Why do animals and wildlife figure so prominently in my writing? An interviewer asked me that question recently. At the time I answered the best way I could, but I have thought a lot about that question over the past…
Writers in the Trenches: In the Context of Writing, with Linda K. Sienkiewicz
When I teach fiction writing at the college level, one of the lessons I often plan is this: I ask students to read some articles from the news and to choose one that interests them. I then ask them to…
My New Children’s Book Launches Today – LITTLE WHITE: THE FERAL CAT WHO FOUND A HOME
Today is a big day in my writing life! My second book, a children’s book titled Little White: The Feral Cat Who Found a Home is now available for sale. It is launching, appropriately, on Global Cat Day, formerly known…
Writers in the Trenches: British Author Angela Barton on 10 Years of Persistence and Ultimate Success
I have never met Angela Barton in person, but I couldn’t help noticing this British author when she joined a group of writers who chat regularly on Twitter. Her voice was friendly, encouraging, and hopeful. Over time I learned a…
Writers in the Trenches: Becky Kennedy on the Lyrical Force of Poetry
Becky Kennedy is an astonishing human being. Those are the first words that came to my mind when I began to form the words for this introduction. Kennedy is an accomplished academic who earned her A.B. in English at Radcliffe…
Writers in the Trenches: Jasen Sousa on Surviving, and Thriving
The very first time I heard Jasen Sousa read, I knew he was something special. Something different. His energy and rhythm were those of a young rapper, and his topic that day was a woman lost, a story from the…
Writers in the Trenches: Talking Writing and Photography with Pushcart-Nominated Essayist Jim Kennedy
Jim Kennedy’s creative nonfiction essay “End of the Line” is one of the most powerful pieces of writing I’ve ever had the privilege to read or teach. Published in the highly respected journal Creative Nonfiction, nominated for a Pushcart Prize,…
Writers in the Trenches: Octogenarian Faye Snider Says “No” to Ageism
Faye Snider stole my first name. It’s an unusual one, and to meet someone else with the same name is always cause for raised eyebrows (never mind confusion among associates and friends). I guess it’s more accurate to say I…