Whenever one of my older siblings ever said, “Maybe I’ll just stay here—in our rural Texas town—and go to college close by,” my Mom’s reaction was a frown and a quick, “No, you won’t.” This was not said teasingly or with a laugh but rather in a hard-edged tone that left no opening for discussion….
Tag: Writing
Thinking Tonight of My Maternal Grandfather: Robert McClucky Waugh
I never met my grandfather, but my mother’s description of him has brought him to life for me. He was a small man, not quite 5’8”, and very slim. He wore round spectacles and had bright eyes that shone when he saw his only daughter, Helen Marie. He called my mother his “little gurl,” since…
Sharing Writing + Connection = Happiness
Sometimes a person will ask me why I share my writing. “Isn’t it better, more pure, to write just for oneself and keep it tucked away?” My response is always the same, I share my writing because I want to create a link with other people. I believe in the healing power of connection through…
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…
A Writing Student’s Sweet Note, and A Challenge for Me from Mentor Joan Johnson
This was Christmas Day 2024 with Joseph Bille and Joan Johnson at St. Thomas the Apostle, Hollywood. Joseph is a writing student of Joan’s and mine. When he sent this picture, he wrote, “This photo means a lot to me because you and Joan have been foundational in my return to creative writing. Your support…
Real Women Write Anthology: The Power of Friendship
I have two stories in the newly-released Story Circle Network’s Real Women Write Anthology, The Power of Friendship, Volume 23, and I also had the honor of writing the Foreward for the book. The anthology is an incredible compilation of friendship stories that I highly recommend. As I wrote, ““The essays, memoir pieces, poems, and…
The Value of a Good Wander in Personal Essay Writing
I referenced this piece in a class I was teaching today. I think this applies to not just writing but life in general. A good wander serves many good purposes. Any of my personal essay students will tell you that I often say, “It’s important to use writing as a form of discovery.” I contend…
What My Childhood Self Would Think of My Adult Life
What would the child I once was think about the adult I have become? I think she would be happy with much of my life. She would love the orange grove, my children, their partners, and my grandchildren, Luna, Nico, Lyla, and Ethan. Plus, she would think Ray is funny. She would be pleased that I…
Flash Fiction: Apricots, Lilacs, and Lilies
This is a flash story I wrote in 2012. I decided to edit it tonight. I have always been partial to this particular piece. It reminds me of working on a psychiatric unit right out of graduate school in Counseling. I am not an apricot kind of girl, all small and soft, squishy and sweet….
20 Minutes a Day 