A Curious Contradiction
November 12, 2024
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The more books I begin, the worse they seem at the start.
Blog
Yes, Foxes Are Sly, But They’re Not Always Sly
November 5, 2024
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I was talking to a sixth-grade class the other day when one of the students asked: “How do you make a character in a book, you know, all the different things and feelings she has?”
A New Book
October 29, 2024
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Today is the day my newest book, Lost in the Empire City, will be published. People often ask me, “How does it feel to have a book published?”
Logic
October 22, 2024
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Logic. While we may not think of the concept as having anything to do with fiction, it is not just a key aspect of narrative, but particularly important to readers.
Titles
October 15, 2024
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What does a good title have that makes it good? Lots of notions here. The truth is, as any author will tell you, a good title is hard to compose.
Immigrants
October 8, 2024
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I suspect that there are countless American family stories akin to this one, the journey to point of departure, the voyage itself, the arrival, and early years of tragedy and/or triumph.
The Oldest Book on My Shelves
October 1, 2024
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It’s not really a surprise then, that on my shelves I have a few — very few — books from my childhood. Read this week’s essay about those books.
Soup’s On
September 24, 2024
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Last night didn’t start well. It began when my wife and I sat down to a new soup recipe. That soup took two hours to make, but only about thirty seconds to realize, “This is awful.”
I am working on a new book
September 17, 2024
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“I am working on a new book. It’s so new it has no title, and to be honest, I’m not sure what will happen. Certainly, no ending is in sight.”
Great Expectations
September 10, 2024
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With the return of school — has always meant the beginning of the year for me. Never mind January One. As far as I am concerned, this is the time when the year truly starts.