Today’s Five and Ten list comes from one of my favorite poets and a great friend, Michael Chitwood. Raised in Patrick County, Virginia, we hail from close the same stomping grounds, and met when we both lived in Chapel Hill, NC, where he and his family still reside. Chitwood received his BA from Emory and Henry and an MFA from University of Virginia, and claims George Wright as a major influence.

When I read Chitwood’s poetry, I hear the familiar sound, the intelligence, and the music of rural Virginia. Like novelist Larry Brown, Chitwood doesn’t not trade on stereotypes, but writes with respect about the lives of the working class. More recently his work has been more personal, as in my favorite of his collections, From Whence (LSU, 2007). His other collections include: Salt Works (1992), Whet (1995), The Weave Room (1998), Gospel Road Going (2002), and Spill (2007). He also has written two collections of essays: Hitting Below the Bible Belt (1998) and Finishing Touches (2006) Continue Reading »

My song writer crush, Marshall Chapman, wrote an essay called “Crush.” I think that’s the title, and I’d link to it, but I can’t find it. In it, though, she writes about how we walk around having crushes on people and things all the time. These crushes are about chemistry, affinity, cellular recognition; these crushes don’t have to be sexual. Of course I don’t want to rule that element out, since I have about 30 kinds of crushes on my husband.

As for a poetry crush, you never know when or where a poetry crush will strike. So keep your eyes and ears open; be ready at all times. Maybe you suddenly have a crush on a street corner, say 5th and Charlotte in Nashville, for instance, and it becomes a poem. Maybe you spot a thin volume on the bookstore shelf and your hand is drawn to it, as if by magic spell. Sometimes you just hear someone read a poem they’ve written, and wham. It can happen with fiction too, any kind of writing really. But poetry is so compressed, so intense, that a poetry crush just slaps you upside the head. Continue Reading »

For several days I have been listening to and singing theKyrieas performed by Les Troubadours du Roi Baudouin, arranged by Father Guido Haazen. You may remember it from the end of the movie The Singing Nunstaring Sally Field. I’ve posted it on Facebook and Twitter. Kyrie eleison, a pre-Christian plea, is part of the Catholic Mass. Continue Reading »

 I’m heading out into the snow flurries, going to John Tyler Community College near Richmond, VA for the JTCC’s 15 Annual Literary Festival. Thanks to all the folks who are reading and talking about my novel Sufficient Grace in advance of my visit! I was born in VA and have family there, so I’m excited to be returning to the Commonwealth for a visit. I’ll be conducting readings, discussions, and workshops at both the Midlothian Campus and the Chester Campus March 3-4. For more information, click on the calendar button of this website or go to www.jtcc.edu/events. If you live near Richmond, VA, I’d love to see you at one of these events.

While driving I’ll probably be listening to Dave Alvin or Nancy Griffith, or listen to some book on tape. I have a sack full of books and talks on tape and CD. Nothing like a productive drive into uncertain weather! 

There’s one little hiccup. My car’s timing belt chose to give out in Crossville last Sunday evening as I was on the way home from one of the Sweetwater Novel Process workshops. I love GIECO! So William has to take me to Crossville in a few minutes to pick up my blue Escape. Little Blue decided to breakdown at a traffic light at the entrance to Windermere Mall on 127. I was headed downhill, so I coasted into the mall parking lot and called my hero, William, to come get me, and my ace up my sleeve, GIECO Road Service to take Little Blue to the emergency room.

Exercise: Write about a time when you’ve had car trouble.  If you write poetry or fiction, use some of that nonfiction piece in a poem, or share a few elements of your experience with a character who is also having car trouble.

Remember, your writing prompts are only an inconvenience away!

It’s a blue moon new year’s eve, folks, as one of my dearest friends and writer, Patti Meredith, reminded me on Twitter and Facebook today!  Patti’s life is full of music.  She grew up in Galax, VA and learned to play and sing with her daddy and sister. I love going to visit Patti, or riding somewhere in her car, and hearing what she’s listing to on the stereo or the radio or the laptop. I love to hear her sing. She was the first person I knew who had satellite radio! Thank you Patti for the gift of Nanci Griffith singing “Once in a Very Blue Moon.” Find it here at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3uURS1iIVo&feature=related Continue Reading »