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eugene
I feel so lucky to be meeting all the wonderful people (and visiting all the wonderful bookstores!) on this tour. Last night I read and discussed Use Your Words at the University of Oregon Duck Store. Thank you so much to Laura White for her hospitality and warmth (and the gift of Melissa Hart’s Gringa,…
loving the west
All of my stops in the Bay Area were fabulous. Thank you to all the gracious bookstore staff for welcoming me and making me feel at home. A special thank you to Judy at Towne Center Books in Pleasanton (for the homemade muffins and coffee and the book!) and to Jerry at Books, Inc. for…
berkeley love
We rolled into Berkeley Tuesday evening after four days on the road, and Stella immediately announced, “I love it here. This is where I’m going to live.” I don’t blame her. We spent Tuesday evening with my friend, the fabulous Mary Hill. I’ve gotten to know Mary’s family through her writing, but I’d never met…
juggling
Sorry I’ve been absent here lately. Over the 4th, I was up and down to my mom’s cabin on the days I had off. (The girls and D were up there the whole week.) Then I flew to the Adirondacks for my aunt’s memorial service. There is more I’d like to say about that, but it needs its…
remembering spencer
It was a year ago tomorrow that my grandpa, Spencer Nelson, died at 102 years old. It doesn’t seem possible that a year has already passed since we sat vigil by his bedside for those 6 days after he decided he was ready to die. It was an intense year filled with work changes, family…
new beginnings
Some of you who have been faithfully reading this blog for years might remember my post a few years ago about the orchid I inherited from dear Mimi, the woman with whom Donny and I lived for three years just after we got married. (We lived in an apartment attached to her house and did…
haiku winner
I have been meaning to announce the winner of the 5th annual Motherhood & Words Haiku contest for a week now. Life has been, um, hectic. The days following my return from NY (which was fabulous, by the way) were filled with many loads of laundry because our washing machine broke a couple of weeks ago, and we finally had the new one delivered on…
and the winner is…
Thank you to all the mother writers who submitted essays as part of the Use Your Words virtual book tour. And congratulations to the finalists!! I’m so grateful for your words. One essay celebrated the birth of a third child, a son. One described the bittersweet and terrifying preparation of leaving the NICU with oxygen tanks…
why the river teeth conference is the best writing conference out there
I spent the weekend of May 18-20 at the inaugural River Teeth Nonfiction Conference at Ashland University in Ashland, Ohio, and let me tell you: It was the best conference I’ve ever attended. Why? Well, I’ll tell you. Here are the Top Ten Reasons that the River Teeth Conference Rocks: 1. It’s small. (Seriously, have you…
must read: last tour post
I’m sitting at my desk in my cubicle at work, which I probably shouldn’t admit since I’m on the clock (though honestly, I don’t take smoke breaks or even lunch breaks, so I think I’m okay). Anyway, I’m sitting here with tears running down my face. I have no shame. I just read the last post on…
from one of my first students: day 16
The night before my first Motherhood & Words class, I sat on the couch, going over my notes and fretting until D handed me a glass of wine and told me that I’d do a great job. I don’t remember if I nodded or if I even believed him. I’m sure I drank the wine and I’m…