A New Perspective
Volunteer Holly muses over changes in scenery. Years ago, I found myself sitting on the edge of a cliff looking out over the Pacific Ocean for the first time. The view stretched on, vast and limitless. Humbled by the experience,…
One Thing I’ve Learned – Linda Morefield
Issue 51 contributor Linda Morefield blogs about those pesky little twirls. My daughter’s boyfriend, a policy analyst, asked me to explain commas to him. Someone senior to him at work had been critical of his use of those pesky little…
Bullfighting on the Beach
Guest blogger Carrie Callaghan writes about choosing what to read. The Library of Congress holds over 34.5 million books and printed materials nestled along some 838 miles of shelving – that’s just a little less than a road trip from…
The Hook: First Sentences Are Not Easy For a Reason
Guest blogger Natasha Guadalupe writes about the importance of first sentences and how to craft them. The thin black line at the top of your computer screen silently blinks, nudging you to write, a sentence, a word, something—anything! That cursor,…
A Novel by Julie Wakeman-Linn
Julie Wakeman-Linn, Editor in Chief on leave, announces the publication of her novel. Some good news: My novel, Chasing the Leopard Finding the Lion, has been published by Mkuki Na Nyota, a award-winning Tanzanian publisher. They created a beautiful book.…
DeLillo & Dialogue
Volunteer Nathan analyzes dialogue in Don DeLillo’s Underworld. I recently attended a dialogue-focused writing workshop at the Writer’s Center in Bethesda, Maryland. The workshop’s suggestions and commentary reiterated the fundamentals that can be found in most conventional classes and instructional…
Author Jeff Shaara Ends His Blaze of Glory Book Tour
Volunteer Andrea attends the last night of Jeff Shaara’s Blaze of Glory book tour. I have a soft spot for the U.S. Civil War, and I am fascinated by the process of bringing historical fiction to life. Months ago, I…
Atomic in Baltimore
Volunteer Nathan goes to Atomic Bookstore for the first time. Without bookstores, where would Woody Allen and Diane Keaton have discussed the horrible/miserable dichotomy of life? I used to roam Borders and Barnes & Noble, walking away with stacks of…
Writers Groups
Volunteer Holly ponders the benefits of a writers group. Creative writers take little pieces of their souls and turn them into words. It’s a daunting task that requires courage and stamina. If the work ends there, then the writer can…
One Thing I’ve Learned – Lynn Levin
Issue 51 Contributor Lynn Levin blogs about food, fiction and aftertaste. Certain meals described in fiction stay with me, and one thing I’ve learned is that disturbing meals stay with me the longest. John Lanchester’s 1996 novel The Debt to…