So, the mountains aren’t a magical fix for my writing life. I had hoped that the change of scenery from the flat lands of Illinois to the majesty of Colorado would unlock within me the word torrent that has been building in my heart. Nope. Scenery didn’t do it. Not…
Summertime floods me with echoes of my childhood when the days were long, almost endless, and I had time to daydream and read and play and be. It just feels necessary, even as an adult, to shake up my schedule in the summer—sort of like letting the tasks and responsibilities…
Whenever I finish a meaningful book, I want to plant a stake in the ground or stack some stones of remembrance to mark what I’ve learned and make it stick. I’m worried the new ideas will slip away if I don’t keep them tied down or in plain sight. These…
Virginia Woolf declared that all a woman needs to write is some money and a room of her own. The mental and financial freedom she was likely referring to—in addition to an actual place—has faded over the years as we writers project into this our own vision of the perfect…
This past Friday (July 2) was the 183rd day of 2010. What’s so special about that day? Well, it marks the halfway point of the year, with 182 days behind us and 182 days to go. Lots of things have happened in the first half, but what hasn’t happened is…
Back when I first played about with words and phrases and pages and poems, I harbored it in secrecy. I wouldn’t dare speak it aloud or be so careless as to leave my journal unprotected. I did this because I knew THEY were out there—ready to pounce on my far-fetched…
Get ready, readers—it’s time for a pop quiz. There’s just one question, and every answer is correct. There is one stipulation though—you must give the first answer that comes to mind (no fair self-editing or copying off your neighbor). Get your paper before you and your pencil poised . ….
A friend of mine has long proclaimed a childhood dream of being a talk show host. She says she could talk to anyone; over the years, I’ve observed this to be true. The skill flows from her endless fascination of people, which makes her an exceptional conversationalist. We are opposites…
Some of you may be shocked by this confession, but I’m coming clean: I’m an idealist. That’s a nicer way to say I’m a perfectionist. I’ve idealized and romanticized lots of things—work, family, friendships. My idealism has been toned down as it crashes into reality. (Relationships are good for such…
Breath for the Bones Book Club: Thoughts on Chapter 7 Art is an odd thing to pursue. Most adults do not take the time to write or sculpt or sketch or paint; this is another one of those activities (like dreaming and using our imaginations) we “mature out of.” So…
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