My mother died in 2007. For more than 10 years after her death, I was unable to make it through Mother’s Day without getting angry. “F*** you!” I yelled at my computer when emails showed up offering Mother’s Day specials for brunches I would never get to eat with her. “I can’t ‘make her day... Continue Reading →
Patience. Perseverance. Persistence.
This month, I've been ruminating on patience (my own, or lack thereof, and others').
1-2-3-4-5: How to write an essay
First, you must obtain a topic. They are not hard to come by. They are everywhere: in the cafés, on the sidewalks, in the muggy offices of bureaucrats. If you lack one, your taskmaster will supply it for you in the form of a piece of literature to which you must respond. Next, formulate your... Continue Reading →
Carry it home with you
Less than a week has passed since I returned from the Sonoma County Writers Camp, organized by two amazing writing teachers—Ellen Sussman and Elizabeth Stark—with an appearance by Angie Powers and panels of writers and agents. It was held at an equally mind-blowing location: The Occidental Arts and Ecology Center in Occidental, California. While there,... Continue Reading →