America – J. Love, The Wordsmith

My Amtrak Writing Retreat: The fast trak back.

After two and a half days of dealing with Los Angeles traffic, I was more than ready to get back on board the train and head east. Especially since I went ahead and upgraded to one of the bedroom compartments. Los Angeles’s Union Station was every bit as big and busy as Chicago’s, with old-schoolContinue reading “My Amtrak Writing Retreat: The fast trak back.”

My Amtrak Writing Retreat: Who and where am I?

Day three of the retreat got off to a rocky, rumbly start. The train was shaking so damn much, I had no choice but to give up trying to sleep at around 6:00 a.m. Central time (I think). All meals in the dining car are included when you book a sleeper car compartment. Still, IContinue reading “My Amtrak Writing Retreat: Who and where am I?”

My Amtrak Writing Retreat: It continues.

So, I bedded down pretty soon after dinner, as I had been up since 3:30 that morning. I slept about as well as one could sleep on a moving train. I vaguely remembered waking up and looking out the window as the train pulled into Cleveland, Ohio in the middle of the night. Oh–forgot toContinue reading “My Amtrak Writing Retreat: It continues.”

My Amtrak Writing Retreat: It begins.

As I sit here in my home, not being able to go anywhere, I’m reminded that a mere three weeks ago, I was in the middle of going almost everywhere in the continental United States. From March 1 thru 10, I was, at different times, on a plane, in a car, and on a train,Continue reading “My Amtrak Writing Retreat: It begins.”

#Amwriting. #Amediting. #Amtrak.

I am just a few days away from departing on a 10-day vacation, riding a train coast to coast and back again, during which time I hope to get a lot of my writing projects finished, polished, and ready for submission. I’ve put together my own writing residency, after the folks at Amtrak decided toContinue reading “#Amwriting. #Amediting. #Amtrak.”

A Love Letter to Maryland.

I grew up in Washington, DC. I went to college in Los Angeles, CA. I’ve spent my last 16 years in and around Minneapolis, MN. I like to refer to myself as “tri-coastal.” I’ve experienced Eastern, Pacific, and Central Standard Time, and I gotta say, I like Central the best. I’ve really grown accustomed toContinue reading “A Love Letter to Maryland.”

Dumplin’: Fridays don’t deserve all the attention.

This movie is Texas AF. Not that that’s a bad thing. It’s about southern belles named Willowdean, Teen Bluebonnet beauty pageants, and Dolly Parton (I associate Dolly more with Tennessee, but that’s just me). Dumplin’ stars Danielle MacDonald as the aformentioned Willowdean Dickson (but call her Will, and try not to think about Stranger ThingsContinue reading “Dumplin’: Fridays don’t deserve all the attention.”

34 States of “Oh Thank Heaven,” 14 States of Hell.

You know how there are all these certainties in life? Death, taxes, Kardashians… crap like that? Well, sometimes, there are things that you think are the same all over the country, if not the world. One of those things was, I thought, the fact that if you lived in or near a major metropolitan area,Continue reading “34 States of “Oh Thank Heaven,” 14 States of Hell.”