Mateo attended his high school Junior Prom last weekend and here are two pix. The first shows us at a pre-prom gathering and photo op (parents were invited, wonderful!). And the second shows Mateo cozying up to the hors d’oeuvres tray. Definitely my son. š
I love that these days kids attend prom in friend groups, with none of the pressure we felt to secure an “official date.”
And junior in high school???? Lord have mercy, how did that happen???
I’m relishing the memory of my week-long alumni retreat at Joyce Maynard’s Write By The Lake in San Marcos la Laguna, Lake Atitlan Guatemala. This is my third time attending WBTL–my first was in 2007–so you know I’m a fan. Retreats are different from regular writing workshops because days are spent however you like. Mine started with a morning sauna, dip in the lake, yoga class and breakfast. (Tough life!!) After that, on most days, I chose to listen to other people’s conversations, stay quiet and think. Except for the days I boarded a boat for San Juan to visit a weavers’ cooperative, hiked to neighboring villages, or got a massage. In late afternoon we gathered for craft talks by Joyce, followed by drinks and snacks, discussions and questions. At night, we ate delicious dinners prepared by a local chef and reconvened for readings.
The week was the most inspiring, supportive and invigorating I’ve spent in a long time. Fourteen women attended and by the end, we’d bonded over our dedication to writing and shared joy at being at beautiful Lake Atitlan, absorbing the wisdom of Joyce, our master teacher.
Here are a few pix.
Casa de Joyce, view from the water
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Friends in San Diego: Sorry for the late notice, but some tickets are still available for tonight’s final performance of “Related: Adopion Stories for the Stage” at San Diego’s North Park Vaudeville Theatre. Early reviews have been fantastic!
For more information click below:
Tickets for Sunday April 3 at 7 p.m.
Featuring stories by 13 writers interpreted by 10 actors, this new theatrical event and staged reading is the culmination of an open call for submissions across the U.S. and internationally. Co-created and curated by Lauren Bergquist and Samantha Goldstein, two San Diego-based writers and veteran theater professionals, āRelatedā weaves together monologues, scenes and short plays to create a varied, thought-provoking and hopeful reflection of the lived adoption experience.
Tickets are $25 each. Net proceeds will be donated to Promises2Kids, benefitting current and former foster youth in San Diego for more than 40 years.
I’m thrilled and honored for my work to be included in a productiont that feels urgent and necessary.
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A monologue I wrote is part of “Related: Adoption Stories for the Stage,” to be performed at San Diego’s North Park Vaudeville Theatre from Friday April 1 through Sunday April 3, 2022. I’m thrilled for my work to be included in a production that feels original and necessary.
Featuring stories by 13 writers interpreted by 10 actors, this new theatrical event and staged reading is the culmination of an open call for submissions across the U.S. and internationally. Co-created and curated by Lauren Bergquist and Samantha Goldstein, two San Diego-based writers and veteran theater professionals, “Related” weaves together monologues, scenes and short plays to create a varied, thought-provoking and hopeful reflection of the lived adoption experience.
Tickets go on sale Monday, March 28 through North Park Vaudeville Theatreās website and are $25 each. Net proceeds will be donated to Promises2Kids, benefitting current and former foster youth in San Diego for more than 40 years.
If you’re close to San Diego, please check out! I’ll post the link to buy tickets closer to the date.
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I subscribe to emails from LitHub and every day receive wisdom about writing in my inbox. (LitHub collects great essays, interviews, podcasts and book reviews and provides links to them.)
Today’s wisdom was culled from an interview with American novelist, poet, literary critic, and educator Garth Greenwell. Here are sentences that resonated with me:
“The structure of workshop can suggest that success as a writer means appealing to the largest number of readers. I just don’t think that’s true. I donāt think thereās any strong book that is pleasing to everyone. Many of the books that I love best are books that seem to be pleasing to quite few people…. [M]ore emphasis should be put on the idea that your peculiarities and your eccentricities are the things you write into.”
Amen.
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photo credit: Garth Greenwell on LitHub
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