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Category Archives: writing
Review of "The Lousy Adult" Alongside Stephen Graham Jones's "Not For Nothing"
So the Dallas Morning News published this last Sunday a review of several books by (ex or present) Texas writers and my book of stories The Lousy Adult was one of those mentioned, but the cooler thing is that it’s … Continue reading
Posted in books, The West, Uncategorized, writing
Tagged Book Reviewing, Fiction Writing, Good Fiction, Stephen Graham Jones, The Lousy Adult
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On Mark Bauerlein's "The Dumbest Generation" and Teaching to the Intellectually Challenged
So this little gem is priceless, coming from one of our last somewhat-intellectual news outlets, The New York Times: a media writer describing how he doesn’t read anymore, and seems happy (or Post-Shame, at least) to do nothing but watch TV … Continue reading
Posted in Bad TV, books/film, Cormac McCarthy, The West, writing
Tagged Book Reviewing, The Dumbest Generation
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My Review of Jim Harrison's "Brown Dog" in the Dallas Morning News
So I’ve been woefully out-of-touch with my blog, my misbegotten red-headed stepchild (with apologies to all ginger stepchildren in the world), but I haven’t been woefully out-of-touch with reading & living, which should always trump blogging. My review of Jim … Continue reading
Posted in books, books/film, Film, The West, writing
Tagged Birding, Book Reviewing, Fiction Writing, Film, Good Fiction, Jim Harrison, Pete Dexter, The West
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On Reading Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code": Is It Really as Bad as They Say?
So in The Writer’s World (imagine an alternate universe of eggheads, wannabes, dreamers, drinkers, and too-often-self-obsessed thinkers) Dan Brown’s blockbuster novel The Da Vinci Code (2003) has a reputation about on par with Ed Wood movies or, for a more … Continue reading
Posted in books/film, writing
Tagged Book Reviewing, Fiction Writing, Good Fiction, The Da Vinci Code
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Review of Jim Crace's "Harvest"
So my review of Jim Crace’s new novel, Harvest, appeared Sunday in the Dallas Morning News, here. I liked the book, mainly for its style more than its subject or story, which was taken to task in an interesting review … Continue reading
Posted in books, Uncategorized, writing
Tagged Book Reviewing, Fiction Writing, Good Fiction
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Review of Kevin Grauke's "Shadows of Men," Plus a Northern Harrier To Boot
So last Sunday my review of Kevin Grauke’s debut collection of short stories, Shadows of Men, appeared in the Dallas Morning News, here. It’s an excellent book—at times funny, at times touching, and pretty much hits the nail on the … Continue reading
Posted in Birding, books, Photography, The West, writing
Tagged Birding, Book Reviewing, Good Fiction, Photography, The West, Wildlife photos
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Interview on Montana Public Radio About "The Bird Saviors"
So I’m busy with writing a new novel and haven’t made much time for posting here lately, though I’ve been busy rereading Pete Dexter’s Paris Trout (1988) while also reading Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird (1962), as both are … Continue reading
Posted in books, The West, Weird Science, Weird Weather, writing
Tagged Good Fiction, The Bird Saviors
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Where Do You Live? What Do You Do? & Other Ways to Define a Person
So I’m working on a new novel, which is really the only part about being a writer I like. I was just visiting a friend who went to one of my readings and commented on how cool it was to … Continue reading
Posted in books, Cormac McCarthy, The West, writing
Tagged Cormac McCarthy, Fiction Writing, Good Fiction, The Bird Saviors, The West
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On Jessica Karbowiak's "These Things I Know" & Simon Winchester in the NY Times
So one of my former students, Jessica Karbowiak, has a knockout book out right now, titled These Things I Know. And though I know much about the book I don’t want to be a Spoiler and give it all away, … Continue reading
Posted in Birding, books, The West, writing
Tagged Birding, Book Reviewing, Good Fiction, Simon Winchester, Wildlife photos
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Review of David McGlynn's "A Door in the Ocean"
So my review of David McGlynn’s just-published memoir, A Door in the Ocean, appears today in the Dallas Morning News, here. It’s a good book, and gives an interesting insider’s viewpoint of competitive swimming, how grueling and isolating it can … Continue reading
Posted in Birding, books, Photography, The West, writing
Tagged Birding, Good Fiction, The West, Wildlife photos
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