Barbara Abercrombie's Blog, page 12
May 29, 2012
Shutting Up the Negative Voices
This morning Nelson and I were walking on the beach as we do every morning at six - today a gorgeous, sunny morning - and we passed a woman who said "No dogs on the beach!" This woman is a...
May 19, 2012
A Year of Writing Dangerously
My latest book, A Year of Writing Dangerously will be published by New World Library next month. There are 365 entries – anecdotes, quotes and writing prompts to encourage and inspire you, day by day, through a year of writing....
May 17, 2012
UCLA Extension Writers' Program: Teaching & Other Gigs
Here's my current Writers' Program class: Advanced Non-Fiction - and oh, what a talented bunch of writers they are. Some are getting published (more about that later) and all have memoirs or essays in progress. In the fall I'll be...
May 15, 2012
The Wonderful Wild Rumpus
I cried last week reading the obit for Maurice Sendak, realizing there would be no more wild things, no more wild rumpus. No more books from this grumpy, brilliant, wonderful writer. If you haven't read Where the Wild Things Are...
May 11, 2012
A Writing Retreat and Remodel Chaos
Both are taking place in Lake Arrowhead, California. The writing retreat will be held the weekend of October 19-21 at the UCLA Conference Center right on the lake. It'll be a weekend to escape chaos and to focus on your...
May 5, 2012
The Cabin Project Marches On
A 3:00 am thought: I have not stepped into chaos, I have stepped into a story. And without struggle, conflict, and not knowing how things will turn out - you don't have a story. This is oddly comforting to me...
May 3, 2012
What Does "Literary" Mean?
A student in class yesterday said that she didn't think her writing was "literary" enough to submit to literary magazines. (And this is a student who has a wonderful essay in Victoria Zackheim's upcoming new anthology, Exit Laughing.) So I...
April 30, 2012
What To Remember When Waking
A foggy Monday morning after a long weekend and when I click on my email I find this perfect poem by David Whyte that a friend/student has mailed to me. A mitzvah. WHAT TO REMEMBER WHEN WAKING In that first...
April 28, 2012
Writing Out the Storm
Escrow closed early on the cabin I just bought, the previous owner has moved out and what needs to be renovated is very, very clear now - kind of like opening Pandora's box. Plus a new roof needs to go...
April 25, 2012
The Poem In My Pocket
Tomorrow, April 25th is national Poem in Your Pocket Day. The idea is to carry a poem in your back pocket to share with family and friends and co-workers. The poem in my pocket will be Jane Kenyon's, "What Came...
