My copy of Ivanhoe is old, the spine rumpled, the pages dusty and yellowed with age. There’s no copyright on the volume, but the front matter, written by Leonard S. Davidow, is marked “Reading, Pa. 1936.” The publisher, Spencer, apparently had the same idea as the company that produced my husband’s leather-bound books, for it…
The quest to recreate my grandmother’s oatmeal cookies continues with Dorie Greenspan’s recipe for Chockablock cookies and musings on memory and food.
The first time I ate a fresh ripe fig, I was 28 years old and worked for a Manhattan financial service firm. One of my coworkers lived in Elmhurst, Queens, and he brought in fresh, ripe green figs, a variety called Italian Honey. Thus began my lifelong fascination with this ancient, keystone fruit.
I had a terrific time chatting with author Mary Ann Poll on her podcast! We talked about my true-life ghostly encounter, our pets, our books, and more books. You can enjoy the podcast here: Ghost Chatter with Mary Ann Poll.
I’m the guest author this month over at BACCA Literary, a writer’s group in Charlottesville. I share a story of poor judgment, bad taste, and creative sandwich making. Like Salami and Peanut Butter: AI and Editing Don’t Mix. Enjoy!
Our breath spangled the frosty December evening as we waved goodbye. My dog, Zeke, dropped, exhausted, to his mat in the living room to dream of chasing tennis balls and his best friend, our neighbors’ boxer dog, Cinder. We’d spent a good two hours watching the dogs zoom like maniacs across the lawn chasing balls…
Novelists draw from many sources for their inspiration. I draw from my childhood growing up on Long Island, New York. The Dalinger Estate, White Oak Hall, features prominently throughout I SEE YOU my new novel. I draw from three estates on Long Island to create the unique setting for much of the mystery in I…
My husband held the bird’s nest out to me. “Feel the inside.” I reached out and touched the tiny nest gingerly. “It’s soft.” “The inside is lined in some soft moss,” he said. “And the outside is woven of coarse pine needles.” I marveled at the perfect construction of the little bird’s nest. We’d watched…
Our spiritual growth requires abundant springs of living water. What should we do when the well runs dry? As a transplant myself, I appreciate how hard it is to take root and grow in new soil. I should have recognized the signs of transplant shock in the redbud tree – and offered some salve,…
Families with children diagnosed with autism, learning disabilities, and intellectual disabilities need their church families. But churches are ill-equipped to welcome them.