by Sidney S. Stark ‘She doesn’t have any character,’ ‘Lord, what a character!’ or ‘It was really out of character’, all describe different traits within the parameters of personality, temperament and moral fiber. So clearly character can mean many different things to different people in various settings. But what does it mean to an author… Continue Reading
Author Archives: Sidney Stark
Spring in our Hearts
by Sidney S. Stark Whanne that April with his shoures sote (Sweet Rain) The droughte (dryness) of March hath perced (pierced) to the rote (root)… Canterbury Tales. Prologue. Line 1. The prologue to Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales (above) is familiar to most of us who remember it from our struggles in eighth grade English class.… Continue Reading
Play it by Ear
by Sidney S. Stark The phrase ‘play it by ear’ has many nuances of meaning in both its literal and figurative iterations. The one we’re all most familiar with refers to the musical ability to perform a piece without notation. The furthest extreme of that version is probably represented by the prodigious skill of the… Continue Reading
Get Out of My Way!
by Sidney S. Stark “Please tell me when it will be done so I can manage expectations.” My colleague delivered this request via email but her query vibrated with inherent tension and the tone was clear. “The best way to do that is not to have any expectations.” I answered honestly although looking back on… Continue Reading
The Loneliness Factor
by Sidney S. Stark “It’s such a lonely life in some ways…being a writer…and you do this thing in a room by yourself for a long time…and you might be the only person who cares that you do it.” This reflective, almost wistful statement was offered by Melissa Bank, an author who teaches a fiction… Continue Reading
The Wild West
by Sidney S. Stark My father always burst through the front door of our apartment when he came home seemingly unaided by human effort. I’m sure it had something to do with the spirit of adventure and cosmic energy that hovered around Daddy wherever he went. He had an air about him that convinced you… Continue Reading