Signal Mountain Mirror–Article and Review

    Recently, a friend of mine, an artist by training, said that she had some stories she’d like to write, but that time had passed her by. Writing, she said, was a young person’s game. I disagree with that idea, but I didn’t say much in reply. I suspected the meaning behind her words…

The following post was published in October 2013.  I’m re-posting it on this website since it illustrates how the arts can, even on a rainy day in London, bring enchantment to life. I was thirteen when I decided to become an international jewel thief. Like many criminal decisions, mine was impulsive, and it involved a…

As writers, we must have a critical feedback loop. Rather like the body’s immune system, it must be strong enough to ward off what is destructive or unnecessary, but not so strong that it stifles healthy growth. That balance is essential. If the feedback loop is too weak, a writer can’t develop greater facility in…

I wrote the following almost ten years ago. Since then, things have changed. Dave’s Modern Tavern burned down a few years ago, but new ownership had made it a less hospitable place even before that happened. The art gallery Graffiti is also gone. Still, there was a time when they were special places, and what…

There is an old saying in Texas, “When the horse is dead, it’s time to get off.” As an artist and a writer, that’s good to remember. Sometimes, one must admit that things are not working out as planned. What began with clarity of vision has now become murkiness of purpose. One must finally acknowledge…

  “Yeah, you can have any of that junk in the basement. I don’t care.” The tone of Tom’s voice made it clear he sincerely did not care. Many things had drifted into his basement as older relatives died off, and Tom felt little connection to any of them. He had gotten rid of as…