The Year Of The Writer

“I’ll revise the first chapter just once more, polish it up, then I’ll head into the next chapter,” she said with the bravado of certain finality. I tilted my head and inhaled deeply.  “Consider accepting the win and moving on.” “What win?  Why?” she asked, scrunching up her face. “Because you have a strong foundation…
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The Last Line: Writing Through Grief

Friday morning before dawn, my mother’s life came to a peaceful end after a 12-year struggle with Parkinson’s Disease. “Dad,” I said on Saturday evening after the visitation as we sat in his home blankly watching TV.  “The minister asked if we wanted to prepare something for her eulogy.”  I mentioned I’d talked to my…
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Penciled In

She rescheduled her appointment…again.  I realized that if this was her habit with our appointments, it was probably happening with her writing.  “Thought about, then put off until later knowing it would sit and wait just like it did yesterday.” As disappointed and frustrated as I felt, I had to admit sometimes I do this…
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Creative Camaraderie

After a two month absence, the fourth member of the Creative Writers Workshop returned, completing the community.  This reunion, a special occasion, had sentiment, tradition and joy. After checking in on creative issues, writing was reviewed.  One shared a piece developed over the last meetings, fiction prepared to satisfy an invitation for a journal launching…
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Make Movie Magic

“So, what’s your favorite movie?” he asked. “Oh, I would say—“ “Yeah, well,” he interrupted.  “That’s kinda impossible, huh?” “Nope, it’s easy — 1976’s ‘Network.’” Honestly, there are many magical movies I love, but this black comedy struck gold as it satirized a flailing network’s entertainment division taking over news programming.  The movie features great…
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