The sand in the photograph seems to undulate, to move visibly on the paper. Deep furrows of dark curves evenly slicing through the lighter colored sand as if water is flowing, though it is clear from the endless mounds of sand that the photograph is taken in a desert. The title of the photograph is Oceana and one can easily see that this was once an ocean bottom with miles of water on top with currents that no doubt created the same kind of curves in the sand. It is clear how water currents would etch such a regular pattern in the sand, but one wonders how could wind? And surely wind is the sculptor of this plain, what else could be? The hills of sands stretch off in every direction, the same regular pattern on each, as if a human sculptor has taken a sharp tool and drawn this lines on, one at a time. A closer look at the patterns give way to abstract pictures of humans, some with their arms outstretched, others with two legs that hold full bodies, lying or standing, side-by-side, forming an intentional geometric pattern. How can this be? Perhaps this isn’t sand at all, but rather sandstone that has hardened over millions of years holding the patterns of those ocean waters forever. That perhaps is what this is because it is incomprehensible that wind of any kind could create such perfectly spaced mounds. The more one looks at the photo the more otherworldly it becomes. A cosmic artist must be at work; how else could such beauty be created?
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Len Leatherwood, M.S.
Writing Coach
Writing Rules!
Private youth and adult writing Teacher
I specialize in short stories, poetry, personal essays, memoir, and college essays. With my guidance, many of my students have won writing contests and/or published their pieces in literary journals, anthologies, magazines, or e-zines.
Many of my high school and college students
have been admitted to their first choice undergraduate and graduate schools due in
large part to their superlative personal statements and college essays.
Sessions are conducted either in person in
Los Angeles or on the phone/Internet.
For Rates & Availability,
use the Contact Form above.
Local & International Writing Workshops
Click here for info on past and future
workshops. All levels of writing welcome!
To be the first to learn about our next adventure, join my mailing list!
online group
writing classes
Year-round, I teach classes through Story Circle Network, an organization dedicated to helping women share the stories of their lives and to raising public awareness of the importance of women's personal histories.
To see our current class offerings and learn more about the organization, click here!
Writing Workshop
Amalfi Coast, Italy
"There is no one I trust more with my essays, Len turns average writing into extraordinary works of art. The 1,500 mile gap between us
had no effect on how efficiently we were able to prepare my college application essays. I couldn't be more pleased with them and I'm excited to see what doors they have opened for me. She is truly fantastic."
Julianne N. from TX
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