In the course of one week, I received some rather encouraging news regarding one of my writing projects that was followed, only a few days later, by a surprise rejection from elsewhere for the very same project. Let it be known I usually don’t consider any rejection a “surprise,” but this rejection was for something [...]

In “Dear Younger Writing Self,” Allison Amend advises the writer she used to be not to worry so much when it comes to her writing career. Here’s a snippet: At the moment, you are worrying that you are not as good as the other people in your MFA program. True, most of them have more [...]

At long last, I can announce the official release date of my debut short story collection, Living Arrangements: November 30, 2011. Can I get a couple of “Huzzahs!” and bottles of champagne around here? In reality, the book may be available before that date, but this is the official release date and should be a [...]

I’m writing this in a cafe on a rainy Sunday afternoon. Some little girls are playing with a kitten puppet in the corner. How wrong is it that I wish I could play with that black-and-white puppet instead of doing the work I’m supposed to be doing? You spend your whole life dreaming about publishing [...]

Something strange and bewildering happened to me recently. It involved a short story, a literary magazine, an acceptance, and then an odd and unexpected twist. When it all went down, I wanted to blog about it — I think it offers some good lessons for new writers just starting to get published. But I’m not [...]

After interviewing dozens upon dozens of people as part of my job over the years, including heads of government agencies, CEOs, doctors, psychologists, scientists, and even the Secretary of Labor (okay, one question during a press conference), the tables were turned today when I was interviewed for a profile for my college’s alumni magazine. I [...]

When I got serious about submitting my work last December, I knew I’d be spending a lot more time (and money) at the post office. Eventually, I fell into a routine and began frequenting one particular post office where the same employee rung me up time after time. Since my manila envelopes were always addressed [...]

I’ve been a member of almost too many writing groups to count. I’ve been in large, community-based groups with more than 20 participants in each workshop, and I’ve been in groups with only three people. I’ve met in libraries, in universities, in homes, in coffee shops, in restaurants, and in an abandoned (?) futon factory. [...]

It goes like this: Me: Guess what? I have good news! Friend: Oh my god. You’re pregnant!? Me: Um, no. Friend: Oh. Sorry. Me: I have a book coming out! Awkward. And kind of funny, considering that the friends who have immediately jumped to the pregnancy conclusion know me pretty well – well enough to [...]

Welcome to my website and blog, where I intend to post thoughts on writing, books, rejection, publication, cats, cupcakes, and why my organic lilac bell peppers are dying, among other things. My big news is that my short story collection, Living Arrangements, recently won the G.S. Sharat Chandra Prize for Short Fiction and will be [...]