I’m spending my day in another county with my Speech and Debate team, as they take on a number of other schools in our local league. There are a few things that demand my full attention as their coach during the day, especially in the morning and between rounds, but for the most part, I … Continue reading Thoughts Composed on Writing in November
Writing and Creating
Jessica Bell’s Icasia Bloom Touches Readers With Happiness
Review: How Icasia Bloom Touched Happiness (Vine Leaves Press), by Jessica Bell Scheduled for release 21 September 2021 By Rus VanWestervelt ***NO SPOILERS*** I don’t know about you, but I have a full shelf of books that I return to often. Sure, I love the plots, and they are entertaining in a way that makes … Continue reading Jessica Bell’s Icasia Bloom Touches Readers With Happiness
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56 Things I Have Learned
I turn 56 on March 3, so I offer you 56 things I have learned in these 56 spins around the sun. Which of these resonate with you? 1. We are the gatekeepers of the origins, the overtures, of our lives. No one knows us better than we know ourselves. The wisdom that resides within … Continue reading 56 Things I Have Learned
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Life’s Labyrinth in Embracing Our Creativity
Last night, I was gifted with the opportunity to read for Howard County Poetry and Literary Society (HoCoPoLitSo)'s Wilde Readings series. I read an excerpt from the third chapter of my novel, Fossil Five, where Cassandra reads a letter she wrote to herself five years ago. Personally, it's an incredibly ironic moment, as my own … Continue reading Life’s Labyrinth in Embracing Our Creativity
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When Fire Reigns: Season 1, Episode 1 Published
On January 1, I set out to develop and publish an 11-episode podcast called, "When Fire Reigns." It's about the Great Baltimore Fire of 1904 and the mayor who died just three months later, reportedly by his own doing. Today, I published the first episode, just one day before the 115-year anniversary of the great … Continue reading When Fire Reigns: Season 1, Episode 1 Published
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Building a Podcast: The Baltimore Fire of 1904
Now that Fossil Five is in the hands of my editors, I have decided to devote the month of January to building a podcast series on the Baltimore Fire of 1904. It was my thesis project in grad school, and after listening to a bunch of podcasts this past week, I think it is the … Continue reading Building a Podcast: The Baltimore Fire of 1904
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Our Authentic Show Must Go On
This weekend, I was enthralled by a blog post shared by Mark Willen ("Sexual Assault: When Real Life and Fiction Collide"), who was pondering how his published works hold up in the #MeToo era. As a result of Mark's post, which was weighing heavily on my mind today, I decided to ask a few writers/teachers about … Continue reading Our Authentic Show Must Go On
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Fossil Five Released to Beta Readers in One Week
It's 4:56 a.m., and I have just dropped off my daughter at work. I pour a fresh cup of coffee, sit down in front of my laptop, and open my working revision of my latest novel, Fossil Five. Seven days to go, I think. Seven days until I release my story to 15 readers around … Continue reading Fossil Five Released to Beta Readers in One Week
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More Than A Cup Of Coffee
About 15 years ago, in the pre-dawn darkness, I stood outside the brand new Starbucks in Dulaney Plaza and waited patiently for them to open their doors for the first time. I enjoyed being a part of the coffee store's grand opening, and for years I frequented it often, learning the names of the new … Continue reading More Than A Cup Of Coffee
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The Writer’s Craft: Rethinking Structure When Drafting
I'm not much on labels, but in 1981, Betsy Flowers published an article in Language Arts that talked about the four different kinds of writers. Without going into too much detail, here they are: Madman: Unleashed, uninhibited writing that's a free-flow from brain and heart to parchment. Architect: Planned structures of the story, plotting out … Continue reading The Writer’s Craft: Rethinking Structure When Drafting
The Maryland Writer 
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