I started off the new year by seeing THE ARTIST, superbly directed and written by Michel Hazanavicius. It’s a curious film, since it’s mostly silent—except for the musical score and a…
Storytelling In THE ARTIST and THE DESCENDANTS
Making Magical Memories at Christmas
I’m feeling particularly nostalgic this time of year, as my mother passed away at the end of October. She left behind a lot of magical memories, hers and mine, that…
The Help: Black and White and Red All Over
The 60s was a time when the relationships between the Blacks and the Whites grew embarrassingly red for many. The shame of it all is brilliantly captured in Kathryn Stockett’s…
The Many Paths of Inspiration
I’ve written about inspiration before, but I gave it short shrift. The Encarta dictionary defines inspiration as: “stimulation for the human mind to creative thought or the making of art”.…
Hereafter, Heaven, and Afterlife
Afterlife As this year draws to a close, I’m reflecting on other endings, chiefly the afterlife. With my mother’s passing, I’ve become preoccupied with questions about death and heaven, if…
Death’s Many Faces
My tears now come at unexpected times, like a rogue wave. I buried my mother on Nov. 10th. The funeral went well but I worried about my grandchildren—her great-grandchildren——ages 10-15,…
Passion: The Driving Force
I sometimes wonder what keeps me day after day, hour after hour, year after year sitting in front of a computer, working on stories. I struggle to find the right…
The Horror Re-Visited
It’s been ten years since we witnessed the twin towers crumbling, New Yorkers running, and the ensuing panic that followed. I plan to watch the memorial television programs today. My…
Distracted By The Fall of the Tomato
Instead of staying focused on writing my mother’s memoir, I’ve been distracted by the plight of the tomato. This may seem odd, when there’s so much going on in the…
Blogging and Social Media
Stumbling upon, Kristen Lamb\’s blog , I feel as if I’ve been given a wake-up call. Kristen Lamb has written several books on the subject of using social media to raise…