Well, a couple of weeks ago I sent off the manuscript for Jones's Bones: The Search for an American Hero (which I should emphasize is the working title and could change). That's always a good feeling, but it also leaves me feeling a bit at loose ends. Margaret tells me I am incapable of relaxing, and I can't argue - I always feel better when I have a project stretching before me.
So yes, I've already been scratching around for the next book idea. I have a couple of ideas I'm wrestling with, and one for which I'm already working up a proposal, an idea that has me as excited as Horace Porter finding a lead coffin (you'll have to wait for Jones's Bones to get that reference).
Meanwhile, I drove out to Rancho Mirage (Palms Springs area) this week to lead a seminar Thursday at the University of California-Riverside's Low-Residency MFA in Creative Writing and Writing for the Performing Arts program. The subject was "Research: Pain in the Ass, or Pearl Diving?" As you might guess, I land on the pearl-diving side myself. It was a fun session, a lot of bright, enthusiastic students, and I had some good one-on-one sessions with several of them over the course of the day. There are some very good projects in gestation, and I wish them all luck.
And a little for myself, too, as this next idea takes root. Read More
So yes, I've already been scratching around for the next book idea. I have a couple of ideas I'm wrestling with, and one for which I'm already working up a proposal, an idea that has me as excited as Horace Porter finding a lead coffin (you'll have to wait for Jones's Bones to get that reference).
Meanwhile, I drove out to Rancho Mirage (Palms Springs area) this week to lead a seminar Thursday at the University of California-Riverside's Low-Residency MFA in Creative Writing and Writing for the Performing Arts program. The subject was "Research: Pain in the Ass, or Pearl Diving?" As you might guess, I land on the pearl-diving side myself. It was a fun session, a lot of bright, enthusiastic students, and I had some good one-on-one sessions with several of them over the course of the day. There are some very good projects in gestation, and I wish them all luck.
And a little for myself, too, as this next idea takes root. Read More