In my MFA workshop this week, we talked about the writing work we may or may not have accomplished over the summer months. The general consensus in the room was of guilt and shame and regret — you know, standard writer stuff. Such is life. I know I didn’t meet all my incredibly unrealistic goals, […]

I’m peeking in to say hi, but I won’t stay long. I have exactly ten full days of summer break left before classes start, and I’m trying to use them wisely. As I typed those words, a turkey vulture flew over my house. It passed directly over my writing room window and gave me a […]

Once upon a time, a well-meaning friend tagged me in one of those blog tours and I responded in obnoxious run-on sentences that avoid actually answering the questions. Buckle up, guys. It’s time for my stab at the “My Writing Process” blog tour. And when I say stab, I mean stab. Who tagged me: Tricia […]

A few weeks ago, when I browsed through the film selections for the Cleveland International Film Fest, I stopped at the entry for Reaching for the Moon. I didn’t know much of anything about the director, and I hadn’t read any reviews or even viewed the trailer, but I already knew I’d buy a ticket […]

The last thing I expected to do last Sunday was wrap stuff in twine and then shellac it, but sometimes, that’s how life goes. I was in need of a new teapot for my little college hovel after my adorable but cheap glass one broke. As much as I needed a replacement to make my […]

Last week, as part of an assignment for workshop here in the MFA program, I recorded one of my writing sessions. That means I used my phone to record myself giving a voiceover of my writing process, including complaints about my hunger and the cold and my reluctance to actually, you know, write. Here are […]

Strange and lovely. The new issue of Mid-American Review (Volume XXXIV, Number 1) is now out in the world. We’ve got a lot of good stuff in this issue, including stories about attempted tiger dissection, dresses the color of robin eggs, and Sasquatch costumes, plus two essays (“The Red Essay” and “A Blow to the […]

Before we get into our Friday cartoons, I need to give you the heads up that this blog will be going dark for a few weeks. I’ve got some writing deadlines, some work stuff, some personal stuff…basically, a little bit of everything. I figure the beginning of June is a great time to take a […]

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Yesterday was quite the literary day for my mailbox: The Sun, Fence, and Poets & Writers all arrived at once. Because I’ve been a bit overwhelmed with work and writing lately, this post will be a short and sweet “Guess the Magazine” contest. You know, if you define “contest” as something that has no prize […]