I have two icons of St. Mary holding baby Jesus that are in the cabinet next to where I am sitting here in the living room. The icons are both gifts from our priest, Father Ian Elliott Davies at St. Thomas the Apostle, Hollywood. In both, Mary is looking right at me, as if she…
Category: Reflections on Writing
What Makes Me Dull and Uninteresting: A List
This was a writing prompt from Dinty W. Moore’s book: Crafting the Personal Essay: A Guide for Writing and Publishing Creative Nonfiction. What makes me dull and uninteresting? A list in no particular order: 1) Being too polite 2) Being self-absorbed 3) Being afraid 4) Being nervous and self-conscious 5) Not taking risks 6) Not…
Good Storytelling in the Film “Mud”
I saw the movie Mud today and I can highly recommend it. I was impressed with the acting – a welcome surprise when it comes to Matthew McConaughey. I also thought the story was first-rate and illustrated a few elements that are important for all good story telling. These elements include: A rich setting. The…
A Great Film Produced by A Few People I Know
I just returned from seeing Gatsby. I have to say that despite a reluctance on my part to go to see this film because of the lukewarm reviews, I ended up absolutely loving it. I don’t even like Leonardo DiCaprio as a rule, but he was perfectly cast as Jay Gatsby and Tobey Maguire played…
Helping Hands
I am sitting here at my glass table in the living room. It is 9:12 pm and I have been responding to my online students’ reading comments for one class and editing a chapter of another student’s novel. Today, I wrote a proposal for another class for Story Circle Network – Healing Through Writing –…
Why I Write…
I periodically have to remind myself why I write. Tonight is one of those occasions. It certainly is not for the money, by the way, or the fame. So, why do I write? Let me think about that question for a minute. I write because: 1) I often express myself on paper better than through…
My Mother’s Gift
I was twelve years old when I scanned through the beautifully bound books that comprised our family library. I don’t know why I decided on that particular day to look through these volumes. Perhaps it was cold outside and the idea of curling up with a book in a cozy room was alluring. Whatever the…
My Evening and a Few Simple Pleasures
I am sitting here at my table in the living room. It is 11 o’clock at night. The television is on in the other room at a volume where I can make out a few words, just loud enough to be distracting. I am tired. I can feel fatigue behind my eyes. I have been…
Drooping This Evening…
I am too tired to write tonight. I don’t want to write anything. I want to go upstairs, take a nice long bath and go straight to bed. Some days are like that. No writing inspiration at all. I have been writing all day today – editing other people’s work. That’s okay. I like editing….
Scholastic Artists and Writers Contest Winners
Congratulations to my writing students, who have won awards in the Scholastic Artists and Writers contest, the oldest, most prestigious, and most competitive writing contest for youth in the United States with over 230,000 entries in the regional competitions. I am proud to announce that Madison Stringray has won a gold medal for her short…
20 Minutes a Day 