Magic, Mess, and Meaning
She Said “Nothing,” And She Meant It
Last week, my eighty-three-year-old mother and I road tripped to Pennsylvania to take care of some last-minute details for the sale of her house (she recently moved to my town in Connecticut). Early on, I made her listen to an episode of Smartless (a podcast hosted by...
Not Every Author Dreams Of Hollywood
I was at a book club last night and, after a bottle or two of wine, the conversation turned to movie adaptations. Like with any book, people disagreed on which ones they loved (Mystic River? Where The Crawdads Sing?) and which ruined the book (My Sister’s Keeper). I...
The Books That Catch You Off Guard
(Gasp—One of my unkempt bookshelves, although I mostly read on my iPad these days) I almost didn’t read The Correspondent. When someone in my book group suggested it, I groaned inwardly. An epistolary novel with a seventy-something protagonist? There was nothing about...
James Taylor Lied To Us
I’ve recently returned from a family vacation to Mexico. I’d been planning it for nine months. A luxury resort on the sea in Cabo, with a fabulous spa, multiple pools, and world-class dining. My two adult children were joining us, along with my cousin and her family....
The Ring That Became a Sconce: Thoughts on Reinvention and Inspiration
I’ve been quiet here for about a month. Honestly, I don’t have a great excuse. Work got busy, life got busy, and every time I sat down to write something for you, I just kind of stared at the screen, closed the laptop, and went and did something else. I’ve been tired....
You Found The Bottle: A thank-you note to my readers!
Happy St. Patty’s Day from Connecticut. I’m not out celebrating, sadly. No, I’m sitting here with Mo, who is staring at me. Mo’s primary hobby is staring, particularly when I’m at my desk working. My husband left for the city hours ago and won’t be back until after...