The Writing Life

I am writing to you from a place of astonishment and gratitude. This summer, I experienced major physical and physiological wins in my recovery from long covid. Only nine months ago, I ate my [...]

It took more hours, long days, and lack of sleep than I want to admit … but I am finally starting my slow-down period as of this blogpost. And once I’m on the other side of the WRITEABILITY Board [...]

It’s full blown spring here in Appalachia and the planet feels so abundant, so lush, I could almost forget that so much of it is also dying. Even writing that sentence, a twinge of sensation [...]

Spring is here, and I have so much news to share, it’s hard to know where to begin. I hear the spring peepers at night and want to say, “Yes! Exactly! There is so much to sing about!” When I hear [...]

Here in Western North Carolina, March did indeed come in like a lion: hail and snow pounded the optimistic crocuses; schools closed; branches snapped. This was followed by several afternoons of [...]

For weeks now, I’ve been pondering an idea planted in me by Nigerian-American author Chris Abani, who gave a craft talk about “the many gifts of loss.” His writing, and his teaching, are soulful [...]

It’s a New Year! Did you make any resolutions? I HOPE NOT. I mean, ok—if you did—no judgment. But I do think the New Year is a time for going inward and stilling the inner drive. What good are [...]

I wonder how many of you out there keep asking some form of the same question I’ve been asking myself since October 7th, and that is: Why does art matter? I’ve been asking many other questions [...]

Autumn has arrived and, with it, more acorns than I’ve seen in over twenty years in Western North Carolina! They make for great play – cats chase them, children dodge and throw them. They are [...]

Only the maple trees have begun their slow turn toward brightness before death, here in the North Carolina mountains. As I kicked off my 2023-24 season of mentoring and writing, I could not bear [...]