The New Historians

This post originally appeared on Murder Is Everywhere. The Internet has long been the bane of parents and teachers observing middle school kids learn to write papers. You can probably imagine how many times I’ve told my offspring to go to the library, because Googling something does not always get you an academically vetted answer. … Read more

Hawaii Journal Part Two

This post originally appeared on Murder Is Everywhere. In Hawaiian, the ‘Iolani bird is a heavenly hawk. Queen Emma chose it as the name for the Anglican school she founded for Hawaiian and mixed-race boys in Oahu between 1863 and 1870. Approximately 150 years later, the renaissance royal is gone but not forgotten. Many institutions … Read more

Hawaii Journal Part One

This post originally appeared on Murder Is Everywhere. I shouldn’t be in Hawaii right now, watching the waves roll in and basking in sunshine. The only reason I’m here is because I’m a worrier. In 2014, I began the application process for an artistic residency at the Iolani School in Honolulu. I worried I wasn’t going to … Read more

A Japanese Atelier

This post originally appeared on Murder Is Everywhere. The word “binge” comes heavily into use at this time of year. Alcohol and chocolate are common splurges, but relaxing activities of all sorts can become crazy bad habits  when you’ve got holiday time away from work. I’ve a confession to make: I’m binging on something I … Read more

India’s History in Bits and Pieces

This post originally appeared on Murder Is Everywhere. Confession: It’s very hard for me to tell a story in less than 100,000 words. A novel provides all the space I need to figure out what’s going to happen. This might happen well after the first half and change focus several times before the final chapter … Read more

Teenagers May Hold the Key

This post originally appeared on Murder Is Everywhere. If you read books set in other countries, you care about things that happen beyond your front door. The recent blog posts by  Annamaria Alfieri and Cara Black as well as a poem by Karuna Ezara Parikh are powerful testimonies to read after Nov 12-13. What’s on my mind are the … Read more

A Taste of Literary New York

This post originally appeared on Murder Is Everywhere. One of the perks of East Coast life is the freedom to visit other cities within just a few hours. Recently I caught a 6:30 charter bus to New York City and was midtown by 9:45. I’d temporarily abandoned my peeps in Baltimore to enact a very … Read more