Author | Editor | Story Coach
In the many years since I first began to form my thoughts into stories (age 9) and poetry (age 12), I’ve often vacillated between considering myself a writer – or not. When I check out dictionary.com, I see there are five separate definitions for the word: writ·er [rahy-ter] Show IPA noun 1. a person engaged …
Reading thrills me. Books invite me in, feed my linguistic genius and hold me hostage until the last page. It would be nice to be able to truly revel in the beautiful language Harper Lee uses in To Kill a Mockingbird, but I’ve got another novel (or three) to read before the month is out. …
After trying to unsuccessfully integrate with an online writing group five years ago, I gave up on the idea that I could get unbiased feedback on my writing. When I took the writing workshops required for my creative writing minor at SNHU, I had high hopes that insightful critiques would be included in these classes.Overall, …
Apparently, the sequel is out (and the teacher I work with has it), so I felt this might be the perfect time to review Moira Young’s debut young adult novel, Blood Red Road. Since it’s a dystopian novel, I volunteered to add it to my reading list – even though I didn’t really have extra …
After spending nearly 33,000 words to begin a tale that in my mind spans a trilogy of epic adventures, I’m finding motivation to continue investing time and talent elusive. From successful writers (unlike me), I’m learning that this malady commonly strikes writers when they reach the middle of a story. It’s frustrating to me because …
Embarking on yet another eight week tidal wave of mental expansion, I can’t help but smile. My beaming face dwarfs the sun. Of course, since I live in the rainy Northwest, it isn’t hard to eclipse that brilliant star. This time of year, the clouds do a fine job of it. Both of my classes …
“Wisdom consists of the anticipation of consequences” – Norman Cousins Four months away from having a Bachelor of Arts in English Language and Literature conferred upon me by a reputable institution of higher learning, I ponder the definition of wisdom. Many of the quotations I found while searching for something that partnered well with my …
Tragedy upon tragedy, that’s been the consensus drawn from this Shakespeare class. My final paper addresses whether or not Macbeth is a moral play. According to this website http://www2.cedarcrest.edu/academic/eng/lfletcher/macbeth/papers/ksteiner.htm, a morality play, or moral play, is when a hero is tempted, falls from grace and must be brought to justice for order to be restored. …
Since I stumbled into C.S. Lewis’ Narnia in fifth grade, I have been a fan of reading fantasy novels. The more magical the place and characters, the more enthralled I am to enter their domain. Fortunately, I have a nephew who is more of a fantasy buff than I am. This keeps me supplied with …
Working in a middle school in a town that is the county seat in a state with an unemployment rate that exceeds the national average, I see plenty of dysfunctional families. Who would have thought I would have been amazed by the crazy family dynamics of a play written in 1605. Things I see in …