greater than the sum of its parts
We attended–as members–the European and American Arts Council lecture at the Portland Art Museum on Thursday evening. Chief Curator Bruce Guenther gave his long-postponed talk A Girl and Her Dog: 19th Century … Continue reading
on pins & needles, again
I haven’t written a post for ages–but I’ve been working hard on my novel. One of my three main characters lived in Brooklyn for ~40 years, so Gary and I spent … Continue reading
back to writing about writing…
Aside from the need for inspiration and sufficient skill to create credible, compelling characters, there’s another challenge in writing historical fiction: getting the context right in terms of social mores, medical … Continue reading
’tis the season
It’s nearly Christmas, time to make gingerbread and lebkuchen–putting me in mind of an essay I wrote in summer, 2012, which is forthcoming in Memories Sweet and Savory: Desserts from http://WomensMemoirs.com, Matilda … Continue reading
writing a novel?
Well, I think maybe so… I last wrote about my sense of outrage that, during the Victorian era, men could have mistresses, they could divorce, they could remarry–but women were “the … Continue reading
Curious cultural convergence
Be thankful we’ve moved past the late 19th century. I haven’t posted anything for weeks because I’ve been developing detailed conjectures on the backstory of a painting that’s been in … Continue reading
It’s published
When I wrote last month about winning Second Prize for non-fiction in the Willamette Writer’s Kay Snow Contest, I mentioned that VoiceCatchers also liked Learning Chutzpah, and would publish the story … Continue reading
a ‘writer gene’?
In 1988, my father shared with me some of the letters that Francis Bailey wrote to his brother–my great-grandfather–from 1863 to 1899. My reaction? it would be incredibly cool to … Continue reading
Sometimes, when you least expect it…
…something really terrific happens. At an Oregon Writers Colony meeting in Portland last summer, I participated in a break-out session about where to submit your writing. One suggestion for non-fiction … Continue reading
Rails in Wales and beyond
A year ago, we were preparing for a long rail journey ; now we’re just back from one. Jacqueline Sale of Act 1 Tours led a Portland Opera group to Paris and London. Gary … Continue reading
illuminate history 