Author: Cliff

I am the author of three novels--THE LAST BIRD OF PARADISE, OLIVER'S TRAVELS, and THE SHAMAN OF TURTLE VALLEY--and three story collections--IN AN UNCHARTED COUNTRY, HOUSE OF THE ANCIENTS AND OTHER STORIES, and WHAT THE ZHANG BOYS KNOW, winner of the Library of Virginia Literary Award for Fiction. I am also the co-founder and former editor of Prime Number Magazine and the editor of the award-winning anthology series EVERYWHERE STORIES: SHORT FICTION FROM A SMALL PLANET.
April 27, 2014

2014 Reading: Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline

Orphan Train: A Novel by Christina Baker Kline It’s a heartwarming story, but don’t let that stop you. It’s 2011, and Molly is a troubled…
April 26, 2014

The Tom Wolfe Seminar at Washington & Lee University: Elizabeth Strout

For the past few years, I’ve been attending a wonderful spring program at Washington & Lee University called the Tom Wolfe Seminar. This two-day…
April 20, 2014

2014 Reading: The Good Soldiers by David Finkel

The Good Soldiers by David Finkel This is a tough book to read because of the subject matter, but it should be required reading for…
April 19, 2014

2014 Reading: Still Writing: The Perils and Pleasures of a Creative Life by Dani Shapiro

Still Writing: The Perils and Pleasures of a Creative Life By Dani Shapiro Atlantic Monthly Press, 2013 I love this book. I’ve just finished…
April 18, 2014

National Poetry Month

Last night, my local writers’ organization (SWAG Writers–the Staunton, Waynesboro, Augusta Group of Writers, a sub-chapter of the Virginia Writers Club), hosted our annual…
April 16, 2014

Everywhere Stories: Short Fiction from a Small Planet

My new anthology, Everywhere Stories: Short Fiction from a Small Planet, is getting closer to being a reality. This has been a great process—from…
April 14, 2014

“My Writing Process” Blog Tour

I was invited to participate in this “My Writing Process” Blog Tour by Paulette Livers, a good friend from a couple of visits to…
February 27, 2014

2014 Reading: The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy

The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy What a beautifully written book this is. Perhaps it is “overwritten,” as a friend of mine has…
February 26, 2014

My old law firm interviews me

Because I knew when I graduated from law school in 1981 that I wanted an international career (I had served in the Peace Corps…
February 25, 2014

On the Eve of AWP

Last year at this time, a large snowstorm that eventually dumped 20 inches of snow was bearing down on the Shenandoah Valley. Because that…