Great read:

I'm catching up on some reading and came across a GREAT story by Terry Mergenthal in the Spring 2009 issue of The Gettysburg Review: The Practical Heart.

Creative, engaging, terrific.

Liam!

I've recently reconnected with my friend Liam Cummings via, of all things, Facebook! This is funny, of course, because I'm really technologically challenged and fought the idea of creating a FB account. In fact, my daughter has to help me navigate FB (sad, I know).

Liam lives in Ireland. We met a few years back when we were both attending a week-long class at The Monroe Institute in Charlottesville, VA. Then, in 2005, I went to Ireland and met up with him again. He introduced me to Smithwick's. It's important to note that when I went to Ireland I did not drink beer. However, I came home a Smithwick's convert. I've amended my claim to this: I don't drink American beer.

Great reads:

I realize this might be old news, but I recently read these and enjoyed them:

Jacob Appel's The Empress of Charcoal in Harpur Palate

Molly Gaudry's An in Night Train

Where is summer?

It's 59 degrees. Yep, that's right: 5 followed by a 9. That was the HIGH today...the middle of June!! Not even 60. Plus there's a north wind blowing. Now, I realize that complaining about it will get me exactly nothing. But, really, this is approaching ridiculous. We should be running around in shorts and t-shirts and flip-flops. Not jeans and sweatshirts.

"Counting"

My story "Counting" appears in the May 2009 issue of Bryant Literary Review, Tenth Anniversary.  Check it out!

Graduation Day!!

My daughter graduated from college (UW - Milwaukee) a couple of weeks ago (yay!!).  I'm very proud of her... got a little teary-eyed watching her make her way to the stage.