Notes to self

clockwise from top left: my scratchy handwriting; killer speech from the brilliant Michaela Coel; copy of Elizabeth Warren button; Poet & Writers 50th anniversary logo, which coincides with my 50th year; copy of Jane Eyre pin, with quote: “I am no bird, and no net ensnares me”; and an overly memed but apt quote from…… Continue reading Notes to self

Paper Love

I wrote this post for Charlotte Center for Literary Arts, my wonderful local literary arts organization, for a class I was teaching on epistolary fiction (if you’re a Charlottean or from around the region, you defnitely should check out Charlotte Lit.) Thought I would share it here, too (and pretend like I still blog sometimes.…… Continue reading Paper Love

Vote 2020

Credit: Gregory Maguire taken in Portland, OR, in September 2020

^^ Photo Credit: Gregory Maguire, taken in Portland, OR, in September 2020, https://www.instagram.com/megaguire/ “The fundamental power of democracy lies in the right to vote, and if you protect that right, you create possibilities for everything else.”— Stacey Abrams “The function of freedom is to free someone else.”— Toni Morrison “Voting is so much bigger than…… Continue reading Vote 2020

Revolutions

Me [waltzing in, whistling]: Gone from the blog for more than a year? Don’t know what you’re talking about. There never was a Time stamp. Nope. Wrong! Sad! Enoguh with the FAKE NEWS!!!!!! ENEMIES OF THE PEOPLE! Believe me, I am a Excellent Writer and know Exactly how to use capitals for emphasis. Your pour…… Continue reading Revolutions

Talking shop: fiction’s missing girls, writer v. author, small towns, lyrics, + more

Happy to have had the chance to talk about writing and Sycamore with E. Ce Miller at Bustle and Sam Hankin at The Avid Reader Show (a podcast); Sam also owns the Wellington Square Bookshop (shop local and indie, y’all!). Many, many thanks to both E. Ce and Sam for taking the time to read…… Continue reading Talking shop: fiction’s missing girls, writer v. author, small towns, lyrics, + more

How to Write Suspense (subhed: Wait, I Write Suspense?)

Delighted to have a short craft essay, “How to Write Suspense,” up over at Publisher’s Weekly Tip Sheet related to Sycamore. Thanks much to PW for having me. Back when PW asked if I could write it, my first response was to laugh. How to write suspense? I have no idea. Is that what I…… Continue reading How to Write Suspense (subhed: Wait, I Write Suspense?)

Sample audio from Sycamore

Incredibly cool to hear this audiobook snippet from Sycamore. Performed by the wonderful Cassandra Campbell, Steven Jay Cohen, Sara Morsey, Xe Sands, and Teri Schnaubelt. Thanks to them for bringing it so beautifully to life. I can’t wait to hear all of it (out 5/9!) https://soundcloud.com/harperaudio_us/sycamore-by-bryn-chancellor?in=harperaudio_us/sets/harperbooks