Category: blog

September 13, 2013

2013 Reading: Bones of an Inland Sea by Mary Akers

Bones of an Inland Sea by Mary Akers This is a wonderful collection of stories (linked thematically and with some character connections) by a good…
September 8, 2013

Writing in Coffee Shops

Lately, I’ve been doing a lot of work in coffee shops. I’m not sure why, but I find it stimulating (and not just because…
September 4, 2013

Reading and Discussion Guide for What the Zhang Boys Know

What the Zhang Boys Know is an ideal choice for your bookclub or classroom discussion because of the range of voices and themes it…
September 4, 2013

Interview with Tom Lombardo, author of What Bends Us Blue

A few days ago, I posted my brief review of a wonderful collection of poems by my friend Tom Lombardo: What Bends Us Blue. Tom…
September 1, 2013

53-word Story Contest with Prime Number Magazine Returns!

Last year, Prime Number’s publisher, Press 53, ran a fun little weekly contest for very short fictions–53 words, no more, no less (not counting…
August 29, 2013

Fall For The Book 2013–September 22-27

The first time I appeared at the Fall for the Book Festival at George Mason University, it was a rushed affair for me. I…
August 23, 2013

ZHANG BOYS a Finalist for the Library of Virginia Award

I learned recently that I am a finalist for the 2013 Library of Virginia Award for Fiction for my book What the Zhang Boys Know….
August 22, 2013

Hampton Roads Writers’ Conference

I am excited to be one of the presenters at the 5th Annual Hampton Roads Writers’ Conference, which is just a month away. The…
August 15, 2013

Reflections on Sewanee

It’s been 10 days now since the end of the 2013 Sewanee Writers’ Conference, time enough for a little reflection on the experience. It…
August 14, 2013

Online Creative Writing Classes

As much as I love face-to-face fiction workshops and critique groups, sometimes they’re just not feasible. Either you live too far away from other…