Articles
Miracle at St. Joseph's
In 1992, the Bishop of Worcester condemned St. Joseph's Catholic Church and ordered it closed. The parishioners refused to leave, sleeping on cots and on the hard pews. For thirteen months this was their life. In July of 1993, they were removed by the police. In many ways this was the blossoming of their faith.
Originally published in Yankee Magazine in November 1993.
A Short Spring
Growing up, nothing I could do seemed to please my mother and nothing she said made sense to me. But when my mother, on the threshold of death, came to live with me, I found what seemed to have been lost forever.
Originally published in Yankee Magazine, May 1995
At Last, at Long Last, Home
(The follow-up article to Miracle at St. Joseph's.)
The Bishop turned to them and said, "Your prayers have been answered, the hard hearts have softened."
Originally published in Yankee Magazine, December 1996
Orphan Holidays
A reflection on the power of cooking and friendship and the concept of family.
Originally published in Yankee Magazine, November/December 2007
My Articles
The Most Important Building in Town
Libraries occupy a special place in the heart of a town. Evening events at the library give a strong sense of community and make it seem like a great place to live. And in the wake of the online revolution small town libraries have found a way to not only survive but to be indispensable.
Days On Ice
In December 2008 an epic ice storm left virtually the entire state of New Hampshire without power. The residual effects of that storm paralyzed the Monadnock Region almost through Christmas. A first person account.
Whatever Happened to Billy Best?
In 1994, sixteen-year-old Billy Best was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Disease. After several treatments, he ran away to avoid chemotherapy. What happened after that may have been a miracle.
The Most Controversial Woman in Maine
Roxanne Quimby once lived primitively in the Maine woods. Today she owns 90,000 acres of those woods, and her goal is to create a national park to preserve the landscape forever. So why do so many people wish she'd just go away?
Along the Border
Multi-million dollar border stations are rising along our line between US and Canada. What was once the "friendliest border" has become deadly serious.
Andre's Odyssey
Renowned short story writer, Andre Dubus, reflects on the accident that cost him his legs.
Audrey's Story
Thousands seek healing from this innocent, comatose child.
Bibliography
A complete listing of articles published since 1978
Fiction
The Fox (fiction)
An encounter with a sick fox brings a young woman to the heart of her grief