fiction with a dark edge
A friend approaches an author at a party. "So, what's your new book about?" The author swirls the wine in her glass, takes a deep breath, and begins. “Well, there’s this woman, see, and she’s being held hostage in her kitchen by her son, and he tries to get her to listen to him but... Continue Reading →
Everywhere you turn this time of year you find a top this-or-that list: books, movies, political disasters. I wasn't thinking about lists or the new year when I sat down a few days ago for my morning writing session. What emerged was a contemplation, in the form of a list, of why I pursue the... Continue Reading →
Unless you’ve been living in a cave or atop a Himalayan peak, you’ve probably heard the news that humans now have a shorter attention span than goldfish. (Eight seconds, in case you’re wondering.) This revelation translates, for writers, into a series of eminently logical commandments: Write shorter sentences. Use shorter words. Construct shorter books. Use... Continue Reading →
*Too Many Novels Exist Already If you’ve ever written a novel, contemplated writing a novel, have a friend who has, or have looked at trending hashtags on Twitter recently, you are no doubt aware that November is National Novel Writing Month, NaNoWriMo for short. National Novel Writing Month is also a non-profit, with a mission... Continue Reading →
One thing you learn about life after a while is that there is never a perfect time for anything. A few weeks ago, my former doula client, Fault Zone assistant editor, fellow writer, and friend Dorcas Cheng-Tozun e-mailed me to ask if I’d be interested in participating in a “blog hop.” Flexing my haunches and... Continue Reading →
AUDREY KALMAN 