I'm conflicted about Go Set a Watchman. It sets on my nightstand at home, as yet untouched. I still believe that Harper Lee, her sister, and her editor never wanted to publish it. They had ample opportunity to do so and chose not to, for reasons we will never completely…
Category: Life with Darryl
Friends
I just returned from a few days in Southern California, where I had a chance to sit down with a long-time friend (as opposed to "old" friend!) who I hadn't seen in too many years. It was amazing how we picked up where we left off, as though it had…
Story Rules
Tuesday, I led a workshop titled When You Say Nothing At All, making the point that as writers, what we don't say is sometimes more important that what we do. It's easy to obsess with perfecting the prose when we should be worrying about the story we're telling. Good prose…
Fuel for the Fire
His face looked familiar, but I couldn't place the name. He picked up my latest book, The Care Card, and I started to give him my ten-second pitch. I was at the Southwest Florida Reading Festival in Ft. Myers, FL, where I had a booth for the event. Three of…
Birthday
This week, I celebrated another anniversary of my 40th birthday. At this point in the game, these occasions are a good opportunity to reflect on the past and look forward to the future. You are over the hump, with more years behind you than ahead. I try not to spend…