My students are often afraid of darkness. Well no, that's not exactly all there is to it: several of them write about subjects that are the familiar fare of the young, ‘dark’ creative mind. Vampires. Sado-masochism. Serial killers. They think they’re being cutting edge and brave. I thought I was, too, when I was 20, sitting in Devon House park in Jamaica, writing about a girl vampire eating ginger ice cream (a Devon House speciality). Not that there’s any shame in these sub

Teaching is luverly. That’s what I’m feeling today. I was in the presence of students who laughed and listened and learned. I do feel good when the light comes on in student eyes. It’s gorgeous. And to help them to be better writers is such a fabulous feeling. There is also that part of me that likes to show off...teaching is performance. But it’s not just the polishing of my ego. Sometimes you can be witness to something special. I have a student; lets call him Danny. Danny