MARGARET WAS EEYORE when we were young, seeing the impossible in everything. My older sister, she has grown up to be Kanga, her youthful negativity evolving into a carefulness for all things, as well … [Read more...] about Memoir How-To: Learning Characterization from A Primary Source
In the Kitchen, Cooking Up Memoir
OUR MOTHER DIDN’T cook. To be more specific, our mother was something of a spectacle in the kitchen, cooking a few things, always as dramatically a possible. The simple stuff eluded her: a chop, a … [Read more...] about In the Kitchen, Cooking Up Memoir
Three Memoirists, One Big Book Giveaway
TRY SOME HOSPITALITY, I always say, and when I do, the students in my memoir class frequently look a little stunned. They’re not in the room to learn etiquette, after all, so why would I mention the … [Read more...] about Three Memoirists, One Big Book Giveaway
Memoir: What’s in a Name?
EACH YEAR AT Belmont Stakes time, my sister has some explaining to do. My family frequently names those we love for sports idols. For instance, among the dozen cats and dogs who have come and gone in … [Read more...] about Memoir: What’s in a Name?
Write it Up to Write it Down
WRITE IT DOWN. I tell this to my memoir students all the time. Carry a notebook, index cards, write on your hands if you must, but write it down. Here's the best writing advice you can get: Keep a … [Read more...] about Write it Up to Write it Down