Trust Me On This
Trust Me On This Remember in High School, that girl, woman at your school that you couldn’t take your eyes off of? No one could, and like it or not, everyone saw her the way you did. Parents, teachers, the principal and every single boy or man in the school. I fault no one on this point. She was a...
I Got Fired
I Got Fired. [Tweet "I Got Fired"] This is not a new story, but it is a true story. Several years ago, I blissfully, joyfully, dream-come-true-fully-taught creative writing in a Master of Fine Arts program in New Hampshire and I got fired. Unceremoniously and without cause, I was let the F-go. The...
Ann Garvin’s Teaching and Conference Schedule
2023 Ann Garvin’s Teaching and Presenting Schedule. How To Prepare The Perfect Pitch Feb. 24-26 womenwritersretreat.com Virtual Online Weekend Writing Retreat With Mollie McClure, Jacquelyn Mitchard, Karen Dionne, and Folio Lit Agency Plotting and Story Workshop March 10-12...
I Want People To Feel Better About Being Human.
I want people to feel better about being human. I just do. Being human is untidy—we’re inconsistent, moody, and, depending on the day, a little too gassy. And sometimes, we can’t keep any of that to ourselves. All of this can lead to embarrassment and sometimes shame, and seriously I don’t want...
Where Do You Get Your Ideas?
Where do you get your ideas? It’s come to my attention lately that people are concerned about me. The concern isn’t health-related—my body is the best thing I’ve ever gotten for free. Occasionally, however, I do joke about my relationship status and I realize they are concerned because I’m single....
I’d Like to Introduce You to Some Wonderful Women
I'd like to introduce you to some wonderful women. But first, a story. Erma Bombeck spoke at my college graduation. This is how her speech began. "Hello. I know you're nervous about school ending and are filled with anticipation for the future and grief for leaving behind your loved ones. I know...
The Soft Animal of Your Body
The Soft Animal Of Your Body, I don’t go on vacation. I often joke about it and say, “I don’t know how not to work.” My parents straddled the silent and boomer generation--traditionalists who valued hard work, frugality, and discipline. I watched and learned, my friends. I’m an excellent student....
Sneak Peek expires in one week.
Sneak Peek expires in one week. THERE'S NO COMING BACK FROM THIS. CHAPTER ONE: The Last Tug On A String I half-jogged, half-walked to catch up with my seventeen-year-old daughter, Robyn, at Chicago O’Hare Airport and all I could think about was how a person can disappear from their own life and...
