Three hotdogs were not enough for the two-year-old. Yellow mustard covered the boy's face. He laughed when I took the plate away, and looked around for a fourth hotdog. Every morsel he devours astonishes adults and older children. But, the little tongue licking ketchup and mustard off the plate to the point of painting his… Continue reading Why We Need Mustard Covered Faces
Month: July 2012
What Writers Learn
What Writers Learn "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." Not true. Words hurt. They sting. Writers hurt more when they receive a message via text, email or phone that their work is not wanted.What writers learn depends on what they are willing to take away from their experience… Continue reading What Writers Learn
From Some Other Beginning’s End — The Last Chapter
Pitch black dominates the room. Five thirty in the morning. You have one more chapter to write. "I thought you were getting back into your schedule," someone says. In a teenager's groan of just ten more minutes, you roll over. The early mornings and the last chapter of your manuscript present a challenge whether you're… Continue reading From Some Other Beginning’s End — The Last Chapter
When Naming Names
By Rebecca T. Dickinson One of the most common conversations I've had with writers and friends lately is: What do I do about names in my book? or Can writers name real people in their books? The conversation crosses the road from creative art to business. I know few writers who want to discuss the… Continue reading When Naming Names
Runs in the Family: Lisa See’s Shanghai Girls
By Rebecca T. Dickinson “We all look around until we come to my mother, who has not said a word since the men entered our home. I see hardness in her I’ve never seen before. Maybe we’re all like that with our mothers. They seem ordinary until one day they’re extraordinary.” (p. 58) … Continue reading Runs in the Family: Lisa See’s Shanghai Girls
Three Weeks Round Up
By Rebecca T. Dickinson Ideas run around my mind like the Tasmanian devil. I know it’s because the last three weeks have taken consistency out of my family’s schedule due to moving and reorganizing a kitchen. So, I’d like to wrap up the most relevant lessons I have taken time to consider. No matter what, take one… Continue reading Three Weeks Round Up
No, We Can’t Go Out Again
By Rebecca T. Dickinson You want to give it a chance. There is no reason why you should not. You've been interested for a long time. When dating, you meet the person you think—for whatever reason—the two of you should go out. You go on the date with the girl or guy, and you discover… Continue reading No, We Can’t Go Out Again
The Aftermath
PART III of the Bannister Histories By R.T. Dickinson July 1876, Bamberg, South Carolina Men on dust streets walked past stores, restaurants, and banks with green awnings. They spoke in hushed voices about when Union Army occupiers would leave. Soldiers had stayed in towns around the Low Country, and restaurant owner Joey Langston—the man from Minnesota—welcomed… Continue reading The Aftermath
What is the Art of Narratives?
By Rebecca T. Dickinson Where were you born? Why is it important? Did it have a cute front porch, or roaches crawling over beds? I have a confession. I never thought I'd write or edit nonfiction. What was/ is special about my life? When I worked as a journalist, I enjoyed writing features about people.… Continue reading What is the Art of Narratives?
The Write to Cook: Before the Kitchen Calls
By Rebecca T. Dickinson A Short Narrative Life cannot be as it was before. Nothing could be as it was before: friendships, money, love, or dishware. My husband says the cooking channels are to me what porn is to some men. I don't know how true that claim is, but when I watch television, I turn… Continue reading The Write to Cook: Before the Kitchen Calls
Corrie's Season 