Interview with Sherry Thomas

Our #OwnVoices interview series continues with a writer of one of Sara’s favorite series who also shares her hometown. Sherry Thomas is the author of the “Lady Sherlock” mystery series, set in Victorian London with a female Sherlock and Watson. They spoke about strong women and the role of outsiders in her books, as well as the lead… Read more »

Episode 342: Multiple Timelines, Climate Fiction, and a Childhood Code of Honor – Interview with Julie Carrick Dalton

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Julie Carrick Dalton. As a journalist, Julie has published more than a thousand articles in The Boston Globe, BusinessWeek, The Hollywood Reporter, Electric Literature, and other publications. She contributes to Dead Darlings, Writer Unboxed, and The Chicago Review of Books. A Tin House alum and graduate of GrubStreet’s… Read more »

A Dance of Joy and Tears

Joy Harjo – US Poet Laureate – Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Harjo is a member of the Mvskoke/Creek Nation. She is the author of several books of poetry, including An American Sunrise (W. W. Norton, 2019), and Conflict Resolution for Holy Beings (W. W. Norton, 2015). I will talk a bit about Joy in this article… Read more »

reading books

Introducing the Book Nook!

New year, new column! I am so excited to start writing this new column I am calling the Book Nook. As much as I love writing, I’m always reading books. So I was able to convince the Powers that Be to allow me to write a column about books I’ve been reading.  At DIY MFA,… Read more »

#5onFri: Five Ways to Keep Writing Through a Crisis

We’ve all been through a prolonged crisis this past year. The Coronavirus pandemic has challenged the routines of even the most disciplined writers. Aside from the pandemic, we’ve had to weather a barrage of exhausting political Sturm und Drang, and the painful, violent reality of racism in our communities. In addition to multiple crises on… Read more »

Writing Humor When You Don’t Think You’re Funny

[Author’s note: This is the first article in my new column series about humor writing called “What’s So Funny”. It addresses the so-called how-to’s, different approaches to humor writing, funny people who inspire me, and so on.] Some people are intimidated by writing humor. They think they just aren’t funny enough. And while it isn’t… Read more »

Boost Your Creativity

Since the start of our first COVID-19 shutdown in DC back in March of 2020, it’s felt like everything has existed in a constant state of freefall. Though I have tried for a consistent daily routine, I haven’t had a traditional 9-5 working schedule since leaving my communications job at the end of 2018. Prior… Read more »