I learned to swim when I was still in single digits. My family lived in Florida. There was a lot of water around us. It was a safety issue. Mama never learned how to swim, so I took lessons. When the swimming instructor told me to hang on to the side of the pool and float, I was all too happy to do that. But, when she told me to let go of the side and float, I was terrified. I … [Read more...] about Water
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Taking Census
If you ever have a few minutes to kill, try digging around in the U.S. Census. It forces you to really think about what went before us, how far we’ve come, and how far we still have to go. When I was writing Switch,* I needed to know how it would feel to search for someone’s history via the handwritten journals that were the census in the beginning. When the census began in … [Read more...] about Taking Census
A Change That Will Stick
This year, I’m having a really big birthday. Can you keep a secret? I’m gonna be older than I’ve been in my entire life. But this birthday’s got me, wondering: Have I made a difference? At home, I have this sign by my door that says, “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” I look at it every morning as I leave for work. But nothing about my job makes the world a … [Read more...] about A Change That Will Stick
Write on
The show I told you about in my last blog was a wonderful success. I got to know my character so well it took me about three weeks to completely shake her shadow. If you watch the show in the link provided, you will see that Darla Thompson’s depression didn’t creep in “on little cat feet.” The little cat feet carried it away, or at least they eased it. I wouldn’t call myself … [Read more...] about Write on
Shaped by Experience
Cynthia Rogan will perform her new play, Cat-a-tonic. Okay, so the director made me take the photo up there as promo for Cat-a-tonic. I was a bit resistant. But . . . here it is, just the same. And here's some more about the entire show. We're in for some fun nights and if you can make it to the show, you're in for some fun too. Amy Katrina, Cynthia Rogan, Lyda Woods, … [Read more...] about Shaped by Experience