On a recent trip to New York, one of the places my husband and I passed by on our daily walks was Random House, one of the Big Six in…
The New Publishing Universe
A Writer’s Reflections on Rowing
I had the pleasure recently of rowing a boat in Central Park, New York. While paddling around on the lake, I got to thinking how much rowing is like writing.…
Rebirth of a Masterpiece – Death of a Salesman
Every once in awhile, a piece of writing sets itself apart from the others in its brilliance. The play, Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller, written in 1949, is…
Life Lessons in the Garden
When I was a young girl, I watched my mother plant red salvia and white allysum on both sides of our front walk. At the time, I didn’t appreciate what…
A Holocaust Survivor’s Secret of Happiness
I was sent a video by one of my friends, this one from the U.K. online news site, The Guardian. It got me thinking of how much control each one…
Dreams That Work Overtime
Do you ever feel as if your life has taken a dramatic turn, as if you are part of some cosmic shift? That’s the feeling I woke up with late…
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…
Hemingway, A Master of Less Is More, More or Less
Ernest Hemingway was the master of saying a lot with less. Everything I read suggests novice writers—and some published writers—use too many words to get their point across. They use…
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”.…
It Wasn’t Supposed To Be Like That
I have this void in my life right now. My mother passed away on Oct. 27th at the age of 96. I had a habit of calling her twice a…