I was watching The Late Show with Stephen Colbert the other night when the actor Paul Dano was being interviewed. Stephen Colbert talked about how “intimate” his acting roles tend to be, and it got me thinking about writing (of course). Intimacy. Privacy. Vulnerability. It’s what we all resist sharing, and yet it’s what we … More The Yin and Yang of Storytelling
Here’s a sneak peek at the writing project I am working on this summer. Some of you may recognize some of the names already. Prologue: Land of the Free July, 1892 Off the Coast of New York Fritz Lowenstein let the cool morning ocean breeze hit his face as he leaned against the ship’s … More “Land of the Free”
I started getting published in the 80s and 90s when I realized it was a simple as one thing: give the editor what they want. But it wasn’t until recently that I realized that there were more important things than cashing a paycheck from a publisher. I tell my students there are two good reasons … More First, Find the Fun
“I see my mind as a cluttered desk.” —Me, not too long ago. In case you didn’t know, I just came back from a week-long Alaska cruise. My wife Shelly and I visited Juneau, Hubbard Glacier, Sitka, Ketchikan, Victoria, British Columbia, and then back to Seattle. It was something that I had to talk my … More Vacating the “Cluttered Desk”
It’s been a slow beginning to summer. Graduation was last Sunday, and even though I have been looking forward to being free of classes for weeks (months?), the many duties and obligations that have shackled me have kept my mind strapped down more than I care to admit. I told myself that Monday–last Monday–would mark … More Rude Awakening
“By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.” –Hebrews 11: 8 (NIV) For those of you who have read my Great Adventure Manifesto elsewhere on this site, you know that I am venturing … More Promised Land
The only time I’ve ever gone in for counseling was when my father was dying for cancer. Half a dozen trips to the psychologist, and I realized that the best therapy was simply writing about it. I started writing short stories as therapy and starting getting them published as a side benefit. But what do … More Therapy
It’s the day I’ve been looking forward to for a long time. Actually, it’s a special day for two reasons. One, because the National Football League is having its annual Draft Day where teams go round-robin and choose college players who will be joining their teams as new players. My favorite NFL team is the … More Draft Day
After a dry spell of a couple of months, I finally got another review today on Amazon. Of course, the problem with reviews is that you can’t guarantee they will be good. The review was for my end time book, If Tomorrow Comes, and states simply, “The story would be interesting if it wasn’t basically … More Affirmation vs. Propaganda: Mythology in Storytelling
It’s depressing when you can’t find the time to write. Worse yet when you finally find time, yet you’re so mentally exhausted that you can put two words together. So when bits and pieces of ideas float of of nowhere and seem to enlighten your ongoing writing project–one you have every intention of writing but … More A Bit of an Epiphany
The Great Adventure 