Monthly Archives: September 2023

I’d Love to Be a Fairy’s Child Children born of fairy stockNever need for shirt or frock,Never want for food or fire,Always get their heart’s desire:Jingle pockets full of gold,Marry when they’re seven years old.Every fairy child may keepTwo strong … Continue reading →

When the great Jerome Robbins was asked to direct the original version of Fiddler on the Roof, he asked the authors a simple question: “What is your show about?” Their first answer was that it was about a Jewish milkman … Continue reading →

Reading is like stepping into somebody else’s mind, a holiday from oneself.” Joan Aiken A short story: When I was in the midst of an early rewrite of my children’s novel, I decided to give my little heroine another girl … Continue reading →

“The mind adapts and converts to its own purposes the obstacle to our acting. The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.” Marcus Aurelius Wow, what stands in the way becomes the way.” An … Continue reading →

No army can withstand the strength of an idea whose time has come.”Victor Hugo “Imagination is the eye of the soul.”Joseph Joubert Where do creative ideas come from? Whenever I come across a new novel or short story that intrigues … Continue reading →

Don’t be ‘a writer.’ Be writing.”   William Faulkner September 25 is William Faulkner’s birthday—he as born in 1897. With this in mind I’m sharing a cornucopia of gems from the storied writer, whose devotion to his craft is legendary: “It begins … Continue reading →

Autumn The morns are meeker than they were,The nuts are getting brown;The berry’s cheek is plumper,The rose is out of town. The maple wears a gayer scarf,The field a scarlet gown.Lest I should be old-fashioned,I’ll put a trinket on. Emily … Continue reading →

Sometimes we have to fight for every inch of ground on the page and sometimes we hit a roadblock and we have to fight through it. Jeff Goins is the author of five best-selling books, including The Art of Work and Real Artists … Continue reading →

On my desk I have a worn green index card with these words on it: ”Now I’m going to concentrate as hard as I can. I’m not going to think of anything else.” This touchstone quote from Joyce Brothers has … Continue reading →

A story I just love: It’s about the writer James Hilton, who is probably best known for his legendary novel, Lost Horizons. While that book is a classic today, it didn’t make much of a splash when it was published in … Continue reading →