Odds are, if you are a regular visitor to the Open Road blog, one of your main hobbies is reading. Do you ever wonder what your favorite writers do outside of their literary careers? We’ve rounded up a few of our authors whose extracurricular activities might surprise you.
![Nancy Willard's stained glass angel]()
The whimsy displayed in Nancy Willard’s poetry (found in collections like Swimming Lessons) and novels (such as Things Invisible to See) extends to her real life as well. Outside of her writing, she enjoys crafting and displays her extraordinary creations throughout her home or gifts them to friends and family. Willard has experimented with many different mediums, including stained glass and hand-painted furniture. The relationship between her art and writing gives a great insight into Willard’s mind, where art and literature influence each other to create great pieces.
When she’s not busy entertaining with her offbeat tales in novels such as
Bigfoot Dreamsor
Guided Tours of Hell,
Francine Prose can be found cooking up a storm in her kitchen, along with her partner, artist Howie Michaels. Food is what unites them throughout the day. In a recent
interview, Prose detailed how food enhances her writing, often serving as part of her research for her novels and stories. She credits Michaels with being the main cook in the house, but they work closely together to create recipes and Prose is usually the one buying the groceries to create the meals. She admits that she “can sous-chef from time to time.”
Not to be outdone in the kitchen, Joyce Maynard has the baking realm covered—specifically pies. The author of To Die For admits that the real secret to her spectacular pies is her crust, and she is never too shy to share her technique. Her love of making pies also extends into her literature, most notably her novel Labor Day. In order to make the protagonist, a convict, more sympathetic, she has him teach his hostages how to make a pie. Since the technique Maynard uses is so detailed and personal, when Labor Day was turned into a film she taught the star, Josh Brolin, the pie-making method herself.
![Dear Digby by Carol Muske-Dukes]()
Carol Muske-Dukes, author of the tragicomedy Dear Digby, uses her talents to give back to the community by teaching. Not only has she taught creative writing at a number of universities, but she has also used her skills to teach women in prison. She has been part of the Rikers Island program in New York, and has worked with some of the most famous activists and inmates in the prison. Through her work, she has inspired people who desire to reform their lives but feel as though they have slipped through the cracks of society. And the benefit is mutual, as her students have inspired her work as well.
Although these authors’ pastimes may be vastly different than the writing for which they are well-known, their talents demonstrate that the inspiration for literature can come in many forms. Share what inspires your writing!