I feel as if I only touched the surface of the beauty of this extraordinary cemetery in Paris. For a writer, Père Lachaise is a magical place of wonder and inspiration at every turn. I'm glad we took a tour, but even the guide told us there isn't enough time to see everything. The most romantic story is the one of Abelard and Heloise. A few highlights … [Read more...]
Visiting Jim Morrison
At last, I was here I stared at his monument in awe, flushed and a little woozy, thinking about how much this long-haired, leather-clad icon has meant to me over the years. The makeshift gate at Père Lachaise Cemetery wouldn't let me get any nearer than 20 or so feet. At last I was here and yet this was the closest I'd ever get to him. It was a bittersweet moment that … [Read more...]
Russell Edson and the Dream Brain
Extraordinary poet I first learned of his strangely bizarre prose poems from poet Stephen Dunn in a workshop at Cranbrook in Michigan. Dunn said that Edson's book, THE TUNNEL: Selected Poems, was all about fucking. The entire book. Every single poem. So, of course, I had to buy the book. I imagine everyone in the workshop ran out to buy the book. I don't necessarily disagree with Dunn, because I … [Read more...]
On the Nose – Romance Novel Pet Peeves
In the last two romances I read, the "hero" kisses the girl on the nose. It was something that pulled me right out of the romance, and suspended my belief in the story and the author. I just can't see a man kissing anything but a baby, child or puppy on the nose-- certainly not a lover. For those who enjoy romance novels, what's your pet peeve, if any? On the nose “on-the-nose" is a term that … [Read more...]
Mom Loves Baseball… and Victor Martinez
A True Fan My ninety-one year old mother is a spunky, lifelong baseball fan. Thelma grew up in Cleveland, and she was in the stadium, cheering wildly, when the Indians won the world series in 1948. At one time, she could tell you all the ball players’ stats, who was traded where and when, if they were married, where they lived, and probably even give you the names of their children. She has … [Read more...]