What works and doesn’t work in nonfiction
It’s no secret, I love nonfiction. I read a lot of nonfiction books, essays, and literary journalism. Here are some …
Author Archives: rachaelhanel
A surefire way to blend scene and reflection in essays
The hallmark of an effective memoir or essay is the blend of scene and reflection, or the “show AND tell.” …
A researcher’s dream
This is Cheryl and me. Cheryl lives in Taos, New Mexico, and I visited her in early June. Cheryl and …
A few resources on the 1970s
Throughout the years of research into Camilla Hall and the SLA, I developed an affinity for the 1970s. I was …
What really happened on May 17, 1974?
On May 17, 1974, more than 400 police officers surrounded a house at 1466 E. 54th St. in south-central Los Angeles. …
5 reasons to love a road trip
A recent 1,600-mile road trip took me to six states, three of which I hadn’t traveled to before (Indiana, Ohio, …
How do you work? Cluttered or clean?
I find this quote attributed most often to Albert Einstein. My home space is cluttered, and my mind definitely feels …
The beauty of persistence
Back before I had a book to my name, I would see published authors and feel this intense need/want to …
Some thoughts after watching “The Trial of the Chicago 7”
Chicago, 1968. I finally watched “The Trial of the Chicago 7” last night. Initial thoughts: Those young people were so …
Who cares what I write?
This passage caused me to pause and reflect. I get wrapped up in my own writing; of course it’s interesting …
