My new mobile-friendly website is up and running, and I feel the way I did when I got a brand-new inner tube with my name on it: ready to go places. Read more.
writing tips
Ann Patchett — My Brand-New Favorite Author
I’ve got a new favorite author. It’s Ann Patchett. Step aside Marilynne Robinson and Annie Dillard, Leo Tolstoy and Richard Ford. You, too, Philip Roth. Read more.
The Writing Room: Am I Stuck? Or Am I Just Taking a Little Housekeeping Break?
Sitting at a blank laptop screen awaiting writerly inspiration isn’t that much fun nowadays. I’d rather watch the guys laying asphalt in front of our house. Am I stuck? Read more.
“Bamboo Secrets” — A Love Story in the Shadow of Japan
Book Awards — My Big Starter List for Authors
Want to win some book contests? If you’re self-published or an author published by a small, independent press — here’s a starter list of contests to enter. Read more.
Kirkus Reviews ‘Wrestling with God’ This Month
Kirkus reviews ‘Wrestling with God: Stories of Doubt and Faith” in its print edition this month. Read more.
The Shame of Aging: The Big Seven-Five Has Finally Arrived
It’s here. My birthday. The Big Seven-Five. I’m now officially old. But I don’t wear my trousers rolled. Read more.