Category Archives: Passion

Obsession

My life, my mood, my days, my sleep – everything goes better when I have an obsession. Not the unhealthy kind. Not the does-he-love-me-why-doesn’t-he-call kind of obsession. Not the I-need-a-new-pocketbook-and-complete-wardrobe-overhaul kind of obsession. Not the I- need-to-pull-my-life-up-by-the-roots-and-start-all-over kind of obsession. … Continue reading

Posted in Completing a novel, creativity, Day by day, depression, Drafts, Energy, Exploration, failure, fiction, fun with what we do, Grief, Magic, Passion, Play, Process, Prompts, research, Starting a new work, Uncategorized, work | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Living in Fear

I have been living in fear. I am afraid of my public life. I am afraid of what it might mean to be known for what I do and recognized. I am afraid of what it might mean to not … Continue reading

Posted in comfort, creativity, Day by day, Decisions, depression, emotion, Energy, fantasy, Gratitude, happiness, home, Passion, positivity; grace; light, posterity, privacy, Public appearances, Self-worth, success, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

The Market

People often ask me how to read the market. What should they do? What’s the next new trend? How did I know to write what I wrote when I wrote it? Look at me, I want to say. Do I … Continue reading

Posted in creativity, Decisions, economics, emotion, Energy, failure, fiction, History, marketing, Passion, posterity, Process, Starting a new work, Starting over, success, The market, Uncategorized, Visibilty, what artists need | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Eavesdropping and Solitude

Dear Nancy, Just now I’m sitting at an iron table outside a coffee place in Jamaica Plain. I had looked forward to a cigarette with my coffee, but there’s a big NO SMOKING sign and I obey. I’m wide awake. … Continue reading

Posted in Day by day, fun with what we do, home, Journaling, Passion, Play, Process, spaciousness, The Writer's Life, what artists need | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Whose Story Matters?

Dear Karen, During my first book tour I gave a reading at a conference held in the auditorium of a university. I was terrified of public speaking, and to make it worse, I was completely intimidated by the people I … Continue reading

Posted in creativity, Day by day, Elitism, Passion, Public appearances, Self-worth, Uncategorized, violence, Visibilty, voice | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Skin

Dear Nancy, Dear Heloise: These last two weeks have been a light-filled respite for me. I’ve been by the sea, with birds and horses and waves and distance, and I’ve had time, at last, to clear away the cobwebs, the … Continue reading

Posted in creativity, Day by day, happiness, Passion, Poetry, positivity; grace; light, Self-worth, spaciousness, what artists need | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Muddling

Dear Karen – I am thinking of Luisa’s letter to us. In particular that last paragraph about her grandfather making the stew that would feed the family. “I know how this is done,” she wrote. Lately Luisa has been posting … Continue reading

Posted in comfort, Completing a novel, Day by day, home, Maintenance, Passion, procrastination, Uncategorized, what artists need | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Heart and Mind

Dear Nancy: All week I have thought about a line from that poem we posted on Facebook.  Tony Hoagland’s “Personal.”  Don’t take it personal, they said; but I did, I took it all quite personal.  As I often have. In the … Continue reading

Posted in comfort, Competition, creativity, Passion, spaciousness, The Writer's Life | Tagged , | 2 Comments