Month: May 2013

May 29, 2013

2013 Reading: Cimarron Rose by James Lee Burke

Cimarron Rose (Billy Bob Holland) by James Lee Burke isn’t a book you should read for the writing. The story is compelling, if only because…
May 28, 2013

Tips for Writers: Talk to People

This isn’t a writing tip, exactly. It’s more of a marketing tip, and one that I expect many writers will find hard to follow….
May 27, 2013

The New Yorker: “We Didn’t Like Him” by Akhil Sharma

June 3, 2013: “We Didn’t Like Him” by  Akhil Sharma In the Q&A with Akhil Sharma we learn that this story was meant to…
May 21, 2013

Tips for Writers: Use Sentence Fragments Sparingly

I had been reading a draft story by a young writer who had fallen into a pattern of using sentence fragments. It was a…
May 21, 2013

Book Giveaway: The Forty Rules of Love by Elif Shafak

I confess that I haven’t yet read this book, but I read Shafak’s previous book, The Bastard of Istanbul, which was excellent. Here’s the description…
May 20, 2013

The New Yorker: “Thirteen Wives” by Steven Millhauser

May 27, 2013: “Thirteen Wives” by Steven Millhauser I’m not sure I get this story, which you can read in its entirety for free….
May 18, 2013

2013 Reading: Damascus Gate by Robert Stone

DAMASCUS GATE.by Robert Stone I confess that I’ve only read one other novel by Robert Stone, and I have to say I didn’t care…
May 18, 2013

2013 Reading: River of Dust by Virginia Pye

River of Dust: A Novel by Virginia Pye I’d really been looking forward to reading this novel because the author is a friend of mine….
May 16, 2013

The New Yorker: “The Dark Arts” by Ben Marcus

May 20, 2013: “The Dark Arts” by Ben Marcus Q&A with Ben Marcus This story (available for free, so read it quick before they…
May 15, 2013

Guest Blog: “We Don’t Get a Do-over (Except When We Do)” by Valerie Nieman

We Don’t Get a Do-over (Except When We Do) by Valerie Nieman Time is an arrow, right? Fired into the future, never to return….