The other day I realized I hadn’t updated the blog in over a year. Partly it’s because I wanted to focus on writing books rather than blog posts. But this being the holiday time of year, I figure a blog post can function a bit like the traditional annual Christmas letter to sum up myContinue reading “The Annual Thanksgiving Letter”
Category Archives: Books
May Concussions Bring, Um … Publishing Discussions?
It’s been an eventful spring and summer in some ways, so I thought I’d do another catch-up post. May: Concussion In mid-May I had an odd experience. I was coming home from a dinner with friends at restaurant downtown around 11:00 at night, and took the American University shuttle bus from the Tenleytown metro station,Continue reading “May Concussions Bring, Um … Publishing Discussions?”
In Which the Author Loses Her Moonshine Virginity
(Quick announcement first: I’ve added a new section on Mormon-interest books to my “Recommended” page, in case anyone’s interested.) So, the weekend before last, Amandine and I drove down to Knoxville, TN, so she could spend some time with her dad. The drive was long (8 1/2 hours), but I dulled the pain somewhat with oneContinue reading “In Which the Author Loses Her Moonshine Virginity”
Novels In Which Nothing Happens
I’ve been thinking about novel plots lately and what makes the difference between good ones, bad ones, and nonexistent ones. Of the critiques I’ve received on my last novel from various people who’ve read it, the most troubling one for me is that “almost nothing happens.” Of course, in writing it, it seemed to meContinue reading “Novels In Which Nothing Happens”
Happy 101 Sweet Friends
Chanson of Letters from a Broad has memed me. I am flattered to be memed, plus meming people back is much easier than thinking of a blog post on my own, so here goes. (For opaque reasons, the meme is called “Happy 101 Sweet Friends,” hence the title of my post.) The instructions are: List 10Continue reading “Happy 101 Sweet Friends”
More on the Great (Ex)Mormon Novel
Back in January, I wrote a bit about the question of whether the Great (Ex)Mormon Novel had been or would be written, and what it might look like. And now just recently, Slate has an article by the poetry editor of Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought that explores some similar questions and reviews aContinue reading “More on the Great (Ex)Mormon Novel”
Bedtime Songs
The morning daycare for Amandine is working out great so far. She seems to like it, and I’ve been able to get some revisions done on my book. I think the manuscript is just about ready to send out to some of my friends who’ve said they’d be willing to take a look at it.Continue reading “Bedtime Songs”
A Hodgepodge Pastiche of Miscellany
Last night I finally finished reading William Boyd’s Any Human Heart, which I’d been working at for a while (it was one of those tragic cases where I was halfway through the book when my library renewals ran out and I had to return it, and was too sheepish to turn around and special-request itContinue reading “A Hodgepodge Pastiche of Miscellany”
When Good Authors Write Bad Sentences
A 5-hour plane ride with a two-and-a-half-year-old, if you’ve never tried it, is kind of an Olympics-level parenting event, and I’m still recovering. So forgive me if this post lacks the normal verve and panache due to mental and physical exhaustion. The orgy of cultural consumption has continued unabated since my last post. I readContinue reading “When Good Authors Write Bad Sentences”
Postcard from Tucson #3: Orgy Edition
Since I’ve been here in Tucson, my work ethic has flown out the window. I had grand ideas of doing tons of revisions on my novel, finishing my line-edits on a friend’s novel, and possibly writing the first draft of a short nonfiction essay. Ha. Instead I’ve given myself over to what I do bestContinue reading “Postcard from Tucson #3: Orgy Edition”
Therese Doucet 