In the Beginning There Were Pigeons

In the Beginning There Were Pigeons

“In all things, it is the beginnings and the endings that are the most interesting.” Or, so wrote Japan’s famed medieval poet-monk Yoshida Kenkō (1283–1350). Kenkō illustrated this bit of aesthetic wisdom with advice on how to appreciate a romantic affair. The...
It’s Time to Go

It’s Time to Go

I’ve come to end of my writer’s retreat.  It has been a fabulous retreat.  A treat of a retreat. When I arrived on October 1, Monday, the trees were in leaf and vines and grass sprung thickly from the paths, grabbing at my ankles as I pushed my way through. During the...
Beginning at the Beginning

Beginning at the Beginning

It starts with birds. I wasn’t sure how to begin at first.  I sat at the oilcloth-covered table in the cabin, gazing out over the porch, thinking back to Kyoto.  I had already decided to set my novel in Kyoto.  In order to write about Kyoto, I had to...