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These days my laptop and I are pretty much inseparable (much to the chagrin of Maile, who sometimes needs to remind me to close things up and be present). Most of this is the result of loving what I do and just being plain busy: working on five book projects, all at various stages of development; writing my own blog posts, 5-7 days a week; and writing 6 blog posts a week for other organizations.

It’s a lot of fun.

This week, as I thought about the projects I’m involved in, I started to realize that I couldn’t do it by myself. It’s easy to forget this, since I work at home, hidden away, looking like I just rolled out of bed (for most of the day). But there are some great resources out there for writers:
Continue reading “Five Resources for Writers You May Not Have Heard About”

Today’s guest post is brought to you by Jennifer Luitwieler. She writes a brilliant blog and is currently hosting a series of guest posts having to do with identity. Today I’m fortunate enough to be guest posting on the topic, so after you read her post here, you can catch the link to my guest post over at her site. Enjoy!

Yesterday I ran my second half marathon in two weeks. To mark the occasion, my sister gave me a brand new running tank in a bright orange color. I know that real runners chide dummies like me; they suggest not wearing or trying anything new when running. It could hurt or give you a blister or make you sick, as is the case with those little fuel pouches. But, my sister wanted to celebrate and I wanted to honor that. So I wore the bright orange tank top. The bright orange tank top had low slung armholes with seams that were roughly the size of the Continental Divide. Or at least that’s how it seemed at about mile 8. Continue reading “Chaffing”

I have an obsession with my bookshelves.

Sometimes I will just stand there, staring at my books, and this feeling of fondness rises up in me, not unlike the way I feel when I sneak into my kids’ rooms at night and watch them sleep. Staring down at my children I marvel at how they are kept alive by such a small passageway, and that this invisible air slips in and out and kindles the life in them.

I think the same thing when I look at my books – such small breaths by people I will never meet, and yet they managed to exhale things like “East of Eden” or “A Prayer For Owen Meany.” Such monumental ventilation.
Continue reading “Exhaling Words: An Obsession With Books”

Sunday night my wife returned from a long (and much-deserved) weekend away. She entered the house and was immediately surrounded by eight little arms, pawing and pressing and hugging (our four children, not a giant arachnid). Their voices were high-pitched and grateful, the incessant chirping of baby birds at their mother’s return to the nest.

Eventually I got a hug. Best for last and all that.

Finally, the excitement subsided. Maile and I walked outside for a moment of peace and also to check on the garden, which after only four days of being ignored had grown an impressive number of weeds.
Continue reading “Mistaking Children for Spiders, and Pulling Weeds”

Many folks on Facebook and Twitter asked how the first week of our “Love Wins” book discussion went at church – this seemed the easiest way to keep everyone up to date. I may or may not continue with weekly updates, depending on your interest in the topic, so let me know in the comments if this is something you’d be interested in reading once a week for the next five weeks.

About five minutes before nine, a couple walked in and sat down. Then three or four more people came in. Then two more couples. We pulled another table over. People just kept coming in – soon we had 18 people around three tables.

Enough people to stone me, or at least start a good sized riot in our small town of Gap.
Continue reading ““Love Wins” Book Discussion – Week One Recap”

One evening during junior high, I arrived home from playing at the creek with some friends only to discover that no one was home. Mom and Dad were gone. Sisters, gone. The sun was setting, and I was starting to worry.

Where did everyone go? I wandered back through the house again, walked around back, checked in the garage – no one.

Everyone had simply vanished.

Continue reading “How I Know My World Will End on May 21st”