creative writing

Rick Neumayer’s Three Foggy Mornings

Rick Neumayer is no stranger to these pages. Faithful readers may remember that we met in an intense novel-writing workshop in Ireland. Five of us and a mentor, immersed in a couple of weeks of reading, critiquing, and talking writing in both Dublin at Trinity College and then onto tiny Oranmore for the remainder ofContinue reading “Rick Neumayer’s Three Foggy Mornings”

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!”

All In (Except When I’m Not)

Now Playing: Welcome to the Black Parade by My Chemical Romance(or fine, “How Deep is Your Love” if you’re feeling unironically tender—Word Raccoon sees you.) Subtitle: In which Word Raccoon wears earrings, opens the door, and questions your life philosophy with snacks. Hi, Word Raccoon here.Let me start with a poem, one of my mostContinue reading “All In (Except When I’m Not)”

I’m Longing to Linger ‘Til Dawn, Dear (Word Raccoon Got the Rizz!)

Now Playing: “Dream a Little Dream of Me”(Yes, I sang it last night. All heart, zero shame.) Reporting live from the bunker where the Busted Poetry Vending Machine sits flickering, refusing to dispense anything but metaphorical lint and fragments of verse. Word Raccoon’s tried shaking it, threatening it with a ballpoint pen, and bribing itContinue reading “I’m Longing to Linger ‘Til Dawn, Dear (Word Raccoon Got the Rizz!)”

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”

My Cathedral’s Ready—Want to See the Stained Glass?

So yeah, I had a blog post all ready yesterday (okay, mostly ready). Fine. I was working on it. And then I checked my inbox.NBD, just a chapbook competition closing—LAST NIGHT. I know how premature this might sound, entering a contest mid-fever dream and new to poetry, but this cold has had me underground withContinue reading “My Cathedral’s Ready—Want to See the Stained Glass?”

Control: The Language

I’ve had Billy Joel’s “A Matter of Trust” on repeat this morning—not quietly, I might add. The music kept the blaze alive while I finished the poem that jolted me awake—which, naturally, sparked another poem.How do you poets hold hot coals to your chests? Holy guava dip!I’ve no idea what to do with one exceptContinue reading “Control: The Language”

Happy Book Birthday (Tomorrow) to Southern-Fried Woolf

The other day I stared out of the kitchen window and allowed myself to celebrate finishing this novel. I allowed the pride of creation to fill my eyes, acknowledged the bravery of sharing something that is so precious to me. This novel has been the most difficult thing I have written so far. Those IContinue reading “Happy Book Birthday (Tomorrow) to Southern-Fried Woolf”

The “Pitch Your Pants Off” Challenge

Barry and I have, besides working on our new podcast, created a writing pitch challenge. There are so many moving pieces to a career in writing that it can be overwhelming. Which path to take? Where to start? We asked ourselves just that as we put this challenge together. And we decided that it startsContinue reading “The “Pitch Your Pants Off” Challenge”

Mr. Dalloway

If you haven’t heard of the novella Mr. Dalloway by Robin Lippincott and you’re a Woolf fan at all, do yourself a favor and order it. Now. Full disclosure: he was my writing mentor for two semesters in grad school. I begged the person in charge of assigning mentors to let me work with him.Continue reading “Mr. Dalloway”