NEW BOOKS AND HOMETOWNS

The Grand Theater, in downtown New Albany, Indiana, where I spent many babysitting quarters. If you scrunched down low enough in the …

WHAT IT TAKES TO BLOSSOM

As a rule I am not overly sentimental. I am not one who saves stacks of photo albums or souvenirs or old …

FAIRY DUST

The writing life is mostly comprised of behind-the-scenes, butt-in-the-chair, angst-ridden periods of time in which you are completely certain you’ve made a …

THE UNKNOWN GALAXIES

Phil and I this evening were talking about how much fun we have together. It’s true. We do. We laugh and talk …

FIGHT BAD POLITICS WITH TEA

2016, with its mirthless misery taught me with no uncertainty that nothing about this life is reliable. Entire chunks of a family …

ODE TO THE LOWER EAST SIDE

Every journey begins with putting on your shoes. Or filling out an application for a scholarship to one of the best writing …

MONTANA BOOK FESTIVAL

Phil is writing a book. He’s doing this one book festival at a time during the slow periods when people are tucked …

BREAKING WIDE OPEN

The minute you open yourself to a book’s possibility, synchronicity begins. It’s like buying a red Ford. Pretty soon, everywhere you go …

THANK YOU, KIRKUS REVIEWS!

Not too many of us get up first thing in the morning wondering what the latest book reviews have to say, but …

AUSSIE COOKIES IN BRUT

Personal reveal: Arnott’s cookies from Australia (made with wheat flour) don’t make me sick. We bought six different types of Arnott’s at …

SKYROCKETS AND MAYHEM

I love astrology. I’ve been paying attention to what my Libra (Taurus ascending, Leo moon) life course is according to the stars …

DAVE BOODA AND DARKEN THE PAGE

If you’ve read Blue Moon Vegetarian, you know why this photo depicts a milestone. If you’ve ever renovated a kitchen, you also know …

NASA HELPS LAUNCH BOOK

Absolutely, if almost unbelievably true, NASA posted an incredible image of Western Australia on the day Jagged Edge of the Sky was released. Karma, …

TIME ACCORDING TO HEGEL

  Launch day arrives. Since Friday, I’ve been  making myself available to chat virtually with my group of early readers. So far …

THE TROUBLE WITH WATCHES

I stopped wearing a watch when I was a nurse. You heard me. A nurse who counts pulses and respirations without a …

INTANGIBLE ROSES

I love keeping track of oddities that pique my attention when I’m travelling, especially if there is wisdom or a note of …