It’s over, folks. At long, long last, the Texas Rising series is finished. But hang in there, because I still have to write about this last episode, which I’ve done more or less in the order it was presented us, mostly because of some problems I want to point out with both the narrative and theContinue reading “Texas Rising — and rising . . . and . . . mercifully, it’s gone”
Category Archives: writing
Texas Rising — some comments before the last episode
Tonight, the final episode of Texas Rising airs, and yes, exhausted though I was after even the first episode, I am sticking it out to the end and I’ll blog about it tomorrow. In the meantime, my posts so far attracted the attention of the Wall Street Journal, and ten days ago I had aContinue reading “Texas Rising — some comments before the last episode”
Think You’re Finished? Take That Extra Step
Don’t know why Google is a month late in alerting me to this, but I’m thrilled to get a reference in Sue Fagalde Lick’s write-up on the Compose writing conference I participated in at Clackamas Community College last month. Good to know my workshop was helpful!
On words and awareness and ignorance and compassion
Social media is a hyper-emotional space, fraught with extreme opinions, extreme sensitivities, extreme expressions conveyed in extreme compression which leads to extreme misunderstanding. This is true on Facebook, on blogs, on Instagram, on Reddit, and perhaps especially on Twitter, where the limitation of 140 characters demands an extreme attention to and care with language butContinue reading “On words and awareness and ignorance and compassion”
Texas Rising — in a cloud of dust and a fog of history
When I was a boy living in Texas, I loved The Dukes of Hazzard. I watch their TV show constantly, I had the General Lee in both Hot Wheels size and the large action-figure size because I also had the action figures of Bo and Luke Duke. I often had them mingle with my actionContinue reading “Texas Rising — in a cloud of dust and a fog of history”
Texas Rising — a yellow rose blooms, but mind the thorns
So, before I get into the third episode of Texas Rising, I would like to start with the show’s own disclaimer: “The following program is a dramatic interpretation of Texas’ fight for independence. Viewer discretion is advised.” I suppose the “viewer discretion” they advise is to focus on the “interpretation” part and not take any of this tooContinue reading “Texas Rising — a yellow rose blooms, but mind the thorns”
New publication
I’ve been a huge fan of Eunoia Review for a long while now, and I’ve been honored to be among their contributors three times now, and they’ve been home to some of my favorite stories. Today, I’m happy to say that Eunoia has published a fourth story of mine, and, depending on how you measureContinue reading “New publication”
Texas Rising — and quickly falling
I grew up in Texas, where the hagiography of early Texans and the aggrandizing of our heritage (or, at least, our Anglo heritage) was mandatory. People think I’m participating in the tradition of tall tales when I say a thing like that, but it’s true: in Texas schools, you learn Texas history before you learn AmericanContinue reading “Texas Rising — and quickly falling”
This is The End, but not of the Jersey Devil
The May issue of Jersey Devil Press is out, and it’s full of the usual shenanigans: stunning prose poems, otherworldly obelisks invoking transcendence, blessed/cursed warriors, anthropomorphic animals in the workplace, and, of course, the apocalypse at the end of it all. Everything always ends in the apocalypse. There’s even some moody noir artwork on the cover,Continue reading “This is The End, but not of the Jersey Devil”
AWP Minneapolis wrap-up: my students respond
Back from Minneapolis less than 24 hours and I was in my classroom, rearranging the tables and spreading out all my books, magazines, brochures, business cards, submission flyers, notebooks, pens, fake tattoos, noisemakers, and buttons, creating my own miniature bookfair for my students. And yes, I let them take a lot of what I brought back (but not myContinue reading “AWP Minneapolis wrap-up: my students respond”
Samuel Snoek-Brown 