Music and the Page: Writing Soundtracks

As readers, we are often stunned by the prose of the page, but how many of us think about the author toiling away to get their words in front of us? Writers do. I sometimes sit in front of a poem, or sentence dazzled.  I think, “How could a writer do this?”  I then begin […]

Guest Blogger Chelsia A. Rice on Writing and Same-Sex Families

Boolean Searching In 2001, I started college to pursue my dream of becoming a writer. I wanted to get an education that would help me write my experience of being raised by two moms in suburban Oregon in the 1980s and 90s, but even then, in my formative years as an academic, I knew I […]

Only the Appearance of a Whole

This weekend has been filled with a small accretion of idea bits and fragments, that have sort of reached a critical mass in my head.  If my mind were a junk drawer, it would be time to clean it out. One thing that struck me this weekend was my tendency to pick up old books, even if […]

A Small Photo Essay from Idaho

This blog has been filled with words, words, words lately.  I am happy to write every week, or get someone else to write every week, but it would also be nice to show off some of the great things I am seeing in Idaho.  Let me take you with me on a mini-road trip through […]

You Have to Pay to Play: Submitting to Literary Journals in the Digital Age

There are some great discussions going on about the future of literary magazines, changes in the submission process and new viable models for literature.  These discussions have also whipped up a veritable hurricane of criticism.  Some of the furor began after Tin House posted their new submission guidelines: “Between September 1 and December 30, 2010, Tin House magazine […]

Confessions of a Guilty Reader

When I started writing, I was given some good advice: “Read more than you write.” This bit of wisdom could appear a little trite no kidding, I can’t write a novel every two weeks! On a deeper level, it encourages a writer to branch out to new books, new authors and develop a relationship with […]

Writing a Poem a Day or Setting Up a Writing Practice

During the month of April many websites and organizations challenge poets to write a poem a day. Thirty days hath September, April… so thirty poems hath the poet. In an ideal world there would be no cheating or doubling up. A poet, never suffering from a hangover; all night romantic trysts; a twelve-hour shift at […]

Singing Out the Notes: An Interview with Author Alyx Dellamonica

Alyx Dellamonica writes novels and short fiction. Her work has appeared in Isaac Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine, SciFi.Com, and Realms of Fantasy. Her first novel Indigo Springs was released in October 2009. She lives in Vancouver, British Columbia with her wife Kelly Robson and is hard at work on the sequel to Indigo Springs. Jory […]

Guest Blogger: Bradley Wonder on Metafiction

Bradley Wonder writes fiction and creative nonfiction, and he’s currently dabbling in metafiction. He also reads, and he edits 5×5 literary magazine. Currently, he lives in Minneapolis where he rides his bike daily and is about to start training for his first marathon. Until any of these things start earning him money, he’ll continue to […]

Straight Crushes, Secret Admirers, What Drives You to the Keyboard?

Tonight, I saw one of my Bellingham crushes. I treasure my crushes. I pretend that they are secret, but my boyfriend knows. My friends know. Anyone standing near me when that boy walks by is sure to know. What does it mean to be headed toward my mid-thirties and still swooning over a handsome gent […]