In case you haven't heard, the Clarion West write-a-thon is currently ongoing, and I'm one of the participants. I have to admit, my writing goals are a bit more amorphous, and I don't specify what my fundraising goal is. I figure that kind of works with the way I write; no outlines, just pushing through till you get to then end. We'll see what ( Read more... )

One of my favorite graphic novels ever is Marjane Satrapi's "Persepolis." I would highly recommend this book for anyone looking for insight into the revolutions and demonstrations in Iran. It's so sad that they overthrew a dictator, only to put another in place. But hopefully, the protests will continue!

Go Moussavi supporters!

I'm really enjoying Nisi Shawl's "Filter House" and Camille Alexa's "Push the Sky." I'm including them in a rotation through Ray Carver's "Cathedral" and Alice Munroe's "The Love of a Good Woman." Every night I read one story from each collection and I'm finding the contrasts and comparisons quite interesting. All of them are equally worth picking ( Read more... )

It's been a crazy couple of days.

I'm cat-sitting for Kat-with-no-LJ who is in my long-time writer's group. It's a gorgeous Craftsman style house on the North Shore of Long Island, surrounded by tress, grass and a nearby pond with swans and herons. It's a lovely little retreat in the country.

I might have actually enjoyed it if I weren't so busy.

On ( Read more... )

...is surprisingly, in Manhattan.

I wrote a review on yelp here. But seriously if you're looking for a good spot in Manhattan near Grand Central, I can't recommend this (and the black sesame ice cream) highly enough.

So my last minute decision to go to RWA was supposed to be an "I'll-just-go-to-learn-and-hang-out-con" because I didn't have anything to pitch ( Read more... )

Just faxed off my registration for RWA, and since ya' know I didn't spend enough money at Wiscon, I registered for World Fantasy as well.

RWA is quite pricey, but looking at the actual conference, I understand why. Unlike SF cons where you go to panels to hear famous / infamous /semi-famous people talk about issues, the bulk of RWA's conference ( Read more... )

So I decided to hang out in Grand Rapids for an extra day after the workshop because I wanted to check out what the Midwest was like. As an urban East Coast girl, I wanted to get a sense of the region.

What I learned:

1) People from the Midwest are incredibly nice. Waiters actually act like they're in a commercial. They're THAT happy to see you (It's ( Read more... )

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Arrived in Michigan for the Hastings Point Writers Workshop. The lillies of the valley are blooming and there was a color streaked sky for sunset over the lake. airmer's house on the lake? So awesome. My bed faces the lake and when I lie on it and look out it feels as if I'm floating.

This is my first time in the Midwest (other than airport ( Read more... )