I am sitting in the car with a sleeping Nico while Ray, Sarah, Gregorio and Luna make a quick stop into the various thrift shops in downtown Ventura. Afterward, we will head to the movies for Spider-Man or Bumblebee, whichever wins out. Nico is snoring in the back seat. At almost three, he is a…

I am sitting in our Airstream in the orange grove up in Ojai listening to the wind howl outside.  It’s due to get down to 37 degrees tonight and then back up to the lower 60’s tomorrow.  However, Ray and I (and Cordelia and Frankie) are as snug as we can be.  We have two…

Have I mentioned that we are expecting our third grandchild in March 2019?  Sarah and Gregorio will be having their third child very near Ray’s mid-March birthday and this little bundle of joy will be a baby sister for Luna and Nico. Names are still very much under discussion between Sarah and Gregorio. We’ll just…

My student on the telephone is writing for 10 minutes so I thought I’d take this opportunity to write a few words of my own.  He is writing an essay to submit to the University of Calfornia schools and I can hear the clicking of his computer keys as he works away.  He lives in…

Dear friends, I’m sorry I’ve been out of the loop. This is my busy time of year due to helping students with college essays and I have been snowed.  But I had a cancellation tonight – yeehaw – so I took the time to answer two prompts from my Story Circle Network e-circle writing group. …

I have had the occasion over the past few days to talk to several people who are in pain. In one case, a parent is worried about an adult child who is having serious issues; in another, a friend is worried about another friend who is terminally ill. Worry is the operative word here. Worry…

I will be presenting my first teleseminar this Friday at 11 am Pacific time to members of the National Association of Memoir Writers. I met NAMW’s founder, Linda Joy Myers, at the Story Circle Network national conference and she invited me to make this presentation. I am looking forward to sharing my love of flash…

I recently reposted a blog about the power of a smile.  This one is about another chance encounter with a stranger that touched my heart.    Many of you know that I wrote recently that my friend Peter is dying. What I didn’t tell you was what happened right after I found out about this…

I am very excited to announce that I will be hosting a trip to Italy in conjunction with Story Circle Network in November 2019. You don’t have to be a writer to come and the price is unbelievably reasonable.  Check out the details on my website: 2019 Trip to Italy