After Many Years, a Return to the Midwest–With Books
When I was a kid and an early adolescent, I lived in one of the plainer and more modest houses in the upscale community of Wilmette, Illinois. I moved away from the Midwest at age 14 and had never been back since — until this month. When the opportunity arose to...Les Mis, Played Out and Lived Out
This is the text of my recent News Tribune article about a high school musical production that was not only a joy for the audience but transformative for the school community. In May Stadium High School transported me to nineteenth-century Paris—violence, poverty,...New Ways With an Old Craft: The Fiber Art of Flóra Carlile-Kovács
In recent years as I’ve practiced the art of writing, I’ve found it significant to hear from other artists—not only writers, but musicians and visual artists as well—about the creative process. All of us are affected by our own experiences, by the places we’ve lived,...Art For The Soul
A few posts back I wrote about my brother, Walt Hampton, who makes wonderful music, teaches it and shares it with others. The giving of music is an act of joy and generosity. In that same spirit, today I’m writing about my friends Chuck and Janis Lindley, who...
Welcome!
I am a writer who loves good music and good stories. It’s been my privilege to combine these loves by writing fiction that honors the creation of beauty, even in the bleakest of circumstances, through the creation of music. Writing has also led me to a deep interest in the recent history of central and eastern Europe.
Come and explore with me!