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It is December 6. On this date, in 1989, 14 female engineering students were murdered because they were women. Because they were, in the mind of a serial killer, feminists. The Association for Research on Mothering has asked us to take a moment today to remember these 14 women, who today might have been at […]

One of the more provocative responses to yesterday’s post, “The ‘Elite’ Talk Back” was by the original article’s author Linda Hirshman. When I saw the comment initially, I steeled myself for criticism. Instead, my points were ignored (dismissal perhaps being the ultimate form of criticism) and Hirshman instead wrote an oddly personal response to The […]

In Homeward Bound, published in The American Prospect, Linda Hirshman makes the argument that, among America’s “elite” women, feminism has, essentially, failed. Her proof — “Half of the wealthiest, most-privileged, best-educated females in the country stay home with their babies rather than work in the market economy.” She sets out to prove that, while the […]

The National Post (a Canadian national daily) had an article in last weekend’s paper by Anne Kingston (who is one of the few Post writers who does not make my teeth itch) entitled The latest motherhood advice is not about raising children, and subtitled The only acceptable stay-at-home moms are yummy. Seeing the word motherhood […]

In this week’s question, Dr. Sue addresses the dangers of writing what you know (again, it has to do with other people! Why do writers always seem to come up against this “other people” issue??). This is something I grapple with often, especially as someone who writes mostly nonfction. Personal essays about my life necessarily […]

I’m nervous to be blogging here. Not to be blogging — I write unabashedly over on my personal blog MUBAR (Mothered Up Beyond All Recognition). But to be blogging here. At Literary Mama. It’s a bit scary for me. Because there is a new group of readers — ones who might find my fast and […]

To kick off the publication of my latest book It’s a Boy, I’m launching a web-based book tour: the Blog Book Tour. With 50 bloggers participating, it looks to be a new and enjoyable alternative to hanging out in bookstores in random cities hoping to entice people to let me sign their books. Which is […]

Martha is one of my favorite online writer friends. She is also a force to be reckoned with. Read her impassioned response to Maureen Dowd’s recent piece in the Times, In Defense of the Bake Sale. My favorite part is the whole damn thing, so I’ll restrain myself and just quote a few choice paragraphs: […]

A wonderful writer and online friend is making a guest appearance on MJ Rose’s blog every Friday starting today. Sue O’Doherty, PhD, is a psychologist specializing in issues affecting writers, and is no slouch herself. (And, in the interest of full disclosure, she has a lovely essay in It’s a Boy.) Today she tackles two […]

We have four new fiction pieces up: San Andreas by Ericak Lutz,The Hero of Queens Boulevard by Michelle Richmond, Embarrassment of Riches by Carol Cronin, and Day Care Lady by Deborah Bauer. And in slice-of-life nonfiction, we have new columns: Down Will Come Baby, Mother and Other, and our newest column by our newest columnist, […]

The Mother Talk event the other week was well attended and (I think) well enjoyed. Deena was a gracious hostess, and her house was more than accomodating to the 35 or so women who came to eat, drink, and talk. This event was more political than the others, since we were featuring Miriam‘s book, and […]