Out of the Blue

by Derek Alger

Originally published on February 1, 2012

Through the rear view mirror my mother spotted a state police car behind her, but thought nothing of it, since so many cars were speeding past her in the left lane. Then the red light went on and the police car moved up right behind my mother’s van.

Sue William Silverman

interviewed by Derek Alger

Originally published on February 1, 2012

Sue William Silverman is the author of two acclaimed memoirs, as well as a poetry collection, Hieroglyphics in Neon and Fearless Confessions: A Writer’s Guide to Memoir. Her memoir, Because I Remember Terror, Father, I Remember You is a painful, excruciating account of years of sexual abuse as a child, which won the AWP (Association of Writers and Writing Programs) Award Series in Creative Nonfiction in 1995.

Roberta Allen

interviewed by Derek Alger

Originally published on January 1, 2012

Roberta Allen (http://www.robertaallen.com) is the author of Dreaming Girl (Ellipsis, 2011), as well as the story collection Certain People (Coffee House Press, 1996), The Traveling Woman (Vehicle Editions, 1986), and a novella-in-stories, The Daughter (Autonomedia, 1992).

What’s in a Name?

by Derek Alger

Originally published on January 1, 2012

My brother was seeing a therapist, who apparently thought Timmy was a “baby name” and thus, impacted adversely on my brother’s feelings about himself, and his ability to ever assertively confront my father.

Gimme a Word

by Derek Alger

Originally published on December 5, 2011

My demons could never be exorcized through playing characters, I was stuck with trying to understand myself and what I perceived as the uncomprehending world around me through other means. Pretense was anathema to me, and yet, acting fascinated both my father and Ferruccio; my father through utilizing videotape in therapy and Ferruccio through staging psychodramas, encouraging patients to perform in spontaneous scenarios.

Pensive Pondering About Childhood Past

by Derek Alger

Originally published on December 3, 2011

I’ve always had trouble accepting the intricacies of the so-called grown up world, finding the behavior of most adults completely bewildering. This started in childhood with the way I viewed my father. I thought he was strange, whereas he was revered by his peers in the psychiatric world. This made me even more perplexed, and [...]

Jacqueline Bishop

interviewed by Derek Alger

Originally published on December 1, 2011

Jacqueline Bishop was born and raised in Kingston, Jamaica, before coming to the United States to attend college. She is the author of two poetry collections, Snapshots From Istanbul and Fauna, as well as a novel, The River’s Song. Bishop is also the author of the non-fiction books, My Mother Who Is Me: Life Stories From Jamaican Women in New York, and Writers Who Paint/Painters Who Write: Three Jamaican Artists.

Last Memo Wins

by Derek Alger

Originally published on November 5, 2011

So, there it was, if a memo came your way implying you were guilty or at fault about something, it was factual until an appropriate memo challenged such an assertion. After all, it was on paper now, and anything on paper magically became real, no matter how preposterous.

Anna Monardo

interviewed by Derek Alger

Originally published on November 3, 2011

Anna Monardo is the author of two novels, The Courtyard of Dreams (Doubleday, 1993), which was nominated for a PEN/Hemingway Award and recommended for a National Book Circle Award, and Falling in Love with Natassia (Doubleday, 2006).

Happy to know Lucky Bruce

by Derek Alger

Originally published on October 1, 2011

I came down off the stage to greet him, introducing myself and shaking his hand. He looked at me, and giving a quick, subtle shake of his head, said, “You don’t look at all like I expected.”