Nostalgia and Novels Blog
A Gentle Voice in a World Full of Noise
From the start, I want to share that I am a fan of silence. With so many things vying for our attention these days, if I am to have a public voice, I want it to feel like a respite: something restful, rejuvenating, and refreshing….
Triumphant Kindness in The Color Purple
Alice Walker’s The Color Purple has been with me so long that I do not know when in my young…
The Writing Assistant Snuggles Up
Hi. I insist that you call me Dudey. You could call me Duderbug, Dudiferous, or simply The Dude. But please,…
The Art of Publishing Literary Books That Sell
I think of sales figures as a measure of how many people have been reached by a book’s message. One…
Gullah-Geechee Culture, Past and Present
Whether you have heard of Gullah-Geechee culture or not, you are aware of it and have certainly been influenced by…
Portraying Enslaved Characters
When Annabelle Manning’s voice arrived in my head to tell her story, like any living person she had a history….
Before Women Could Vote, Who Were We?
In the current atmosphere of American politics, many of us are reflecting on what voting means—personally and collectively. I tend…
White Women’s Protective Bubbles
When I was thirteen, the summer between elementary and middle school did not go well. My friends didn’t exactly turn…
A Spirituality for Social Change
“Transcendentalists were courageous in challenging tradition and injustice. Rather than being pushed around by history, they were great souls who…
When Social Mores Fail Us, There’s Art
No matter what thing is happening in our lives, joyful or devastating, art has the power to cut right through…
Why Write a Novel Series?
When first imagining the story that is still propelling me, I was more moved by inspiration than fiction-writing savvy. So…
A Story’s Own Burning Determination
All kinds of ideas can pass through our minds: idle or active. I might jot some down in cryptic language…
“I long for my home…”
Like me, you may have a persistent voice in your deepest thoughts—the ones that arise unbidden and instinctually when you…
The Complicated Feeling of Nostalgia
Today we favor cut and dry feelings about things. We’re encouraged to clarify our sense of ourselves and the world…
A Gentle Voice in a World Full of Noise
From the start, I want to share that I am a fan of silence. With so many things vying for…
