Serious Summer Reading
When we think of summer reading, we think ‘beach reads,’ books we can’t put down that provide an escape from reality. But in these longer summer days, we may find ourselves with time to tackle a goal that eluded us … Continued
How to Write an Autobiographical Novel
“I told my students all the time: writing fiction is an exercise in giving a shit—an exercise in finding out what you really care about.”
A Gift of Hope
A Gift of Hope For Christmas, I received a gift of Hope: A Survival Guide for Trying Times by Jane Goodall and Douglas Abrams There’s no need to say that now is a good time to read such a book. … Continued
Fox and I: Wilderness, Friendship, Extraordinary Language
Wilderness When I was a teen, I backpacked a lot, mostly in Southern California with its rugged mountains and granite boulders. Once I spent two weeks climbing around in the Bighorns in Wyoming. On these trips, my friends and I … Continued
What’s the Purpose of a Book Review?
The book review star rating system is meaningless. The sole purpose of a book review is to inform the potential buyer about the contents of books. A good review allows that buyer to know if the book being reviewed is … Continued
Book Reviews, Cancel Culture, and Sex Cults
Book Reviews and Sex Cults Lauren Hough was born into and grew up in the Children of God, a sex cult known to members as “the Family.” Hough’s abusive upbringing was my primary reason for wanting to read Leaving Isn’t … Continued
God Spare the Girls
I’ve been on the lookout for comp titles—books similar in theme or story to novels I am working on. I saw a brief review of God Spare the Girls by Kelsey McKinney and thought it might have connections to my … Continued
Multi-author Book Launch June 26, Submissions Opening July 1
Two wonderful things are coming up in the next several days. The first is a multi-author book launch at the California Imagism Gallery in Ontario, California. Saturday, June 26, 5-9 PM “In the quarantine, so many books were released, and … Continued
Acts of Contrition Book Discussion Tonight
Join Me to Chat about Acts of Contrition Tonight “I couldn’t call my parents. Believe me, I was not alone in my willingness to risk being murdered on the street before admitting to them my shame. A violent death was … Continued
Seeing Some Light
More than a year into the pandemic, we’re seeing some light. A Year of Loss During the year, I’ve written about loss, about what it was like to trade off with my sisters in living with our parents in order … Continued