The Rule of Mirrors
The Real Waffles
Waffles the Dog
I don’t have a dog, but my daughter does, and he’s a rescue named Waffles. Let me tell you about Waffles. Before Waffles came into our life, I was afraid of dogs. Stop me if I’ve explained this before. My fear dated back to my childhood when my family had a golden retriever named Mike the Dog who jumped on me a lot when I was trying to feed him. Dry dog food, wet dog food, water, and a raw egg would spill down my blue school… Continue reading
Worth the Hike
The Franconia Ridge Trail, NH, September 10, 2016
The loop: from the parking lot at Lafayette Campground, up Falling Waters Trail, northward along Franconia Ridge Trail, down Greenleaf Trail, to Old Bridle Path and out.
I hiked the Franconia Ridge Trail this weekend with my family and tested my mettle. Famous to hikers in New England, the trail is a rugged, 8.5-mile loop with stunning views above tree line as it follows the ridge along four peaks. It took us nine hours to go up and down. We passed waterfalls,… Continue reading
The CT Authors Trail in Columbia
I’m delighted to announce that I’m part of this summer’s Connecticut Authors Trail! This means I’ll be chatting about my writing and related bookish topics tomorrow, Tuesday, August 2nd, starting at 6:30 P.M. at the Saxton B. Little Free Library. When I was part of the CAT once before, I felt like I was having a happy conversation with a bunch of new chums, so I am very much looking forward to it. Do drop in if you’re in the area. Bring a fellow reader or a question… Continue reading
Happy Trails
I distinctly recall sitting at my desk in my 5th grade classroom, looking out the window past the pencil sharpener to the green of the playground and longing for summer vacation. Soon, I thought. Soon I’ll be free.
June freedom still calls to me, and I luxuriate in the long sunny evenings and weekends of adventure. I hope you soon find yourself on a hammock with a book, on a screen porch with a frosty glass of lemonade, or in a canoe with a dog. Embrace the kid in your heart heart. Happy trails.
Manchester Writes
7th and 8th graders get ready to write with guest writer Caragh O’Brien at Manchester High School, Thursday, May 12, 2016.
My visit to Manchester High School was full of happy and thoughtful moments. Working with students from the high school and nearby Illing Middle School, I talked a bit about my process, answered questions about my novels and publishing, and led workshops where students wrote for ten minutes and shared their work afterward.
Writing fiction in a low-stakes, open-ended way with just the nudge of a new… Continue reading
Up Next: Tucson Festival of Books!
March 12-13, 2016
I’m heading to Arizona for the Tucson Festival of Books this weekend, and I’m excited to meet many of the writers, readers, and volunteers involved with the event. I’m speaking on a couple of panels with Margaret Peterson Haddix, Rae Carson, Zac Brewer, Carol Goodman, and Sara Raasch, which promises to be very fun, and I’m also hoping to connect up with my friend Cammie McGovern, whom I know from our Brookline days.
The only snag so far is… Continue reading