Sarah Layden's Blog

 This essay was first published by Women Writers, Women's Books: http://booksbywomen.org/sarah-layden-... years ago, while commuting to my MFA program increative writing, I made a habit of seeking out an old windmill along my route.It was both a landmark for the distance I had yet to travel, and a reminderthat I was back home again in Indiana after years away. Now that windmill

Long time, no time, le blogger! My website "links" page has more or less taken the place of writing updates. It's been a busy spring in the home office, where pajamas are mandatory and showers...need to happen more often. In recent weeks, the noise of the Brood X cicadas has made it hard to concentrate; it is as if they have hypnotized us and now all we can think about is mating and dying. Not

 1. Sunday morning writing, light snowfall, good coffee, space heater in my home office/guest bedroom (which has housed no guests in many months): an inventory of small and important happiness. 2. I do not want to download the game my children want me to download, which is not compatible with their devices and is compatible with the aging computer I use for work, and also the tablet I use for

When I saw my name and story on the list for Best Microfiction 2020, I yelled. So grateful to guest editor Michael Martone and series editors Meg Pokrass and Gary Fincke for including "The Jumper" in the book, which comes out in April. And Michael Czyzniejewski and Moon City Review for originally publishing my story. Now let me yell about the many glorious writers and journals

Up now at The Millions, my interview with Patricia Henley, whose acclaimed novel HUMMINGBIRD HOUSE is being re-released by Haywire Books as a special 20th anniversary edition.







Says Patricia: "It took 10 years from the original idea to holding the book in my
hand. I went through two agents. Neither liked the story or thought it
had a chance. I made five trips to Central America. I was

I have spent a good portion of the summer enmeshed in books and music, thinking and recharging.  Recently I've given a re-listen to "Across a Wire," a live album by Counting Crows. It opens with a man saying, "Please welcome, uh, MY favorite band, Counting Crows." I know his voice so well from repeated listenings, but I don't know who he is.

Perhaps his name is in the liner notes, but the

All this family and historical research I've been doing made me remember a short story I wrote in sixth grade, called "Sarah Sleuth," which was most certainly NOT autobiographical, and most certainly WAS filled with mystery and drama. Finally tracked down the original in a box of school papers my mom saved for me. A sampling:




Who doesn't enjoy relaxing in a thick recliner after getting back

In our quest to learn more about an event in our family history (see previous post: The Mysteries of Family History: Naming Names), my Dad and I have done quite a bit of research in libraries, archives, and online.

Newspaper accounts of the event in question have been indispensable: the first big find on microfiche blew up long-held family myths about what happened and how. Over time, stories

My social media friends -- and anyone who's been within ten feet of me for the last couple years -- know that my father and I have been researching events in our family history that happened in 1874-76 in Warren and Fountain counties, Indiana.  











Here's an abridged version of what we know so far: In August of 1874, near Independence/Attica, Indiana, Tade
Layden got into an altercation

 









Salem Cemetery












A shop on Attica's Main Street