Category Archives: Uncategorized

I’m going to quote from Mario Vargas Llosa’s Nobel Prize lecture, because I think some of the things he said might interest you. They certainly interest me. If, afterward, you want to read the entire lecture, you can do so … Continue reading →

I was thinking about the quality of courage today. I suppose I was thinking about it because I’d seen some things recently that were not at all courageous. That were cowardly. I’m not thinking in terms of physical courage or … Continue reading →

Yesterday, I read this story in the New York Times: “Elusive Forger, Giving but Never Stealing.” It’s about an art forger named Mark Landis, who paints pictures in various styles and then donates them to museums. He’s a con artist … Continue reading →

“This may sound too simple, but is great in consequence. Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which … Continue reading →

Lately, I’ve been thinking about vampires. Last year, I wrote a vampire story for the Sycamore Hill writing workshop. While I was writing it, I was thinking specifically about how one could write a vampire story now, after all the … Continue reading →

I was sick today, so after I got dressed this morning, I went back to bed, lay under the fuzzy blanket, and read Death on the Nile. I’d read it before – I think I’ve read every Agatha Christie mystery. … Continue reading →

Of course, my favorite part of Morven was the garden. This is a view of the house from the front.  It’s a typical old Virginia house: red brick, white columns. And here I am, sitting on the front steps: I … Continue reading →