Everything Else

I’m leaving for a residency at the Hambidge Center for the Arts– one of my favorite places on the planet. Savannah sugar heiress turned bohemian Mary Hambidge established this artists retreat in the foothills of the Appalachians in the 1950’s- it’s an amazing place.  This will be my third visit. I completed this interview for Hambidge…

Six years ago today, Vic Chesnutt played my birthday celebration. Chris Sugiuchi and Eric Harris backed him.  They set up on the skateboard ramp which used to be in our backyard.  I love so many things- Vic’s guitar, which said “Chesnutt.” The break where he throws his head back and howls in Cobbham Blues.  My favorite…

 Create your own pulp fiction cover via Pulp-O-Mizer. Fun times!

Last Friday the extraordinary Craig Lieske-musician, writer, innovator- suddenly passed.  Several of us composed tributes to him for Flagpole. This was mine: Craig Lieske and I became friends four years ago. We were at the 40 Watt, the Truckers were playing and I was raw with grief over a friend’s sudden death. Everyone knew—Flagpole had recently…

This Wednesday, October 10, Talking Community: An Evening of Poetry, Storytelling, & Song takes place at Athica. Alan Flurry, Janet Geddis, Marc Tissenbaum, Beth Hall Thrasher and I will be reading. Star Room Boys frontman Dave Marr will play some songs.  This event is in conjunction with their current exhibition, Center, which “explores current ideas of community…

I’m headed to the Southern Women Writers Conference at Berry College.  Lots of great speakers: Isabel Wilkerson (author of Warmth of Other Suns, my favorite history ever), rocker and writer Marshall Chapman, poet Stacey Lynn Brown (love Cradle Song), A Dry Grass in August’s Anna Jean Mayhew and so many more… Excited to attend a…

   I moved to Athens, Georgia a few years after Escuela Caribe, knowing I needed to be surrounded by people compelled to create. Around the same time a group of artists moved here from Ruston, LA.  Back home they’d formed bands like the Synthetic Flying Machine and the Gerbils,  discovered Daniel Johnson and the Tall Dwarfs on college…

I worked with an amazing group.  We studied with Stephen Elliott.  We focused on being honest and empathetic in our writing.  More updates soon…

This place is paradise.  Every night- readings.  Last night this from Steve Almond.   We didn’t just clap- we cheered.  Most stood. Favorite panel today was with poets Matthew Dickman, Melissa Stein, and Matthew Zapruder…who discussed how to survive as a writer (They Paid Me with Drinks: How to Navigate the World of the Modern Poet). Zapruder warned…

At Tin House Writer’s Workshop…attending creative nonfiction workshop with Stephen Elliott…Big fan of his work as well as his instruction style. Have seen great readings:  Wells Tower, a mind-blowing performance on said topic by Dorothy Allison, Elliott, etc…Feels like I have found my tribe…Two weeks ago, I attended a residency at Hambidge. Finished the final ten…