A week or so ago, I re-read one of my short stories I hadn’t looked at in a while. I have to confess I’d felt a little smug about this one. (I almost never feel confident about what I write.) It's unlike anything else I’ve written—a little edgy, playing around with POV and dialogue. Tight. … Continue reading Story Surgery
short story
Imagine (fiction)
Imagine Maria’s husband, Jack, brings the elf out every Christmas and nestles it in the branches of the tree, like it’s hiding. Jack had this elf when he was a kid. Its green felt body and legs have faded. Its face is chipped. But its eyes are bright, and Maria feels it watching her from its … Continue reading Imagine (fiction)
Promise and Abundance: An Interview with Lynne Barrett
I’m thrilled tobring to The Writerly Life an interview with Lynne Barrett, an extraordinary writer, teacher, and editor whose stories I’ve admired for many years. I asked Lynne about her most recent book of stories, Magpies (which won the Florida Book Award Gold Medal for General Fiction), her writing process, and her very busy life. For … Continue reading Promise and Abundance: An Interview with Lynne Barrett