May 10, 2019
Click here to see reviews of my fiction writing classes on Yelp.
May 7, 2019
In this class, which is called “Starting New Stories,” we are going to explore different approaches for how to start a new story. The goal of […]
April 16, 2019
Michelle Latiolais, author of, among other books, the story collection Widow, visited my Spring 2019 Workshop in Pasadena on May 5. She conducted a Q&A session with […]
April 1, 2019
This June, I will be teaching two intensive writing classes–a generative weekend fiction-writing class called “Who Is I?” and a week-long short story workshop–at The Iowa […]
March 11, 2019
On Sunday, March 17, 2019, in Larchmont, I’ll be teaching a one-day fiction writing class called “Starting New Stories.” If you’ve been stuck recently trying to […]
November 15, 2018
My short story, “Boca,” originally published in the literary magazine New York Stories in 2002, has been translated into Mandarin by Mia Guo and published in […]
November 15, 2018
Here are the dates of my Winter and Spring 2019 six-week workshop offerings. Winter 2019 January 20 — February 24, Sundays from 5 to 7 p.m. […]
November 15, 2018
This is a workshop designed for committed fiction writers of any experience level who are seeking support with longer-term projects (story collections, novels, etc.) and the […]
September 22, 2018
Listen to me reading my short story, “The White Spot,” on the Kenyon Review website.
September 15, 2018
Holiday Reinhorn, who has taken several of my fiction writing workshops, most recently in Winter 2019, has published a short story, “Our Lady of Perpetual Sadness,” […]
September 10, 2018
My short story, “The White Spot,” appears in the Sept/Oct 2018 issue of the Kenyon Review. To order a copy, go to the Kenyon Review website.
August 30, 2018
On Saturday, December 1, 2018, I will be hosting a one-day fiction writing class in Pasadena. The subject will be how to create fictional characters. You […]
August 30, 2018
I will be running a six-week fiction writing workshop in Santa Monica from October 5 to November 9. The class meets on Fridays from 10 a.m. […]
August 30, 2018
I will be running a six-week fiction writing workshop in Pasadena from September 23 to October 28. The workshop will meet on Sundays from 5 to […]
August 30, 2018
My series of one-page stories, “Panels,” appears on the Los Angeles-based cultural and literary website Angels Flight • literary west. Panels are small oil paintings done […]
March 13, 2018
From June 16 to June 22, 2018, I will be teaching two intensive fiction writing classes at the Iowa Summer Writing Festival in Iowa City. See […]
February 5, 2018
Last night, Michelle Huneven joined my Winter 2018 fiction writing class to discuss characterization in her short story, “Too Good To True.” She also took questions […]
January 31, 2018
Brian Tran got into the MFA program in fiction writing at Washington University in St. Louis. He will receive a fellowship that covers his tuition as […]
January 24, 2018
Rescue Press, which brought out my first book in 2013, has accepted my story collection, The Usual Uncertainties, for publication in Fall 2019.
January 13, 2018
William Deverell, who was, most recently, in my Spring 2018 workshop, has published his third short story, “Driftwood,” in The Cost of Paper, Volume 5, an […]
January 8, 2018
My Spring 2018 fiction writing workshop will be held on six consecutive Sundays from April 22 – May 27 at 5 – 7 p.m. The workshop […]
December 20, 2017
My Winter 2018 fiction writing class will take place on six consecutive Sundays from January 21 – February 25 in Pasadena. This class has sold out.
September 10, 2017
Winter 2018 and Spring 2018 classes now enrolling. See Classes page.
August 8, 2017
What better way to celebrate L.A.’s one-of-a-kind Bookworm and light than with a party at Hollywood’s Lacha Somtum (which, I am told, means “King of Papaya […]
March 21, 2017
My Spring 2017 fiction writing workshop in L.A. has sold out. Fall 2017 and Winter 2018 classes are now enrolling. See Classes page for more details.
February 13, 2017
My Fall 2017 fiction writing workshop takes place on six consecutive Sundays from 5 – 7 p.m. from September 17 through October 22. The workshop will […]
December 11, 2016
From June 17 to June 23, 2017, I will be teaching two intensive fiction writing classes at the Iowa Summer Writing Festival in Iowa City. Keep […]
October 21, 2016
My short story, “Weekly Status Report,” which takes place in the world of competitive Scrabble, can be found in the fall 2016 issue of Sonora Review. […]
October 11, 2016
My Spring 2017 fiction writing workshop runs for six weeks from Sunday, April 2 through Sunday, May 7. The workshop will take place in Mid-Wilshire. Students […]
July 20, 2016
June 6, 2016
My Fall 2016 fiction writing workshop runs from Sunday, October 30 – Sunday, December 11. The class meets in Mid-Wilshire. Class size is limited to ten […]
April 23, 2016
My fellowship at the Hawthornden Castle begins Sunday, April 24, 2016.
March 19, 2016
March 2, 2016
My story “Dignity Shores” has just come out in the Winter 2016 issue of The Carolina Quarterly.
February 19, 2016
On Friday, April 1, 2016, at 7 p.m., I will be taking part in a reading co-hosted by Rescue Press, the Cleveland State University Poetry Center, […]
November 30, 2015
I have just been awarded a one-month fellowship at the Hawthornden International Retreat for Writers in Lasswade, Scotland for Spring 2016.
November 30, 2015
From February 7 – March 13, 2016, I will be teaching a fiction writing workshop in Mid-Wilshire. Class size is limited to ten. Writers of all experience levels […]
September 23, 2015
I did an interview this week with Rescue Press, in which I talked about a book I love. Read the interview here.
June 6, 2015
From September 27 – November 1, I will be teaching a fiction writing workshop in Mid-Wilshire. Class size is limited to ten. Writers of all experience […]
April 7, 2015
As of today, this site has had visitors from thirty-four countries: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Finland, France, Germany, India, Ireland, […]
March 13, 2015
From June 7 – June 14, I will be in Iowa City, teaching two fiction writing workshops. Check here for course descriptions, schedules, and more.
November 20, 2014
I am proud that a review of Last Word is up on the Jewish Book Council website.
October 20, 2014
On Sunday evenings from February 15 – March 22, 2015, I will be teaching a fiction writing workshop in Mid-Wilshire. Class size is limited to ten […]
September 8, 2014
Here is a nice review of the reading I gave in June 2014 at Prairie Lights Bookstore in Iowa City.
July 25, 2014
This summer, 2014, I am guest moderator on KCRW’s Bookworm Book Club on Facebook. Come join the conversation.
May 11, 2014
From June 15 – June 22, I will be in Iowa City, teaching two short story writing workshops. Check here for course descriptions, schedules, and more.
May 2, 2014
Last Word has been on the Small Press Distribution best-seller list for six consecutive months! It is #5 for the period covering March/April 2014.
April 15, 2014
On Monday, June 16, 2014 at 7 p.m., I will be reading from Last Word at Prairie Lights Bookstore. (Hear a recording of this reading here.)
March 7, 2014
Last Word is the #10 best-selling book of fiction on Small Press Distribution for the period covering January/February 2014.
February 5, 2014
On Thursday, March 13, 2014, at 7 p.m., I will be doing a reading and conversation at Crema Espresso Gourmet cafe in Dunwoody, GA.