HIDDEN WORDS Do you remember having to write book reports when you were in school? I do. All the students who attended the Philadelphia High School for Girls were required to… Read More HIDDEN WORDS

Why do writers write? Why do we subject ourselves to endless hours of self-imposed exile from family members, friends, phone calls, Facebook posts, CNN’s breaking news, and our Twitter feeds? There are probably as many answers to these two questions as there are writers tapping on their computer’s keys right this minute. What follows are… Read More WHY DO WE WRITE?

The roses are abloom, the balloon flowers have opened, the orange day lilies have unfurled, and the veggie plants are poking through the soil. Our bird feeders lure gold finches, cat birds, purple finches, mockingbirds, black-capped chickadees, cardinals, and those pesky ground feeders, the squirrels. The desk in my home-office faces a wide window, so… Read More THIS AND THAT

Of late, my blogs have taken a turn toward the current state of our nation. We’re witnessing a type of unbridled chaos that leaves one simultaneously exhausted from and titillated by the constant flow of unbelievable news emanating from Washington, D.C., Mar-a-Lago, or Bedminster, New Jersey. Many a writer has posted on Facebook or tweeted… Read More SHORT, AND HOPEFULLY SWEET

I love the sounds language creates. Perhaps that love explains why I learned to talk before I could walk. I would sit on my blankie in the middle of the room for hours and be entertained by my parents’ and grandparents’ reactions to my utterances. From an early age I learned to listen to words… Read More LANGUAGE IS OUR STOCK AND TRADE