Birthmarked
The Inchoate, Fragile, and Strange
Starting a new book is an exciting time of discovery, but also a solitary one, at least for me. I’ve had several kind friends ask me lately what I’m working on. It feels impolite to say I can’t really talk about it, like I’m holding out or I don’t trust them, but distrust is not why I don’t talk about my ideas.
The problem is that the ideas themselves are so fragile and shifting that by trying to summarize them into something coherent, I’m changing what they are.… Continue reading
Q. When Did You Start Writing?
A. Seventh grade. Didn’t everything start in seventh grade? I had no idea then which assignments might turn into habits or which habits would turn into life-long pursuits. If you had asked me, I might have told you I loved playing violin and drawing more than writing. True, I woke up early to read books before school, but I also enjoyed being in the school’s musicals. It was a big deal when our class had a roller skating party, and I proved a lot of… Continue reading
Imaginary Friends
You know the way your dead grandmother can pop up in the car with you? You know just what she’ll say about slowing for the stop sign, and how she’ll cross herself when you pass St. Luke’s. Her chortly, spontaneous laughter will float right through you. It’s memory, but it’s also alive, fluid. It’s strong because it’s yours alone, in your own mind, especially if you practice bringing your grandmother forward.
If you’re not a writer but you know remembered real people, that’s what characters feel like. My… Continue reading
Priorities and Resolutions
Priorities
1. Family
2. Writing
3. Friendships
4. Healthy Body
5. Singing
6. Fun
7. Community
8. World
9. Church
10. Home Upkeep
Resolutions
A. Be a better friend
B. Eat healthily
C. Find meaningful ways to contribute in my community
D. Streamline home upkeep
Sweet Deal
We are a Kindle family.
For a limited time, the e-book of Birthmarked is available for $2.99 on Amazon. I don’t think I can take credit for this idea, but I am all for it. It’s almost as good as going to the library to take it out for free!
Do I have a Kindle? I do.
Do I prefer to read paper books? I do. Except when I’m traveling, or when it’s the middle of the night and I need a book now.
Codes, Making and Breaking
A Letter from Dad
When I was a kid, my family routinely played with codes. My dad had been a cryptanalyst in the U.S. Army, and when I was at summer camp, he often wrote letters to me in code, with a key along one edge so I could decipher his message, letter by letter. During the summer, when my family spent weeks in the northern woods of Minnesota in a log cabin with minimal plumbing and no TV, any rainy day could find us kids writing secret… Continue reading