His entry begins:My desk is usually stacked fairly high with books that play a part in what I’m currently writing. Intermingled with these are standards that I never keep far away; all of Faulkner, for example, or Joyce, Cheever, Ralph Ellison. But since I’ve started to do some teaching of creative writing, I have been going through some craft books lately, trying to find a basic text for my students.Among the early praise for Lunch-Box Dream:
Right now, I’m reading The Modern Library Writer’s Workshop: A Guide to the Craft of Fiction by Stephen Koch, which purports to synthesize the teaching and writing methods of a lot of varied writers. It’s not too long, which is a good assignment for students, talks a bit about the spiritual mind-work an aspiring writer might undertake, and follows with a bunch of practical advice about drafting and shaping stories, character creation, and the stages of revision. It very much looks like something that I’d like all my students to...[read on]
“Beautifully crafted and written.”Learn more about the book and author at Tony Abbott's website.
–Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“This tale, based in part on Abbott’s memories of a childhood road trip, could fuel avid classroom discussion or quiet personal reflection.”
–Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
"With every narrative turn, Tony Abbott brings these never-before-seen perspectives into view in this moving civil rights kaleidoscope. Untold. Unforgettable."
—Rita Williams-Garcia, author of One Crazy Summer
"This is a beautifully written book. I've never read a description of Abraham Lincoln's funeral train that chilled me the way Abbott's short three page description did, as Bobby imagined it. And, the final bus scene was moving.... Lunch-Box Dream is a story that will touch and move adult readers.
—Lesa's Book Critiques
Writers Read: Tony Abbott.
--Marshal Zeringue
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