b Lin
stories & threads straight to your inbox

Latest

12
Dec
Divided attention

Divided attention

This Monday was a tough day at school.  We are nearing the end of the semester and I had several
3 min read
28
Nov
How translation can save us / Is translation even possible?

How translation can save us / Is translation even possible?

Earlier this month, I attended a week-long translation workshop in Tainan, co-hosted by the British Center for Literary Translation and
4 min read
05
Nov
A mouth at the door - an invitation

A mouth at the door - an invitation

When writing fiction, I ask students to begin with a question – what does your main character want?  And what is
3 min read
02
Nov
The kids are all right (plus an embedded writing exercise for you to try!)

The kids are all right (plus an embedded writing exercise for you to try!)

At the start of the year, I always ask my literature students – a mix of juniors and seniors – how many
4 min read
25
Oct
To the rain

To the rain

It’s been raining incessantly in Taipei.  Even for a climate with high humidity, a fall typhoon season, and a
3 min read
28
Sep
The one in the middle is the green kangaroo

The one in the middle is the green kangaroo

Our younger son, S, has moved into his older brother’s empty bedroom.  In the beginning, when I saw the
3 min read
21
Sep
Community is built one person at a time.

Community is built one person at a time.

If I’m not near my notebook when I come across a good line – usually, when I’m listening to
3 min read
13
Sep
The poetry of a really good sandwich

The poetry of a really good sandwich

I host a weekly faculty and staff writing group where I offer an optional prompt and people either write to
3 min read
01
Aug
Put your wandering heart away

Put your wandering heart away

The last days of summer used to make me feel blue.  I sense that same end-of-summer drag in my children
3 min read
29
Jul
If you build it...

If you build it...

Ever since I met Keith, my husband’s brother-in-law, he’s talked about this little plot of land by the
4 min read