Collecting Words and Phrases
When I read, I underline words and phrases I like. Thanks to Liz Lamoreux's Inner Excavation and her idea of creating a word toolbox to "reveal the poet within," I've been reminded of the value of copying down those phrases. I used to do this when I first started writing. Rewriting and retyping a seasoned writer's excellent prose helps to get [...]
On Not Reading a Book
I didn't read the book for the December meeting of the Memoir Workshop I teach at StoryStudio Chicago. If the instructor doesn't read the assigned book, that's pretty bad, right? Of course I felt guilty; I'm usually conscientious about reading the books for my workshops and the books I review or whose authors I interview (this apparently isn't a given). [...]
Dreaming of a Turkish Bath House
Blame it on the cold winter we are having in Chicago, but I am dreaming of the Turkish Bath House in Akko, Israel. The place itself is a dream, because it is not a functioning bath house anymore, but rather one of the sites you can visit on a tour of historic Akko. A bodiless voice guides you through this [...]
Interview with Sarah Wildman
In December I interviewed Sarah Wildman about her book Paper Love. This was a particular privilege because Paper Love is my kind of story: figuring out what happened in a family's past to see how those events and memories influenced the future. You can read the interview here. Wildman went to amazing lengths to piece together what happened to her [...]
My First Newsletter
I just clicked the Send button for my very first newsletter, and I have to say it is like skating out on a pond, not quite knowing if the ice is thick enough. It reminds me of when I first started blogging four years ago; it was something I felt I should do, was advised to do, but how to [...]
Off the Beaten Path in Israel: Zohar Stronghold
The cold is getting to me (Chicago's high is 17F today), so it's time for memories of warmer days and an entirely different landscape than winter's bleak outside. I haven't yet shared any impressions from my trip to Israel in December, so I'll take you along on a hike my daughter and I did off the beaten path in the [...]