Today Ray and I spent all day in Ojai. We were getting the orange grove ready for an onslaught of campers this weekend: Sarah and Gregorio, Liz and Ron and friends. Ray and I do well with deadlines so this gave us the perfect impetus to make our orange grove hospitable for our guests. The…
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.
Following a Prius Through Beverly Hills
Today I met a writing friend of mine for coffee in Westwood. On the way over, I was beset with bogged down traffic on Santa Monica Blvd. so I took an alternate route through Beverly Hills on Carmelita. I was following a black Prius from one stop sign to the next traveling west. I noted…
A Proud Writing “Mama”
Today, I have two newsworthy events to report. First, my sweet student, Talulah Brown, has gotten word that she has been accepted at her first choice college: Sarah Lawrence in Bronxville, NY. This is a highly competitive school and I am delighted for her. She had already been accepted to her other top choice school,…
Sleeping in the Orange Grove and Congrats to Liz!
Ray and I are up in Ojai enjoying an overnight in our 1953 Spartan, which is in the middle of our orange grove. Cordelia and Sammie, our Corgie and Scottie, are here with us, and we are settled in for the night at the late hour of 7:35 pm. Usually, we come up for the…
Luna, the Sun, and Handfuls of Pebbles
Little Luna (10.5 months) came to visit today and she had a whale of a time discovering the joys of all the gravel that covers our back driveway. She and I sat down in the sun (it was 73 degrees today – sorry you folks in the snow) on the warm rocks. She scooped up…
20 Great Writers on the Art of Revision: Some Great Quotes
By Emily Temple on Jan 8, 2013 11:00am “If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it.” — Elmore Leonard, Newsweek, 1985 “Whenever you feel an impulse to perpetrate a piece of exceptionally fine writing, obey it – wholeheartedly – and delete it before sending your manuscript to press. Murder your darlings.” — Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch,…
A Poem by Billy Collins that Describes Today in SoCAL
Today If ever there were a spring day so perfect, so uplifted by a warm intermittent breeze that it made you want to throw open all the windows in the house and unlatch the door to the canary’s cage, indeed, rip the little door from its jamb, a day when the cool brick paths and…
A Happy Valentine’s Day
Ray and I had lots of fun tonight with a small group of old friends here in LA. We laughed, talked and played “Celebrity,” which provided its own opportunity for humor. A perfect way to spend St. Valentine’s Day. The celebration of love is a fine thing. Much love to all of you, my family…
Brain Off: TV Time
Is it bad that all I want to do right now is watch the last few episodes of Project Runway that I’ve missed? Call me shallow, if you like, but after going to Ojai this morning and coming home to students from 2 – 7, plus editing another student’s work for my online class, I…
A Range of Photos from 1979 to Now
Here is a smattering of pictures… Yes, I’ve been delving into my treasure trove of photos again tonight. Baby Ray in 1979 Rachael, 1999 Liz, 1999 Sarah, 1999 Len, George and Sam, 2002 or 2003 Leslie, George and Len Leslie Playing Ball George and Daughter Casey Watching Leslie in Basketball Game George with Rachael…
20 Minutes a Day 