“I’ll be so annoyed if our speaker talks about ‘voice,’” said a writer-friend. Sort of amazed me. At the same time, I understand how frustrating hearing about voice can be. It’s like saying a romantic interest has that certain je ne sais quoi. Turn on a radio. If you’re lucky, an old-school dj will be playing a rockin’ tune. If you’ve heard that artist before, … Continue reading On Voice
Sticky post
Writing for me boils down to one thing: passion, the drive to tell my stories. To stay authentic, to keep being myself, that passion has to drive all my writing decisions. With my boys gone, I’m devoting most of my free time to writing–and savoring every moment of living in this story world. Perhaps not being able to write for a while made me appreciate … Continue reading A Passion for Story
(The image above is “Patient Girl,” by LA artists, the Clayton Brothers. Experience more of their work at Print Magazine or their website. Used with permission.) This is AN Awareness Week, part of Brain Tumor Awareness Month, so I wanted to share a few facts about that little stowaway inside my head. First, an acoustic neuroma (AN) is a tumor of the ear/brain/balance/facial nerves. Here’s what a small … Continue reading Acoustic Neuroma? What the heck?
Y’all I’m so honored to be reading at the Scissortail Creative Writing Festival along with Naomi Shahib Nye, Rilla Askew, Oklahoma Poet Laureate Dr. Benjamin Myers, and many other great writers. Why in the heck would they choose me? You’ll have to ask Dr. Ken Hada that, but I think the subject of my reading was at least part of it. Make more with your … Continue reading Scissortail and a Brain Tumor
Those are words the publisher uses to describe Veils, Halos and Shackles, an international anthology of raw, powerful poetry on the oppression and empowerment of women. As a contributor, I have to confess that none of those things had anything to do with my creating the poem that went into it. Writers cannot always describe inspiration, but in this case, I can. When a tumor, … Continue reading Shock, Startle and Inspire
Lucie Smoker 