“Manuscript: something submitted in haste and returned at leisure.”— Oliver Herford The quote of the day is about something freelancers will know well. It’s also, alas, a bit of an anachronism. Gifted in multiple ways… Read More
Winter is a good time to read. Can’t get around much anymore, to tweak the Duke Ellington standard. I always love seeing people’s reading suggestions (my want-to-read list is hellaciously long), and I thought it… Read More
“The connections between and among women are the most feared, the most problematic, and the most potentially transforming force on the planet.”— Adrienne Rich The poet Adrienne Rich had a long writing career and a… Read More
Bald as I am, I don’t give a lot of thought to hairstyle ideas. But the concept has very much been on my mind lately, because of an inundating number of ads for AI-powered apps… Read More
“I am reading six books at once, the only way of reading; since, as you will agree, one book is only a single unaccompanied note, and to get the full sound, one needs ten others… Read More
Adam Walsh and I scratched another one for the books today, with the monthly trivia show for CBC Radio’s The Signal. You can listen to the whole thing right here. I thought it might be… Read More
“The test of a cook is how she boils an egg. My boiled eggs are fantastic, fabulous. Sometimes as hard as a 100 carat diamond, or again soft as a feather bed, or running like… Read More
“It’s an odd pairing. I’ve always loved the audience, but from a distance. Once you’ve elicited a strong response from an audience, you want it again. That kind of an energy is as addictive as… Read More
“I don’t know if anyone has noticed but I only ever write about one thing: being alone. The fear of being alone, the desire to not be alone, the attempts we make to find our… Read More
“Curious things, habits. People themselves never knew they had them.”— Agatha Christie Composed for the short story Witness for the Prosecution (later a play, and later adapted several times for the screen), this insight from… Read More
“It is very well known that you learn more from failure—when things are not working well… It is very important not to focus on success—it’s so rare. If you want instant gratification, don’t be a… Read More
Here’s a quick look at some podcasts that might be worthy of your ears. I’m really looking forward to reading the new novel from St. John’s writer Sharon Bala. Good Guys evidently takes a swipe… Read More
“Fortunately, there is more to life than death. There is for one thing, fiction. A thousand thousand characters to be sent marching out into the world to divert time from its forward gallop to the… Read More
“I really didn’t say everything I said.”– Yogi Berra Yogi Berra was an acclaimed catcher for the New York Yankees (a 10-time World Series champ), but he is perhaps better known for what have long… Read More
“Briefing is not reading. In fact it is the antithesis of reading. Briefing is terse, factual and to the point. Reading is untidy, discursive and perpetually inviting. Briefing closes down a subject, reading opens it… Read More