casts

Niagara Falls All Over Again  (published in 2001) is a well-crafted novel written by Elizabeth McCracken.  In the space of two and a half pages, the author uses several techniques to pull the reader into the story.  Early in the novel, the author describes an accident...
friday night lights

friday night lights

Last Friday night, at Leon Coverson Stadium in Greenville, Georgia, the Patriots faced the Cougars.  It was the red and black against the blue and white.  At the start of the game, the sun lingered behind a cloud.  A few minutes later, smoke from the concession stand...

until I see what I say

One of the reasons I write is to find out what I’m thinking, what I mean to say, and then to be able to hold onto it. When I talk, I often repeat myself with such slight variations that it must be maddening to a listener. I tend to want to summarize. I want to...
twinkling leaves

twinkling leaves

I hear the rain, and then I don’t.  I look out the window to see the bright green end-of-summer leaves twinkling, like stars, better than stars.  I look to the sky for an explanation.  The drops of rain are carefully spaced apart, and the sun is shining.  The drops...