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Fantasy’s Half-Sister: Magic Realism

Beyond Sight

Everyone experiences writer’s block at one time or another. Some experience it only for a few minutes, some for years at a time. The resistance to writing can get particularly strong when you sit down to write about painful autobiographical events. I have quit writing hundreds of times. But not long ago I had a breakthrough. The blocks melted away and I wrote daily for a period of three years…

I had a lot of fun making this in Canva.

Authors kick off National Banned Book Week with library readings

Gretta Hochsprung Photo by Greata Hochsprung GLENS FALLS — Book banning is wrong whether it comes from the left or the right. That is the message conveyed by Barbara Lombardo, a journalism professor and retired Saratogian editor, during an event Monday evening at Crandall Public Library to kick off National Banned Book Week called “Defending the Freedom to Read and Write.” READ MORE

Chance Design: Frost Reframed

This morning I found this deceased dragonfly tucked away in this clivia, and I’m reminded of the poem “Design” by Robert Frost. I found a dimpled spider, fat and white, On a white heal-all, holding up a moth Like a white piece of rigid satin cloth-- Assorted characters of death and blight Mixed ready to begin the morning right, Like the ingredients of a witches' broth-- A snow-drop spider, a…

Just gotta dork out on how much I love the allegorical underpinnings of Gaiman’s The Sandman on Netflix. I didn’t read the comic books, because I don’t like the art and find the need to constantly choose between image and words distracting (perhaps it just takes practice). Is Fiction the Center of the Universe? I’m seeing The Sandman as a debate over the place of fiction (or dreams) in the…

The Magical Story of a Book Cover Design

One of the joys of writing is how it connects you to other people. The discussions we have in my writing group are deep, thoughtful, and caring. My publisher, Stephanie Larkin, of Emperor Books is a constant source of encouragement and energy. However, figuring out how to design and promote the book has been less fun. It requires a lot of cold-calling and asking for attention, which can feel…

Review of Strange Appetites

Somewhere in the depths of winter, this review emerged. Thank you, Benjamin Lerner and Saratoga Living. I would have thanked you earlier, but I am just learning about it. Love the line, the “metaphors that underlie Davidson’s work serve as powerful catalysts for personal growth and reflection, prompting her readers to dive inward as they ponder the true meaning of intimacy and transcendence.”

Strange Appetites: Letter from Mentor

Nearly 30 years after I earned my doctorate in creative writing and pedagogy, I sent my published books to one of my mentors from graduate school, Eugene Garber (University at Albany). It’s hard to convey how much this means to me without relating how stormy my relationship to writing has been. But in the interests of brevity, I’ll simply share the letter/review. Lale, The books have arrived.…

Quest for the Holy Grail of Jacket Copy

The feedback on my jacket copy from my last post was mixed, with some saying I wasn’t getting at the core of the conflict. I was following the advice of The Manuscript Doctors, trying to show the poetry of the book. So, after reading many more examples, including Amore Towles’s The Lincoln Highway and South Pole Station, I determined that the key structure seemed to be character goal followed by…

New Novel for Earth Day

I finished the manuscript copy of Against the Grain. But it’s never finished. I’m still reading it aloud cover to cover, getting feedback, tightening things up. Here’s my third stab at the dreaded jacket copy. Let me know what you think in the comment section, please. Cover still under construction. AGAINST THE GRAIN Jacket Copy By the time they reached Logan’s tree, Diana had lost all sense…

Creative Process Interview at Saratoga Living

Thank you to Alex Cappelletti for arranging this interview in Saratoga Living Magazine.

Author Interview: Cat Books, Serial Killers Thrillers, and Magical Realism

Red Penguin Books has a regular pod cast called “Between the Covers,” where they interview three Red Penguin authors. This episode featured Debbie De Louise, R.K. Mullins, and me. Head Penguin Stephanie Larkin interviewed Debbie De Louise first. She introduced her books, Barking Up the Wrong Tree and Meows and Purrs. We talked about cats a little too long, lol, but who can resist? I refer to my…

Making Book Trailers: Blue Woman Burning

We all fantasize about our novel being made into a movie, and sometimes we write tmusic. I don’t. But there are definitely a lot of songs by Pink Martini that would be in the soundtrack, like “Que Sera, Sera,” and “Le Premier Bonheur du Jour.” I used Tiktok to make this. It’s a limiting editor, but you can use the music they’ve contracted for, Pink Martini among them. Hope you can view it without…

When You Write Fiction About Family

Davidson Family Photo, taken by my dad. Camping or picnicking somewhere in south America. When you write about family, publishing your first book isn’t always the happy occasion you think it should be. My first novel Blue Woman Burning will be published by Red Penguin Books on November 23rd. Instead of excitement and joy, I’m riding a see-saw between dread and numbness. It has been SUCH a long…

Two ADHD Brains React to Fragmented Texts in Different Ways

Robert Berry-Creative Commons Join my Mailchimp audience Join my mailing list for a free digital copy of my book of short stories, Strange Appetites. By clicking submit, you agree to share your email address with the site owner and Mailchimp to receive marketing, updates, and other emails from the site owner. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any…