tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-154258022012-01-20T00:53:11.234-05:00Welcome to Practicing Writing! As of August 19, 2010, this blog has moved to <a href="http://www.erikadreifus.com/blogs/practicing-writing/">www.erikadreifus.com</a>. Please visit us there and bookmark the new site. Many thanks!Erika D.noreply@blogger.comBlogger13471100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-68457237744596630112010-08-19T00:01:00.002-04:002010-08-19T19:06:17.927-04:00

It has been a crazy week, my friends, but if all goes according to plan, the new website will launch this evening. By this time tomorrow, you should be able to find Practicing Writing over at its new home on www.erikadreifus.com. (Please click here to go directly to the relocated Practicing Writing.)As I've mentioned before, the forthcoming publication of my story collection, Quiet Americans,

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-79683240870976775822010-08-18T00:01:00.001-04:002010-08-18T00:01:02.165-04:00

After Deadline is back with another grab bag of items on grammar, usage, and style. (I always learn/relearn something from After Deadline, although it hasn't managed to sway me on the serial comma yet, as you can see.)The latest issue of The Atlantic contains an article about one of my guilty pleasures: soap operas. Which reminds me of a review (of a soap-focused book) that I wrote several years

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-87887374817682746442010-08-17T00:01:00.000-04:002010-08-17T00:01:00.096-04:00

You don’t read to discover the poet, you read to discover yourself. --Billy CollinsSource: AdvicetoWriters

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-60935105799722596122010-08-16T00:01:00.001-04:002010-08-16T07:53:44.130-04:00

Gotham Writers' Workshop is running a "Hint Fiction Contest": "For this contest, Gotham welcomes the expertise of Robert Swartwood, editor of Hint Fiction: An Anthology of Stories of 25 Words or Fewer (to be published in November by W.W. Norton). Mr. Swartwood will select the winner from the finalists in this competition." There's no entry fee, and your submission should run no longer than 25

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-91987730344351521772010-08-13T00:01:00.000-04:002010-08-13T00:01:00.755-04:00

From the Association of Writers and Writing Programs (AWP):This past year, AWP asked Program Directors dozens of questions pertaining to their creative writing programs. Thanks to the Program Directors, AWP was able to assemble information on issues ranging from financial aid to class size, tuition, and budget and salary figures. With the downturn in the national economy, many programs and

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-79585337659298648022010-08-12T00:01:00.001-04:002010-08-12T00:01:00.228-04:00

So, as I continue preparing the new website for its debut, I've been trying to figure out the best way to present there an excerpt from my forthcoming story collection, Quiet Americans. To that end, this week, I've been experimenting with some free services provided by BookBuzzr.com.It was easy enough to paste code into a blog post to share the above "widget" with you, and as the book begins to

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-71233289852495542692010-08-11T00:01:00.002-04:002010-08-11T07:42:54.117-04:00

Advice for freelancers from Linda Formichelli: "Diversifying is good to a point, but you shouldn’t just add new products and services willy-nilly."Amusing (and, based on my admittedly limited and long-ago experience, true!) take from Writer Abroad on being "Ameropean."Monday night I finished reading Allegra Goodman's aforementioned new novel, The Cookbook Collector. A wonderful read! As I wrote

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-59914361209258038092010-08-10T00:01:00.000-04:002010-08-10T00:01:00.438-04:00

"If you are not discouraged about your writing on a regular basis, you may not be trying hard enough. Any challenging pursuit will encounter frequent patches of frustration. Writing is nothing if not challenging."--Maxwell PerkinsSource: Chip Scanlan's "'And I Quote': A Collection of Advice, Inspiration and Other Words of Wisdom on the Craft of Writing."

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-15439610321168505972010-08-09T00:01:00.000-04:002010-08-09T00:01:02.091-04:00

Montreal-based Matrix is looking for "Zen-inspired poems in forms that are related or have been shaped by it such as haiku, tanka, haibun, and the collaborative renku." (One of the issue editors confirmed via e-mail that contributors will be paid.) Deadline: October 31, 2010."Call for Submissions! AWP [JobList] is looking for articles on professional advancement for writers & teachers, as well as

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-1251703616550885362010-08-06T00:01:00.000-04:002010-08-06T00:01:01.043-04:00

Over the past three weeks or so, I've seen Janet Fitch's 10 Rules for Writers touted on too many blogs and Twitter feeds to count. So it's about time for Practicing Writing to catch the wave and share these rules with you, too. Sound, sage advice to launch your weekend writing.Speaking of the weekend, have a good one! We'll see you back here on Monday.

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-75777924704030012712010-08-05T00:01:00.001-04:002010-08-05T00:01:00.277-04:00

For a long time, the dream was relatively simple. And focused. It involved seeing my story collection, Quiet Americans, in print. As in: a book. With pages one could turn.But, as you may have heard, there's a new kid on the publishing block: the e-book. Actually, he's not just one kid. He's got multiple platforms.If I haven't been linking here on Practicing Writing to lots of articles about

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-6268527483466907412010-08-04T00:01:00.001-04:002010-08-04T00:01:01.571-04:00

The Association of Writers and Writing Programs (AWP) has posted its list of accepted panel proposals for the 2011 conference in Washington, D.C. I am so excited that both of my proposed teams will be participating! One session is in the "career advancement" category, and will focus on finding, creating, and succeeding in online teaching jobs. The other, within "the craft of fiction," will

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-7775772585077865342010-08-03T00:01:00.000-04:002010-08-03T00:01:01.035-04:00

As I mentioned on my other blog awhile back, I've been looking forward to reading Allegra Goodman's new novel, The Cookbook Collector. I pre-ordered a copy and finally began reading on Sunday evening. So far, so great!Last week, my mom and I attended a terrific literary event here in New York that featured Allegra and novelist Cathleen Schine in conversation with Sandee Brawarsky, book critic for

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-18446909546124957822010-08-02T00:01:00.001-04:002010-08-02T07:46:42.065-04:00

From Robert Lee Brewer: "The 2011 Writer's Market is now in bookstores, which means it is time for me to focus on the 2012 Writer's Market. We're always updating and adding new listings, but I need pitches for articles on the business of writing. If you have access to a truly great writer interview, then yes, pitch me on that, but mostly I'm looking for articles on the nuts and bolts of

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-47841331127765463832010-07-30T00:01:00.000-04:002010-07-30T00:01:02.370-04:00

Earlier this week, I alluded to the fact that I subscribe to several e-services that send me a poem every day. I'm sure that many of you subscribe as well, but I thought I'd provide five representative services for those who have yet to try them. Poem-A-DayPoetry DailyVerse DailyThe Writer's AlmanacYour Daily Poem (a recent discovery, via Diane Lockward)Enjoy, and have a wonderful weekend. See

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-81658508257953827422010-07-29T00:01:00.001-04:002010-07-29T00:01:00.156-04:00

"Anticipating the Worst" may not be the most uplifting or optimistic phrase I've used in any of these pre-publication posts to date. Overall, it's been a joy and a blessing simply to know that my story collection, Quiet Americans, is going to be published. But this weekend, as I sat with a printout of the designed book interior, reading through the entire book (aloud) to catch any last glitches (

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-76813989575967875772010-07-28T00:01:00.002-04:002010-07-28T07:48:20.722-04:00

I subscribe to several "poem-a-day" services, and a few days ago I received a poem from one of them (Poem-A-Day) that I found simply extraordinary: Charles Harper Webb's "Prayer for the Man Who Mugged My Father, 72."==========Over on Twitter, Janice Harayda is using a #bkrev hashtag to discuss book reviewing. Yesterday's focus: negative reviews.==========Here's a fun list: the 25 Greatest

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-84657215902171893292010-07-27T00:01:00.000-04:002010-07-27T00:01:00.075-04:00

In an interview occasioned by the recent publication of his latest book, The Thieves of Manhattan (on my tbr list), Adam Langer was asked the following:"Did you meet with early success, in terms of getting your first novel accepted for publication, or was it a long, hard road for you?"Langer's response offers this week's "Quotation of the Week":"If I pretended that my first published novel,

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-34955941164805646132010-07-26T07:56:00.001-04:002010-07-26T08:03:04.423-04:00

Grant opportunity for New Hampshire writers: Artist Entrepreneurial Grants. "Recognizing that artist entrepreneurs contribute significantly to New Hampshire’s economy, this grant category supports opportunities that will increase the capacity of professional artists, including the development of business skills needed to support their art making, participation in programs intended to raise the

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-37937389061523738482010-07-23T00:01:00.000-04:002010-07-23T00:01:00.427-04:00

You know how just the other day I alluded just the other day to my friend Deonne Kahler's recent participation in the Taos Summer Writers' Conference? Well, DK is now sharing revision tips that she gleaned directly from her workshop leader, Sarah Manguso (apparently, Ms. Manguso calls them "The Thirteen Sieves"). DK will be sharing one tip per post. She began yesterday with this one. And it's

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-86360240609316635002010-07-22T00:01:00.000-04:002010-07-22T00:01:02.546-04:00

Thanks so much to all of you who took the time to comment last week when I presented the cover of my forthcoming story collection, Quiet Americans. I'm so glad that you agree with me: The cover designer has done an wonderful job.Since last week, lots of behind-the-scenes (or, should I say, behind-the-screens) work has been taking place to build up my brand-new website. I've mentioned before that

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-14891500497999479822010-07-21T00:01:00.003-04:002010-07-21T00:01:02.786-04:00

Back when I was helping newbie book reviewers build up a reviewing practice, we'd spend a chunk of time discussing how to obtain review copies. A recent "tweet" from Algonquin Books makes the process simple: "Book bloggers: If you ever want to request an Algonquin review copy, email me: michael(at)algonquin(dot)com. Easy peasy." Meantime, Harper Perennial is inviting book bloggers to join its

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-87077609543772878962010-07-20T00:01:00.000-04:002010-07-20T00:01:00.251-04:00

"No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader." ~Robert Frost via Heidi Mannan

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-4555810596212694992010-07-19T00:01:00.001-04:002010-07-19T07:49:02.779-04:00

From Vagabondage Press: "We are currently open to submissions of novella length fiction for stand-alone publication in digital form, with possible consideration for print publication. Vagabondage Press accepts queries all year round for novella and novel length work and only accepts queries by email. We are currently seeking well-written literary fiction of 15,000 to 50,000 words that explores

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-38323702714563805562010-07-16T00:01:00.002-04:002010-07-16T17:20:24.656-04:00

Diane Lockward has been on both sides of the poetry book contest fence. She has entered many, and she has recently served as a first judge for one. In this post, she shares a number of useful recommendations for contest entrants. Since I'm slowly building up my own poetry practice (and I mean s-l-o-w-l-y), I'll keep her advice in mind for the long haul. Some of you may be able to apply it sooner!

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-53934240043318480182010-07-15T00:01:00.001-04:002010-07-15T07:39:44.349-04:00

I am proud to present to you:I hope that you all like the cover! I sure do!

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-30868981151339786472010-07-14T00:01:00.003-04:002010-07-18T19:03:26.635-04:00

If you've spent any time in the writerly Twitterverse in the past 24 hours or so, you've probably seen multiple mentions of I Write Like..., which will "analyze" a sample of your writing and tell you which famous writer you write like. Kinda fun (even if I don't really believe that my writing resembles the work of Stephen King or H.P. Lovecraft, and even if it seems odd that so few [any?] female

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-65736808860145316692010-07-13T00:01:00.001-04:002010-07-13T07:44:12.204-04:00

Since I often sense that I'm plot-challenged (and I was a fan of certain nighttime "soaps" back in the day), I loved this quotation, which I found via Twitter last week."If I want a plot I'll watch 'Dallas.'"- Elizabeth Hardwick (interviewed in 1985)Source: The Paris Review

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-54649445870966527932010-07-12T00:01:00.000-04:002010-07-12T00:01:01.154-04:00

From White Pine Press: "The Marie Alexander Poetry Series has an open submission period during the month of July. An award of $500 and publication will be given for a chosen collection of prose poems by an American poet. Submit a manuscript of at least 48 pages, which can include some lineated pieces, along with a cover letter with complete contact information and an SASE for notification only.

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-68910472172347818752010-07-09T00:01:00.000-04:002010-07-09T00:01:02.642-04:00

This week brought two helpful resources to my tech-challenged self.First, I present David Pogue's New York Times article, "For Those Facebook Left Behind." Some people will surely find it too "basic," but the article does provide a useful, simple overview of major social-networking sites. "You may find absolutely nothing of value to you in these sites," Pogue writes, "and that’s fine. But isn’t

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-20448792789963027462010-07-08T00:01:00.000-04:002010-07-08T00:01:01.244-04:00

This week's post will be relatively short and sweet. The crux of the message is simple: THANK YOU!You have all been wonderfully receptive and supportive since I began tracking the pre-publication life of my story collection, Quiet Americans, earlier this year. You've read these posts. You've commented. You've opined.I'm so grateful for all of that. I'm also grateful to those of you who have taken

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-5372139421829646832010-07-07T00:01:00.000-04:002010-07-07T00:01:01.033-04:00

Honestly, sometimes these lists of imminent book releases overwhelm me. I already have a huge list of titles tbr. Now I have to add more! See what the latest batch of "Most Anticipated Summer Reading 2010 and Beyond", courtesy of The Millions, adds for you!==========Win a free spot in Linda Formichelli's Write for Magazines e-course.==========In case you missed the announcement late last week,

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-85539803577554457392010-07-06T00:01:00.000-04:002010-07-06T00:01:02.097-04:00

A writer who waits for ideal conditions under which to work will die without putting a word on paper. --E.B. WhiteSource: @AdvicetoWritersThis one should be taped above my computers at work AND home!

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-25134317071733190402010-07-05T00:01:00.000-04:002010-07-05T00:01:01.756-04:00

The Birdsong Micropress Winter 2010 Poetry & Prose Contest will award prizes (one in each category) of $50, publication in Birdsong #14, 10 complimentary copies of the zine, and a featured spot in the organization's Brooklyn reading series in mid-December. Submit by October 10, 2010. No entry fee. (via Poets & Writers)==========New policies for unsolicited submissions to Tin House Books and Tin

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-79125743035913818972010-07-02T00:01:00.000-04:002010-07-02T00:01:03.179-04:00

"SlushPile Hell" is a new blog that's been receiving a number of mentions around the Internet lately. Subtitled "a grumpy literary agent wades through query fails," the blog presents a daily snippet of a query--complete with the grumpy agent's acerbic online riposte. Good for a daily laugh (and warning!).Have a wonderful weekend, everyone, and for all of the American practicing writers out there,

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-38353261157996210282010-07-01T20:36:00.002-04:002010-07-01T20:40:29.955-04:00

Just received this press release from Tin House Books (keep reading--there's relevance for the magazine, too).PORTLAND, OREGON (JUNE 30, 2010) ⎯ In the spirit of discovering new talent as well as supporting established authors and the bookstores who support them, Tin House Books will accept unsolicited manuscripts dated between August 1 and November 30, 2010, as long as each submission is

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-1163327540030511712010-07-01T00:01:00.001-04:002010-07-01T09:46:54.657-04:00

One of my favorite themes in writing-about-writing resurfaced this week: real-life characters in fiction. A big thank you goes to the Hayden's Ferry Review blog for leading me to Meg Rosoff's blog post for the Guardian's Books Blog, "Tackling real-life characters in fiction is fine - as long as you do it well."Most of the writing on creating fictional characters from real-life personages focuses

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-15006806105447062282010-06-30T00:01:00.000-04:002010-06-30T00:01:02.649-04:00

For my fellow Francophiles: a lovely essay by Anthony Daniels on Flaubert's most famous conte, which is translated as A Simple Heart. "Of course, no summary can do justice to the subtlety, acuity, or beauty of Flaubert's story. The only real way of doing it justice would be to repeat it word for word. Let me, however, point to just a few instances, not by any means exhaustive."==========In The

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-64190501394135099732010-06-29T07:47:00.000-04:002010-06-29T07:47:01.018-04:00

“As far as I’m concerned, I don’t care if it’s a hardback, paperback, e-book or library book. Read.” --John GrishamSource: Grisham's Commencement speech at the University of North Carolina, quoted by The Book Blog.

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-53315820590249614272010-06-28T00:01:00.001-04:002010-06-28T00:01:00.559-04:00

Our July newsletter is just about ready to go. As usual, it's packed with info on no-fee competitions and submission alerts. Plus, this month we feature an interview with poet and professor Kimiko Hahn, who has a new book, Toxic Flora, out from Norton. Not yet a subscriber? It's never too late to join us! (The newsletter is free, and we do not share our subscribers' e-mail addresses.)==========In

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-6661042123959737362010-06-25T00:01:00.000-04:002010-06-25T00:01:00.767-04:00

As some of you may remember, in my former (freelancing) life, I offered a slew of writing-related e-books for sale. As the years passed--and as I transitioned into a full-time staff job--I didn't have sufficient time to update each e-book as frequently as I wanted. Other reasons prompted me to bid farewell to those guides: The guides to paying fiction and poetry markets, for instance, seemed less

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-25227274821153976422010-06-24T00:01:00.001-04:002010-06-24T09:33:36.070-04:00

Living in New York City, one could easily attend a literary reading (make that multiple readings) every day. The city presents a true embarrassment of riches in that respect.If you have the time and energy, that is.Alas, time and energy are precious commodities for this practicing writer. Between a full-time office job, family life and friends, a revitalized commitment to visiting the gym at

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-30574637388165401102010-06-23T00:01:00.000-04:002010-06-23T00:01:00.206-04:00

Philip Graham shares writing lessons learned from his cab-driving days.==========Over on my other blog, My Machberet ("machberet" is the Hebrew word for "notebook"), Barbara Krasner provides a generous guest post/conference dispatch re: writing Jewish-themed children's books.==========Here's a peek into the archives of John Updike (made me nostalgic for doing research in Houghton Library).=======

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-79135440650006311922010-06-22T00:01:00.001-04:002010-06-22T09:37:44.480-04:00

"I'm against schedules. Write when you feel excited by the prospect. Otherwise, don't bother."--Rick MoodySource: The Paris ReviewWhat do you think of this one, practicing writers? Kind of goes against a lot of what we've been taught, doesn't it? On the other hand, it does sound wonderfully liberating!

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-22999405284178127022010-06-21T00:01:00.000-04:002010-06-21T00:01:01.131-04:00

Hurry up if you want to try for the 2010 Frieze Writer's Prize. Aimed to promote and encourage new art critics, the competition invites writers "to submit an unpublished 700-word review in English of a recent contemporary art exhibition. Applicants must be over 18 years old and must not have had more than three pieces of writing on art published in a newspaper or magazine." There is no entry fee.

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-54781809021823566532010-06-18T00:01:00.000-04:002010-06-18T00:01:00.770-04:00

Yesterday afternoon I left work early for the semiannual fun-filled dental checkup. The bad news (this time) is that I have the beginnings of a cavity that "we'll watch" for the next several months. Oh, and I should give some serious thought to adult braces for my lower teeth (I thought all of that was taken care of with six years of orthodontia way back when).But the good news is that while I

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-18914774948249302622010-06-17T00:01:00.000-04:002010-06-17T00:01:00.179-04:00

Earlier this week, the Fiction Writers Review blog spotlighted an essay by author Aryn Kyle. Titled "'This Book Made Me Want To Die' And Other Thoughts From Readers," the essay engages with comments/reviews Kyle has received with a decided point of view: that maybe, she should try to write something a little "happier":"Mostly," Kyle writes, "what I learned about my book is that it’s depressing.

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-83706505546576024312010-06-16T00:01:00.000-04:002010-06-16T00:01:03.077-04:00

Some translation-related material to share with you this week. First: The literary journal Image recently asked contributing translators to address their craft; the resulting quotations are here. And from Hayden's Ferry Review: two poems by Yiddish writer Avrom Sutzkever, translated and introduced by Miri Koral.==========Looking for some writing exercises? This post on the Rutgers-Newark MFA blog

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-4381896653389046502010-06-15T00:01:00.000-04:002010-06-15T00:01:02.841-04:00

"I shall live badly if I do not write, and I shall write badly if I do not live."--Françoise SaganSource: Quotes4Writers (I imagine that a translator should be credited here, but I have to go with what I've found. As the French say, désolée!)

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-54306420675249244542010-06-14T00:01:00.005-04:002010-06-14T09:29:01.718-04:00

Real Simple has announced its third annual Life Lessons Essay Contest. Entrants (who must be legal residents of the U.S. age 19 or older) should complete the sentence "I never thought I would...." Prize includes round-trip tickets for two to New York City, hotel accommodations for two nights, tickets to a Broadway play, lunch with Real Simple editors, $3,000, and publication in the magazine."

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-2794630849912451742010-06-11T00:01:00.000-04:002010-06-11T00:01:03.115-04:00

Want to download some free reading for the weekend? Consider "Business Deal," a fairly brief short story by Nathanael West (1903-40) set in a bygone era of screenwriting and movie-making, which the Library of America has made available from Nathanael West: Novels and Other Writings.Or check out any of the other offerings in the Library of America's Story of the Week site/archive.(For more

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-78155570934080775762010-06-10T00:01:00.000-04:002010-06-10T00:01:02.074-04:00

Two weeks ago, I gave you an update on my permissions quest. I am delighted to report that that particular phase of the journey seems to have ended at last: The Big Publishing House charged half again (150%) of the original fee I was quoted to use an epigraph in the print edition of Quiet Americans so that I can include said seven-word excerpt in the e-version, too. Just in case you were

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-67241547925328517332010-06-09T00:01:00.001-04:002010-06-09T00:01:00.918-04:00

Join the Madame Bovary read-a-long that is being planned for the fall, using the new translation by Lydia Davis to ground discussion! (Thanks to The Boston Bibliophile for the tip!)==========Over on The Writer magazine's staff blog, one of the wonderful editors I've had the good fortune to work with pretty frequently, Sarah Lange, talks about freelancing with Kelly James-Enger. I've admired

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-57816309887223214052010-06-08T00:01:00.000-04:002010-06-08T00:01:01.116-04:00

"When the language lends itself to me, when it comes and submits, when it says 'I am yours darling,'—that's the best part."- Maya Angelou, via The Paris Review (on Twitter)

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-13676084863297750132010-06-07T00:01:00.000-04:002010-06-07T00:01:01.605-04:00

"Calling poets! Comment Magazine's second-annual "Making the Most of College" poetry contest runs until July 1st, 2010. The question: How does a 21st-century education lead you to respond to a 19th-century visionary? Write a sonnet which interacts in some way with Percy Bysshe Shelley's "Ozymandias" —a refutation? an update? a round of applause? Imagine the poem afresh for university students

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-73253872814179025262010-06-04T00:01:00.001-04:002010-06-04T07:36:32.974-04:00

As part of our Short Story Month Collection Giveaway Project, many of you were kind enough to share, in the main giveaway post's comments, the titles of collections you've loved and/or are looking forward to reading. Now, following the sage example of the folks at the Fiction Writers Review site, I've decided to compile those recommendations so that we can all appreciate them one more time, in

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-24934992399875146742010-06-03T00:01:00.001-04:002010-06-03T00:01:00.912-04:00

This week's major pre-publication development is this: Over the Memorial Day holiday, I e-mailed the wonderful cover designer who has been drafting designs for the Quiet Americans cover, and I told him that I'd chosen a design to go with.In the end, I'd narrowed the options to two designs. I can't show them to you (truly, I can't--I don't have them in a format I can upload to the blog without

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-61525332518864985722010-06-02T00:01:00.001-04:002010-06-02T00:01:00.518-04:00

Congratulations to our friend John Griswold on all of the accolades he and his novel, A Democracy of Ghosts, have been accruing. Find out more about the author and his book by revisiting our September 2009 interview.==========Sometimes, it really doesn't take a whole lot to make me happy. Seeing online appreciations in recent days for two admired authors--Patrick Modiano, whose work I discovered

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-18981624622628359892010-06-01T00:01:00.000-04:002010-06-01T00:01:01.647-04:00

"There are no dull subjects. There are only dull writers."Source: H.L. Mencken (1880 – 1956), via Quotes4Writers

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-11762430725336145472010-05-31T14:12:00.003-04:002010-05-31T14:16:48.178-04:00

Congratulations to commenters #24 (John Vanderslice) and #2 (Cara Holman), who, with some help from Random.org, have triumphed and emerged as winners of our short story collection giveaway project offerings. John and Cara, please e-mail me and let me know which book you prefer (first e-mailer gets first choice). Please include your mailing address--I will order the books and have them shipped to

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-39939703840618342312010-05-31T00:01:00.000-04:002010-05-31T00:01:02.473-04:00

The Writer's Center of Bethesda, Md., has announced its Undiscovered Voices Fellowship: "The Writer’s Center seeks promising writers earning less than $25,000 annually to apply for our Undiscovered Voices Fellowship. This fellowship program will provide complimentary writing workshops to the selected applicant for a period of one year, but not to exceed 8 workshops in that year. We expect the

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-87669304690821095812010-05-29T18:20:00.000-04:002010-05-29T18:25:15.876-04:00

WHAT WE WRITE ABOUT WHEN WE WRITE ABOUT RAYMOND CARVERRaymond Carver: A Writer's Life by Carol Sklenicka. Scribner, 592 pages. Hardcover or digital, $35.00 (paperback to be released in November).By Erika DreifusFor me (and, I suspect, for many of you), delving into a biography of a famous author must resemble what non-writers experience when they sit down with a celebrity profile. What an

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-86923029238158639762010-05-28T00:01:00.000-04:002010-05-28T00:01:02.999-04:00

I know, you're all getting tired of my yammering on about the Collection Giveaway Project. Especially if you're kind enough to be following me on Twitter.But we are entering the Project's LAST WEEKEND. This is your LAST CHANCE to win one of the two collections I'm offering (Susan Perabo's Who I Was Supposed to Be or Margot Singer's The Pale of Settlement) and/or any of the books that have been

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-57150047111248438292010-05-27T00:01:00.001-04:002010-05-27T00:01:00.753-04:00

So, back in April I told you about my quest to procure permission to use certain words penned in a book that was released by a Big Publishing House, because I want to use these words as an epigraph to my forthcoming story collection, Quiet Americans. Then, last week, I mentioned how incredibly helpful it was for me to simply pick up the phone after weeks of apparent non-response to check in on

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-30231659828596820752010-05-26T00:01:00.001-04:002010-05-26T08:09:24.669-04:00

Happy 50th Birthday to To Kill A Mockingbird.==========Philip Graham writes about French memoirist Jacques Lusseyran and the power of the spoken voice.==========Linda Formichelli offers 7 tips for freelancing at Starbucks (and similar locations).==========Creating Van Gogh reaches its 100th post (and gives us a nice shout-out--thanks!). Especially if you're interested in historical fiction,

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-79902411592759652062010-05-25T00:01:00.000-04:002010-05-25T00:01:02.143-04:00

Asked to offer suggestions/advice for beginning poets, Diane Lockward recently responded:"Have patience and persistence. Respect your tears; they are often where the poems reside. Learn the craft. Be willing to serve an apprenticeship. Read the masters to learn where you came from. Read contemporary poetry to learn what’s being done today. Buy books by other poets; that’s one way we support each

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-40195844086276850232010-05-24T00:01:00.002-04:002010-05-24T08:12:04.374-04:00

This Monday's post will be relatively brief, since I'm busy polishing the June Practicing Writer newsletter, which will go out on Friday, before Memorial Day weekend here in the U.S. If you're not yet a subscriber, join us! It's free, and we do not share/sell/distribute your e-mail address.==========Poetry Jumps Off the Shelf opportunity for Wisconsin poets: "Woodrow Hall Editions is accepting

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-5260524844706832782010-05-21T00:01:00.000-04:002010-05-21T00:01:00.642-04:00

Just a reminder that in the spirit of Short Story Month, Fiction Writers Review is coordinating a multi-blogger "Collection Giveaway Project." If you're a blogger and want to participate (by running a short story collection giveaway yourself), there's still plenty of time to do so, and you can read the details here.There's also still plenty of time to win one of the books others (including me)

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-11280564482053264472010-05-20T00:01:00.000-04:002010-05-20T00:01:00.219-04:00

First, THANK YOU all for the amazing response to last week's post, in which I solicited your feedback on author photo possibilities. You're a terrific group! I've now gone ahead and asked the photographer to retouch two photos (as I said, one retouched photo is part of the package I signed up for; I'm going to kick in the extra bucks for a second one). In the meantime, I want to share with you a

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-19504838869986701602010-05-19T00:01:00.001-04:002010-05-19T00:01:01.931-04:00

HTMLGIANT brings us an interview with poet/translator/publisher Lawrence Schimel, whose Fairy Tales for Writers we mentioned here way back in 2007.==========Next, the Huffington Post presents the provocatively-titled "Iowa Writers' Workshop Graduate Spills It All: Interview with John McNally, Author of 'After the Workshop.'" (via the Poetry Foundation)==========Then, The Days of Yore website,

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-38569590973436179762010-05-18T00:01:00.000-04:002010-05-18T00:01:02.853-04:00

"Every translation is a case of negotiation."Source: Umberto Eco, interviewed for The Paris Review

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-40452869531017438572010-05-17T00:01:00.000-04:002010-05-17T00:01:02.498-04:00

"ABC-CLIO seeks contributors for an Encyclopedia of Cultivated Plants. The encyclopedia will include entries on 350 cultivated plants: crops, ornamentals and medicinals. Contributors shall receive full authorial credit for their entries, a small honorarium and, in the case of 5,000 words of entries, a free set of the encyclopedia."=========="The Kentucky Women Writers Conference is seeking two

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-68206035301620100992010-05-14T00:10:00.001-04:002010-05-14T00:10:00.029-04:00

I've only been interviewed on the radio once--so far--so I was interested to see these author radio interview tips on The Book Publicity Blog. Have a great weekend, all. (And if you haven't yet signed up to win one of the short story collections I'm offering to buy and send you, please do so! If you want to host a giveaway of your own as part of a Short Story Month celebration, even better!) See

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-54251690968822686472010-05-13T00:01:00.000-04:002010-05-13T00:01:01.297-04:00

So, when we last left our heroine (moi), Author Photo Shoot Day was approaching. It came and it went...well! I have so much admiration for photographer Lisa Hancock, who did some really nice work (I think so, at least!).You've seen some of that work with my new profile picture right here on the blog (if you haven't noticed it yet, take a look on the right sidebar). But here's the deal: The photo

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com34tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-61416603000886266362010-05-12T00:01:00.000-04:002010-05-12T00:01:03.438-04:00

On the Barrelhouse blog, Dan Brady argues that the Poetry Foundation's move away from blogging (see last week's Web Browser) is a bad move.==========When agent Julie Barer talks, I listen. So should you.==========Don't forget about the short story collection giveaway project!==========When I catch my breath, I'm looking forward to reading Nathan Englander's short story in the current New Yorker.

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-38239741413768775172010-05-11T00:01:00.000-04:002010-05-11T00:01:00.696-04:00

"[S]ome of your best poems may never appear in a journal, and you have to trust your own knowledge that the poem is good despite the fact no one has 'picked it up' (a phrase I hate)."Source: Cate Marvin, interviewed by Brian Brodeur for How a Poem Happens (via The Writer's Center)

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-88466100891717952972010-05-10T17:20:00.003-04:002010-05-31T14:19:57.249-04:00

UPDATE, 5/31: Congratulations to commenters #24 (John Vanderslice) and #2 (Cara Holman), who, with some help from Random.org, have triumphed and emerged as winners of our short story collection giveaway project offerings. John and Cara, please e-mail me and let me know which book you prefer (first e-mailer gets first choice). Please include your mailing address--I will order the books and have

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-16847009841444534012010-05-10T00:10:00.000-04:002010-05-10T00:10:00.495-04:00

For you practicing writers who are based in New York State outside the five boroughs of New York City: New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) Strategic Opportunity Stipends "are designed to help individual artists of all disciplines take advantage of unique opportunities that will significantly benefit their work or career development. Literary, media, visual, music and performing artists may

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-79400718126978528752010-05-07T00:01:00.001-04:002010-05-07T00:01:01.462-04:00

Ron Lands has to be one of the most impressive (and modest) people I met in my M.F.A. program. So when I learned that Ron - who earned an M.D. well before he tackled the M.F.A. - was attending a two-day event on "The Examined Life: Writing and the Art of Medicine" at the University of Iowa's Carver College at April's end, I was eager to request a guest post. Ever generous, Ron agreed. Here's his

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-9349724859900527272010-05-06T00:01:00.001-04:002010-05-06T08:11:58.454-04:00

Time for a shift in these pre-publication posts. Up to this point, we've been spending a lot of time on things like subject matter, permissions, and author websites. Serious stuff. Readers, it's time to talk about eyebrows. Mine, specifically.Earlier this week, I went for my very first "brow sculpting." What does this have to do with my book? Well, the publication of my short story collection,

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-18710258107827698412010-05-05T00:02:00.000-04:002010-05-05T00:02:00.136-04:00

PERSISTENCE AND PURPOSE: AN INTERVIEW WITH CHARLES CONLEYBy Erika DreifusOne July day back in 2004, I arrived at the Prague Airport to begin two weeks participating in Western Michigan University's Prague Summer Program (PSP). Among the first people I met as the PSP contingent gathered to board a bus to the city was Charles ("Charlie") Conley. It turned out that Charlie and I had been assigned to

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-12616461798816786302010-05-05T00:01:00.002-04:002010-05-05T00:01:02.317-04:00

Another set of useful notes on grammar, usage, and style, courtesy of NYTimes.com.=========="The blog as a form has begun to be overtaken by social media like Twitter and Facebook," says the Poetry Foundation, explaining the reasoning behind some online restructuring. Matters I'm thinking about, too, as I seek to consolidate and streamline my online presence in these months before my book release

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-80017208821224524402010-05-04T00:01:00.001-04:002010-05-04T00:01:00.528-04:00

"'Sometimes students seem shy about writing about people who do the wrong thing -- we're all taught to do the right thing and focus on the right thing,' [Chang-rae] Lee said. 'But all of literature is about people who do the wrong thing, despite themselves. What would the story be if they did the right thing? No story at all. Fiction wants to look at all the things that go wrong.'"Source: "

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-81789896334580550632010-05-03T00:01:00.000-04:002010-05-03T00:01:00.478-04:00

Win a free online poetry class or manuscript critique/consultation with Sage Cohen through the no-fee "Life Poetic iPoem Contest." Deadline: July 4, 2010.==========From last week's WritersWeekly.com: "Have a Freelance Success Story to share? We pay $40 on acceptance, non-exclusive electronic rights only. Success stories run around 300 words but we're very flexible. Our guidelines are here."======

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-12245721964672673172010-05-02T13:31:00.001-04:002010-05-02T13:33:14.103-04:00

Update on our National Poetry Month Poetry Book Giveaway: Congratulations to #14 and #25 (Kelly Luce and newzoopoet), who won the Random.org lottery! Please e-mail me with your mailing addresses and your title preference--whoever writes to me first will get "dibs." Congrats to the giveaway winners, and thank you all for playing along!

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-30819279431590329862010-04-30T00:01:00.000-04:002010-04-30T00:01:01.977-04:00

Let me tell you, it's tough enough for us New Yorkers to manage to attend even a fraction of the literary events in NYC. And we live here! Obviously, it's much harder when you live elsewhere. That's why all of us should be grateful to this Virtual Poetry Center from the 92nd Street Y:"In a renewed effort to share with a wider contemporary audience some of the great literary moments which the

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-90179438396515325842010-04-29T00:01:00.002-04:002010-04-29T00:01:02.858-04:00

If you've been following my pre-publication posts, you already know that the material in my forthcoming story collection, Quiet Americans, has a great deal to do with my grandparents' identities and experiences as Jews who escaped Nazi Germany in the late 1930s. And while only three of the seven stories in the book were written during the time I was an MFA student, suffice to say that more than

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-8631305197335858212010-04-28T00:01:00.002-04:002010-04-28T00:01:01.211-04:00

Recommended reading: Allegra Goodman's excellent short story in this week's New Yorker and the accompanying Book Bench Q&A. (I'm wondering if other readers will find the story as sad as I do. I know that part of my emotional reaction is some kind of nostalgia wave for Cambridge, Mass., where the story is set, but still....)==========Scott McLemee interviews Weber Studies editor Michael Wutz on

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-66310445723664046202010-04-27T00:01:00.001-04:002010-04-27T00:01:01.747-04:00

"I'm sorry."Such was the response of pretty much every editor who addressed an audience member's question/complaint about slow submission response times during the panel on "The State of the Essay in the Publishing Marketplace" at Welcome Table Press' inaugural symposium, "In Praise of the Essay: Practice & Form," which took place here in NYC last Saturday. (Whew! That is one long sentence I just

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-25971333944875287222010-04-26T00:01:00.003-04:002010-04-26T07:42:56.522-04:00

Tin House has announced the theme for its Spring 2011 issue: The Mysterious. (What's a bit mysterious to me is the fact that a deadline of September 30 is listed; since Tin House is not open to unsolicited submissions between May 31 and September 1, I'm inferring that you can submit work for this issue EITHER before May 31 OR during September.) "We realize that it is spookily far in advance, but

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-37921271088093124262010-04-23T00:01:00.001-04:002010-04-23T11:59:40.253-04:00

As Guide to Literary Agents blog contributor Felice Prager astutely notes, "Authors are often so excited about finding representation that they sign an agreement without knowing if the agent is an ideal match. In addition to agreement-specific issues regarding money and terms, there are other questions you should ask before you sign anything." Here are Prager's 10 such questions. I sure wish that

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-85946301382228092662010-04-22T00:01:00.004-04:002010-04-22T00:01:01.399-04:00

As I've mentioned before, the animating spirits behind my forthcoming story collection, Quiet Americans, are my paternal grandparents, Jews who left Germany in the late 1930s. What seems to surprise some people is that rather than having immigrated to the United States together, my grandparents met and married here in New York. This photograph was taken at their wedding in January 1941. The

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-84054476723756554662010-04-21T00:01:00.000-04:002010-04-21T00:01:02.176-04:00

Historical fictionists: Take note of John Vanderslice's thoughts on "knowingly parting from fact," prompted by his attendance at an AWP panel in Denver.==========A mini-craft lecture on writing with empathy, courtesy of Tayari Jones.==========I'm not doing a very good job keeping up with all of the Poem-A-Day prompts on Robert Lee Brewer's Poetic Asides blog, but I did catch (and love) this one.

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-69976749130005181632010-04-20T00:01:00.000-04:002010-04-20T00:01:01.871-04:00

There is much to appreciate in the wonderful collection of Saul Bellow's letters to other writers that the New Yorker has published this week. (You'll need a subscription to access the correspondence online.)The letters contain a great deal of deep, seriously-considered material. But I couldn't help focusing on one relatively short missive to Philip Roth, dated December 26, 1957.Roth had

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-80754021396428712892010-04-19T00:01:00.000-04:002010-04-19T00:01:00.454-04:00

Creative Nonfiction is seeking essay submissions for a new book project, Immortality, to be published by Southern Methodist University Press. They're looking for new essays "from a variety of perspectives on recent scientific developments and the likelihood, merits and ramifications of biological immortality. We're looking for essays by writers, physicians, scientists, philosophers, clergy -

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-48133622364795733112010-04-16T00:01:00.002-04:002010-04-16T08:10:15.440-04:00

I loved this post by Fiction Writers Review Editor-in-Chief Anne Stameshkin, linking to a most useful resource: a guide to pronouncing writers' names. No longer must you wonder how to say "Michael Chabon" or "J.M. Coetzee"--or be (even unwittingly) embarrassed by your mispronunciations.I've blogged before about the misspellings my name seems to inspire in print/online, but you might be surprised

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-78669940158566697272010-04-15T00:01:00.001-04:002010-04-15T00:01:03.232-04:00

The Practicing Writer Web site is now approaching its sixth birthday. So much in my writing life has changed since it was launched in the summer of 2004. I've moved to a new city; shifted from freelancing and teaching to a full-time (albeit writing-and-editing-intensive) office job; added poetry-writing to my personal practice; established the Practicing Writing and My Machberet blogs; started a

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-39287974057069738052010-04-14T00:01:00.001-04:002010-04-14T00:01:00.858-04:00

Zachary Watterson's excellent interview with Charles Johnson focuses on literary mentors and friends. (And don't miss the link to Johnson's take on writing workshops at the end.)==========Want some tips on how to write a good profile? Check out this advice from Linda Formichelli.==========I was happy to see that Creating Van Gogh (a.k.a. John Vanderslice) took me up on the recommendation to read

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-81647142460186323482010-04-13T00:01:00.000-04:002010-04-13T00:01:01.727-04:00

Received via e-mail yesterday from Crazyhorse journal. Check out the quotations mentioned within, and consider others to send to Crazyhorse!Crazyhorse Quick-Quote Contest Do you have a favorite quote about writing, the creative process, or the writing life? E-mail it to Crazyhorse to enter it into the Crazyhorse Quick-Quote Contest.20 winners receive a free subscription to Crazyhorse.Winning

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15425802.post-57622550937610493632010-04-12T00:01:00.000-04:002010-04-12T00:01:00.514-04:00

If I were a science fiction writer, this Science In My Fiction Contest would definitely be for me. "Here's how it works: Authors write a science fiction or fantasy short story which is inspired by a scientific discovery or innovation made or announced within the past year. It can't be peripherally added: the science must be integral to the story. Writers must include a link to a relevant article

Erika D.noreply@blogger.com4