In Bologna they call them umarells, men hanging around building sites, watching people working with their hands. I’m an umarell. Here’s why. Read more.
On Writing & Reading
Here you'll find author profiles as well as mini – and not-so-mini – book reviews. I’m a writer who loves to talk about writing, so if you like to write I hope you’ll stop by now and then for some writing tips and to chat about the writing life.
Why Do ‘Those People’ Make Me So Mad? A Philosopher Sheds Some Light. Sheltering at Home Week 20
When we address “those people,” do we really want to be heard? Or do we just want to get mad, feel righteous and force our desired outcomes on those “other” people? Read more.
Why I Write About the Small Stuff — Like the Kettle Corn That Showed Up in Our Food Order. Sheltering in Place Week 4
A bag of kettle corn? How did that get into our on-line food order? Provisioning mishaps have provided comic relief to the coronavirus anxiety at our house. Read more.
Cathy Guisewite: I Can’t Wait to Spend Time With This Funny, Wise Lady
Cathy Guisewite, cartoonist and author of “Fifty Things That Aren’t My Fault,” writes the way I want to write: with humor and grace. Read more.
I’m Back! The Writer in Me Is Back With a Book Pitch
I’m back at the keyboard and hard at work on the book pitch for my project. What do you think? Read more.
My First Writers Retreat — It Won’t Be My Last. Here’s Why
I thought those romantic writers retreats were an indulgent waste of time. A one-day retreat ten miles from home showed me otherwise. Read more.
At the Octopus Literary Salon — Women Reading Stories About Women
For Mother’s Day gift-giving inspiration, stop by Oakland’s Octopus Literary Salon on May 12 to hear San Francisco Bay Area women read from their books and poetry . Read more.