When I wrote about my mother’s family in Hatched in Newtown, I included a lot about her oldest brother, Ernest Kelley. Ernest graduated from high school in San Antonio, Texas, in 1938. His father had wanted him to drop out for many years to get a job and earn money. It was only due to … Continue reading
I was listening to NPR the other day when I heard a program titled Why Aren’t Teens Reading Like They Used To? It seems that there is such an abundance of digital media available that kids just prefer other options. Some still read for pleasure, but many do not. Of course, Harry Potter and The Hunger … Continue reading
Ever get that astonished feeling that some of the simplest things come as a complete surprise? When a friend of mine offered to give me some pawpaws from her tree last fall, I hesitated; what is a pawpaw? “Haven’t you heard the children’s song ‘pickin’ up pawpaws; put em in a basket?’” my friend asked. … Continue reading
When Frederick Sherman, longtime resident of Monroe, Connecticut, died in 1941, he left behind thousands of glass negatives. Most of the slides were sold or given away. Only a few hundred were given to the Monroe Historical Society. A friend of mine recently helped to digitize and convert the photos into a short slide show. … Continue reading
Originally posted on Cate Macabe:
Diana Jackson at A Selection of Reflections was kind enough to post an article I wrote about how I put This New Mountain together (and she gave it a great title, too). Visit her site to read “Writing Readable and Compelling Memoir.” If you’re looking for places to glean great writing advice…
“Hate” might be a strong word, but it’s closer than not to my regard for the color of pink. It’s not that I have particular distaste for pink, but rather all the pastel colors. Remember Lady Foot Locker stores anyone? Oh yeah, I remember the buzz when athletic shoes were finally made for girls and … Continue reading
After Ray Bradbury died in 2012, many radio programs replayed interviews with the master. A fast talker, he spoke easily about his early failures, but also accredited his success to lots of practice. When the interviewer (sorry, I can’t remember which show or host) complimented his writing, he flippantly responded “well, I wrote everyday for … Continue reading
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