Pretend you’re on a five-mile run, and at every mile marker, there is a photo of someone in your past who is cheering you on. Call out a brief thank you to them as you run by and describe how you feel as you cross the finish line. Mile 1 – My MotherThank you, Mom,…
Month: August 2025
When the Rooster Rules the Roost (and You Don’t)
I wrote this piece a while back. I’d say the rooster war is still alive and well. Today I learned how to deal with an angry rooster—literally, not metaphorically. Beau Leigh is my daughter Liz’s rooster up here in Ojai. He doesn’t take kindly to anyone but Liz’s husband, Ron, entering the pen. Granted, he’s…
From Texas to Tinseltown: My Surprising Encounter with Jamie Lee Curtis
Tonight, while I was gathering up my computer and trying to decide what I was going to write about, I glanced at one of our bookshelves. There was a book titled “Tony Curtis: The Autobiography,” featuring a picture of Tony Curtis as an older man. This made me think about one of my brushes with…
Flash Fiction: When Silence Breaks
It wasn’t that she didn’t love Jacob; he just drove her crazy. He was one of those men who never said what he was thinking, but instead turned silent and stared off into space whenever he was upset. That silence could stretch on for hours, leaving Mary to stew. Mary said to him, “Give me…
What Happens When Family Shows Up in Fiction?
One of the biggest reasons I hesitated to publish my novel Hope in a Time of Dying was because it was inspired by real life, and several of my family members play recognizable roles in the story. I worried that readers would assume the characters were exact portraits of my loved ones, and that every…
Flash Memoir: A Wrecked Model T
The car looked like a Model T, or what was left of it. It was more rightly, the carcass of a Model T with no wheels or tires, no engine, no seats. Only the body of the old car, rusted, bent, and disheveled, like an old woman with too many miles and too much booze. …
Happy Anniversary, Liz and Ron!
Today is the 6th wedding anniversary (14 years together) of my daughter Liz and her husband Ron. These two have built a happy life together, which includes their darling little 2 3/4-year-old son, Ethan. I am delighted Liz and Ron found each other. Their happiness makes me happy. I love all three members of this…
A Small Crowd, Big Connection: A Different Kind of Book Reading in Ojai
Today, I arrived at 1:30 for my 2 pm book reading and signing at the Ojai Public Library. I met Ellie, the librarian, who escorted Ray and me to the meeting room, and we worked out all the logistics: thermostat, seating, bathroom location, etc., then put out my in-law Cindy’s excellent cookies along with mineral…
Book Soup Celebration
What a wonderful experience my Book Soup reading and signing was! I had over 30 people fight traffic to get there, and they were an attentive and supportive audience. Cindy Betty—my in-law and co-Memaw to Ethan—regaled the crowd with delicious homemade cookies, and I was surrounded by friends and family. All three daughters, two sons-in-law,…
Book Soup: Here I Come
Tomorrow, I am doing a book signing and reading at Book Soup in West Hollywood. I have looked over my book but haven’t yet made a decision which passages I will read. My son-in-law Ron’s mom, Cindy, is making cookies for the event. Liz, Ron, and Ethan are driving into LA from Ojai. Rachael and…
20 Minutes a Day 