Tag Archives: Sylvia Plath

Mushroom Season

Posted on October 10, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

MUSHROOMS by Sylvia Plath Overnight, very Whitely, discreetly, Very quietly Our toes, our noses Take hold on the loam, Acquire the air. Nobody sees us, Stops us, betrays us; The small grains make room. Soft fists insist on Heaving the … Continue reading →

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Snowstorm of Rejections

Posted on January 26, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

All authors face rejection at some point in their writing careers. Some of us throw in the towel and are content with publishing blogs, but the greats always seem to persevere. Here are some suggestions from writers who knew how … Continue reading →

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I shared a vagrant optimism

Posted on October 30, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

Hunter S. Thompson —”I shared a vagrant optimism that some of us were making real progress, that we had taken an honest road, and that the best of us would inevitably make it over the top. At the same time, … Continue reading →

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Memorable Opening Lines

Posted on July 3, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that I’ve been turning over in my mind ever since. — F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby (1925) I lost an arm on my last trip home. — Octavia Butler, Kindred (1979) Once … Continue reading →

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Dear George Orwell

Posted on June 1, 2016 by Brian D. Butler

The British Library has just released over 300 literary treasures relating to 20th century writers available online for the first time. The amazing collection includes literary drafts, rare first editions, notebooks, letters, diaries, newspapers and photographs from James Joyce, Virginia … Continue reading →

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Lit Mapping NYC

Posted on April 5, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

Trendy New York-based eyeglass purveyor Warby Parker has created an entertaining literary map dedicated to the Upper East side neighborhood around its uptown showroom. From Ira Levin’s spooky Rosemary’s Baby (yes, it was a book first) to J.D. Salinger’s iconic … Continue reading →

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