Family heirlooms, travel items link immigrant stories to lives in the Midwest at the end of the 19th century, on view at the Kauffman Museum at Bethel College through June 1. "Unlocking the Past: Immigrant Artifacts and the Stories They Tell," at the Kauffman Museum in North Newton, Kansas, foregrounds the stories of Mennonite immigrants.... Continue Reading →
Rules for Ghosting is a great read for anyone who enjoys novels like The Dead Romantics or the Seven-Year Slip (both by Ashley Poston), and shows like Six Feet Under.
Most people here know I'm an English teacher, an avid fan of Shakespeare (we have the same birthday), and an even bigger fan of Scotland (a Caledonophile). So when my sister-in-law gifted me Lady Macbeth by Ava Reid, I put it at the top of my TBR pile. And it doesn't disappoint. Shipped from Breizh... Continue Reading →
Looking through the list of books I've read so far in 2022, it's pretty obvious that I've got a reading type. Yeah, I'm full-on romance reading. I *could* say that it's research for my own novel, Deckled Edges. (And it is, kind of. But it's also more.) Honestly, lounging my way through this string of... Continue Reading →
Django walked past me this morning, gave me a harsh look, and kept moving until he stationed himself resolutely on the dining room rug. And glared at me. Intuitively, I knew. He shit in the back room. The turd. (Please note: I cleaned the litter box yesterday.) I got a text from Mallory: the furnace... Continue Reading →
If it's possible for the Winds of Change to knock about the chimes of my heart, boy have they! I'm itching for change. I can feel it in my bones. Deep within me. It's resonating through every. single. thing. I contemplate: moving furniture, organizing clothes and dishes and what's in the fridge, trying and trying... Continue Reading →
I made it through the weekend, even submitted my final short story for the first ever (!) 48-Hour Short Story Race three hours ahead (!) of the deadline. With anticipation, I refreshed my inbox repeatedly, waiting for the directions and my assigned prompts. I'd read the welcome email a number of times, but the prompts... Continue Reading →
I entered a writing competition, a 48-hour short story race. Maybe I'm making it into more than it actually is, but because I'll be judged and I'll receive feedback, I'm putting some serious level pressure on myself. "No pressure, no diamonds" So. From 7:00 p.m. tonight until 7:00 p.m. Sunday, I'll be plot diagramming, drafting,... Continue Reading →
I just ordered a book from the Big A - not because I like giving Jeff Bezos my money, but because the book is by a student and I want to support her. The slim volume arrived at my door, clad in the blue and white packaging, and I ripped it open; I marveled at her creation.... Continue Reading →
