When the “unreal” strikes at home: our new blog

Happy New Year, friends of the surreal, unreal, and magically real! This year my spouse, writer Larry Behrendt and I are blogging about a joint memoir project that we are undertaking about our two grandfathers. My maternal grandfather, and Larry's paternal grandfather. Both of them told significant lies that reverberate in our own lives. You … Continue reading When the “unreal” strikes at home: our new blog

Why I tried (finally) to write a mystery

Friends -- did you know that my mom worked for a famous mystery editor? Yup. Check out my little piece about her reposted from medium! I have always loved reading — a love I got from from my mother and my maternal grandmother, who were also voracious readers. Since childhood, I adored many different genres: … Continue reading Why I tried (finally) to write a mystery

In case you missed it. . . My June newsletter

Hi friends! It's been a gangbuster month of... cleaning and throwing things out!  Yes, we've decided after 7 years of living full time on Whidbey Island to purge our possessions and move on. To where? Well, we're hoping to move back to California, probably around the Central Coast. We'll keep you posted.  Purging your possessions … Continue reading In case you missed it. . . My June newsletter

so much going on! new classes, editing, conversations and more!

Dear friends of the unreal -- I'm cutting and pasting my newsletter so you can see for yourself all the activities that are happening in the writing life of yours truly. Please share the word about two fun classes I'm teaching for Hugo House. Thank you and HAPPY APRIL! March was a whirlwind in Hammerland, … Continue reading so much going on! new classes, editing, conversations and more!

Jacques Derrida replying to Jean François Lyotard with Jonathan Glazer

This is where I put on my professor hat and try to explain how film director Jonathan Glazer makes a worthy attempt at making some links. Many years ago, when I was a professor, I taught courses on literature and film from and about the Holocaust. I was also interested -- as a scholar -- … Continue reading Jacques Derrida replying to Jean François Lyotard with Jonathan Glazer

some unreal goings on!

friends of the unreal -- here, very belatedly is a copy of my newsletter with A BIG ANNOUNCEMENT! Enjoy! Discussed: SBH Bulletin -- May 2023-- Early summer night's dream come true! Friends, Romans, Countrypersons -- Wait, that's not the right Shakespeare play!  But seriously friends, Shakespeare was on my mind a lot this past weekend, as … Continue reading some unreal goings on!

A message from my great grandmother

Friends -- instead of cleaning the house, I am doing research on a possible memoir that my spouse and I are working on about our families. Looking for something else entirely, I came upon an article that my great grandmother, Mary Winston wrote in the Wellesley Magazine .The language is incredibly flowery; My ggm was … Continue reading A message from my great grandmother