In honor of Jennifer Lawrence’s win at the Oscars on Sunday (which only served to redouble my blossoming love for her) I decided to make use of her acting talents and multifarious faces to express some of the trials and tribulations of being an aspiring novelist. WHEN I FINISH A DAY OF EDITING WHEN AN…
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How Jack Learned To Read
I have had the good fortune of conversing with a very interesting fellow over on Goodreads. This fellow (who requested anonymity, we’ll call him Jack) was kind enough to talk to me about how he got into reading at a much later age than most do, and how important books have become to him. I…
Read MoreThis Is What Obsession Feels Like
Obsession [uh b-sesh–uh n] (noun) 1. The domination of one’s thoughts or feelings by a persistent idea, desire, image, etc. What was the last thing you were obsessed with? Something so gripping that you just couldn’t get it out of your mind, that your waking and dreaming moments were defined almost exclusively by that one thing? Maybe…
Read MoreA Discourse on the Origin of Cheese
Ladies and gentlemen, I come before you today with a question of the utmost importance: The origin and nature of that delicious and inimitable substance, CHEESE. Where did it come from? How was it discovered? In what way was it bestowed upon humanity to enjoy it forever more? I propose here two theories, of alternate…
Read MoreWriting as Devotional Act
I just read a wonderful op-ed piece about writing that was completely inspiring for me. I blog a lot about books, but not so often about the craft that goes into creating books, and I wanted to take a minute to appreciate the creativity and devotion that goes into writing. The article, published on Dec.…
Read MoreAn Open Letter to Barack Obama re: Term Two
Dear Mr. President, I, like 50.4% of the voting population of America, cast my vote in favor of returning you to office for a second term. I congratulate you, and I cheered when you clinched the 270 electoral college votes required to return you to the Oval Office. I, like millions of other Americans, have…
Read MoreSeven Phrases the French Love To Use (And A Brief Update On Life)
Hey! Yep, it’s been a little while. Despite increased internet access and the time and wherewithal to write blog posts, I just haven’t really felt up to it. Book reviews seem to require too much thought, tourism posts seem to require too many touristy photo shoots, and general musings are being sorted out in my…
Read MoreLanguor in the Languedoc
I’m staying at a farm right now in the Languedoc-Roussillon area, and pretty much the only thing that the Languedoc has in common with Alsace is that both regions produce a lot of muscat, a white wine grape varietal that is most commonly made into a sweet wine, intended to be served as either a…
Read MoreBook Review: “Daughter of Smoke and Bone”
Wrote this one out in advance—snagged a few minutes of internet time to post it online. Expect lots more book reviews in coming weeks – with internet access once every few days, I have plenty of time to read. Because I am in the process of working on a young adult fiction novel myself, I’ve…
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The Z-Axis 