Hemingway Shorts

Anyone remember playing MASH as a kid to see what your future held? (Who would you marry? How many kids would you have? Would you live in a mansion, or shack?) My story “Mansion Apartment Shack House,” which features the game MASH, was a finalist in the Hemingway Shorts contest through the Ernest Hemingway Foundation of Oak Park, and will come out this summer in their journal.

The Alchemy of Letting Go

Congratulations to my former Idyllwild Arts Academy student Amber Morrell on the publication of her debut middle-grade novel, The Alchemy of Letting Go. This is one to share with young readers in your life!

From her website:

“A young scientist finds a magical way to escape death, but can’t escape her emotions.

Twelve-year-old Juniper Edwards can’t stop chasing the endangered butterfly her sister died trying to catch. In her grief, Juniper finds comfort in her family’s study of insects, because science is based on logic, order, and control. But then Juniper’s search for the butterfly nearly kills her, too, and when she wakes up with newfound abilities, she discovers that the line between science and magic—and life and death—is not as solid as she thought. With the help of her mysterious neighbors, Juniper tries an experiment to change things back to the way they were. Its result will force her to face the fact that some things are way beyond her control.” https://ambermorrell.com/books/the-alchemy-of-letting-go/

Best Reads of 2018

Check out this list of the best reads of 2018 from The Masters Review, which I am a volunteer reader for. Some of my favorites from 2018 were Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata (discussed in the article), Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado, and My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh.

Upcoming Reading at Middle Ridge Winery

I will be reading as part of the Idyllwild Storytellers series at Middle Ridge Winery on Saturday, November 10, at 7 PM. Idyllwild Arts alum Emily Clarke will read with me, and an open mic will follow. The event will run from 7-9 PM, and it is open to the public!

Middle Ridge Winery
Tasting Room
Middle Ridge Winery Tasting Gallery
54301 N. Circle Dr.
P.O. Box 4157
Idyllwild, CA  92549