August 25, 2010
by Valya
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Life feeds my writing. Writing feeds my life. And so it goes, back and forth. The lines between the two are blurred of course. I try to carry a notebook to catch fragments too precious to let slip away when … Continue reading
March 16, 2010
by Valya
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“Perhaps there is no other way of reaching some understanding of being than through art? Writers themselves don’t analyze what they do; to analyze would be to look down while crossing a canyon on a tightrope. To say this is … Continue reading
March 11, 2009
by Valya
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As part of our time in Frankfurt, Germany, we’re trying to travel as much as possible. This was easier during our first stay here, when we had but one child. Now, with three children under six, it’s more complicated. Not … Continue reading
January 23, 2009
by Valya
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Speculative Coffee: Coffee that exists on the threshold between this world and the liminal realms; coffee that encourages speculation, invokes the Muses, and inspires travelers. The art of crafting speculative coffee is a form of literary coffea alchemy, requiring an … Continue reading
January 12, 2009
by Valya
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We began our visit home to Chicago by flying into subzero temps and snow on the ground, and we returned to snow on the ground in Frankfurt during a particularly icy cold European winter. It seems there’s no escaping the … Continue reading
October 15, 2008
by Valya
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New Characters Arrive on the Literary Scene CHICAGO, Illinois – On Saturday, October 18, 2008, Wolfsword Press will launch its literary magazine, Conclave: A Journal of Character, with a party from 7-9 pm at The Book Cellar, 4736-38 North Lincoln … Continue reading
August 8, 2008
by Valya
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Last night, in the middle of a phone conference for our final round of submissions for Conclave: A Journal of Character, my friend and managing editor S. brought up the subject of enthusiasm, specifically in reference to Eckhart Tolle’s discussion … Continue reading
August 5, 2008
by Valya
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As we finalize our selections for the inaugural issue of Conclave: A Journal of Character, I’m starting to crawl out from the mountains of submissions to rediscover the world around me. I hope to get back to blogging (and my … Continue reading
May 24, 2008
by Valya
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First the spark, the idea, the pull toward the blank page that compels you to turn away from the world to create something new. You write and write and stare into space and write and write and drink coffee and … Continue reading
March 15, 2008
by Valya
4 Comments
I’m working on a project that has me thinking about characterization, and I was pondering what makes a character unforgettable? So I ask you, what are the most memorable characters you have encountered in fiction–good or bad, classic or contemporary, … Continue reading