It didn’t take long for me to regret signing the lease. My old neighbors scolded me for acting impulsively, but I couldn’t resist the new apartment’s location—close to a lakeshore park, a short walk to a Marino’s, and a block … Continue reading First paragraphs of a new (scary) short story
As a puppeteer I’d been telling stories to young audiences at private parties, schools, and other venues for many years, but performing as an entertainer was wearing on me. I wanted to stretch myself, create work that would appeal to … Continue reading The Sixth Sense of a Story
Puppetry is an art form and I wanted to perfect it. I knew I would never perform in public unless I trained with a professional. I found Hans Schmidt who had a studio in Lincoln Park and I studied working … Continue reading “I Know How You Did That!”
“Hello, Susan Marcus? “Yes, who’s calling, please?” “This is Karen Smith. [name changed to protect myself!] You’re the puppet lady?” “(Clears throat) Yes, I am a puppeteer.” “And you do birthday parties?” “All the time, but I’m booked up for … Continue reading A Bizarre Birthday Bash
After an hours-long drive out of Athens, we reached the mountains. Parnassus came into view. Our ears popped with the change of altitude. We passed through a jarringly Nordic ski village, Arachova, before ascending higher on the sacred mountain, until … Continue reading Dallying in Delphi
Recently, a reader asked about my writing process, especially the way I prepare to write. That person felt at a loss about plunging in during, say, those first 15 minutes sitting in front of the computer and before typing an opening … Continue reading The First Fifteen Minutes
She leaves the book splayed on her breakfast table and rinses her cereal bowl in the sink before returning to the table with a small cup of coffee. Her electric espresso machine makes a doppio nearly comparable to those she … Continue reading No Regrets
I am used to imagining the ways that dragons think and respond to humans, to change, and to challenges. For years, I studied dragon lore and felt the need to write my own story about them, which I did; and while two … Continue reading Did That Dragon Call My Name?
The Dilemma: should I pick up the paperback of Rutherford’s The Forest that I started a a while ago? I’d placed the bookmark at the end of a chapter and put the book down just as the narrative was plunging me into … Continue reading Escape From Planet Earth?
A mild satire inspired by Pulver and Burke’s list of fantasy novel tropes and clichés “And just what qualifies you?” the Priest of the Pram gods asked. “We’re short, for one thing,” the half-meter tall, dumpling-shaped man replied. “Not so little. … Continue reading A Nod to Satire
