Wrapping Up A LifeA good writer friend calls me a “completionist” because I insist on finishing a piece of writing even when I know it isn’t any good…Dec 28, 20223.4K25Dec 28, 20223.4K25
Flesh to SoulMy husband and I have developed a new ritual. After I brush my teeth, I sit on my walker in the bathroom, and he brushes my hair. I close…Dec 14, 20221.2K12Dec 14, 20221.2K12
Speaking Up, Being BigAbout twenty years ago I got divorced from a man I’d been married to for over twenty years. As divorces go, it was a relatively smooth one…Dec 7, 20222.4K18Dec 7, 20222.4K18
One LifeIn the last couple of years, since my ALS diagnosis, I’ve lived two parallel lives. One was the life I’d always been living as a writer in…Nov 30, 20221.8K15Nov 30, 20221.8K15
Every Day is a TripMany of you know that I did a second guided mushroom trip last week, seeking a deeper encounter with death, and wanting to learn how to…Nov 23, 20224.7K58Nov 23, 20224.7K58
Considering Death — Week #5 of “A Brief Pause”This week’s post is written by Nancy Hopps. I will return next week to tell you about the second mushroom trip I took yesterday, wearing…Nov 16, 20223291Nov 16, 20223291
A Fork in the Road (Week #3 of “A Brief Pause”)A few weeks ago I realized I needed to simplify my life to maintain focus on finishing my novel-in-progress. That is when I put this blog…Nov 2, 20221723Nov 2, 20221723
A Fiction Outtake — Week #2 of A Brief PauseIn the course of writing and editing any novel, a lot is cut. Numerous reasons lie behind the cutting. The material might be unnecessary…Oct 26, 2022220Oct 26, 2022220
Nothing Like a Baby— Blog Pause— Week #1Today is the first day when I am officially on my self-declared blog pause. But, as I promised, I am not going to be completely silent. My…Oct 19, 20222572Oct 19, 20222572
Normalizing (As Much As Possible)A few years ago I attended the wedding of a former boyfriend. Shortly after we split up, he came out and, following a brief rift, we became…Oct 5, 20229739Oct 5, 20229739
On Death and PublicationToday, Tuesday September 27th 2022, is the official publication date of my new novel, Livid. This is the second of two novels of mine that…Sep 28, 20223966Sep 28, 20223966
What to Read (and How) When You’re DyingAll my life, I’ve enjoyed reading. As a kid, after I learned to read to myself, I would close the door to my room, and lie on my side on…Sep 21, 20221.1K10Sep 21, 20221.1K10
Finding the Humor in Death and DyingI hope you enjoy this essay I wrote for Today.com about finding the humor in death and dying.Sep 14, 2022272Sep 14, 2022272
The Necklace (and Coffee for Cops)This week’s post is two-pronged. Before I launch into “The Necklace,” I wanted to add an addendum to last week’s post, “When A Woman Can’t…Sep 7, 20221952Sep 7, 20221952
When A Woman Can’t Make NiceFor about a year I haven’t been able to speak — something I have written about extensively in this blog — and for a year and a half before…Aug 31, 20223703Aug 31, 20223703
Why I Love Being NakedFor a couple of years after college I lived with a communal group. We were upstanding people with respectable jobs as therapists, teachers…Aug 24, 202270113Aug 24, 202270113
Becoming a Rorschach Inkblot WomanMy father, a gentle man who was rarely angry, had a face that, when lost in thought, relaxed into a kind of neutrality that made him look…Aug 17, 20221502Aug 17, 20221502