About Me

Atlanta, Georgia, United States
My first book, "Invisible Sisters: A Memoir" has been named one of "Twenty Five Books All Georgians Should Read!" I would love to visit your bookclub, either in person (in the South) or through the magic of electronics. My writing has received a "Special Mention" for a 2008 Pushcart Prize. I have been honored with a residency at the Josef and Anni Albers Foundation in Bethany, CT., a Fellowship at the Hambidge Center for Creative Arts in Rabun Gap, Georgia, and the 2009 Peter Taylor Nonfiction Fellowship at the Kenyon Review Writers Workshop. Locally, I teach workshops in creative writing, memoir, and feature journalism, and am a member of the faculty of an art college, where I teach screenwriting. I hold an MFA in Creative Writing from Queens University of Charlotte (N.C.) and a B.S. in Communication from Emerson College, in Boston. I used to work in television. I did not push the broom behind the elephant. Usually, I served as mahout - I drove the (allegorical) elephant. If he was SAG or AFTRA. Rock stars do not scare me.

Monday, March 22, 2010

The Other Event in Charlottesville this past week...


The other event in Charlottesville this past week was a Sesame Street Festival. Never mind the Virginia Festival of the Book, I got to kiss a childhood hero.

A wonderful few days in the company of outstanding writers; Katharine Weber, whose newest novel, True Confections, has me laughing out loud from her fierce humor, as well as moderating the "Unconventional and Wondrous Lives," I shared with debut memoirists (like me) Bibi Gaston, Jo Maeder, and Robert Leleux. On the last night, the historic Paramount Theater was the venue for an outstanding evening of readings by Liz Strout, Colum McCann, Ethelbert Miller, and Lee Smith.

Bethanne Patrick moderated a terrific panel about book reviewing, with Rebecca Skloot, the above-mentioned Katharine Weber, Ron Charles fm the Washington Post, and others.

Ran into wonderful poet and friend Major Jackson, and got to chat with also wonderful poet Kevin Young.

Am I gushing? Yeah, but with good reason.

Got to see my old friends, G, J, B, M, & J in varying capacities involving adult beverages.

Books, drinks, and the Cookie Monster. What's better?

4 comments:

Erika D. said...

I love Cookie Monster! What a cute photo!

Susan Woodring said...

Liz Strout AND the Cookie Monster!!

jessica handler said...

Yeah, Cookie kind of capped it off for me. I love him too, and seeing Liz AND Cookie on the same DAY blew my mind.

BadGlue said...

Major Jackson and the cookie monster, what more could you want?