reading Archive

Selah’s Moment of Fame

My daughter Selah knows her classics. OK, so she knows a kid version of one classic: Beowulf.* When I worked for Ink&Paper Group, a publishing company in Portland, Oregon, Ink’s comics/graphic novels imprint published the first Kid Beowulf graphic novel. Selah was only about one year oldĀ at the time. I had a copy of the
Category: Life

Listen to Your Mother Call for Submissions

Last year, I got to participate in Sacramento’s first Listen to Your Mother live reading. At a Writers Who Wine evening out, Margaret Andrews gave me a little slip of paper saying they were seeking stories about motherhood. I thought, “I could probably bang together something about motherhood.” And I did. On Mother’s Day, 2013,
Category: Life

Sweeter than I Expected

I think I was looking forward to the wrong things. When I found out Selah was going to be a girl, I was thrilled. I know, I’m a terrible feminist, but I couldn’t wait to dress her up in pretty clothes. It was going to be like having my very own living doll! People gave
Category: Funnies

She Needs Groceries: Live Reading

At long last, they have posted the videos from the 2013 Listen to Your Mother show. Here’s my reading. Enjoy! If you’d rather read the essay yourself or don’t have time for a video, here’s the written version. Thankfully, though the video did not come out in very good quality, Sarah Maren Photographers came through
Category: Funnies

Crossing Invisible Finish Lines

Recently, I found our old copy of Sandra Boynton’s Snuggle Puppy. Though Noah was not keen on sitting still and letting anyone actually make it all the way through a book without seizing it and possibly throwing it, I thought that book had a chance. It’s mostly a song, so I thought that would capture
Category: Life

That Was a Sick Road Trip

Some of you have said that you are hoping for a blog post out of my trip to Mendocino with the three kids. Well, I’m not saying that won’t happen (we’ve only been here two hours). The drive sucked in the ways that all family drives suck. Nothing outlandish happened, however. But the fact that
Category: Funnies

Listen to Your Mother

Yesterday, I got to go have my picture taken by the most amazing photographer–for free! If you know me, you know that “free stuff” is kind of my love language. But so is being made to feel pretty by Lisa Smiley’s awesome photography skills. “Why this free photography?” you might ask. “And why are you
Category: Life

Please Just Leave Me Alone

Hopefully, looking at my little collage, you will think, “Oh man, I’ve been there,” instead of “Why are these people such crappy parents?”
Category: Funnies