Kale. Why my life went close to four decades never having had this remarkable green, leafy vegetable is nearly unconscionable. (I will admit that it is possible that in the heat of the 1970s, I may have had kale in its dried state in a package of Knorr’s Vegetable Soup Mix which promptly was mixed […]

Read more "Three Things I Love in My Mouth"

This quote has been attributed to Socrates by Plato in his Apology. I first read it the quote while studying philosophy at Purdue University. I was nineteen, and at that age, “examination” of my life focused on narrow issues like whether I was studying hard enough, whether I had applied my mascara well, and whether my choice […]

Read more "The Unexamined Life is Not Worth Living"

I’m in California with my sister and her family. I just woke up.  3:08AM. It’s three hours later at home and I know I’m not going back to sleep. I’ve had enough sleep. I’m wondering if the coffee which my brother-in-law set up last night and I’m listening to brew will be any good. I’m […]

Read more "Most of One Molar"

This is how I would describe my novel, My Plus One: “Augusts off” was the promise given to Callie and Ray when they committed to a life helping others: Callie as an animal-behavioral psychologist, i.e., “pet whisperer,” and Ray as a psychotherapist to a more pedestrian breed of clients, i.e., damaged humans. Callie and Ray […]

Read more "My Plus One: Book Blurb"

I came across this quote, in a collection of “harsh but true” thoughts on writing by famous authors: Notice how many of the Olympic athletes effusively thanked their mothers for their success? “She drove me to my practice at four in the morning,” etc. Writing is not figure skating or skiing. Your mother will not […]

Read more "Running Away is Really Not an Option"

At first glance, annus horribilis does not look like something you want any part of. I suppose it’s safe to say that when you see horribilis, you conclude something pretty horrible. (Well done.) And for all of us who thought that French was a better choice over a dead language, we’re looking at annus and thinking […]

Read more "How are you managing your Annus Horribilis?"

On those days I spend writing, I apportion time toward the end of the day to read to Rob. Most days, I just read; but sometimes, we talk for a while about the arc of my story. Last night, when my story arced into a character who began talking about his involvement in S&M, Rob […]

Read more "I can be whomever you want me to be"

The bank account balance, the bathroom scale, the facebook “friends” and twitter “followers,” this blog’s visitors, my daily word count, google+ connections. Pick a number. Any number between 35 and 1,650.  Chances are 1 in 231 you’ll guess one of the seven numbers which corresponds to the above list. Then you’ve got a 1 in […]

Read more "The Numbers (Head) Game"

Without the help of your favorite search engine, can you say who H. Jackson Brown Jr. is? Is that name even a slightly familiar? I’m going to guess that some of you thought of that guy who sang “Running on Empty” and “Doctor My Eyes;” others might have thought of some obscure Southern politician; and a few might […]

Read more "I’d bet money you know this guy: H. Jackson Brown Jr."

I should have gotten right to writing this morning. I was up soon after four o’clock — silent house, freshly-brewed coffee. Distraction took hold. Instead of spending those precious hours with familiar characters, and introducing a few more, to move Accidental Gravitas forward, I applied for a job. Well, sort of. I submitted an online […]

Read more "Fear And Loathing in Suburbia"