Archive for the 'Writing Exercises' Category

Mustache-a-Thon, + Reba’s Caddy

Tuesday, May 1st, 2007

826 Valencia is having a Mustache-a-Thon to raise money for their excellent, unique free programming for kids. Yes, mustaches are no longer just for firemen. “Over six weeks, they’ll carefully tend to their emerging mustaches, meet weekly at a neighborhood bar to show off their progress, and swap tips on waxing ends. We’ll take weekly [...]

Year of Fog in the Washington Post

Sunday, March 25th, 2007

THE YEAR OF FOG received an “A” today from the Washington Post in the Media Mix feature, its bite-sized listing of upcoming books and movies. It’s been a long time since I’ve been graded. I remember something about getting a B in graduate school in a class where all we had to do was watch [...]

heavenly

Wednesday, March 14th, 2007

When I went in to Simple Pleasures yesterday morning to get my frothy au lait, Dae was doling out horoscopes, compliments of Christopher Renstrom at the Chron. This was mine:
The planets urge you to pursue your heart’s desire. There will be hell to pay, but it doesn’t matter because getting what you want will feel [...]

Friday, March 9th, 2007

The exercise (esp. for Bunny): Write about your wild past, orwhat you see in your adventurous future.

the 2nd biggest mesquite tree in texas

Monday, February 26th, 2007

My friend Wade Williams wrote this beautiful essay for The Texas Observer. If you want to see more of his writing, check out The Tao of Wade over at Fiction Attic.
The exercise:
Write about revisiting the roads of your youth.

playboy mama: the dirty details

Friday, February 9th, 2007

If the fetching and talented Jeff Singer was disappointed to be shooting the conservatively clad essayist from Alabama instead of some swank and sultry Miss February, he was kind enough not to show it. This morning when Kevin left for work, he made me promise that, if anyone asked me to take my clothes off, [...]

bad theft

Tuesday, January 23rd, 2007

Here’s the funniest heist story ever, and it’s not a movie. It took place in San Francisco’s Presidio Heights. According to the Chronicle, the thieves made away with 2.5 million dollars in goods while the homeowner (an heir to a locksmithing fortune!), was away. Neighbors thought the thieves were movers. Soon thereafter, one of the [...]

jersey girl at bazaar cafe

Tuesday, January 9th, 2007

I’ve come to one of my favorite little neighborhood spots this morning to work–Bazaar Cafe on California–and was plugging away pretty well until someone turned on Tom Waits. One of the pleasures of this place is the excellent musical selection. But pleasure and work don’t mix. How am I to concentrate with Waits belting out [...]

global warning

Friday, December 29th, 2006

Sounds like apocalyptic fiction, but nope, it’s just the news. Maybe this gargantuan ice cube will make those who deny the relevance of global warming take note:
A giant ice shelf the size of 11,000 football fields has snapped free from Canada’s Arctic, scientists said.The mass of ice broke clear 16 months ago from the coast [...]

Tuesday, November 28th, 2006

Today, in the graduate fiction workshop I teach, we’re discussing a story written by a young white woman who grew up somewhere in the middle of the country. The story is told from the point of view of an older black woman in New Orleans. The student told me she’s never been to New Orleans. [...]

Booknotes, Litlife, & Writing Prompts from bestselling author Michelle Richmond