Tomato horn worm and on becoming a gardener
A visit to the local independent bookstore, McIntyre’s Books is always a treat. Books there are invariably abundant, and the atmosphere is inviting for a quiet reading. During winter fireplace regularly provides the welcomed shelter and summery hot days can be tolerated better inside. Weekly readings by local and not-so-local authors add a spice to […]
Joseph Conrad and Being a Bilingual Writer
The life and writings of Joseph Conrad fascinate me. He was born Józef Teodor Konrad Korzeniowski in the area of Poland annexed by Russia after the partitioning of my country at the end of the 18th century. His father was a highly educated person. Writer, translator and would-be-revolutionary member of Polish nobility (szlachta). While a […]
Courage and the Price of Integrity
It was 1942, three years after the German invasion of Poland. In the village of Rekowka, 90 miles south of Warsaw, German troops appeared in a house occupied by two families, Skoczylas and Kosiorow. Apparently acting on a tip, they were looking for Jews. Indeed, there were six Jewish people being sheltered by the Poles […]
Can We Be Sued for the Real Life Stories?
There is quite a typical disclaimer printed in most of the novels. One can find it as close to the front page as possible. This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, descriptions, dialogue, plot, assessment concepts, test questions and charts, settings and incidents are products of the author’s imagination and are used fictitiously. […]
The Story as My Bio on the Webpage
The book is close to being published. The front cover is ready, just waiting for a final sign-off. The website is under construction. I am getting acutely aware that writing is only half of the work. The other half is marketing. Unless you have a well-known name. The first thing to start with your website […]
Saying Goodbye to the Father
The surgery was long and complicated. Then Dr. Murano had to take the patient back to the OR for bleeding. It was well after midnight when he got home. The ICU nurse kept calling him with the updates, and it didn’t sound like his patient was stable. Blood pressure was low, the heart didn’t beat […]
Walking a Fine Line with the Patient’s Family Before Surgery
Dr. Jack Murano was sitting in his office with the patient’s family in front of him. Their father was in the ICU awaiting a complex heart operation. The older man’s heart was not good, and his cardiologists couldn’t do much more for him. Heart surgery was his last resort, and Jack was willing to do […]
What’s Your Biggest Life Achievement?
The flight was early in the morning, but I had zone 1 for boarding. The cabin seemed empty, but on the way to my seat, I noticed her sitting next to mine. She was elderly (wasn’t she my age?) and with a perpetual smile on her face, she reminded me of my mother. While it […]
The Beginning, the Middle and the End
Writing novels is not unlike writing music. I am talking about bigger compositions – symphonies and instrumental concertos. But we can also include some better pop pieces. If an author (or composer) wants to describe the mood and feelings, he or she can come up with the own form which fits his or her vision. […]
