Headlands Center for the Arts

Artist Statement

As a reader and a writer, I believe in the primacy of story. I believe in the importance of a work’s clearly understood central, animating idea. I believe in the beauty of the written language.

While At Headlands

I’m hoping to use my residency at Headlands to work on my current project: a new novel, “North Shore,” about the romantic lives of several elderly residents in a New York apartment complex. The story, with some faint, ironic Proustian echoes, considers romantic compulsion, a love affair’s power dynamics, and the persistence with which the past grips the current moment. Beyond giving me the time and place to work on my novel, I see Headlands as a terrific chance for inspiration and growth. I’m beguiled by its promise of unique natural beauty. I hope to hike every trail, investigate the distinctive geology, and take advantage of the dark, clear night sky (astronomy is one of my passions). The shared meals and proximity to other artists offer the possibility of important dialogue and creative exchange.

Selected Works

“Holy Foolery”, Page Turner, newyorker.com, October 15, 2015.