Lately, I’ve been longing for a mentor, the kind of kick-ass mentor that doesn’t exist in real life: somebody that I talk to a few times a month, who can guide me not only through the various genres in which I write (nonfiction, y.a. fiction, the occasional bad poem) but also has the knowledge and wherewithal to help me navigate the business of writing, that is, meeting the appropriate contacts, how to get publicity, where to submit, etc.

When I was in Chicago this past week for the annual AWP conference, a fellow writer asked me, “Who do you read?” Read More