Suddenly Stonecoast

       Well, I'm back from my last winter residency at the Stonecoast MFA program in Maine, and what a time it was. It's bittersweet looking back. I've seen good friends and great writers graduate, met lots of new, cool people, including some that live nearby, overdosed on caffeine in all its various forms, and enjoyed the musical talents of one of the recent grads as he belted out a rather unique rendition of Suddenly Seymour from Little Shop of Horrors. Say what you will about Maine in the dead of winter, but Freeport can be a lot of fun.
     For anyone who's wondering, "What the hell is Stonecoast?" allow me to fill you in. It's the coolest MFA program in the U.S., one of Poets & Writers top 10 low residency programs for Creative Writing, and one of only two in the country with a concentration in Popular Fiction. They've got a hell of a faculty and if you need some one to kick you in the ass to get that novel finished, there's nowhere else quite like it. I'm entering my last semester and I'll be graduating in July.
     Nothing compares to watching people you've only seen in person for a handful of days but feel like you've known your entire life walk across that stage. It's a happy yet sobering experience. But, as they say, all good things... To all the recent grads, congratulations! I miss you already. You keep writing. I'll keep reading.