Writing & Books
Monday Quote: On Remorse
Hemingway was complicated, but slivers of humility and remorse slip through his sealed prose — especially when it comes to the first wife he never stopped regretting.
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Thoughts on faith, motherhood, grief, writing, and the stories that shape us.
Writing & Books
Got concept? Without it, your fiction won't float.
Without a strong concept, your fiction won't float. Larry Brooks breaks down what separates a true concept from a mere idea — and how to know if yours is good enough.
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Monday Quote: On Errant Apostrophes
Benjamin Dreyer's delightful take on the misused apostrophe — a charming excerpt from one of the best style manuals you'll ever read.
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Monday Quote: On Omitting
Sometimes the best thing you can do for a story is cut. Hemingway reminds us that what we leave out can make readers feel something more than they understand.
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Friday Fact: For the Love of Chocolate
In 1659, Louis XIV granted the first known chocolatier in history the right to make and sell chocolate. Where might we be without the Sun King?
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Monday Quote: On Clarity
A reflection on the endless pursuit of clarity in writing, inspired by the French writer Joseph Joubert.
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Friday Fact: The Day the World Came to Town
After 9/11, a pharmacist in Gander, Newfoundland, worked forty-two hours straight to fill stranded passengers' prescriptions — all at no cost.
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The Six Core Competencies of Storytelling
Larry Brooks's six core competencies of storytelling offer writers a framework for crafting well-rounded, sellable fiction — no matter how you approach the page.
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A New Vision
A new decade, a new vision for this site, and a reflection on why writers reach into their own heartbreak to help heal readers.
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(Re)writing History
My grandmother fled war-torn Greece as a girl, only to have her dreams of college dashed by an arranged marriage. One day, I hope to tell her story.
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An Uncle With Flare
My Uncle Dave was a rascal who sneaked cars at twelve and was married six times — but in his later years, his edges softened into something humble, faithful, and kind.
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On World Mental Health Day: A Nod to PMADs; Suicide Prevention
On World Mental Health Day, I reflect on losing my brother to suicide and my own battle with postpartum depression — and share an excerpt from my book on the perinatal mood disorders too many families face in silence.
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