by Lanier Ivester Is this a fast, to keep The larder lean? And clean From fat of veals and sheep? Is it to quit the dish Of flesh, yet still To fill The platter high with fish? Is it to fast an hour, Or ragg’d to go, Or show A downcast look and sour? No; ‘tis a fast to dole Thy sheaf of wheat, And meat, Unto the hungry soul. It is to fast from strife, From old debate And hate; To circumcise thy life. To show a heart grief-rent; To starve thy sin, Not bin; And that’s to k

Introduction “It is no sign of weakness or defeat that your manuscript ends up in need of major surgery. This is common in all writing and among the best of writers.” – E. B. White “You don’t care about those first three pages; those you will throw out, those you needed to write to get to that fourth page, to get to that one long paragraph that was what you had in mind when you started, only you didn’t know that, couldn’t know that, until you got to it.” ― Anne Lamott I wrot

by Kate Gaston The last of the autumn leaves have released their grip, and the holiday season is upon you. As you stare out the window at the first snowfall, you find your heart inexplicably yearning for a table laden with delicious food and flickering candles. You daydream of friends and family gathered together in a Rockwellian tableau, everyone smiling broadly, wearing vintage sweaters, and pleased as punch to be sitting around your table. You’ve been hearing the word “hos