I went to Ithaca College with Katharine Clark Gray. Even back then, her sharp intelligence and pure talent were clear and refined. I still remember sitting the dark theatre freshman year, completely astounded by her luminous performance as The Bride in Blood Wedding. One of the best things about being a creative person and growing up around creative people is getting to see how their work grows and evolves, and how they navigate the world with that creative spirit. It's a great joy to watch Katie bring her keen perspective and theatrical sensibilities to all of her creative endeavors, … [Read more...]
3 More Ws – Elizabeth Rosner
I've been a huge fan of Elizabeth Rosner's work since we read The Speed of Light for the Titles Over Tea book club at the Greece Barnes & Noble when I lived in Rochester. We had such a great book discussion about the complex relationships and the legacy of trauma, and it's one of my favorite book memories. When we moved to the Bay Area, I got to see Elizabeth Rosner read from her novel, Electric City, at Book Passage. She talked about the way she collects ideas for her book and it helped me refine my own writing process. In addition to writing achingly beautiful novels, Elizabeth also … [Read more...]
3 More Ws – Stacey Ballis
Stacey Ballis is so cool. She's the author of TEN foodie novels that are all packed with humor, heart, and the kind of food descriptions that will not only make you hungry, but convince you that you've suddenly acquired mad skills and can pop into the kitchen to whip up everything you've read about. And maybe you have acquired these skills. I learn something new from every one of her novels. And Stacey will give you the recipes. She's even written a cookbook! I'm so happy to have Stacey Ballis back for 3 More Ws. You can read her original interview here. Thank you, … [Read more...]
3 More Ws – Glen Phillips
I made it a goal to write really nice things about all the returning 3Ws interviewees, but I'm already stumped. I have written and rewritten this intro many times, and am not sure I'm any closer to matching words and feelings accurately. I'm not sure it's possible. To say I'm a Glen Phillips fan is a ridiculous understatement. As a teenager in turmoil, Toad the Wet Sprocket gave me context for my feelings. I escaped into those songs and felt like they saved me. Through Toad, a dozen solo albums, and side projects like Mutual Admiration Society, Remote Tree Children, and Works Progress … [Read more...]
3 More Ws – Mark Erelli
I'm so excited to bring back the 3Ws interview series on this blog! Getting to ask creative people about their creativity is one of my great joys. So, in addition to bringing new artists into the mix with the original three questions, I thought it would be fun to check in with past interviewees and ask three more. I believe when music is truly thoughtful and hits the right place in our soul, it shapes our perspective. Back in 2000, I ordered Mark Erelli's self-titled album from a Signature Sounds catalog (doesn't that seem so quaint now?) and had the pleasure of attending a live show when … [Read more...]