I stand in the shadows, still a bit disoriented after my monumental trip through time. I check the chronometer on my wrist. The date and location is correct, even though things look differently than I remember. We think about our high school years as being traumatic and yet exhilarating, memorable and yet brutal, and they … More “Time machine”
I’ve said many times in this blog and elsewhere that a writer never stops being a student. But 12 years of teaching has given me the tendency to approach this bully pulpit as if I have all the answers. Believe me, I don’t. And to prove that, this blog is dedicated to a litany of … More What I don’t know
As I mentioned just a day or so ago, I’m in transition. And as I move from being a full-time professor to a full-time writer, I am aware of things going on in my head. As I have said a couple of times before, it’s all mind games. I have two final exams to give … More Tunnel vision (Mind Games III)
One of the projects I have assigned my Media Writing students in the past few years is to write a personality profile of someone they know, entitling it “My Most Unforgettable Character.” I challenge them–but don’t assign them, mind you–to find someone that on the surface may seem a bit boring and dig down deep … More So, what’s your story?
I’m in transition at present. Yesterday was the first final exam that i was responsible for. The last one comes on Wednesday. In the meantime I am also responsible for finishing up the pages for the Southwestern Spirit magazine and preparing to make two writer’s workshop visits to Burton Academy and to Ozark Academy the … More Lawdy, I sees the light
In the process of looking for papers for one of my classes, I came across notes I had jotted down last summer. I had the privilege to attend an invitation-only fiction writing workshop in Park City, Utah last June. I had a wonderful time and learned a lot. Here are a few of the things … More Words to the wise…and otherwise
Back in the good old days, I was a magazine and book editor at Pacific Press. I was rewarded with the opportunity to co-edit a brand new magazine for parents entitled ParentTalk. It lasted about a year. It was a wonderful opportunity, and was loved by the 11,000 people who subscribed. But 11,000 just couldn’t … More It’s about the reader, stupid
I just got done reading Cormac McCarthy’s masterpiece “All the Pretty Horses,” and am convinced that the title does not do it justice. Or maybe you have to read the story before the title makes sense in an ironic sort of way. But it feels good to be blown away by a story. It took … More All the pretty stories
My brain is telling me that it is time to get started on my next book. How do I know this? 1. Spring break means six more weeks of school. And I know from experience that school goes quickly once we get past spring break. No matter than I have a ton of things to … More Mind Games Part Two: When It’s Time
I came to Texas in 1998 with the intention of teaching Christian students how to write. Since that day, I have found joy in the occasional (read: rare) students who has a burden to write, get published, and most importantly, grow as a writer. I tell my students that writers never stop being students. Actually, … More Mind games
The Great Adventure 