High-cost creative writing programs are having difficulty competing with zero-cost jails — I heard Nathaniel Goodman was an ace. A real slugger of dingers. A five-tool man. Clutch, you know, and clean up too, especially in the those last chapters. In my twenty years as a Big League scout, I have nabbed great ones. Some have made it big. Real big! The…

Make the craft of composition worthy for readers of the ages — Whether you’re writing narrative essays, creative nonfiction, short fiction, novels, and poetry, these “basic” terms are essential for your craft to improve. I have added examples from stories as well as links. Sure, you want readers to “clap” for your work and to follow you, but will your essay or…

A crazy time with Dad does not take away crazy times with Mom — At first, my mom refused to believe the story. She knows I’m a storyteller and a writer of nonfiction and fiction. …

What were we doing ‘hangin’ round’ in Colorado, anyway? — When Michael Nesmith of The Monkees died at 78 back in December, I immediately thought of Phantom Canyon Road in Colorado. I was just 20, and a loudmouth Yankee from Jersey. My buddies and I were on a West Coast trip. …

Jimmy Doyle — like Ireland — just cannot compete against the Continentals — “After the Race” by James Joyce involves a race car driver —Jimmy Doyle, an Irishman, but really I see the short story involving the social and political paralysis of Ireland in the early 20th century. Chris O’Dowd does a great job with the Audible version of the story. It’s the…

Composed in my youth of irrational exuberance — When in the midst of one more pale decay — My love wakes to a frost of false hope — That madly heats my animated foray — To refresh my jaundiced fair breast to cope. Yet spring buds perish to late wintry frost — The…

Many questions arise from this haunting story surrounding a ‘queer’ priest — The opening story of Dubliners, “The Sisters,” from James Joyce is enigmatic. I have read the story many times — including reading and listening to the story recently four times to write this “new critical” analysis of the story. I highly advise the Audible version of Dubliners while reading. …

Meet Gary Rotter, Won, Heidi, and Professor Dreghorn: The alternate reality version of the Wizard World in New York City — “J.K. Rowling has signed a world English deal with Little, Brown, selling print, e-book, and audio rights to her first novel for adults. David Shelley, publisher of the Little, Brown Book Group in the U.K., will be editing the work, which is currently untitled; he brokered the deal with Neil…

How hard will it be to pick up the routine after living on the road? — Day 20: July 12, 1988 Oakley, Kansas to Boonville, Missouri The familiar smell of Kansas crawled into my nose as I turned in my covers to block the pungency. The window was open. The sky was the lightest blue with streaks of white. The violent storm had moved on. I closed the window. …