Why writers need literary heroes
In 2002, I saw Susan Orlean speak at a St. Paul library. I was working as a newspaper journalist at …
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5 ways to get the creative flow going
School has started, which means less time for my own creative projects. I’m a little scared, but oddly enough have …
You won’t believe how popular this author photo is
My memoir takes place in a cemetery, so naturally I wanted an author photo that had a cemetery background. I …
From the archives: The ethics of writing about those who have died
NOTE: This was originally published on July 8, 2012. I have no doubt that my dad would approve of my …
What happens when we forget?
How long does a story stick with you? At a book club earlier this summer, a woman who grew up …
You might like What Dreams May Come if…
I watched the Robin Williams film What Dreams May Come last night, the first time since my initial viewing of it …
One Robin Williams movie many are forgetting
In all the “favorite movie” lists that have come out since Robin Williams died, I haven’t heard anyone pick What Dreams …
45 years ago today
August 9, 1969: the Manson family entered the Tate house, beginning their two-day murder spree. Above: The page in my …
Portrait of a grave in William Kent Krueger’s “Ordinary Grace”
I just finished William Kent Krueger’s Ordinary Grace. Toward the end, there’s a fantastic description of a grave and gravedigging …
How do you dream about the dead?
The other night I had what is known as a “visitation dream.” I don’t dream about the dead often, but …
If You Have Five Seconds to Spare 