
How do you choose a book?
“How do you choose a book?” Washington Post book critic Michael Dirda asked and answered recently, which naturally led me and other Mystic Writers, all avid readers, to have our say. Dirda’s advice to consult book lists by famous writers works only occasionally for...

Gallows Road: the Hidden History
My first novel, Gallows Road, is now available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and the publisher Elm Grove Press; soon it will be in a few local bookstores. Friends have often asked me, “Is this a true story you’re writing, Lisa?” Although certain plot elements and...

Seeking the Unexpected
This past October, clutching my mug of tea, I surveyed the unpainted pottery bowls and leaves laid out on the table and selected a leaf with curling edges just larger than my hand. The six of us in the workshop painted our pieces. The workshop leader, Trish, planned...

Setting: Chasing Irish Rainbows
In my mid-30s, mourning the unexpected death of a sister and wanting a change, I traveled to Ireland for the first time. I visited the farm in County Mayo that had been in my family since the 1600s. It was a lesson in the power of setting. I had always taken my Irish...

What About the Baby?
As a writer, I’m also a reader – both pursuits are intrinsically linked, in competition for the betterment of each other. Since I write fiction, I read mostly fiction, often selecting books that explore the complexities of relationships and the undercurrent of essence...

Drift Away with Summer Reading
“Summer reading” usually suggests the kind of books you’d take along for a lazy day on a beach, boat, or backyard hammock. Drifting away with an easy read is one of summer’s pleasures, but that doesn’t mean you can’t dive into deeper literary waters or a controversial...

Join Mystic Writers Workshops This Summer
Do you have a story to tell but don’t know where to begin? Why not try a writing workshop taught by Mystic Writers, Ruth Crocker (nonfiction) and Susan Kietzman (fiction)? The in-person workshops will be held at the Mystic & Noank Library, 40 Library St., Mystic,...

Making a Mark in the Margins: Twain, Plath, Biden and Me
I probably wouldn’t have read a recent Washington Post article about Joe Biden’s personal habits if it hadn’t carried a photo of the president with his two German shepherd dogs, Champ and Major. I share his love of the breed, have a GSD myself, and follow news of the...

Three questions to ask yourself before writing opinion
At the beginning of the pandemic, in March of last year, I received any number of calls from people who wanted my help in writing commentaries for publication. I shouldn’t have been surprised. We were at the beginning of a global cataclysmic event, one that was about...

Weeding Out
A few days ago, I dared to go into my garden after spending weeks fearing that nothing lived under the layer of oak leaves. Everything must have died a natural death or been eaten from underneath by chipmunks. But a green iris spear poking through made me take a...