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The Literary Hinterland Between Fiction and Nonfiction

06/30/2010 By 10 Comments
Harrison Solow 2

Pushcart Prize winner, Harrison Solow’s powers of thought and prowess in writing are laudable to the degree that bringing her essay to you today is an honor and an adventure, both thrilling and expansive. The piece you are about to read was not digested immediately by me – only occasionally does the veil lift for me to glimpse Solow’s sensitivity toward liminality, but it is something that I am determined to catch hold of for myself, even bits of it, one illuminating rendition at a time. Now take your turns, as writers, to coax its significance into your worlds.  Harrison’s latest book, Felicity & Barbara Pym, about writing, reading and what it means to be truly educated (http://felicityandbarbarapym.wordpress.com) has just been released in the UK with stellar reviews and is available to those outside the UK from The Book Depository (http://tinyurl.com/fbpbd ) which offers free international shipping.  Liminality In a letter to a friend, not long ago, I wrote this

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WNBA-SF Women Caught Laughing with Buddha

06/28/2010 By Leave a Comment
Judith, Sarbjit, Lynn laughing Planning Retreat

During our semi-annual Planning Retreat yesterday, we got down to business, but, as you can see by the snapshot, laughter trumped the agenda. Judith Marshall, Sarbjit Rai, and I were not the only ones in the group laughing, we just got caught in the act by Teresa with her candid camera. I especially like this photo, because it will be a great reminder, when I’m deep in overload, that we truly do have so much fun interacting, networking, planning, and hosting events. And this is exactly why we choose to belong to WNBA-SF, along with the fact that as a national organization our influence reaches far and wide connecting women and men to the greater literary community across the country, as well as, promoting literacy world wide as a member of the United Nations and UNICEF. Speaking of literacy, September is National Literacy Month, so we begin our fall season of events with Zen and the Art of the Book Deal and the Great Book Giveaway. October promises lunch with a bestselling

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2010 WNBA Award Winner

06/25/2010 By 2 Comments

Masha Hamilton has been named this year's recipient of the Women's National Book Association WNBA Award, which is presented to "a living American woman who derives part or all of her income from books and allied arts, and who has done meritorious work in the world of books beyond the duties or responsibilities of her profession or occupation." Hamilton is a novelist and former foreign correspondent. Her fiction includes 31 Hours and The Camel Bookmobile. As a journalist, Masha worked for the Associated Press, reporting from the Middle East, and for the Los Angeles Times and NBC/Mutual Radio, reporting on the Soviet Union during its final years. In 2009, she launched the Afghan Women’s Writing Project "to foster creative and intellectual exchange between Afghan women writers and American women authors and teachers." WNBA president Mary Grey James praised "the depth of Masha’s commitment to the world of literacy and books beyond her own career. She is a sterling example of

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Fathers Tug at your Heart

06/15/2010 By 2 Comments

Seems like I've neglected my blog far too long, but it has been all I could do to keep up with a hectic schedule the past couple weeks giving workshops from Boise, ID, to Santa Rosa, CA, and then traveling back east to WNBA’s national presidents’ meeting, not to mention my “day job.” I know, we’re all swamped, but let us not forget about dad – you still have time to give him the best gift ever (see below). Fathers, I haven’t forgotten you! It is your day on Sunday. I've posted a little poem for all the sons and daughters out there who, when thinking of their fathers, feel a tug at their heart. I know I do. The following poem, author unknown, is for you: When I think of you, I just Can’t restrain the tug at My heart that I can’t explain. When I think of you Winter or summer, sun- shine or rain, there’ll always Remain that tug at my Heart that I can’t explain, When I think of you.  Now that you’re feeling that dad is tugging at your heart for your,

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