From Snorton’s Anthology of Dislocated Literary Composition (Abridged)Chronology of Writing While Elsewhere: An Addendum I’ve been re-reading The Portrait of a Lady, or attempting to, but I keep getting looped back into James’s utterly unhinged and relatable author’s preface. It’s a mini master class in both writing in general and on the importance of physicalContinue reading “Writing While Elsewhere”
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Word Raccoon’s Poetry Has Been Published!
NOW PLAYING: Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up) – Florence + The Machine Posted by Word Raccoon, Keeper of Glitter and Occasional Wisdom Friends, nibblers, poetic co-conspirators!I’m doing joyful somersaults in the compost heap today. My little raccoon heart is pitter-pattering like a vintage typewriter on a deadline. Because guess what? 🌟🌟🌟 Three of my poemsContinue reading “Word Raccoon’s Poetry Has Been Published!”
My Novel Is Like a Weary Mattress (And So Am I) Or, the Literary Powers of Love
Now Playing: The sound of the fan overhead. Because I’m too tired for anything else. Look, I know what you’re thinking. But this isn’t that kind of blog. I’m just saying: my novel is big, hard to maneuver, and no matter how I position it, it never quite fits where I think it’s going toContinue reading “My Novel Is Like a Weary Mattress (And So Am I) Or, the Literary Powers of Love”
I Keep Leaving My Novel in the Uber
(Now Playing: “Here You Come Again” by Dolly Parton) I tried singing the karaoke version the other night and had completely forgotten it spans three keys. I’ve got a decent range, but good golly, Ms. Dolly. Word Raccoon, in the background, was fanning herself with a taco shell and whisper-sobbing, “Modulation is emotional warfare.” IContinue reading “I Keep Leaving My Novel in the Uber”
From the Forgotten Drawer: Looking for Virginia
Originally published in Woolfzine (2017) Now Playing: Virginia Woolf by Robyn Hitchcock (I heard him do it live. Snaps.) I wrote Looking for Virginia back in 2007 for a creative writing class. For a long time, I wasn’t sure what I’d made, only that it felt sharp and strange and necessary. No one saw itContinue reading “From the Forgotten Drawer: Looking for Virginia”
Waiting on Coffee: A Comic, Could be a Whole Series
Soundtrack: Now Playing: “Art School Girl” – Stone Temple Pilots There’s something both oddly sacred and super casual about the phrase “Let’s grab coffee soon and talk about your work.” It floats around workshops, readings, literary events, DMs—spoken with the breezy warmth of “let’s catch up sometime” and the casual optimism of people who mightContinue reading “Waiting on Coffee: A Comic, Could be a Whole Series”
Everything Is Tuberculosis (And Other Things I Fear, Too, But Call Me, John)
A totally nonscientific, fear-based trip through tuberculosis, as taken by one anxious, poem-hoarding Word Raccoon. NOT LISTENING TO:This playlist John Green posted once: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1E4EHcWZKczEPM?si=KrVm99kNQwCXfakPA6EFFw ALSO NOT LISTENING TO: The Mountain Goats – Sunset Tree Now Playing: Toys in the Attic, Aerosmith. (For now. Nope, can’t land on anything today. Oh well…) I tried setting theContinue reading “Everything Is Tuberculosis (And Other Things I Fear, Too, But Call Me, John)”
Hooray for Writing Retreats
For the past four years, Barry and I have taken an annual winter writing retreat. It helps us reconnect with our writing projects—and with each other. We’ve come to really look forward to these. This year, we chose a cute boutique hotel near the Indiana Dunes, one of our favorite places, though we usually visitContinue reading “Hooray for Writing Retreats”
My Favorite Gumshoe, Jim Guthrie, is Back!
Rick Neumayer is no stranger to this blog. He’s a good friend of ours, and his books are delightful. From his heartfelt debut novel, Journeyman (which I was privileged to help workshop) to his first Jim Guthrie mystery, Hotwalker, I am always thrilled to hear that Rick has something new on tap. (And he andContinue reading “My Favorite Gumshoe, Jim Guthrie, is Back!”
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