Monthly Archives: December 2011

Let’s Talk About Goals

Posted on December 29, 2011 by Laura Stanfill

My writing friend Liz Prato, a wonderful teacher and author, sent out a very inspirational email this week about setting writing resolutions for 2012. “How can you accomplish a goal if you don’t articulate it?” she wrote. “You’re also way … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Research, Writing | Tagged , , , , , | 13 Comments

My Daughter’s Giant Stocking (and Issues of Gauge)

Posted on December 22, 2011 by Laura Stanfill

Knitters are supposed to check their gauge before starting a project. That means knitting a little swatch, counting the stitches per inch, and seeing if the result matches up with the pattern requirements. If so, great. If not, it’s necessary … Continue reading →

Posted in Knitting, Revision, Writing | Tagged , , , , , | 9 Comments

Where Are All the Christmas Cards?

Posted on December 19, 2011 by Laura Stanfill

I’m a bit freakish about sending holiday cards out. Obsessed, one might say. I start handmaking my cards–usually 120 of them–around Halloween every year. Last year’s were all collages, each one sporting different festive images. My daughter had a great … Continue reading →

Posted in Community, Writing | Tagged , , , , | 20 Comments

Success Story: Shasta Kearns Moore Publishes Her Novella

Posted on December 15, 2011 by Laura Stanfill

Journalist and blogger Shasta Kearns Moore joined us here last July as part of the Seven Questions series. She talked about her novella, A TWIST OF FATE, her twin boys and the differences between newspaper writing and fiction. You can … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Fiction, Writing | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Interview: Caitlin Kelly, ‘Malled’ Author, Discusses Writing About Retail, Meeting Deadlines and Protecting Intellectual Property

Posted on December 12, 2011 by Laura Stanfill

Caitlin Kelly is the author of MALLED: MY UNINTENTIONAL CAREER IN RETAIL,  published this spring by Portfolio, the business imprint of Penguin Group. Her memoir offers an insightful take on the retail industry based on her two years as a part-time … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Journalism, Reading, Seven Questions, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Writing Links

Posted on December 9, 2011 by Laura Stanfill

I have been collecting a lot of great links lately and haven’t run any in a while. So here are a few, and expect more soon. The newly released winter issue of Etude: The Journal of Literary Nonfiction contains a … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Writing | Tagged , | 10 Comments

A Chance to Win Six Writing Books

Posted on December 7, 2011 by Laura Stanfill

Author and freelance editor Sarah Cypher has announced a very special giveaway. She’s going to send one lucky winner a collection of six amazing writing books. One of those titles is her own immensely useful collection of writing terms, “The Editor’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Fiction, Writing | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Great Gift Idea: Storytelling on the Wall

Posted on December 5, 2011 by Laura Stanfill

I’m a gift-giver. I admit it. I love picking out the perfect item for a loved one, or knitting a special handmade something or other. This year, I did my holiday shopping year-round and finished before Halloween. That’s a record … Continue reading →

Posted in Community, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Writing Challenge #11: Finish Something

Posted on December 2, 2011 by Laura Stanfill

I used to joke I had only knit three socks. Not three pairs. Three socks. My first pair came together rather quickly. Excited by the outcome, I began a second pair in a lovely reddish-pink Colinette Jitterbug yarn. I completed one … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Knitting, Writing, Writing Challenge | Tagged , , , | 13 Comments