Matthew Arnold Stern's Blog, page 22

Lessons about the pandemic from Mom’s strokes

This is a picture of my mom at my high school graduation in 1979. It was taken a couple months after she had a minor stroke. Three months later, she would have a series of major ones that left her paralyzed for the rest of her life. I’ve been thinking about her a lot during […]

60 quotes about 60 things I’ve learned in 60 years

My big divisible-by-five birthday has arrived! At past milestone birthdays and events, I’ve written lists of things I’ve learned during that time. For my 60th birthday, I’m doing something different. Here are 60 quotes from my speeches and books that reflect things I’ve learned in life. I need coffee to deal with this, and I’m […]

A sense of place

My novel The Remainders will be published by Black Rose Writing on September 2, 2021. I will describe my book in this series of posts. You can read other posts in The Remainders category on my website. Also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok to learn more about the book. Twenty-five years ago […]

The art of selling out

When I was in college in the 1980s, one of my favorite pastimes was looking down my nose at popular artists. “I’m never gonna be a sellout! I won’t be like those trashy New Wave artists like Duran Duran and The Knack. That’s just corporate music. I love punk bands like the Dead Kennedys because […]

Politics: Not sure if things are getting better, or if I’m just exhausted

I haven’t written about politics in months. It’s not that there isn’t anything to write about. But I’m feeling less of an urge to watch cable news, pick fights with others on social media, and tremble in fear of what horrible thing will happen next. I’m not sure if things are getting better, or I’m […]

Religion in The Remainders

My novel The Remainders will be published by Black Rose Writing on September 2, 2021. I will describe my book in this series of posts. You can read other posts in The Remainders category on my website. Also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter as I reveal the book’s cover. I live a few […]

Dodgers versus Angels

My novel The Remainders will be published by Black Rose Writing on September 2, 2021. I will describe my book in a series of posts. You can read other posts in The Remainders category on my website. I cover a lot of subjects in The Remainders, including homelessness, past trauma, and my hometown of Reseda. One […]

Stumbling towards normalcy

This picture was from the last time we visited Legoland in February 2020. Next week, we are going there for the first time in 15 months. Of course, it won’t be the same since the last time we visited. We will have to wear masks and social distance. Some rides won’t be open. But going […]

What Toastmasters has taught me about book contests

If you published a book, you probably want to enter it in a book contest. If you win, you will get a nice sticker to put on your cover and ads. If you don’t, you still get something all authors need: Someone to read your writing. I’ve been an entrant and a judge of book […]

Stories of reassurance and normalcy

When the pandemic began, I wondered how children would see this crisis. After 13+ months of masks, remote school, and limited activities, what children want is reassurance. One way we as parents can offer them this is through stories. I recently reviewed The Safe Return by Ashley Wheelock and Arwen Evans. This beautifully illustrated and written […]