I have the good fortune of being in a fiction writing workshop where I recently submitted the first chapter of my novel. Because it was so well-received, I got a massive boost of confidence in my writing. I was surprised to see that so many of the students were engaging with my fiction so readily…
Sensuality and Adulthood
I happen to be taking a poetry workshop in which I am the oldest student. Being probably four to five years their senior, I am naturally a little patronizing in my view of them. But it surprised me how many of the young ladies—including a conservative Muslim girl—openly expressed a deep yearning for sensuality. One…
The Courage To Live Life
Just yesterday, I met two interesting people who I felt were truly courageous in their pursuit of their dreams. I met the first one when I left a Midtown office building. This black woman with a London accent complimented me on my outfit. "Love the shoes," she said with enthusiasm, "love the modern fit of…
On Artistic License and Imagination
In my writing, I have always strived for attention to detail and realism. With my novel, I take inspiration from my own life and others', as well as surrounding historical context. For example, I recently thought to use the demolition of the Sands Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City as inspiration for a major part…
On the Use of Backstory In Novels
In this recent month's issue of Poets & Writers, author Eleanor Henderson writes about the use of backstory in her article entitled 'I Wasn't Born Yesterday'. Summarily, she argues that while "Ernest Hemingway, Flannery O' Connor, and JD Salinger all wrote deeply involving stories without backstage access to their characters' histories," well-written backstory is quite…
