🚀The Dark Age: Writing well takes time
Hello, friends! I’ve had a very good weekend. Late last week I handed to my editor the copyedited ghostwritten manuscript, which means I’m more or less done...
No, no, no, no, no
Hello, friends! It's been a busy couple of weeks over here. While squarely in the middle of working on The Dark Age, the copyedits for my ghostwritten novel...
🚀The Dark Age: Resolve the goldfish
Hello, friends! I'm once again juggling novels: A couple of days ago, the editor of my ghostwriting project returned the manuscript to me, glowing with...
Just keep the bear
Good morning, my friends! The past week has not been friendly to my writing. On the days I did write, nothing felt quite good enough; on other days, I sat at...
🚀The Dark Age: Bricks and mortar
Hello, friends! A few months ago I came across this tweet from Heidi Pitlor, who has been the series editor of The Best American Short Stories for about 15...
Unforgivable mistakes
Hello, friends! I’m writing this Monday afternoon. Today marks the end of a short vacation. Ordinarily, at a time like this, I’d be feeling a bit of the...
🚀The Dark Age: Crossing the midpoint
Hello, friends! As I write this newsletter I’m entering a week-long vacation. “Vacation” doesn’t really mean all that much these days, since I’m not going...
Five-hour naps to soothe the soul
Hello, friends! A couple of letters ago, I wrote about creativity and walking and the dastardly hill that lays outside our front door. I’d like to say I’ve...
🚀The Dark Age: The most difficult character to write
Hello, friends! I've just finished writing a new scene in Fran's part of The Dark Age. Fran's story is woven throughout the entire novel, but this part...
Talk to me, Goose
Hello, friends! Happy Memorial Day weekend. This weekend, Top Gun: Maverick, was released. I grew up watching the original movie, and for the last few years...
🚀The Dark Age: What a family is for
Hello, friends! Lately I feel like I'm either scrambling to keep up with all the things I need to do, or I'm opting out altogether, and doing puzzles or...
What does Google smell like?
Hello, friends! Last week, my daughter decided the internet was garbage, and old books were gold. “Don’t you just think books are a better place to find...
🚀The Dark Age: Blowing up race cars
Hi, friends! Lately I’m thinking a lot about foreshadowing and echoes. Recently I watched Ford v. Ferrari again. I love this movie. It shows up to do a job,...
Hill House boss battle
👋 Hello, friends! One of my favorite things about where I live is this view: Each morning I sit at our dining table and, over breakfast, do a little reading,...
🚀The Dark Age: Summer goals, and an excerpt
Well, hello, friends! I've set myself a goal. It would be irresponsible of me to share that goal here, so that's what I'm going to do: I'm going to finish a...
Little bubbles of time
Hello, friends! Squish is reading her way through Madeleine L’Engle’s Time quintet presently. You know the books: A Wrinkle in Time, A Wind in the Door, A...
🚀The Dark Age: Echoes
Hello, friends! There are times when, while working on a project, it feels like the world is echoing your themes right back to you. I don’t mean this in any...
How to fill the space between books
Hello, friends! What do you do when you’re between books? Yesterday I finished reading a mystery (I won’t name it, as it may be my least favorite book by an...
🚀The Dark Age: Juggling two novels
Hello, friends! I'm writing this as a week-long break comes to a close. I think here at Hill House we're all a little bummed to see it wind down. It's been a...
Write the ending first
Hello, friends! It’s my week off from work, and while I’m not traveling anywhere, I’ve got a lot on the docket. Though I haven’t taken one of my customary...