A Portrait of the Artist as a Middle-Aged Man
Sean MurphyFifty. Five-0. Fiddy. Half-Century. Five Decades. Old. Actually, one thing I can declare with the certainty of a man undeniably ensconced in middle-age is that, in many significant ways, I…
#GivingTuesday and 1455
A little over two years ago, 1455 was launched to support and nourish a global community of creatives: writers, artists, academics, entrepreneurs, thinkers, and literary fans. Enlisting, engaging, and expanding this vibrant community is…
Some of the Things Toni Morrison Means to Me
I’m not certain if it has anything to do with what you study in college, or the type of person you already are (of course the two are not mutually…
VCLA PRESENTS: THE PUBLISHING INDUSTRY IN THE 21ST CENTURY
Question: What is the state of the publishing industry circa 2019? Answer: It’s complicated. So…how to get a handle on what’s going on, including what’s happened and what’s going to happen?…
VCLA’S AUTHOR SERIES AT HANDLEY LIBRARY, VOL. 4: KAREN E. BENDER AND ROBERT ANTHONY SIEGEL
In my experience, the only way to improve on a series featuring amazing authors is to feature two amazing authors. How fortunate, for everyone, that the dynamic duo and husband and wife team of Karen…
Jamie Saft, Creativity, and the Cultivation of Mastery
My personal mantra --and life goal-- going back to my post-grad school existence, is somehow, some way trying to eradicate the barriers between art and life; not merely living an…
How to Kill a Cliché: Celebrating Sam Shepard (One Year Later)
Lee: …That’s stupid. That’s one a’ those?—whadya’ call it? Whadya’ call that? Austin: What? Lee: Whadya’ call it when somethin’s been said a thousand times before. Whadya’ call that? Austin:…
VCLA in the Fairfax County Times
I'm very grateful for the growing excitement around Virginia Center for Literary Arts. This week, we were featured in the Fairfax County Times (text below). Want to get involved? Join…
VCLA in The Winchester Star
It’s very exciting to have the first official “ink” on VCLA appear in The Winchester Star. Full story here, and pasted, below. Above and below are “out-takes” from a rainy…
Celebrating Sam Shepard and the Artistic Life
First off, before reading anything I have to say, do yourself a favor and check out this beautiful, eloquent tribute from Patti Smith. Sam Shepard is one of my literary…