The fifth-century Emperor Ingyō (c. 411-453) took as his lover Princess Sotoshi no iratsume (better known to us as Sotōri), the younger sister of Empress Oshisaka no Ōnakatsuhime. To avoid offending the Empress, Ingyō provided a residence for Princess Sotoshi far away from her older sister, first in Fujiwara near…
A week before he died, Japanese swordmaster Miyamoto Musashi composed his Dokkōdō or Way of Walking Alone, a series of twenty-one precepts that spell out his philosophy of ascetic, honorable living. I do not oppose the age-old paths. I do not plot ways to find pleasure. I do not bias…
I’m very excited to confirm my next two books: Border Lore: Folktales and Legends of South Texas, coming from Lamar University Press this fall. A Score and Ten: Poetic Evolution, coming from Otras Voces Publishing late this year or early 2015.
As people have been asking where they can watch episode 8 of Monsters and Mysteries in America season two (in which my interview and story appear), here’s a rundown of sources in case you don’t catch it on Destination America or Animal Planet: Amazon iTunes YouTube WalMart Vudu
Cao Cao (155-220 C.E.) was a statesman, master of military affairs and a great poet. He became the Prime Minister of the Chinese kingdom of Wei in 209, in 214 was knighted the Duke of Wei, in 217 became the King of Wei and was conferred the title Emperor Wu…
Interstice, the literary journal of South Texas College, has accepted my poems “Beer Bottles” and “The Serpent in My Eye” for publication in the spring 2014 edition.
Cao Cao (155-220 C.E.) was a statesman, master of military affairs and a great poet. He became the Prime Minister of the Chinese kingdom of Wei in 209, in 214 was knighted the Duke of Wei, in 217 became the King of Wei and was conferred the title Emperor Wu…
On April 5, 2014, the Texas Institute of Letters awarded my book Flower, Song, Dance: Aztec and Mayan Poetry the Soeurette Diehl Fraser Award for Best Translation. I accepted the award at the TIL annual banquet after being presented with a check for $1000. I am grateful to everyone who…
Starting September 5, 2013, and running through Halloween, The Monitor printed a nine-part series entitled “Creature Feature.” Published each Thursday, this column featured my retellings of creepy tales of ghosts, ghouls and cucuys from deep South Texas, with illustrations by a variety of local artists. On December 10, 2013, an…
This project is based on the first true novel ever composed, Genji Monogatari (The Tale of Genji). Written in the 11th century by a woman we know as Murasaki Shikibu, the novel follows the life of Genji, son of the Japanese emperor by one of his low-ranking concubines. -SG1-Shining Prince…
