darling, if it makes you feel better, let's call it a sabbatical.

currently blog of joan is on a break.
it's not you, it's me.
not to worry, however: i make occasional appearances on the social networks. you may find me there.
hogs and quiches, joan

PS you may read some of my works here, here, here here, here and here. Or just google me, darling.

the perfect antidote to writer's block.

art and soul is an inspiring place. Attend workshops here, or rent a space to paint and create.

i took part in a cool writing circle workshop a few weeks ago, and thought i'd share one of the pieces i wrote.

this is my only photo. i was tempted to take more, but it really was a rare experience in which you simply want to experience it, and you can't do that if you're tweeting, facebooking and instagramming. yep, right off the bat, it was iphone = off.

the gathering was held at art and soul in 12 South. if you ever get the chance to do one of these (whether an experienced writer or neophyte) please do. it's life changing.

the theme of the event was "rites of spring."

we began in the muddy earth of our souls, in which we wrote to our hearts content as phil madeira (from emmylou harris' band) played awesome gritty blues guitar tunes.

we wrote and shared our pieces and it was like therapy, yoga and church all wrapped in one.

later, we moved from our muddy blues into the fresh, new beginnings of spring.

while treated to the live musical stylings of the great molly felder, we were prompted to approach spring in our own way. here was mine:

spring has come

so soon 

at last

winter's blues 

are melting fast

beckoned by the wily breeze

i join the dance above the trees

on leaves take flight

all fears releasing

sorrow's power 
fast decreasing

soaring wild on blue jay's wings

awake

no longer safe from spring

this is just a tiny glimpse into the many pieces i've been able to write as a result of this amazing program (workshops and bi-weekly gatherings), led by the fantastic and beautiful merrill farnsworth.

in the future, i hope to publish a series of short stories and then a novella or novel.

my writing has improved and grown so much, and writer's block is banished. huzzah!

a little thursday reading

i recently had the opportunity to write an article about dismas house, a half-way house in nashville where college students are helping ex-offenders change their lives for good.

writing the article was a powerful experience, and i learned that no matter how many interviews you've done, or how many articles you've written, you can always learn something new from the process.

this is my new friend albert. we like talking baseball.

and this is william. he totally rocks it out. love the ink.

here's me at dismas house, trying to figure out how to make kool-aid.

seriously, i am no help in the kitchen.

this is nicole, one of the awesome students who comes every week to fix food for the guys and hang out. what an inspiring bunch!

read the article here, and my editor's note here.


all photos are copyright VU/Steve Green

Postcards from the ledge ...

it's finally on newsstands and online!

visit her nashville to read my article on becoming a mommy at 40. If you like the article, leave a comment there!

while we're on the subject, let me just say thank you to all who have helped me be a better mommy, including my mom and sisters, the daycare teachers (who are like family), the vandy moms, and my unofficial mommies support group - sheryl, the kellies, and jessica!

proof that i'm a writer

yes, i really am a writer, despite the drivel you find here.

below are some articles i've written lately which prove i actually do write for a living. i hope you enjoy.

the one about alice randall

the one about duncan jones

the one about wura adesinasi

an editor's note about death and dying

an editor's note about my delivery experience

an editor's note about dinnertime in illinois

can't chat now

i'm busy working on my article on new york times best selling author alice randall and her new novel Rebel Yell for the university paper. back soon.

In the meantime, let me leave you with these words from Ms. Randall herself:

Mother love is not inevitable. The good mother is a great artist ever creating beauty out of chaos. Sometimes, the chaos is the chaos of the world. Sometimes it’s the chaos of the child, Sometimes it’s the chaos within the mother herself.

On very challenging days it is all three. Mother love transforms, by seizing something precious, something beautiful, and waving it before the child’s eyes.

Even when all there is to seize is the mother’s own radical unselfishness towards her child, her reasonable appreciation of her child, her graceful engagement with her child, every time the child learns to let that be enough, to allow themselves to be distracted from misery and sustained by joy, resiliency deepens.

It's a tough job, but somebody's gotta do it.

My work as a cupcake correspondent continues. Here's my recent article in the Tennessean about new cupcake shop Cupcake Collection. Here's the lovely owner of Cupcake Collection, Mignon Francois, and her son Xavier.

Cupcakes are all the rage in Nashville

Check out my cover story in All the Rage. It's sweet and tasty.

PS their Web site seems to be having trouble. I've put in a call.

Cupcakery

My cupcake article is in today's paper. Check it out.