Might and Main Monday: Struggling Not to Wilt in Summer
The heat of summer is intensifying. The sun beams a hotter radiation on Earth and challenges all growing things. Plants wilt, dogs pant, people sweat. I sit down at dinner and drink a large glass of ice water, then return…
Might and Main Monday: Inspired by Lavender
In July, I see lavender everywhere: in my garden as it blooms in the sun, in my mind as I write a novel set in Provence, on public street corners, in the books I read. This year, my summer beams…
Might and Main Monday: Tim Gautreaux
I’ve been thinking about this quote from Louisiana writer Tim Gautreaux. It feels appropriate as families across America will be celebrating the 4th of July. He reminds us that the place you grew up is valid material for creative expression,…
Might and Main Monday: Joseph Campbell
The idiom “with might and main,” is an old literary phrase that’s gradually dropped out of modern use. It translates to “with as much strength and effort as possible.” I kind of love it. It’s dramatic, it’s antique. I thought…
Share What You Create From a Favorite Place
If you are a creator, chances are you want folks to see your work. Creative people know what I’m talking about. (Of course, we’re all creative in some way.) Yes, we paint, we write, we knit, we make stuff because…
Saturday Morning, the Most Hopeful Time of the Week
For many of us, Saturday morning is the first morning of the week where we wake up and have nowhere to go. We may go to the gym, but that’s our choice. We may drive a kid to an activity,…
Don’t Think Twice Is the Writer’s Journey Too
Last Saturday, I saw a movie about comedy that inspired me as a writer. It was Mike Birbiglia’s Don’t Think Twice, a sharply realistic yet sweet portrait of a New York improv group. They’re unknown comedians who make people laugh by night…
My Struggle with Social and Solitary Time
Recently, I made a shift in how I view my time. Like all writers, I crave long blocks of uninterrupted time. Whether I acquired that was always on me. Was I answering email instead of writing my novel? Was I…
