Thanks to Peggy Payne for inviting me to her blog hop! Peggy is one of my favorite fiction writers–for her love of character, her illuminating images, her deep and surprising encounters with the holy. Her new novel, released on Good Friday, is Cobalt Blue, and you can read about her book at http://www.peggypayne.com/blog/?p=2384 1. What is […]
Strategies for the Writing Life
I’m prepping for a workshop called Strategies for the Writing Life, set for Feb. 9, (see details under Workshops), and I came across an exercise we did–writing a eulogy for yourself, listing what you have accomplished as a writer by the time you die. I chose to write mine in the voice of some unnamed […]
Circle City Books Mural in Downtown PBO
Circle City Books has arrived! And it is announcing its presence with a spectacular new mural in downtown Pittsboro. A great place to wander and get in loads of trouble–the store has an incredible selection of high quality gently used books–and a few new ones! I was honored to be included in Georgann Eubanks’ recent […]
Ucross and Open Spaces
One of the great gifts of the writing life is the chance to be with other writers and artists in cross-genre communities. One of the ways to do that is through a residency. When a residency comes as a gift, and it includes the wide-open spaces of Wyoming, moonrise, prairie dogs, and antelope–what could be […]
Kitchen Table Writers Read at McIntyre’s
We’ve been talking about it for more than two years. First we thought we might read at the General Store Cafe. Then we thought Davenport and Winkleperry. Then, we thought, why not McIntyre’s Books, where the writers read? Peter Mock checked the schedule. There was a Sunday afternoon open. Most writers could come. So we […]
Frank Stasio Interview: Accidental Birds of the Carolinas
One of the dreams I’ve had for this book is getting the chance to meet Frank Stasio and get on his show. That dream came true yesterday. Here’s what Frank had to say and a link to the interview. I don’t know what magic they had going in the studio, but I actually like how […]
Pen/Hemingway Recognition
Every writer has a dream award, the one that she knows would change life forever. Pen/Hemingway, an award for first fiction book, has always been one of those for me. It’s the kind of award that you can get only when you are starting out. Only first-time fiction writers are eligible. It’s a fairy tale […]
Accidental Birds garners SIBA Nomination!
This has been an amazing year for me, and one of the reasons is independent bookstores. Their support for my fiction debut — Accidental Birds of the Carolinas — has been nothing short of heartwarming! Bookstores in the Southeast have made it a staff pick, written nifty little reviews on small paper tags, and placed […]