I rarely write poetry these days, but some experiences defy capture in any other form. Like last week, when I stumbled into a murder. Running along the river just after sunrise, swathed in the damp-earth smells of recent rain, the rhythm of my feet had lulled me into a meditative mind. A flash of black... Continue Reading →
The Accidental Mirror: What Flawed Characters Reveal About Ourselves
Running solves most of my problems. Bad day at work? Fight with the family? Mad at the world in general? After half a dozen sweaty miles, I reach a place where I’m better equipped to deal. It’s especially helpful for working through story issues. My feet go on autopilot, carrying me not through neighborhoods and... Continue Reading →
Save One Snake: Answering the Distress Call of Environmental Fiction
It could have been the opening for a suspense novel. After a week of almost ceaseless rain, a young couple heads out for a long run, feet eager and skin starved of vitamin D. On a humid summer Sunday morning, even the leafy canopy over the trail seems sluggish. What could go wrong as they... Continue Reading →
Racing Andy Weir: On Running, Writing, and Being Realistic
"What are you doing?" my Laddie pants, pulling up beside me as I pause my Garmin. "Book shopping." Drawing the cold March morning into my aerobically scorched lungs, I approach the glass-fronted hutch beside the trail. A Little Free Library appeared in our neighborhood last year, and I've been a devoted trader. "Ooh, look! You... Continue Reading →
New Year, New Story
Every January since I started running about a decade ago--has it really been that long?! Jeez, no wonder my hip hurts--I’ve celebrated New Year’s Day with a long run. Traditionally, the first song I cue on my playlist is U2’s “New Year’s Day”. (Yes, I’m that dorky. No, it doesn’t bother me anymore.) But yesterday... Continue Reading →