When feeling overwhelmed by all the ugliness and vitriol being hurled around our country right now, may I suggest you take a few minutes and listen to these three short but evocative pieces by Erik Satie. You will feel better, I promise, just knowing there is such pure loveliness in this world
Author: lenleatherwood
I am a native Texan who has lived for the past 30 years in Southern California. I am a published author of both short memoir and fiction, a two-time Pushcart nominee, a nationally award-winning writing coach, an editor, as well as a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Texas. In addition, I am the mother of three grown daughters of whom I am extremely proud, a grandmother of four darling children and the wife of a man I still love after 44 years.
Flash Essay: The Comfort of a Stranger
Several years ago, I learned a lesson I’ve never forgotten: sometimes unexpected kindness arrives from the most unlikely places. It happened when I first learned that my dear friend Peter was gravely ill. My husband, Ray, waited two days before telling me about Peter’s diagnosis. I was buried in work with several students on their…
Lessons from the Page: Writing, Coaching, Living (Personal Interview Continued)
Yesterday I wrote about the earlier part of my life—including my husband and family. Today the focus is on my writing life. Again, this topic is inspired by a college essay prompt that one of my students received: interview yourself. Here’s the second part: Tell me about your writing. I began to write when my…
In Conversation with Myself: Work, Marriage, and Adventure
This was inspired by a writing prompt given by one of the colleges one of my students is applying to. It is not a thorough interview, just one aspect. 1) You have clearly done quite a few jobs in your life. Was that by design or did that just happen? I started out as a…
SCN Webinar: Making Fiction Out of Life: Finding the Emotional Truth
On Wednesday at 4:00 pm Pacific Time, I’ll be leading a webinar on autobiographical fiction. Using my novel Hope in a Time of Dying as a guide, we’ll explore how to transform lived experience into fiction. Together, we’ll look at the form’s history, examine authors who have used it successfully, and consider its strengths, challenges,…
We’re More Than Labels
Today, I did something a little unusual. I was tired and while resting I started mentally listing all the people I knew growing up. I’m from a little Texas town of 7,000, and there were 125 people in my graduating class. Most of those people started with me in first grade and went all the…
A Song That Still Speaks
Sam wrote this song in 1964 in solidarity with the Civil Rights Movement. His outrage was personal: in 1963, while touring in Louisiana with his wife and brother, they were turned away from an all-White motel. He later admitted he was inspired by Bob Dylan’s “Blowing in the Wind” and felt ashamed that as a…
From 9/11 to Now: Finding Unity in Times of Division
On the morning of September 11, 2001, my husband and I were lying in bed before taking our kids to school when Ray turned on the television to watch the morning news. Suddenly, I heard him say, “Oh, my God!” I looked up to see footage of the first plane plowing into the first tower…
Thank You, Ginger Nye, for Hosting My Book Reading and Signing for Hope in a Time of Dying!
Today, I had a wonderful time reading and discussing my book Hope in a Time of Dying at Ginger Nye’s “Wind Down Wednesday” series at Austin College. The turnout was strong, and the audience was open, engaged, and responsive. I was especially touched to see several old and dear friends in the audience, whose encouraging…
Flash Fiction: Lesson from the Scrub Jay
“You could make a living doing that kind of thing,” Mary Jo said as she watched her sister refinish an oak coffee table in the shade of the backyard pecan tree. “I suppose I could, but I’ve never thought about it,” Louise said, running the tack rag gently over the sanded finish. “Maybe I’ll consider…
20 Minutes a Day 