The World, The News & My Opinions On Stuff (for what it’s worth)
The Forgiveness Cure
I’m in the midst of editing my new novel, OUR DAILY BREAD, which will be released in the US in September. It’s the story of what happens in a small town when, for generations, certain folks have been ostracized, pushed away and left to fend for themselves. Considered Those People—beyond the pale, beyond redemption—they become…
Read MoreDeath Be Not Proud
“Death is a test of one’s maturity. Everyone has got to get through it on their own. I want very much to die. I want to become part of that vast extraordinary light. But dying is hard work. Death is in control of the process, I cannot influence its course. All I can do is…
Read More20 years married. Who'd have believed it?
As of today, My Best Beloved and I have been married for 20 years. This comes as something of a shock, especially to me. Prior to meeting My Best Beloved I did not have a great track record with relationships. I blame myself for this entirely. I chose the wrong men for the right reasons,…
Read MoreMore than enough shame to go around
Anyone who has read this blog even occasionally knows my feelings on the psychological dangers inherent in chasing the publishing carrot and the sort of relentless self-promotion writers (and many other artists) are expected to engage in these days. Sure, we all want readers and publishing can be lovely, but I don’t believe the way…
Read MoreWe are diminished by every broken heart
As many of you know, both my brothers died by suicide, and so, whenever I turn on the news and hear a report of another life being lost to despair and hopelessness, the little shard of ice in my chest which never quite melts, twists a little. This week, Tyler Clementi, a student at Rutgers…
Read MoreThe small voice of truth clears its throat
Imagine yourself walking down the street. You see a crowd harassing a man, pushing him, calling him vile names, bullying him… the man looks frightened. Perhaps he is trying to protect someone he’s with, perhaps his wife or child. The crowd, more of a mob now, past reason and spurred on by the force of…
Read MoreChief Arvol Looking Horse asks we pray to stop the bleeding
I was in New Orleans recently, arriving shortly after the oil catastrophe (‘spill’ is hardly an adequate word). Even though officials said they didn’t know how bad the damage would be, every Louisianian I spoke to had little doubt, and the horror showed in their faces. My heart breaks, as I’m sure yours does. I…
Read MoreFacebook — naked in the public square?
If you read this blog even occasionally, you know how ambivalent I am about social networking. I do it mostly because it’s part of my job, to be honest. It’s not that I don’t want to hear from readers — on the contrary, hearing from readers is one of the things I LOVE about being…
Read MoreAdjusting to the new – scroll vs codex
Now that the Kindle has finally been released in Canada, people there are chewing over what it might mean to them, and to publishing. Ian Brown is not convinced it’s a good thing and says so in the Globe and Mail. Others are excited about the new technology, in the way many people are with…
Read MoreWe don't do that here
Last week I was down in Trenton with an organization called People & Stories, a reading and discussion program that (according to their mission statement) “creates unique access to literature. Adults and young adults who have had limited opportunities to experience the power of literature work in small groups led by a trained coordinator. Participants…
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