The Potomac River, as seen from George Washington’s historic home at Mount Vernon, looks especially gray on a rainy day. During this weekend, Hurricane Matthew hammered the southern coast, but Maryland only saw gray skies and light rain.

 

How to Conduct a Stellar Interview

Imagine this: You’re a young writer, just starting out in the world of freelancing and magazine pitches. You just got hired to write a profile about a lady who does charity, owns her own business, and mothers two children. You know this lady is someone special and worth reading about, but now it’s up to you to convey that in words.

How?

First, you’ll need a great interview. If you don’t get enough juicy details and quotes about her life and experiences, it doesn’t matter how great of a writer you are. 

Poetry Inspiration—The Rainy Day

The day is cold, and dark, and dreary;
It rains, and the wind is never weary;
The vine still clings to the moldering wall,
But at every gust the dead leaves fall,
And the day is dark and dreary.

My life is cold, and dark, and dreary;
It rains, and the wind is never weary;
My thoughts still cling to the moldering Past,
But the hopes of youth fall thick in the blast
And the days are dark and dreary.

Be still, sad heart! and cease repining;
Behind the clouds is the sun still shining;
Thy fate is the common fate of all,
Into each life some rain must fall,
Some days must be dark and dreary.

~HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW

Review—The Pilot’s Wife

I brought this book to the beach for Labor Day weekend thinking it would be a relaxing read, but it was far from my usual beach material. I was entranced immediately by Anita Shreve’s storytelling style, how she made me feel like I was in Kathryn’s house with her as she got the devastating news in the very first chapter. This book was written with the perfect lens, putting us close enough to the action to feel their pain but letting us observe what is happening for ourselves. I only put this book down to take a nap; otherwise I read it in one quick sitting.

Practicing my handwriting and accidentally getting philosophical. -Photo by Becka Jackson.

When you go to the bookstore, excited to buy a copy of the next greatest book, do you pick up a paperback, its pages opening easily to a random page? or a hardcover, giving you protection against bends and creases?

Do you take notes in your books? Do you fold pages when you find something interesting? Do you bend the spine so it stays open while you read? Or do you try to preserve your books in their original pristine condition? Do you take care to avoid doing the aforementioned things?

 

Lightning licks her lips after attempting to eat my hair. She likes to nap on my desk but rarely climbs onto my bed.

 

Word of the Day—August 25, 2016

adulatory (adj): excessively praising or admiring

The professor’s comments were full of adulatory remarks and really weren’t helpful at all.

 

A student organization member holds up a handmade sign, hoping to attract people to his table at UNCW’s annual Involvement Carnival. First-years aren’t the only people who want to join new clubs, and this fair is an important way for campus organizations to advertise.     -Photo by Becka Jackson