My third grade teacher, Mrs. Smith, was rather stern. You might even have called her cruel. I was a compliant kid who enjoyed being useful. You might even have called me a teacher’s pet. One day, I asked Mrs. Smith if there was anything I could do to help in the class. She turned to... Continue Reading →
From You to all of us
Pity the poor Second Person. The name alone is enough to puncture its self-esteem. Second fiddle, second best, second rate. No wonder this voice in literature gets no respect. Actually, it gets less than respect. It is reviled! “I won’t read anything written in second person.” “It’s fingernails on a blackboard to me.” “The writing... 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 →
AUDREY KALMAN 