Posts by Lynn Slaughter
“Thankfuls” Trump the “Un-thankfuls”
When our sons were growing up, we used to have a tradition of passing a candle around the Sunday night dinner table and sharing what we felt thankful for. When it was his turn, our then seven year old piped up with, “Let me start with my un-thankfuls.”
Read MoreGrieving
Forget all that “time to move on and heal our differences” stuff. Maybe I’ll get there, but after Tuesday’s stunning presidential election, I sure haven’t arrived at that place.
Read MoreDo We Send Students to College too Soon? [Lessons from Vets on Campus]
The local university where I teach part-time has made a special and quite successful effort to welcome veterans on campus. My veteran students are a bit older than my “just out of high school” first year students.
Read MoreWriting May Be a Solitary Occupation, But …
Even before I tried writing a novel myself, I was fascinated by authors who wrote them. Curious about the folks writers regarded as their inspirations or helpmates along their journey toward publication, I invariably read the acknowledgements’ page
Read MoreA Different Kind of Halloween
Halloween happens to be the birthday of my younger son’s fiancée, so that already makes it a special day to celebrate. It’s also my husband’s favorite holiday.
Read MoreCan’t Not Look
Eager to get to the university on one of my teaching days, I left the house early—only to find myself sitting in stalled traffic on the interstate for 45 minutes. Sirens screamed, and ambulances roared by.
Read MoreConfessions from the Teaching Front
I sometimes think I suffer from the opposite of attachment disorder.
Read MoreFeeling Sad
Yesterday morning, my older son’s stepmother and my ex-husband’s beloved wife, died. Last week in “Still Family,” I wrote
Read MoreStill Family
I was at my grandson’s seventh grade football game when the call came. Amidst the noisy fans, my son’s voice sounded unexpectedly sober and lower than usual. “Wanted to let you know
Read MoreWhy Do You Write Such Dark Stuff?
It’s not that my YA characters aren’t sometimes funny or snarky. But I have to admit that my books, like those of many contemporary YA novelists, tend toward the dark side. It isn’t only the murders
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