Vicki Atkinson's Blog

I had conversations with three talented authors recently and they all said the same thing in their own unique, evocative way.

Writers need to resist the urge to write.

Yup. You heard me. That’s me paraphrasing, but the message was the same, three times over:

Exercise patience and don’t start writing until you’ve wrapped your arms around the subject matter.

I did a modicum of research for my ‘work-in-progress’ and found some surprising ancestry info. It was research, of a sort, bu...

I’m not a poet but I love to dabble, especially when stream-of-consciousness poetry arrives. Almost in an auto-write format. I’ll explain…

It doesn’t happen often, but words and phrases…sometimes whole stanzas of poetry command my attention if my dad populated my subconscious overnight. I wish I could summon these bon-mot-moments on demand. Alas, I must wait and capture what arrives, when it arrives. Pen in hand or fingers clamoring for a keyboard, I stumble out of bed and race to write.

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If you’re in the Chicago area…I’d love to see you at Harper College, courtesy of The Cultural Arts Committee, when I read from “Surviving Sue” on Thursday, November 6 from 11am – 12:15 pm.

I’m a member of the wonderful Barrington Writers Workshop and wrote a short post on their site – about returning to a college campus I love – to share excerpts from my book:

Stepping into the River

I’ve found the prospect of book promotion to be daunting for many authors  – much more than th...

My dear friend, poet Maggie Watson is a treasure.

One of the most unexpected joys in blogging comes from meeting dear ones all around the world. Talented Maggie delights me with good wishes and waves “across the pond” from Scotland and taught me about a treat I’d never heard of – jelly tots. But the actual treats are her poignantly crafted poems, especially those I embraced in her collection, aptly titled, “Pieces of Me“.

Maggie shows us her wholeheartedness. Her bravery and resolve t...

I’m a reader and a writer and a lover of great stories – especially those that delve into the complexity of relationships. I don’t enjoy glossy characters and descriptions of families that are too tidy. I suspect it’s because I cannot relate. Not even a smidge.

Enter “When Things Go Missing“.

The book I longed to read but Deborah Brasket needed to put it in my hands. Into my heart.

Here’s my Five-Star Review of “When Things Go Missing”:

“When Things Go Missing” is a must-read,...

Wow. Wow. Wow.

Do you know about John Busbee’s “The Culture Buzz“? If you don’t, you need to catch up! It’s my new favorite program on the award-winning, independent radio station, KFMG 98.9.

John refers to his listeners as “cultural adventurers” – members of a club and membership is free. Just tune in! With content ranging from news about the performing and visual arts to author interviews and more, John curates two hours of inspiration every Wednesday from 11am to 1pm (Central Time)...

Whenever a reader offers praise for “Surviving Sue”, it’s a swoon-worthy moment. Pushing the boundaries of joy.

Wynne Leon and I had the pleasure of visiting with Pia Mailhot Leichter on the “How to Share” podcast recently and meeting Pia was electric. Her energy and enthusiasm for life and her candor for the cause – inspiring and instilling creativity in others – is contagious and magnificent.

Pia’s book, “Welcome to the Creative Club” is unlike anything I’ve ever read. One of the boo...

“Show me a successful individual and I’ll show you someone who had real positive influences in his or her life. I don’t care what you do for a living — if you do it well I’m sure there was someone cheering you on or showing the way. A mentor.”

– Denzel Washington

I was a terrified first year student. Fighting the daily urge to quit, I stayed put and didn’t drop out, but I thought about it constantly and every year when September rolls around, I remember. It’s a month of change and t...

Lauren Scott’s beautiful new book, “King Copper – Our Dog’s Life in Poetry” stole my heart.

Sadly, one of the common denominators in life is loss. When those I care about – friends, family, clients, former students – reach out and share their grief about losing a pet, there’s often a sense of shame about the depth and capacity of the torment. “After all,” (a dear one said recently, speaking about the unexpected passing of her cat), “she was just a pet”.

I saw what she was doing – attem...

Maggie Watson is a joy.

Her depth of understanding about the human condition is evident in her beautiful prose and poignant poetry. She exudes purpose in her writing, revealing the potency of healing through creativity and the power of sharing our stories.

I love that Maggie understood the threads of empathy and compassion in “Surviving Sue“. Mental illness and addiction are complicated monsters and although my life with Sue was difficult, I also understood, over time, the root causes...