Blog – Book Smart Popup

Weekly book reviews and blog.

The First Day of School

I’ve been at this for decades now. My life ruled by school districts’ decision when to end school and when…

Dusty exhaust fumes greet me when I enter the first locked door. Musty and humid air flatten my hair by…

I watched Karen Carpenter: Starving for Perfection last night on Prime, because, well, I’ve loved Karen Carpenter since I heard…

I watch the Olympics: ice dancing and pairs figure skating in the winter, gymnastics in the summer. While I know…

Pumpkin and cinnamon scents fill store aisles of orange leaves and turkeys, marking the beginning of my favorite shopping season.…

Ever since I can remember, I’ve been painfully aware of people’s listening skills, how most of the time they aren’t…

What does it mean to be a successful writer? This I ponder while I write, and write, and write. I…

Years ago, my son and I sat down to watch American Ninja Warrior. We thought it would be like Wipeout,…

One of Sylvia Plath’s rejection slips said this: After a heavy rainfall, poems titled RAIN pour in from across the…

VHS, cassettes, Walkmans, MTV when the M stood for Music, Jell-O Pudding Pops, and of course, the Brat Pack. Born…