1. What is your earliest memory? Why do you think that one has stuck? 2. What about childhood do you wish you could remember? What about childhood do you wish you could forget? 3. Do you trust your childhood memories? Does it matter to you if they are accurate? 4. When it comes to memory,…
I’m not sure there’s a good way, or a way at all, to prepare for your own book club reading your book. Before we even moved into our house in Wilton, I joined a book club formed by a friend (Carrie) of a friend (Katie). For nearly three years, we’ve met monthly for coffee and…
Poet and memoirist Sascha Feinstein was my mentor during the last stretch toward my MFA. He helped me pull disparate pieces on memory hunting together into a cohesive thesis and, while doing so, pushed me to rethink language and expand moments I’d been avoiding. Later—years later, after I’d written much more—he helped me shape the…
Last night, I received a generous welcome to Westport Writers' Workshop, where I am now teaching nonfiction workshops. With fellow VCFAer Liz Matthews directing WWW, I'm instantly at home among these amazing writers and teachers. Linda Gibson, me, Doug Moser, Jessie McEntee, Charles Rafferty, Laura Pochintesta Even a 25-minute drive to an evening event can…
To travel (anywhere) unencumbered by small children is extraordinary: outside the normal, different from the daily. To travel knowing those small children are tracking each mile and fascinated by each hotel room and proud of each presentation is pure joy. J and the boys wave long goodbyes and hug long welcome-backs. In between, I immerse…
