Notes from the Margins
Notes from the Margin is where I share the writing that does not always fit neatly on the main pages.
Think of it as the back door into my work. A little less polished. A little more personal. Sometimes thoughtful. Sometimes sharp. Occasionally cranky, because I have thoughts, and this is where I share them.
You’ll find short nonfiction opinion pieces about writing, creativity, life, reinvention, and the strange little moments that make us stop and think. Some pieces may be reflective. Some may poke at the small absurdities of everyday life. There is no shortage of material.
You’ll also find short stories, character sketches, and bits of fiction that let me play with voice, character, place, and mood. Some may stand alone. Others may feel like the beginning of something bigger.
I may also share works in progress from time to time. These could include early ideas, scenes, excerpts, or notes from stories I am still shaping.
This page is simply a place to read more of my writing, follow the threads I am tugging on, and see what happens when an idea refuses to stay quiet.
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Musings: Better for Me, Worse for You? Yes Please.
There are requests. And then there are requests that come with a quiet little trap inside them. You know the kind. Someone asks you to give up your time, money, comfort, or plans so their life can become easier. The request is usually presented as simple. Reasonable. Barely worth questioning. But when you look closer, it is not really an even exchange. It is better…
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Musings: The Joy of Finishing
There is a quiet kind of joy in finishing something. Not the bright, exciting rush of starting. Starting is easy to love. Starting is full of promise. A new idea has energy. It has possibilities. It still glows a little because it has not yet met the hard middle where things get messy. Finishing is different. Finishing asks more of us. It asks us to…
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Musings: Letting Go Is Hard To Do
You may have read, “Do Things While You Can.” One of the things I talked about is deciding to say yes. Here’s the other side of that coin. To say yes, you also have to say no. Over the years, I have written hundreds of posts to help small business owners start and grow profitable businesses. More than 100 are still sitting on my business…
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Musings: One Chipped Mug Is Enough
A chipped mug. A red coat. A cracked sidewalk. Sometimes the smallest detail does more work than a whole paragraph of explanation. That is one of the little miracles of writing. When people first start trying to bring scenes and characters to life, they often think more detail is the answer. So they describe everything. The walls. The curtains. The lamp. The weather. The shoes.…
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Musings: Infinite vs. Curated
Looking at black-and-white photos and those rich Kodachrome colors of my family, I keep coming back to one thought: Those pictures were intentional. The photo of my mother as an infant on the roof of their East Boston cold-water flat was not casual. Somebody chose that moment. Somebody posed her. Somebody framed that shot. I’d guess it was my grandfather behind the camera, probably holding…
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Musings: The Strange Magic of Getting Stuck
Getting stuck is one of the most irritating parts of writing. You sit down, sure you had a good idea five minutes ago. Maybe even a great one.And now? Nothing.Just you, a blinking cursor, and a sudden urge to do literally anything else. Clean a drawer. Wipe down the counters. Fold a load of laundry. Very urgent. Very necessary. Am I right? Writers love to…
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Musings: Writing Is Easy. Editing Is Hard.
I finished my first novel, The Ashes He Carried. Well… it’s finished-ish. I wrote the whole thing. The words poured out. I could hear my main character’s voice, feel his ache, and follow him all the way to his hard-won happy ending. I felt like I spent time with the characters and was really in the room where it happened. And then came editing. That’s…
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Musings: Why Are Statues of Women Usually Naked?
You’re out sightseeing. A man in full battle regalia, or at least a respectable-looking suit, stands in the middle of a park commemorating something important. A few yards away, in the nearest fountain, two naked or mostly naked women are draped over an urn. Why do male statues usually get to wear the pants? Yes, yes, I know. There are statues of fully clothed women…
