The Hands of Strangers by Michael F. Smith My rating: 5 of 5 stars In this gripping tale of a child’s abduction and the struggles of one couple to hang on to hope despite all odds, Michael F. Smith evokes the darkest fears a parent can imagine. His prose is clean and spare, his eyeContinue reading “New Book Review”
Author Archives: Kendall Dunkelberg
Treasure your Word Hoard
Classes are over, exams are graded, and I finally have time to get back to the blog, which means I have time to write and think about something other than papers and exams! This morning on the walk, as I was processing last semester’s writing class and thinking about what I’d like to be ableContinue reading “Treasure your Word Hoard”
Nonfiction, what is it?
I’m constantly being asked this question, since the creative writing program I teach in has a class in it (that I don’t teach, but I’m the program director, so I get asked a lot anyway). It’s a tough one to answer, and usually I list some of the kinds of writing, I think might beContinue reading “Nonfiction, what is it?”
Publish Your Poetry Book (Without Getting Scammed)
Recently, I received an email from a local writer, asking for advice on how to publish a book of poems. I’ve never read her poetry, so I could only give general advice, and since I get this kind of question a lot, I thought I’d post my reply here. Publishing a book of poetry canContinue reading “Publish Your Poetry Book (Without Getting Scammed)”
Write about place
I have often given my creative writing students the journal assignment to write about a place they remember from when they were 8-13 years old. This seems to work well, since we all have someplace we used to go that holds a lot of memories. The combination of memory and description can be evocative, chargingContinue reading “Write about place”
Historical Markers
Here’s a writing exercise I haven’t given to any of my classes (yet), mostly because I’m not sure when they’ll be driving. Stop at a historical marker. It may be one you pass on a regular basis without sopping or one that you see on a trip. Read the marker and look around you. NoteContinue reading “Historical Markers”
Morning Walk in Snow
This morning was a rare snowy day in Columbus, Mississippi, and Zinneke and I took our usual walk along the Riverwalk. On the way, all was quiet. Not many vehicles on the street, and only a few pedestrians. Some of our friends were down near the river, sledding with kayaks. Once we got to theContinue reading “Morning Walk in Snow”
New Year’s (blog) Resolution
Early this New Year’s morning, I had a dream of teaching a creative writing class in an apartment. All my students showed up gradually, starting at 1:00 a.m., since the class time hadn’t been announced. I had them all do calisthenics to warm up and dreamt up several ideas for class. I probably won’t makeContinue reading “New Year’s (blog) Resolution”
Comfort Food: Pumpkin Bread
Everyone has their own ideas about comfort food. I know I certainly have my old stand-by’s, dishes that I gravitate to when I need that little something extra. Often those are the foods of our childhood, but now and then we find new ones. Risotto is one of our faves for its rich, creamy texture,Continue reading “Comfort Food: Pumpkin Bread”
A few thoughts on eBooks
A student in one of my classes has started bringing a funny little book to class — her Kindle. She loves it, and I can see the allure (especially given the weight of most students’ backpacks), but we’ve come across a problem. Her Kindle editions don’t include the original page numbers! So how can sheContinue reading “A few thoughts on eBooks”
Kendall Dunkelberg 