out, I will share. This company, Litographs, takes words from — Read More
Gifts for the writers & readers in your life
Now that the holiday madness has officially begun, I have a few gift ideas for those literary types you may have the good fortune of knowing. Shout out to my loved ones: I have not purchased any of these yet. This book features fifty photographs of meals described in famous books–ranging from The Secret Garden — Read More
Running and writing, part 2
I didn’t expect to find a story about writing in my beloved Runner’s World magazine. But then I did. It shouldn’t really surprise me. I see running and writing as going together like PB and J. I didn’t become a runner to improve my writing. That was an unexpected side effect–and is probably why I’ve stuck — Read More
Some of the greats on writing
I know, it seems like I do a version of this post every other week, but I’m like a fly to shit with these types of things. I just love to hear how the greats write. It’s inspiring. This latest collection of wisdom was gathered by the New York Public Library. Zadie Smith on writing — Read More
Making it work
This is film director Eric Cosland. On the topic of creative work, he says: “If it feels good while you’re doing it, you’re not doing it right. You should be suffering a little bit.” So true, right? My nagging insomnia in the midst of writing/editing attests to that. My stories always keep me up at — Read More