Ideal reader
Yesterday Squish asked to read The Dark Age. She didn't mean the short story; she has read that a couple of times, including once yesterday. She knows the backstory, that I wrote the piece during a time in my life when I felt I was missing out on
Happy leaves a mark
Recently my wife looked closely at my face and said, "I like your smile lines." I'm forty-four. By all research findings I've seen lately, I'm probably more than halfway through my life. (Maybe not, but we never really know, you know?) When
Happy looks good on me
Or so said Felicia when I sent her this little selfie from a recent walk. Despite a few speedbumps, the last few months have been really positive ones. I have been good to my body. I have eaten better than ever in my life. I have listened to new music,
A good moment
I am enjoying a season of change. Trying new things, taking better care of myself, being gentle with my thoughts. At the moment I feel proud of myself, feel quite lovely, and thought it might be nice to document that–something to look back on, maybe, in some troubling season
A little book
In March, when I finished major work on the third draft of my in-progress novel, The Dark Age, I printed a copy, then set it aside to breathe a bit. I'd always intended this novel to be a slender little affair, and it very much isn't
Playing the children's game
Every Thursday night, Felicia and Squish and I watch a movie together. We take turns selecting something to watch. Sometimes it's a legitimately great movie; other times it's pure adrenaline or silliness. At the start of each month, I'll doodle a fresh "schedule&
Our little blue pixel
Carl Sagan's message about the "pale blue dot" is, I think, the single most beautiful and important piece of writing I've ever encountered. Here's how it begins: Look again at that dot. That's here. That's home. That'
Quote wall: Jane Smiley
On the bulletin board above my desk, I keep a handful of quotes that have taught me something, or that I hope to learn from. Here's one: I believe that you either love the work or the rewards. Life is a lot easier if you love the work.
Novels and breakfast
Last year—two years ago?—while reading Station Eleven, I came upon these brief lines, in which Clark is thinking of his boyfriend, Robert: Robert in the mornings: he liked to read a novel while he ate breakfast. It was possibly the most civilized habit Clark had ever encountered. As
Preorder The Edge of Sleep for 25% off
A quick bonus post this week to share a special offer from Barnes & Noble: From Wednesday, 1/25, to Friday, 1/27, you can get 25% off all Barnes & Noble preorders using the code PREORDER25! Secure your copy of The Edge of Sleep today! Here are a few