In this world it is SO easy to get caught up in what we don’t have, especially as writers. Everyone (but me) has publication credits, everyone (but me) earns their money with their writing, everyone else (but me) has interesting things to write about, everyone (but me) has immense talent… Then there’s refugees,wildfires, hurricanes, elections, tweets, things are going wrong in the world which makes it even easier to focus … Read more
Inside your Plume mailing you’ll find a vintage photo. And you may be wondering why. One of our Kickstarter contributors (an old family friend) wondered just that. She thought we’d made a mistake and she returned the photo with a thank you note! “Thought you might want to keep this,” the note said, not knowing that it was a photo of a vintage stranger–some friends of mine are avid garage … Read more
I first met Julia Halprin Jackson in the spring of 2005 in Granada, Spain. We were both in college and enrolled in a study abroad program, and spent the next five months learning about this beautiful city and country, as explorers and writers. Julia has a very generous spirit, which I can see clearly in her writing (And she actually writes about Spain! Now I’m wondering why I never really … Read more
‘Tis the Season As we get closer to Halloween, sometimes it can be fun to get into a little creepy reading. I’ll be the first to admit that I am a bit of a wimp when it comes to scary things (though movies and TV shows tend to scare me more than books). If you remember the series Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, let me just say, those … Read more
What’s All the Fuss About Genres? The word “genre” gets thrown around a lot. Sometimes it’s in the phrase “genre writing”, meaning writing that fits into a specialized category such as romance, science fiction, or horror. Another way we see this term applied is when referring to different styles of writing, such as fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. When I went to graduate school, The Powers That Be asked us to … Read more
Back in May I wrote a blog called Spring Cleaning Your Creativity. I always intended to check back in on this topic, namely because my desk, which I consider the central hub of my own creativity, was, well, a giant mess. I put off this update for some time, mostly because I knew I was going to have to move my office space back into my bedroom, as I’m turning the … Read more
Hello, friends! Today’s interview is with Samantha Tetangco, Plume’s upcoming featured writer for November. I met Samantha (or Sam, as she tends to go by when not publishing) at the beginning of my MFA program in the fall of 2007. Right away I knew I had met a kindred writing spirit. Sam is such a hardworking and talented writer, one who is always willing to share ideas and support other … Read more
Banning Books If you are even a casual bibliophile, you’ve likely heard that it’s Banned Books Week. Whenever I hear about banned books, I think how and why? Isn’t the purpose of books to open our eyes to new ideas and perspectives? Surely this is a good thing, right? Well, not according to those who wish to censor certain titles they find offensive, it isn’t. When books are challenged or … Read more
Autumn: A Feast for the Senses Close your eyes. What does fall smell like to you? When I think of fall here in New Mexico, I associate it with roasting chile. You may be saying to yourself, I have no idea what that means. But if you live in New Mexico or have ever spent any time here in the fall, you are familiar with our state’s love of red and green … Read more
A Love Affair with Tea Confession: I am obsessed with tea. I can’t remember when exactly it started. Maybe it was in college when I bought a 24-pack of peach Snapple to keep under my bed for late-night studying. Or maybe I was a tea dilettante until I had a baby and needed constant caffeine to function. I love the smell of tea, its texture, the process of making a … Read more
Hello, Plumers! Our August/September edition has just shipped, which means we’re hard at work on October’s offerings! Plume’s next featured creative writer is Tanaya Winder, a writer, educator, motivational speaker, and performance poet from the Southern Ute, Duckwater Shoshone, and Pyramid Lake Paiute Nations. Tanaya is a literary force to be reckoned with, and we’re so excited for you to get to know her and her work. We hope you enjoy … Read more
Bouquets of Sharpened Pencils It’s that time of year when people, young and old, return to school. Maybe you’re not a teacher or involved in academia. Maybe you don’t have kids or they’re grown and well past this stage of life. Regardless, this back to school time creates a very specific atmosphere, one that I personally love. To me, back to school season is even more of a restart than … Read more