So, this is happening: Portland, Oregon, at the Blue Monk, Sept. 18 at 8 pm. The very, very cool indie press Ampersand Books is hosting killer literature readings by Carrie Seitzinger, Hannah Pass, Gabriel Blackwell, Hobie Anthony, Jamalieh Haley, and — that’s right, folks — ME. That’s awesome. But wait, there’s more! The always excellent Dena Rash Guzman and Reuben Nisenfeld will beContinue reading “Ampersand West Coast Invasion!”
Tag Archives: nonfiction
A Writer’s Notebook: Why I cried at the Superman trailer
I mentioned last week that I’ve been writing an essay on Superman. I gave it up for a recollection of the ’96 Olympic Games, but the essay has still been on my mind. Then, the other day, a friend of mine posted an outraged link to Newsarama’s list of the 10 Worst Comic Book-Based MovieContinue reading “A Writer’s Notebook: Why I cried at the Superman trailer”
A Writer’s Notebook: Olympic history
I’ve been writing an essay on Superman for almost a day straight, intending to post it here as an essay draft. But then I remembered that today, this evening, we will get to see hundreds and hundreds of superheroes, representing the whole planet, competing in peace and camaraderie during the Olympic Games. Not that I needed reminding. My wifeContinue reading “A Writer’s Notebook: Olympic history”
A Writer’s Notebook: Kevin Sampsell and Chloe Caldwell’s nonfiction workshop
So, as I promised yesterday, here are (some of) my notes from Kevin Sampsell and Chloe Caldwell‘s excellent nonfiction workshop at Crow Arts Manor today. I’ll include a couple of quick headings in the notes so you know what you’re reading, but I’ll write more about some of the things we talked about afterward. For now,Continue reading “A Writer’s Notebook: Kevin Sampsell and Chloe Caldwell’s nonfiction workshop”
A Writer’s Notebook: on hold till Saturday (for awesomeness)
I’m putting the Writer’s Notebook on hold until tomorrow, because tomorrow, I’m attending a killer personal essay workshop here in Portland, led by the inimitable Kevin Sampsell (of Future Tense Books) and Chloe Caldwell (of Legs Get Led Astray). So tomorrow, I’ll post whatever I get up to in the workshop. Stay tuned! The workshop, byContinue reading “A Writer’s Notebook: on hold till Saturday (for awesomeness)”
A Writer’s Notebook: more of Beth Locke’s “A Louisiana Girl”
This is more of my grandmother’s story. The year is 1945. My grandmother, Beth Locke, has just turned 20, and she works at the nearby Navy base, where troops are returning from the war. (I think you see where this is headed….) Along about this time, my social life was at a complete standstill. I hadContinue reading “A Writer’s Notebook: more of Beth Locke’s “A Louisiana Girl””
A Writer’s Notebook: Beth Locke: “A Louisiana Girl”
This is another exercise drawn from my tutoring, this time from a high school junior who’s been studying The Grapes of Wrath. I’ll explain more below, but before you start reading, a little context: What appears in the Notebook is not my own work but an edit of something my maternal grandmother, Beth Locke (néeContinue reading “A Writer’s Notebook: Beth Locke: “A Louisiana Girl””
A Writer’s Notebook: literary retrospective
This week, another post based on a tutee’s assignment — this time for a high school student writing a final term paper. I’ll explain the assignment below (it’s an awesome one — this tutee of mine has a very cool high school English teacher!), but I ought to explain up front that I’m short-cutting myContinue reading “A Writer’s Notebook: literary retrospective”
A Writer’s Notebook: Texas and a chapbook introduction
I just spent all morning working on a chapbook I can’t submit because I misread the guidelines — the press was asking for more than half the stories be unpublished. My chapbook contains mostly published stories. I’m a victim of my own success, I guess? Anyway, I was just beginning to revise the introduction forContinue reading “A Writer’s Notebook: Texas and a chapbook introduction”
A Writer’s Notebook: prose poem as personal essay
I have my students writing personal essays this week, but I’m a bit too busy right now to write an essay alongside them. I can, however, toss a prose poem your way. New Orleans, 1996 When I wandered the shoreline near Jackson Square the saxophonist called me, lured me to him like a rat toContinue reading “A Writer’s Notebook: prose poem as personal essay”
Samuel Snoek-Brown 