I have a colleague here in the English department at the university where I teach, and early on in my efforts at writing novels I passed several of my books in front of him. No more. One time, I passed the first chapter in front of him and then asked him what he thought of … More Does Your Story Have a Soul?
I had a journalism student–who shall remain nameless–quite a few years ago, who was a marginal student. He did just enough to get by. I found myself constantly having to push him to put enough effort into classes just to pass the class, and I worried about what his career would be like when he … More Something To Say
I had to drive into Burleson and take care of a bill at the local hospital. On my way, I stopped at a gas station to fill up my pickup. I’m standing there putting gas into my truck when a large bird–a grackle (if you live here in the South you know what those are)–landed … More The Universe Doesn’t Care
I’ve been playing around with scenarios leading up toward the new book series that I am planning, much of it hinted at in the short story and film “The Price of a Free Lunch.” Here’s another take, which may end up being part of a prologue, entitled “The Shadow People.” I hope you enjoy. … More Short Story: “The Shadow People”
Back when I was a student in Europe in the 70s (yes, I’m that old), I visited the Museum of Science and Technology in Munich, Germany. The place is huge. I remember going from display case to display case in the physics wing, pushing a button here to show how a pulley works, pushing a … More Less Reading, More Thinking
One of the questions I traditionally give my Narrative Writing students goes like this: “How does your writing reflect who you are?” I give it to them at the beginning of the semester and tell them that it will be on their final exam. None so far have given me what I would consider a … More What Defines You?
The Great Adventure 