a few announcements....

Memoir Workshops and Book Releases

Early summer morning at Edgewood Farm, Truro

Wherever you are, I hope that you are moving into the days of late summer having been able to take some time for yourself. If you are spending time with friends and family, enjoy them; if you’re spending time out-of-doors, breathe deeply. Swim, hike, walk: do all the things that time prevents you from doing during the school year. Eat simply: this is the season of a thick slice of tomato on white bread lacquered with mayonnaise and black pepper (we prefer Duke’s). Wake early; nap in the afternoon. Read actual books written on actual paper.

It has been a busy (busy) summer for me; I’m finishing my next book, On Permission, which is coming from Godine next year, and about to re-release new editions of my first two books, Poor Man’s Feast and Treyf, which are coming soon from Open Road Media. I will also be leading more workshops on writing memoir in the coming months, and wanted to share those dates with you.

I have been a longtime reader of Orion Magazine as well as a contributor, and I am delighted to announce my Orion workshop, on the role of place in memoir. It is a generative class but we will also be doing a significant amount of short reading, including works by

Kerri ní Dochartaigh

,

Katherine May

, Margaret Renkl, Barry Lopez, Ross Gay, Naomi Shihab Nye, and others. The dates for this online workshop are October 17th through December 5th. APPLICATIONS OPEN 9/1-9/15. Please mark your calendars and visit the Orion site to apply via Submittable.

From 11/6-12/1, I will be leading an online memoir workshop on permission in memoir at 24 Pearl, the online division of Fine Arts Work Center. Details and sign-up information to come soon.

On the weekend of 1/5 - 1/7/2024, I will be leading a live weekend writing workshop at Kripalu, on truth and permission, and the story you must tell. The Kripalu experience is meant for everyone — seasoned authors, enthusiastic beginners, and anyone who is facing issues of story “ownership” in their work. The Kripalu experience is a lovely one, with almost round-the-clock yoga, meditation, truly stellar food, body work, and gorgeous hiking and walking trails.

I look forward to seeing you—-until then, stay cool.