Surely everyone who writes has had images of their perfect dust jacket photo: a candid shot, perhaps, showing a face that is artlessly come-hither, effortlessly intelligent and profound.  With ocean or Irish mist or some other nature-y thing in the background.  An ego reward off in the distance for finishing the damn book. And yet some of these same people […] Read More

Tomorrow the East Coast launch of novel Cobalt Blue and of The Crazy Ladies Book Tour with sister novelist Carrie Knowles.  My assignment is to bring to the bookstore (Quail Ridge in Raleigh, NC) a vat of cobalt blue punch. Probably a vat will not be needed, since it's going to look like Windex. Yesterday […] Read More

Today was the day I was (maybe) going to wear the cobalt blue sequinned one-shoulder very short outrageous dress, the cobalt blue cape, and the star-shaped blue sunglasses. Today was my panel at this huge L.A. book fair to talk about my novel Cobalt Blue. But getting ready to go to the USC campus, my nerve wobbled.  I had already […] Read More

I refer of course to L.A. and the L.A. Times Festival of Books which I'm in the midst of.  My end-of-day weariness called to mind that hip hop song that won an Oscar 6 or so years ago, titled "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp."  I think it was Jon Stewart who remarked that […] Read More

I always watch the Oscars, never before went to any book awards.  So attending the 33rd Annual LA Times Book Prizes tonight, I was interested in the differences.  Most notable:  the thank you acceptance speeches from the writers were infinitely more interesting, witty, surprising.  Also, much less emoting.  No tears at all.  And no one was […] Read More

  Metro Magazine has just come out with a story of mine on how going to sea has helped me both directly and  seemingly magically with both writing and publishing.  I gave a very brief account of this phenomenon here last summer.  In this Metro piece is the whole experience: complete with the particular mists […] Read More

Ever heard the word? Ever had a kundalini experience? A kundalini transformation? It's not exactly a household word in this culture.  Though most of us have likely heard of kundalini yoga, I wonder how many people know what the word means.  And who has felt and been altered by "kundalini rising." I take an intense […] Read More

First I hesitate, take a bite or three of the Active D'Lite chocolate ice cream popsicle, and that's not to avoid gathering the tax info; it's to delay even writing about this tender subject. No doubt you are a good and rational person who already has received your refund and salted it away in wise investments. […] Read More

This is who I like to write about: people who don't have it all together, people engaged in a struggle, whether or not they acknowlege it at first. I also like reading novels that deal with such folks.  I just discovered on Amazon a little essay from Gone Girl author Gillian Flynn that precisely mirrors my […] Read More

Committed myself this afternoon to a new vehicle: a 2004 Honda Civic (manual gear shifting!) that used to live in Florida.  I used to live in Wilmington, so I can hardly object to a little beach wear and tear.  This little silver machine passed inspection from the toughest mechanics around, Auto Logic in Carrboro.  I […] Read More