As a writer, I am forever fascinated by worlds and peoples outside myself–the real and the imagined (though I keep a distinct separation between the imagined of fiction and the real of journalistic commentary). I do not believe in the limiting adage, “write what you know,” but rather in the approach “know what you write.” (As Louis Carroll would tell you could he now speak, they are not the same thing.)

So, my work is eclectic. My interest in social and political themes often results in stories that are satirical or philosophical, with a touch of the fantastic. I am not drawn to the familiar of every day life, but to the unusual. And I believe the most fun, and the most interesting writing, comes from making what I call “the empathetic leap,” living in someone else’s skin for a while. Making that leap–that is the great adventure.

RECENT FICTION PUBLICATONS:

“Cassandra 2024” was published in Unlikely Stories Mark V on January 10, 2024. The story can be read here: “Cassandra, 2024.”

“The Naked Man,” has come out in Gargoyle Online on Sunday, September 10. The story can be read here: “The Naked Man”

“The Governor Bans Rainbows” has just come out in Unlikely Stories’ Fuck Florida issue today, August 22! The story can be read here: “The Governor Bans Rainbows”

Tinker’s Damn (play excerpt), in The Pen Woman, Winter 2023

For full list of publications, click here.

OTHER NEWS:

September and October of 2024: my cartoon, “We Didn’t Do It” was one in a group of visual works in the exhibition “High Anxiety” at Washington, DC’s Back End Studios. My piece was purchased and is in a private collection.

August 2024: I spent a residency at Millay Arts, completing and refining two new one act plays.

Tue Nov 14 2023 — I read “The Governor Bans Rainbows” in the The Inner Loop’s November reading series. It was a pleasure to be reading in the company of other wonderful local writers. (The event was held at Shaw’s Tavern in Washington, DC. And I can swear that the Shaw burger is the most wonderful I ever tasted!)

STAGED READING OF TINKER’S DAMN–A HIT! The professional staged reading of my play Tinker’s Damn on Tuesday, October 24 at the Arts Club of Washington went GREAT! Large turnout. And the audience loved it.

Below are a sprinkling of photos from the event.

The first one is of the Rose Theatre’s artistic director,Leslie Kobylinski, introducing the event to the audience. The second is of me, sitting in the back, taking notes–but on this occasion–yay– there were few to no notes to take! 😊 And finally, a photo of me just before the performance. Thanks to Leslie and the excellent actors (Raven Bonniwell, Jim Brady, Ray Ficca, Rick Foucheux, Christopher Lane, Chris Stezin, and Richard Washer–who was also my first dramaturge) who did such wonderful justice to my words!

ADVENT OF THE MY WASHINGTON WHISPERS COLUMN: For three years, I wrote the weekly political opinion column, Washington Whispers for the online publication The Insider, The Insider ended its run in late July 2023. But the column lives on as My Washington Whispers. (The first column at the new location came out at the end of September 2023. Older columns published in The Insider can be found here.)