Archive for November 2015
Naked booby traps: It’s apparently a thing. Sadly, my wife is not involved.
My kids and I have been playing Monster, It’s a game that I played with my brothers and sister when we were young, and it’s a game our father played with us before the divorce forced him from our home. In the game, I am the monster. I chase my kids. That’s essentially it, though…
Read MoreFour pieces of perfect truth on the nature of writing and work by Dan Kennedy
Dan Kennedy is an author, storyteller, screenwriter, and host of The Moth’s podcast and their live shows. I first met Dan in 2011 when I took the stage for the first time and told a story at The Moth. He was hosting that night. I took the stage, shook his hand, and told my story. I…
Read MoreThe very best way to earn a dollar
I have a friend who is a successful attorney. He earns an excellent living. By all standards, he is doing very well for himself and his family. He is also a screenwriter. He has yet to sell a screenplay, but he has an agent, a manager, and a successful writing partner. He has been paid to…
Read MoreThe secret to being brave – revealed by a six year-old girl
I took the kids to McDonald’s on Thanksgiving morning, thinking that this would be a win-win-win for the entire family. I would eat an Egg McMuffin and get some work done. The kids would eat pancakes and play in the PlayPlace. Elysha would have some time at home alone to read and relax. And for…
Read MoreToday I give thanks for something intangible and improbable and incredibly powerful
On this Thanksgiving, I am grateful for possibility. Perhaps I will always be a mid-list author who publishes a novel every year or two.A storyteller and speaker who takes the stage now and again to entertain audiences.A screenwriter and playwright who is never paid very much for his craft. A very small business owner. And if…
Read MoreMy visit to Northshire Bookstore: Cakes designed to look like books and a mysterious comment left unexplained
A couple weeks ago I visited Northshire Bookstore in Manchester Center, Vermont, as a part of my recent book tour for The Perfect Comeback of Caroline Jacobs. Northshire is one of my favorite bookstores in the world. My wife and I take an annual pilgrimage to Northshire in the spring and always love our weekend…
Read MoreA theory on the funniness of people who routinely interrupt others
Here’s what I know: Humor requires patience. The punch line is almost always the last thing to be said, and yet so many people want to say it first. They can’t wait to get to the funny part, even though it’s the waiting and the building that will make it funny. When I describe my…
Read MoreSome days are just a “pants on your head” kind of day
How I Let Down My Forever Friend
I wrote a piece about my high school sweetheart for the Hartford Courant entitled “How I Let Down My Forever Friend.” It published today.
Read MoreAn excellent explanation of Syria’s war
I thought I understood the events in Syria, but it turns out that they were more nuanced and complicated than I had originally expected. This video explains things succinctly and clearly.
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