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MFA Flashback: Visiting Writers
J.T. Dutton and Me, 2010, Photo by UAF staff photographerOne of the best experiences during my time as an MFA student was the visiting writer series that my department sponsored. Even though we were in...
View ArticleWaylines Magazine: New Market for SF Stories and Films
David Rees-Thomas was in my Clarion West class in 2011. He's a wonderful fellow - a sharp reader, a lovely poet, and a good friend. He's been a Managing Editor at Ideomancer for a while, and he's...
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My First Novel: Stepping Stones in the Mire
I recently applied for a fellowship that had me rummaging through my files for a screenplay I wrote during graduate school. I began the screenplay during an Introduction to Screenwriting course and...
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MFA Flashback: The Bound Thesis
Once I defended my thesis, the graduation process was far from over.I was elated to be done with the oral defense of my thesis. It was a wonderful experience, and one that prepared me for future job...
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Books I've Loved: Lovely, Dark and Deep by Amy McNamara
Lovely package my copy arrived in - thank you Amy! I loved this book. Wren is a great character, and her interactions with others are believable. She's eighteen, spending a year after high school...
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Ready, Set, {Pause}, Workshop!
In workshops where there are a large number of participants, the critique from each member most likely has a time limit. At Clarion West, we had seventeen people plus an instructor critique each story....
View ArticleThe Next Big Thing
Last Wednesday I was tagged for "The Next Big Thing" by Eliza Hirsch. Here are my answers:1) What is the working title of your next book?I don't have a working title at the moment, other than "the...
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Clarion West Class of 2011: Publications and Sales, 2012
This has been a wonderful year for my Clarion West class. Here's a highlight of some of the big moments for my classmates, with a list of publications following.Book Publication!Corinne Duyvis sold her...
View ArticlePublication: "Traffic Jam" in SpringGun
My flash fiction piece, "Traffic Jam" appears in the latest issue of SpringGun. This was one of those wonderful stories to write, where you hear a voice in your head and the story comes out already...
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Goals for 2013: Looking Back and Moving Forward
I recently looked at the goals that I set for myself for 2012, and I'm really pleased at how many of them I've met.Here were my goals for 2012 and my assessment of whether I met them: Finish my MFA...
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New Stamp: Bookplate Edition
It has been harder and harder to find lovely bookplates lately. My local independent bookstores don't carry bookplates, and Barnes & Noble has two bland designs that look like the adhesive would...
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Unchained Storytelling
We believe that the art of the raconteur - the telling of unscripted, personal, porch-style stories - is one of the great arts, and that nights of storytelling are vital to any vibrant and healthy...
View ArticleSouthern Writers Symposium Emerging Writers Contest
I found out yesterday that my short story "Libration" placed 3rd in the Southern Writers Symposium Emerging Writers Contest. Hooray!The symposium takes place the first weekend in March, and I am going...
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Preparing for a Month of Letters
Letters sent last year during the Month of LettersIn February I'll be participating in the Month of Letters challenge again by sending one letter or postcard in the mail every day the mail runs.I love...
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Publication: Review in Antipodes
My review of Amanda Curtin's short story collection Inherited appears in the December 2012 issue of Antipodes: A Global Journal of Australian/ New Zealand Literature.Curtin's book is lovely, and I...
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Australian Women Writers Challenge
This year I'm challenging myself to read more books by Australian women authors as part of the Australian Women Writers Challenge.My specific self-challenge is to read six books by Australian women...
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Staying Sane
Two weeks ago life came to a full stop. For two days during the weekend, I was by myself with no means of transportation. I hadn't planned to take that kind of break from life. I was going to distract...
View ArticleTOC: Missing Links and Secret Histories
L. Timmel Duchamp recently emailed the table of contents for the upcoming anthology Missing Links and Secret Histories. I'm excited to have one of my stories included, and can't wait to see how so many...
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Walks at Clarion West
Unless you bring a car to Clarion West, you'll probably do a lot of walking. Walk to buy groceries, go out to eat, go to the Tuesday readings, and just to get out of the house and mull over story...
View ArticleWhat Dancing Taught Me About Writing
I began taking dance lessons in the second year of my MFA program. When I was a kid, I'd done the usual run of ballet and tap, ending when I was around ten. I loved dancing, but I felt like I wasn't...
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