Monday, May 26, 2008

A gathering of writers and freaky snow

Friends and fellow writers, Doug Walker and his wife Anne, were in Durango for Memorial Day Weekend--visiting from New Zealand (and thinking that it's summer here). We planned to have a picnic by the River of Lost Souls, but it was SNOWING. So everyone snuggled into my place--a kind of treehouse apartment--cozy. Anway, we huddled around the fireplace drinking wine, eating homemade elk sausage, trading stories about politics, travel and writing. Doug is writing childrens' books on a grant he got from the New Zealand government. Apparently, artists are well supported there. Blake Crouch, known for his scare-the-heart-out-of you thrillers, brought blow-your-mind dip. Blake's new novel, Snowbound, comes out next year; also his incredible thriller set in a local ghost town, Abandon, will be coming out--get ready to keep the light on. Terry Junttonen, a wonderful short story writer and poet, brought lemon meringue pie and cookies; Haz Said, beekeeper and poet provided a small vat of mustard potato salad; Shannon Richardson, author, screenwriter and director/producer of horror movies, attempted to keep us healthy with green salad. But I destroyed that attempt by pulling out a bucket of Rocky Mountain Chocolate that I got at their "bloomers" sale. It was quite the literary picnic. Next time in New Zealand, where it's warmer!

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Am I writing this story or is it writing me?

Life is like a spiral staircase. Situations circle round and round, but every time I reach a new level my perspective changes. The landscape hasn't changed, really, but I see things differently. Writing a story is like that. If I allow it, if I don't direct it, the story unfolds, simply emerges. Does that sound Zen? Life is like that too. Holes in the fabric of my busyness allow light to shine through. What are holes? The absense of something. The container of nothing. But can nothing be contained?

Monday, May 5, 2008

Ghost Plane

Hi,

Welcome to my new blog: Ghost Plane.
It's about a creepy story I wrote when I was working at the Durango airport at night. It's dark out there on the tarmac and kind of freaky cleaning planes with no one around.

Anyway, CrimeSpree Magazine is publishing my short story in their 24th Anniversary edition which is what has motivated me to start this blog. Check it out...and if you have any weird stories to share or if you've had any strange experiences at an airport, let me know.

Bye for now,
Suzanne