Birthdays: Evelyn Waugh (1903), George Dangerfield (1904), Ian Hamilton Finlay (1925), John Hollander (1929), Anne Perry (1938), Joe R. Lansdale (1951), Ayad Akhtar (1970)

Ayad Akhtar won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for “Disgraced”

Quote: “I should like to bury something precious in every place where I’ve been happy and then, when I’m old and ugly and miserable, I could come back and dig it up and remember.” – Evelyn Waugh

“A good poem satisfies the ear. It creates a story or picture that grabs you, informs you and entertains you.” – Ian Hamilton Hollander

Tip: Some people say that all the good stories have been written. That’s not true. Your story hasn’t been told yet, so tell it, in your way, with your words.

Jumpstart: Five years after I left town, I returned. Nothing had changed. Nothing except me…