Frankly Speaking

Frankly Speaking

When asked what draws me to writing, I’m tempted to respond: because I don’t like speaking. While this might seem trite and evasive, it points to one of the greatest struggles of my life. While not obvious to some, I have been a stammerer — albeit a covert one — from...
An earnest trier with a ready smile

An earnest trier with a ready smile

Until fifth grade I was a total nonentity as a student. My report cards were good but not exceptional. No one, teachers or fellow students, paid much attention to me. But when I entered Michael Jeans’ 5A class, something radical happened. By the end of that year I...
Who Would Have Thought?

Who Would Have Thought?

Australian author Tim Winton said he had three writing desks so he could move from one project to another, depending on how each was going, be it a novel, short story or children’s book. I found myself doing something similar when working on my memoir (The Boatman)...
Confession: I’m a Westwallah!

Confession: I’m a Westwallah!

During six years in India I grew accustomed to hearing the word ‘wallah’, whether it be a chai wallah, rickshaw wallah, or one of dozens of other trades, specialties or locations that wallah denotes. It was one of those Indian words that had seamlessly slipped into...
Becoming My Own Publisher

Becoming My Own Publisher

After having had six books published in four countries, I decided to try self-publishing my latest book, MORE THAN HALFWAY TO SOMEWHERE. This decision was driven by comments from a previous publisher and a writer friend who both deemed my collection of travel stories...