I awoke early remembering a dream where I gazed up, awestruck at the night sky crammed with constellations and planets and a magical blanketing of diamonds across the heavens. Not all the constellations were familiar so I was searching for Orion, the Big Dipper, and Casseopia and found them, relieved. So now to ponder its […]
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Richard Bausch: the province of creation
Reprise Again 1975. Just out of the Iowa Workshop. Working adjunct at three different schools. And when it came time to work each night, would pace, near sick with fear, before I’d sit down to try it, try putting something down, anything. I don’t know why I was afraid, since NOTHING in one day’s work […]
Read the rest of this entry »The always-wise Richard Bausch
If you’re read my post from January of 2013 you might have rightly concluded that when January rolls around I’m usually simply tired while longing for snow and quiet. And what lies ahead in the new year–taking down my magical Christmas tree and decorations is one of my least-favorite tasks. So many delicate trinkets to […]
Read the rest of this entry »From ten years ago…
Ten years ago seems worlds and lifetimes away. That said I published this column January 4th, 2013 and agree with my own points here–that’s supposed to be funny. What’s Next is about January, slow beginnings, and a proposal to ease into the year. And why not? Surely we’ll need to reserve stamina for the final […]
Read the rest of this entry »Writers’ Resolutions
Like many people I’ve been thinking about resolutions and goal setting for this new year. I’ve got two: move more and write more. And I’ve been thinking about my niece Naomi who died almost three years ago at 42 from cancer. It was a brutal, horrible death, in the midst of the Covid pandemic so […]
Read the rest of this entry »Books We Love
Don’t know about you, but I’ve long ago stopped shopping on Black Friday except for online. When my granddaughters were young it was an up-at-dawn adventure and endurance test searching out bargains with my daughter. As they grew older I started hosting a sleepover and we spent the day making Christmas ornaments, drinking tea and […]
Read the rest of this entry »Giving Thanks
It’s still dark outside my windows, but we’re expecting a fine day in the Pacific Northwest. My family is celebrating Thanksgiving on Saturday so I’m relaxed–and I’ve already cooked a turkey dinner and gave most of it away. In fact, I’m a bit turkeyed out and might eat salmon for dinner. I woke up recalling […]
Read the rest of this entry »Drama has weight
“Fall back” finds me awake in the middle of the night with rain deluging down as if the clouds are seriously pissed off. I’ve been thinking about the ingredients in writing thrillers and what can be left out of stories. Stories that clip along at a brisk pace, and are based heavily on action scenes […]
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