Spring Forward, Fall Back

One of the professional writing books that helped me the most was a paperback by veteran mystery writer, Lawrence Block, called TELLING LIES FOR FUN & PROFIT:  A MANUAL FOR FICTION WRITERS.  What attracted me in this title was the word “manual.”  In my writing career, I had already earned my advanced degree in creative [...]

Teaching to Write or Writing to Teach?

Ever since I graduated from San Diego State University with my Masters Degree in Creative Writing, I have been teaching to write.  In other words, the teaching paid the bills so I could write.  Following ten years of writing and teaching, I accumulated some fiction about which I was proud to say, “These stories were [...]