October 20th, 2022 → 6:06 am
“Life’s uncertain voyage.” — Timon of Athens
My narrative memoir about life’s uncertain voyage is live! You can now get your copy of Seeking Forgiveness in one bound product, instead of chapter by chapter off the BeforeFergusonBeyondFerguson website. It has been quite a journey; from living, to writing, to editing, to publishing, to promoting this story. Phew! I am eternally thankful to everyone who has helped me and supported me along the way. To good storytelling, wonderful people, and a life filled with family and love!
Filed under: Books I'm Reading & Literature/Theatre/Art & Self/My Life
October 12th, 2022 → 5:45 am
“My good will is great, though the gift is small.” — Pericles
I was recently honored as a Social Impact Author by Authority Magazine. It really touched me. All authors are motivated to write by some internal drive, the genesis of which varies per person, but for me one of the main drivers is to highlight and share diverse perspectives on the world. If, through storytelling, we can increase our understanding and awareness of alternative life experiences, how can this not help bind us together? How can it not help smooth the wrinkles, and mend the tears, in society’s common tapestry? But most importantly, Michelle Obama, if you’re reading this, lunch is on me!
Filed under: Literature/Theatre/Art & Other & Self/My Life
October 10th, 2022 → 7:01 am
“He that made us with such large discourse,Looking before and after, gave us notThat capability and godlike reasonTo fust in us unused.” — Hamlet
The Nobel Prize in Economics was announced this morning, and it went to three men – Ben Bernanke, Douglas Diamond, and Philip Dybvig – who all wrote important works on banking and financial crises. These have been, and are, important to our understanding of how, and when, to regulate the banking sector. I always like it (as was also done last year) when the Nobel is awarded to research that has real practical and policy implications. Kudos to this year’s winners!
Filed under: Economics/Money
October 7th, 2022 → 7:32 am
“I do see the very book indeed,Where all my sins are writ, and that’s myself.” — Richard II
The 2022 Nobel Prize in literature was just announced, and it was given to an author I admire, and who writes a lot like I do. Her books are slim, to the point, and often loosely fictionalized memoirs. She writes what is called ‘autofiction,’ but to my great disappointment, this category is not always recognized in the industry. Often, when you go to bookstores or literary websites with drop down menus, autofiction isn’t even listed. I once quizzed a literary agent about autofiction, and she didn’t even know what it was! There are a number of famous authors that write autofiction – Rachel Cusk immediately comes to mind – so I don’t understand why the category is so illusive in official industry categorizations. But I love it, I write it, and I wish there were more of it, so congratulations to Annie Ernaux, and to everyone who writes autofiction!
Filed under: Literature/Theatre/Art
October 5th, 2022 → 6:59 am
“Happy are they that hear their detractions and can put them to mending.” — Much Ado About Nothing
Today is Yom Kippur and if you are Jewish and fasting, I wish you an easy fast. If you are not Jewish, nor fasting, happy Wednesday. If you are somewhere in the middle, like me – Jewish but not fasting, not Jewish but curious about the holiday – this post is for you. Yom Kippur is considered a time to look back over the past year and contemplate your decisions and actions – maybe ask for forgiveness from those you’ve harmed, or consider how to be a better person. It isn’t easy, looking back at one’s mistakes, even admitting to one’s mistakes (!), but it’s not a bad exercise. And if you can put your mistakes to mending, even more power to you! You are likely to have a productive upcoming year, not just a useful contemplation of the past. Gmar Tov.