Author Archives:

piling

Posted on February 8, 2012

I have a basket where I pile things that need to be done–bills, invitations, bank statements, receipts, hotel and airline confirmations, soccer schedules. Generally, the plan is that I go through it once a week. Well, there was Christmas, then … Continue reading →

Posted in accumulation, catching moments | Tagged | 14 Comments

How We Spend Our Days: Alan Heathcock

Posted on February 1, 2012

Annie Dillard wrote, “How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.” On the first of each month, Catching Days hosts a guest writer in the series, “How We Spend Our Days.” Today, please welcome writer … Continue reading →

Posted in How We Spend Our Days | Tagged | 13 Comments

about so many things

Posted on January 31, 2012

New essay by Pam Houston–now up at Hunger Mountain. Here’s the first paragraph: When I was four years old my father lost his job. We were living in Trenton, New Jersey at the time, where he had lived most of … Continue reading →

Posted in craft of writing, essays, Pam Houston, truth | Tagged | 4 Comments

volt

Posted on January 26, 2012

I want to slow things down. I was planning on writing a post on several stories in Alan Heathcock‘s debut collection, Volt, but I think I’ll just look at the first story. “The Staying Freight”–I love the title–was first published … Continue reading →

Posted in catching moments, character, Contrary, craft of writing, details, first sentences, stories | Tagged | 5 Comments

please, no life stories

Posted on January 16, 2012
Posted in journeys, mfa, photo stories | Tagged | 13 Comments

from the airport

Posted on January 8, 2012

I am mid-journey. On my way home from Montpelier, Vermont and the successful completion of  a two-year low-residency MFA program at Vermont College of Fine Arts. This last residency went by so fast–it’s hard to believe it’s over. Both my … Continue reading →

Posted in journeys, mfa | Tagged | 16 Comments

How We Spend Our Days: Cheryl Strayed

Posted on January 1, 2012

Annie Dillard wrote, “How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.” On the first of each month, Catching Days hosts a guest writer in the series, “How We Spend Our Days.” Today, please welcome writer … Continue reading →

Posted in How We Spend Our Days | Tagged , | 12 Comments

leaving on a jet plane

Posted on December 28, 2011

All my bags are packed I’m ready to go!

Posted in journeys, mfa, writing | Tagged | 4 Comments

christmas magic 2011

Posted on December 22, 2011

If you can find twenty minutes, you can listen to Dylan Thomas’ story ”A Child’s Christmas in Wales,” read by the author–courtesy of NPR.  The written story is also available online. Thomas grounds the story of this long-ago Christmas in real details–snow and fire … Continue reading →

Posted in details, memory, the day | Tagged | 5 Comments

watching the sea

Posted on December 17, 2011

My writing group just finished reading Colm Toibin’s collection, The Empty Family. Although some people in the group loved it, I didn’t. I’ve started giving away the books I know I won’t read again, and this one will be sent … Continue reading →

Posted in novels, obsession, reading, stories, writing group | Tagged | 9 Comments