I have an ache in my right hip. I’ve had it a while. It feels as if my hip is inflamed. It doesn’t matter if I exercise it or not. If I sit in a certain position or walk in certain shoes, then I feel it. The question is whether this is just age or…
Tag: writing discipline
Flash Fiction: Out of the Dark
Mary Theresa was tired. Tired of feeling out of control; tired of feeling lost. She went out to the porch of her house on the lake and stared at the dark night. She couldn’t help but wonder why she had been put on this earth, particularly now that she was out of a job, out…
My Grandmother, Winnie Waugh
My grandmother Waugh was 4’10” tall and weighed about 210 pounds. She had a cane that she welded like a weapon and a temper that made you keenly aware of that cane. Winnie Waugh was her name, Mary Winifred Blackmon Waugh, and her father had fled from Mississippi after a bar room brawl. Her father,…
Hand in Hand – A Writing Process that Works
Here are two of my daughter Rachael’s grades from the infamously difficult UCLA English department. Of course, I am a proud mother and am pleased to “crow” about them to you all, but I have a bigger point. These grades illustrate something I’ve learned over these past 13 years of working with writing students –…
Our Grandbaby’s Official Name
My little granddaughter, who is still in utero, has received her official name from her parents. Luna Isabella. Her paternal grandfather has already decided he will call her by the pet name, Bella, which means beautiful in Spanish, his first language. That’s lovely. Luna means moon and she is likely to have big round eyes…
Lincoln: the film
I just returned from seeing this film. All I can say is go see it. This is not a dumbed down version of this critical time in history. The language is formal as is fitting of the time and the political dynamics are much like today – filled with intrigue. Moreover, the gentile and wise…
Falling Asleep while Sitting Up
I am struggling to come up with something to write tonight. I have my 20 minutes to fill and nothing of any note is springing to mind. Hmmm. What to write about? My eyes are crossing. I am so sleepy. It is 7:36 pm. The sun went down around 4:45 and, like a little bird,…
Writing Frustrations or How Not to Write a Novel…
I have been struggling today with my new novel, working out the structure using John Truby’s The Anatomy of Story. It’s difficult because I started with an image and have written probably sixty or seventy pages of this novel, but realize that I have a big problem. My main character, a 17-year-old girl, is not…
Texas and Our “Little” House Renovation
I am here in Texas where the weather has been beautiful. We’ve had cool breezes – but not too cool – and clear skies. We have been doing a lot of work on our guesthouse here, getting it ready to rent, so we’ve been outside a lot. The wind has been blowing from the south,…
Hurricane Sandy’s Aftermath
I watched a news show with Brian Williams tonight showing the devastation in New York, Statin Island, and New Jersey in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. It was disturbing to see such loss; upsetting to see such human suffering. Hopefully, the Red Cross and FEMA are on their way to Statin Island, in particular. People…
20 Minutes a Day 