Callie Feyen

It is eight in the morning on a Wednesday and I’m placing Harper’s Winnie-the-Pooh stuffed animal, we call him Bear, into the washing machine. I put him in there with some small throw blankets and turn the dial to delicate and then, with a tremendous amount of anxiety, I shut the lid and start the cycle. I don’t know how… View Post

I listen to country music and it’s all Darius Rucker’s fault. You know, I met him once. We were both in Calvin College’s Fieldhouse on a Saturday in the spring of 1995, my freshman year. I was there for a concert, and he was there to give the concert. His band, Hootie and the Blowfish, was opening for Toad the… View Post

When I sit down to write, I pretend I am speaking at an event. I’m the plenary at the Festival of Faith and Writing, for example. Or I’m giving my acceptance speech for this year’s Newbery Award. Once, I pretended I was giving the commencement speech at the University of Notre Dame. I was never a student there, but I… View Post

This was said by a southern journalist (well, he sounded southern) on NPR who was reporting on high school kids’ first time dissecting frogs. Never in my life have I wanted to take part in dissection but hearing clips of the kids screeching with disgust followed by, “Wait, this is interesting. This is cool!” made me wish I was in… View Post

This past summer Hadley and I were book buddies, an easy, no fuss activity that allows you and your child to discuss (via writing, of course) a book together.  Here’s what you need: – A book that you agree to read together (Hadley and I agreed to alternate the book choices. So I’ll see her Captain Underpants and raise her… View Post