The historian tells you what happened.
The novelist will tell you what it felt like.
-E.L. Doctorow
Across oceans and centuries, my novels follow characters changed by events as drastic as a plague or as small as a thought. I love history, especially those periods, like the sixteenth century, that changed man’s entire way of thinking.
My stories are important, but so are yours. I founded the Village Writing School to teach people how to write their stories in the most engaging way. When I’m speaking at a conference on the power of words or teaching a workshop on subtext, I’m thinking how important some of the stories in that audience may be.
Beyond writing and teaching, I try to be a good person because the greatest act of creation is to fashion a beautiful life.
Defend Yourself From Toxic Feedback
Toxic feedback. We have all suffered from it. Everyone has that friend or relative who undercuts you under the guise of "helping" you. I once had a roommate who critiqued my cooking. One day, the pecans in the pancakes were too close together. And sometimes, the food...
Bridging Generations
There are stories and history all around us. We know this, of course, but do we appreciate the significance of it and what those stories can accomplish? Like little wildflowers, one seems pretty insignificant. But taken together, a whole field of them can modify a...
Why Should You Write YOUR Story?
There are so many reasons. Let's look at a few. You've overcome a traumatic experience. You've made peace with a difficult relationship. (Mom memoirs are very big.) You've dealt with a health or life-threatening issue. You've had an amazing pet. (Seriously. We love to...