I am a product of the Seventh-day Adventist publishing system. For more than 100 years, Adventists have shared their distinctive beliefs and messages through written books and magazines that are published in printing presses around the world and distributed in Adventist Book Centers as well as door to door. My first book, 52 Things to … More Long Time Gone
My son Matt was involved in an auto accident in 2002 that resulted in a traumatic brain injury. Immediately after his accident, his rehab doctor told us that the brain is a black box, and when there’s an injury, there’s no telling what the results will be. He’s doing better now, but at one time … More I’m Looking Through You…Which Isn’t a Bad Thing
I have a student in my just-finished Narrative Writing class with what I consider a once-in-a-decade talent. She wrote three short stories, each one better than the last. The last forced me to pull her aside and tell her, “You’ve got to get this published.” She didn’t respond. When I graded her final exam yesterday, … More Average Is Average
Let me tell you the story of two students. One was a friend of mine back in the 70s. I was always in awe of him, because he had creativity and talent oozing out of every orifice he had. I was not as talented, but I was determined. He wrote screenplays, and was both clever … More Tenacity Over Talent
This week is one of transitions. I am proctoring final exams for my students, grading them as soon as they are finished, and moving ahead with working out final grades. Sunday is commencement. At the same time, I am working on my own mental organization of my upcoming writing project. With much deliberation and some … More Shuffling the Deck
I’m sitting in the library classroom at our university, where I teach my Narrative Writing class. The final exam is scheduled for 7:30 Wednesday morning, but I have offered to let students take the final exam this morning and get it out of the way. One caveat: they have to have their final project done … More The Obstacle Course
This evening will mark what I think is the 6th (or 7th?) time that a school year has closed and our creative writing club, the Rough Writers, has closed for the summer. As such, it’s our tradition for me to take everyone down to Sonic for whatever they want to eat or drink. It’s my … More What’s Important
The phrase “seeing the elephant” or “he saw the elephant” makes me think of old war movies, especially ones with the British Army bivouacked in a remote area, with references to first combat. But as I research it, it actually originates in Georgia (United States) in 1835. The phrase “seeing the elephant” was originally tied … More Seeing the Elephant
I don’t know if it’s because I have a vivid imagination, because I am a writer, or just a blessing by God, but I have always had dreams that present themselves in technicolor. Some are bad, which is understandable, but many are very good. And it has been just the past year or two that … More Sweeping Up Stardust
It had been called Magic Valley for as long as anyone could remember. And when you visited the region, it quickly became obvious why. Even in the bitterest Montana winter, when cattle froze in huge drifts of snow and breath crusted into icicles on your face, the valley remained mild and temperate. When the hot … More “The Grove”
