You may recall that I spent an afternoon last week with a class of second graders, and together we shaped the outline for a mystery story, which I proceeded to write. The outline came from the elements the children chose for the story, and we did it this way: I gave them the particular element … Read more
So here’s the next great mystery I’ve had a hand in producing: “The Snake in the Well.” I spent yesterday afternoon in a classroom full of second-graders, talking to them about the importance of stories—in my life, in theirs. They were the most unabashedly enthusiastic audience I’ve entertained in, well, maybe forever. The last part … Read more
I’m a writer in part because of the scary stories I used to hear around campfires when I was a Boy Scout. There was something wonderfully exciting in all the terrible possibility beyond the reach of the firelight. In my adolescence, I became a spook story junkie. Discovering Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House … Read more
My day begins at 5:45 AM. I wake up to the radio playing softly, get dressed, leave the house, and go to my office. Here’s a picture of my office: The first thing you might notice is that there’s no time clock. The second is that, yes, it’s a coffee shop. In this jovial little … Read more
When you read the work of a fine author, what you see, generally speaking, appears flawless and flowing, as if it came naturally and without a lot of struggle. Don’t you believe it. Every author battles to get a work from their imagination onto the page. I’m working on a novel right now. When completed, … Read more