I’m in Chiapas at ATMEX, a conference for people who promote adventure travel in Mexico. Nearly all my expenses were paid for. The morning of the waterfall excursion, I got up early to take pictures and when I was done, set my camera on the windowsill outside my cabin. When it came time to go, …
When I read about Ferguson, I find myself thinking of a friend who, on first glance, is a strapping black dude. He’s over six feet tall and he’s muscled. In certain geographical regions and inside certain small minds, this is enough to categorize my friend as a threat. He’s big. He’s black. Therefore, in some …
Planting tomatoes in Seattle is the closest thing in my life to an act of faith. Everyone but best friend Larry told me I planted too late, but for the last two weeks, maybe three, I’ve been grabbing a few off the vine every evening to eat with dinner — and they’re more abundant by …
I was excited to get a positive response. The editor at a major publisher said yes to a story idea I’ve been pitching for at least a year. It had been rejected repeatedly for being too weird, too niche, too insider, but I didn’t care. It’s a good pitch, it’s got food and culture and …
“You can do that? You can put yourself in the story?” “I don’t know any other way to write, not really. It’s what I do. But yeah, it’s your story, write it the way you want.” Through a series of happy accidents I ended up teaching at the Midwest Writer’s Workshop in Muncie, Indiana. I …