At Fourteen Like a good babysitter, I arrived on time, I put the kids to bed when I was supposed to, and as a bonus, I would wash dishes. I liked kids. I didn't yell at them or slap them in the face, like one sitter did to me when I told her, jokingly, that the cookies she brought were "crummy," meaning crumbly. I thought it was a clever play on words. Obviously she was an idiot. … [Read more...]
A Little Too Quiet
"Libraries aren’t as quiet as they used to be. A Little Too Quiet is a podcast for library lovers and the library curious. Book chatter with librarians, community perspectives and author interviews" Ferndale Library's Podcast: I had the honor of being interviewed by Jeff Milo for the Ferndale Library's podcast, A Little Too Quiet. We talked about the writing life, art and … [Read more...]
Devil’s Food Cake and White Lies
Those nasty box cakes My mother had an electric mixer with a rotating bowl that blended her cakes into creamy smoothness, and she always let me lick the bowl clean. All that yummy raw batter. She had nothing but contempt for box cakes: "Mrs. So-and-So made one of those cakes from a box for the party. It tasted terrible." I asked her what terrible tasted like. "Chemicals," she said. I was quite … [Read more...]
Unconventional Love Poem
In Love With You: For Valentine's Day I'd like to share one of my favorite love poems, written by the late Kenneth Koch. It captures the exuberance of falling in love with delight, surprise and humor. It's nearly giddy with magical leaps. … [Read more...]
Chalkboard Messages
The Start Last year, as the pandemic slowed life down and caused us to physically withdraw from one another, I dragged out a cheap chalkboard I'd bought for book shows a few years ago. On it I wrote messages for my neighbors and others who walked past our house, and put it on my front porch. I hoped to create a sense of camaraderie while we hunkered down. I believe in the power of small … [Read more...]
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