Dear Friends, I am kind of stunned that it’s June already. How did that happen? I remember when I taught 7th and 8th graders, the 7th graders said the year had gone by so much faster than 6th grade. And

Dear Friends, It used to drive my mother crazy, but I’ve always been a re-reader. Yes, of course, I see the point of reading new books and poems, listening to a new podcast episode, but often, I find something new

Dear Friends, For those of you who are fellow Rochestarians and Western New Yorkers, I wanted to invite you to an exciting in-person event happening this Thursday at Ampersand Books in Rochester. Writers & Books will be hosting an open house and book fair from

“Be nobody’s darling; Be an outcast. Qualified to live Among your dead.” —Alice Walker Some exciting upcoming news for 2022:  In February, I’ll once again be teaching Dear Friend, a 5-week virtual class on epistolary writing, with Holly Wren Spaulding. Here’s the link to sign up.

Dear Friends, It’s hard to say anything definitive about this time, December 2021. I had given up on doing anything in person related to my book (I had a wonderful trip to Iowa in September, and that was enough), but

Dear Friends, Last week, I spoke with author Kelly Fordon about my story “The Half King” on her “Let’s Deconstruct a Story” podcast. We talked about writing a story that’s been haunting you and capturing the ineffable parts of a past time in your life. You can

Dear Friends, On October 7, I was in conversation with Haitian-Canadian-American writer Myriam J. A. Chancy in celebration of her new novel, What Storm, What Thunder at the East City Bookshop. What Storm, What Thunder tells a haunting and lyrical story of the aftermath of disaster and of

Linoleum cut print (a reduction print) and letterpress work in action. Photo and art by Stephen West at Flower City Press in Rochester, New York. Dear Friends, My friend Stephen West is a writer and visual artist. We’ve been part of a

Dear Friends, Here are some pink roses from our backyard for you. I love tending to them. Where is your attention these days? How do you make your garden grow? This week, Juneteenth was signed into law, becoming the first new national

Dear Friends, Happy Weekend! It was a long week. Abbey and I are making this newsletter together this summer. And here are 10 things we wanted to share with you: 1. Naomi Osaka speaking out about depression, mental health, and

Dear Friends, On the day of my first real birthday party at age six, my dad dropped my cake (or someone did) and someone else (who knew how to drive) had to run out to buy a new one. I

Dear Friends and Family, I hope this finds you well or at least okay!  I wanted to let you know a few things going on over here related to writing, reading, and teaching. Upcoming Events: Dear Friend. This is my

As 2020 comes to a close, This Is One Way to Dance has been featured on several end-of-the-year lists, including NPR’s Best Books of 2020 list and Literary Hub’s Best Reviewed Essay Collections of 2020 alongside Cathy Park Hong‘s Minor

“Dancing together lifted the heaviness I’d been carrying. Somehow, in the percussive, rhythmic footwork and pounding steps, the vigorous movement in our creaky bodies, a weight shifted. ” Read the full essay on dance, celebration, and mourning, published in The Guardian