fiction

Writing While Elsewhere

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”

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”

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”

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!”

This. Story. Wow. “Where We Leave Ourselves.”

Okay, Barry and I are newly back from Paris, and there is so much I want to write about, but I’m catching up on life first. In the meantime, you must read this odd and powerful, evocative and curiosity-stirring story by my friend, poet Andrew Najberg. We have had meaningful conversations in several countries andContinue reading “This. Story. Wow. “Where We Leave Ourselves.””

An Autumn of Woolf Schedule

I’m so excited to be committing to an autumn of Virginia Woolf! I can’t wait to share this time with all who care to join in. We will study a book a month for four months. Read and chime in any time throughout the month. Your comments, observations, photos, article links, and the like areContinue reading “An Autumn of Woolf Schedule”