Posts by Charles Levin
A Sports Fan’s Lament
[Note: Today I share a short essay by one of my favorite writers, Bob Katz. He agreed to let me share it here publicly for the first time. Bob got me thinking. He inspired me to share a personal story of my own in the Postscript. Enjoy!] My novel Third and Long is the story…
Read MoreIn the River
“As writers, it is in the art that we find ourselves.” So, I’m halfway through writing my sixth book STILL NOT GONE, the sequel to STILL NOT DEAD, but stuff keeps getting in the way. I accidentally (explanation here} started a publishing company last year, the Munn Avenue Press and it has taken off. I’ve…
Read MoreAn Author’s Journey to Elaine’s Circle
[Publisher’s Note: I’m pleased to share here with the permission of the author, Bob Katz, this charming, serendipitous, and true account of the story-behind-the-story that led to Elaine’s Circle: A Teacher, a Student, a Classroom, and One Unforgettable Year by Bob Katz–available on Amazon. I am also honored to have the publishing company I started–the…
Read MoreBooks Unread
A personal essay about all the books I haven’t read and some I have.. How many books have you started reading but never finished? That’s a question I asked myself recently now that I have many more unread books than ones I’ve finished. And I read a lot. I won’t even talk much here about…
Read More10 Life Lessons I learned from Playing Poker
I played poker as a teenager, but I took it up more seriously twenty years ago. The intrigue and intricacies of the game found me when I needed the comfort and distraction of a high-level intellectual challenge. It feels funny writing that last phrase, as most people think of poker as a game played in…
Read MoreA Story About a Story …or The Exquisite Corpse
I’ve always had it in the back of my mind to write a children’s book, but I wasn’t sure where to start. I wanted an idea that inspired me yet appealed to children from six to ten years of age—maybe because my twin grandsons are seven years old. To appeal to children, my children’s book…
Read MoreExcerpt: STILL NOT GONE
[Note: Today enjoy a free excerpt from the upcoming thriller STILL NOT GONE that gives you a flavor for the bigger journey that I hope you will take later this year.] Chapter 2—Yours How alive am I if I’m purely digital? I’ve been asking myself that question for almost ten years. I mean I don’t…
Read MoreTwo Authors | Two Journeys
[ When I’m invited to speak at libraries and book-signings, the question I am asked most often is, “Where do you get your ideas?” I shared in part my personal answer to that question in my last post, Reading for the Soul. Today I’m happy to share two stories of writing and inspiration–the story behind…
Read MoreReading for the Soul
I’ve been thinking a lot about the magical effect that reading or more broadly, storytelling, has on the soul, on our sense of self, on our peace of mind, on meaning in our lives. What is it about telling and listening to a story that calms you, engages you, drills down to your very core—even…
Read MoreNora from UPS Delivers the Package
It’s funny how serendipitous events have played such a huge role in my life. Well, that’s probably true of everyone—how you met your spouse, how you decided on a career, how you met your best friend. Come to think of it, all the best things in life seem to happen by accident, not by plan,…
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