by J. Scott Coatsworth It was a dark and stormy night in the heart of winter… Scratch that. Actually, it was a pleasant afternoon in mid-October in 2016. Three of us – me, Pat Henshaw, and Christopher Koehler – met at the Tower Café for a spot of lunch and a plan for world domination. … Read more
We’ve all been to book conferences or conventions (at least we had prior to the pandemic). These events have moved to virtual settings and for the most part they are good substitutes until we can get back to face-to-face events (remember to get the vaccine shot). However, I have a feeling virtual cons will still … Read more
After the pandemic hit, our lives moved online with surprising speed. All of a sudden, all those work meetings, gatherings with friends, and other social activities that we used to drive to were taking place in the virtual world, and we had to learn a new word. Or at least, a new meaning for an … Read more
Normal. Such a deceptively boring word. Before 2020, I wanted to be anything but normal. Normal was boring. Normal meant being just like everyone else. Normal was for losers. What a difference a pandemic makes, and what a beautiful word normal turned out to be. On March 18th, 2020, Mark and I made our last … Read more
Windows are my gateway to the world. Ever since childhood I have been a daydreamer and window watcher. Train windows, airplane windows, waiting room windows, classroom windows, car windows. Looking back at all of the places I have lived over the years, my desk has always been near a window. 2020’s desk placement is no … Read more
Ring the bells that still can ringForget your perfect offeringThere is a crack, a crack in everythingThat’s how the light gets in. “Anthem,” Leonard Cohen Last month I wrote about the challenges of running a writer’s group during a pandemic. This week I thought I’d tackle what it’s like to be a writer at this … Read more
A little while back, a poignant and heartfelt letter came from an author in Italy, projecting our futures in the weeks ahead as we followed behind them in distancing, lockdown, and quarantine. In this letter, Francesca Melandri had many things to say: funny (“You will have an unstoppable online social life”), thought-provoking (“You will count … Read more