Creating the “Soundtrack” of a Novel
As a writer I’m often asked how I chose my novel’s setting or how I came up with the story line. Last fall, for the first and only time, I was asked how I chose the musical pieces in my book. It’s a great question. Naturally, the person who asked is...Török Testvérek: A Dynamic Hungarian Trio
While the rest of the U.S. stampedes to mass arenas for rock concerts, I gravitate toward classical and folk music in small places. Some of my favorite musical experiences have happened in venues not much bigger than a classroom. I love the informal rapport that...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,...Merci, Maestro Christophe Chagnard
On Monday, March 23, 2015 the Tacoma News Tribune printed an article I wrote about my memories of working with Christophe Chagnard of the Northwest Sinfonietta. I am posting the text of the article below. If you’d like to see the article in the TNT’s...
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!