Journal
Behold! My First Book
January 11th, 2012
I have been lying to you for a long time. I have let you believe that Elvis & Olive was my first book, but it wasn’t. Here’s the first book I ever wrote, illustrated and published. Continue reading
Make Friends with Failure
March 9th, 2011
Perfectionism can be a useful tool as a writer. It helps you put in the necessary effort to make a good story great. It can also be a barrier to the risk-taking required to create outstanding original work. Continue reading
Where Do You Get Your Ideas?
January 26th, 2011
When I visit a school, it’s dollars to donuts that I get this question: Where do you get your ideas? Ideas are nice and we would all like more of them, so this is a perfectly reasonable question. My answer is … Continue reading
Thank You
July 14th, 2010
Thank you thank you for all that I am and all that I have and all whom I know Thank you for all that is easy or hilarious or hard about this world beautiful or strange or sad or soaring … Continue reading
Writing is Tough Sometimes
March 1st, 2010
I recently got a very lovely letter from a ten-year-old reader. She said lots of nice things about Elvis & Olive, and closed with a confession I deeply appreciated and will not soon forget: “I want to be a writer … Continue reading
Branching Out
January 16th, 2010
Nobody is just one thing. But sometimes, we tell ourselves “I am this and that is all.” It’s simpler to classify yourself as a doctor or a writer or a plastic spoon sorter—it makes for shorter introductions at parties. And … Continue reading
Write or Flight
December 6th, 2009
Lately, I have been seeing writers in warrior helmets. The monolith that is National Novel Writing Month traded in their decade-old mascot of Man Running with Pencil for a horned Viking helmet this year. By the videocasts, I can safely … Continue reading
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Nicknames for Nino
November 3rd, 2009
My dog’s name is Nino. Lately, I have been calling him Lunar Module, much to the bewilderment of Nino, myself and my husband. The nickname Lunar Module came out of Lunar, which came from Lou Face and Lulu, which came … Continue reading
Me, Myself and I, II, III
October 16th, 2009
The first time I took myself on a solitary writing retreat, I was no good at it. I didn’t pack enough food, so I was starving the whole weekend. I tried to start a fire in the little fireplace, but … Continue reading