Today, I read and signed books at the beautiful Vroman’s Independent Bookstore in Pasadena. When I looked out into the audience, I saw all three of my daughters, their husbands/partners, and children, plus a whole slew of close friends who had made the trek from Burbank, Glendale, San Dimas, San Marino, Covina, and even one…
Tag: reading
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…
Be Bold, Be Steady: What My Teachers Have Taught Me
I’ve been thinking lately about the writers who shaped me. My writing path has been a long one—starting with essays, moving into novels, and then finding a home for a while in flash: flash fiction, flash memoir, and flash essay. After my two brothers died of AIDS, I began a memoir that eventually evolved into…
It’s a Vonnegut Kind of Night
“Go into the arts. I’m not kidding. The arts are not a way to make a living. They are a very human way of making life more bearable. Practicing an art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow, for heaven’s sake. Sing in the shower. Dance to the…
Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God
A few years back, I had a student who needed to write an essay on Zora Neale Hurston’s book, Their Eyes Were Watching God, so I had the pleasure of reading it for the first time. This highly-acclaimed novel was published in 1937 and from the very first lines, I was already in love. Here they…
Why I Wrote Hope in a Time of Dying
The journey to write Hope in a Time of Dying began a few years after my brothers, John and Jim, died of AIDS in the 1990s. I started it as a memoir to chronicle my experience when Jim offered me a job in Los Angeles, and my husband and three daughters moved from North Central Texas…
Some Sage Advice from Some Very Successful Writers
I’ve posted this before, but it is hard to beat the advice presented here. Just had to reshare from an article a few years back from The Guardian. Even if you don’t write, you might find yourself having a good laugh or two. Happy first day of Daylight Saving Time! Sage Advice from Those Who…
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…
20 Minutes a Day 