Tales from Thailand
Get Dian's recommendations for books about Thailand on Shepherd
Nothin' But Blue Skies?
Look Again!
Learn how to spot rainbows, haloes, and other colorful atmospheric phenomena in Washington Family (August 2023, page 15).
The Pearl
A fictional short story, inspired by a real event, about love and loss (and open-ocean swimming) at the Jersey Shore, appearing in the July 2026 issue of Pen in Hand. Check back soon!
Dance at Bougival
An essay about art, life, and growing old with Renoir in the 20th anniversary issue of Halfway Down the Stairs (September 1, 2025).
Dance at Bougival by Auguste Renoir
Super Short Essays
About family, life, you name it
A Family Record
Read the story, published in 101 Words (February 21, 2022)
Can you tell from the photo what detail I changed to turn this micro memoir into flash fiction?
Photo: Nancy Desrochers
A New Name for a New Family
Read the Tiny Love Story, published in The New York Times (July 13, 2021).
Namaste
Read this short essay on the wonderful web publication Building Bridges Word by Word (July, 2024). How does your your yoga experience compare with mine?
Writing About Writing
Making the shift from scientific writing to creative writing wasn't easy. "How I Learned to Stop Moping and Celebrate Rejection" explains my writing journey. Read it in Pen in Hand (January 2023, pages 72-76)
I read a lot of memoirs as I was writing my own. Read "Ten Lessons about Writing Memoir that I Learned from Reading Memoirs" at Women Writers Women's Books, a site with tips for writers and readers of all genders.