>Bread Loaf: Day One

>What a fantastic drive it was up from Boston–sunny day, mild temperatures. When I checked in I found that I’d been assigned a house way out in the woods, up a dusty hill, about a 15 minute walk from the main buildings of the Bread Loaf campus. I got settled and others started straggling in, and then I went down to the main Inn for a tour and basic orientation. I ran into some people I met at Sewanee last year, and bumped into Xujun, a Zoetroper who is here. (I didn’t see Mary or Laila until dinner . . .)

The evening consisted of a welcome address by Michael Collier, which was quite funny quoting from the work of the fellow who donated the land to Middlebury College–not much of a writer, which was the point of quoting him extensively. Then Charles Baxter read a new story, which was wonderful, of course, and Michael read some of his poems. We then adjourned to the Barn for a reception, where I ran into some more folks from Sewanee. A good start to the conference.

Fortunately the moon was nearly full in a cloudless sky last night so we were able to find our way out to the house without difficulty. Thursday night may be a different story.

About the author

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.

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