Article: Twisted Fairy Tales

One of the coolest parts of my job is that I get to go experience people’s lives every now and then. Last week I interviewed local artist Mike Garlington for the North Bay Bohemian. I visited Garlington at his studio…

Molecular Gastronomy Dinner Party

A couple of weeks ago, Marcia and I were lamenting the lack of molecular gastronomy restaurants in San Francisco. What is molecular gastronomy, you ask? It is a branch of cooking where chefs use physical and chemical processes of cooking…

Article: School house rocked

I wrote an article on homeschooling for this week’s issue of the Pacific Sun. I grew up in a church basement school and have been around homeschoolers all my life, so I was surprised to learn that a. a lot…

Article: Oh, Nellie!

Well hello. I interviewed singer Nellie McKay for the North Bay Bohemian last week. It is on newsstands now. Excerpt: Nellie McKay may have artistic ADD. The singer-songwriter, who performs at the Mystic Theatre on Aug. 18, doesn’t just write…

Article: Is product placement in books inevitable?

I have an article in this issue of The Writer, which you can get in the magazine section of your local bookstore. It’s about product placement in books. How often are publishers putting paid mention of a product in books?…

Marcia Almost Decapitated Me

Summer Activities List (Updated): Hiking Tennis Blackberry picking Listening to live music Canoeing/kayaking Picnics Something involving a fire on a beach and hot dogs Going on a boat Wine tasting Art galleries Daytrips (Gualala/Mammoth Lake) A couple of weeks ago,…

Writing/Reading Thoughts

A few things I am thinking about lately: In the early 1900s, L. Frank Baum was releasing one Oz book every year. (So was Beatrix Potter.) I wonder if that was a bit like the Harry Potter books today? Did…

Garden Bounty in July

My grocery bill has dropped significantly. The reason? Squash. I have so much squash right now, it’s not even funny. The zucchini plants are probably producing a zucchini a day at the point. If I leave them go, I end…

Literary Spam

I got Jane Austen-ish spam in my e-mail box this morning: Lady Amanda Williams. 52 Oxford Street, England. Here writes Lady Amanda Williams, suffering from cancerous ailment. I was married to Sir Richard Williamsan Englishman who is dead. My husband…