“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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

“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...

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,...

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...

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...

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...