Michael Crump

Michael and Janet Crump are retired to a small coffee farm in Costa Rica. Having eschewed gated communities, they live in a very rural part of the country on the far western edge of the Meseta Central, aka the Central Valley. The lifestyle leaves them close to local culture and requires them to speak Spanish, both a joy and a challenge. Mike's culturally-rooted stories: "The Good Policeman," "The Walk," "La Novena" and "The River," were originally published in La Revista de Lenguas Modernas," (The Review of Modern Languages), at the University of Costa Rica. "The Walk," has been read almost ten thousand times on his website (www.stillpointfiction.com).

Mike has long been enamored of Spanish culture. Or, at least what he thought it was. It began in Mrs. Shrum's high school Spanish class and in fascination with the in-progress Cuban Revolution. Then nurtured by Hemingway, Michener and Garcia Marquez. His interests these days include the Cold War convolutions of Central America ("Candyman's War"), and the struggles of his characters and their families over that period ("The OLIGARCH"). "El Peon," under revision, is a story of three young people in Costa Rica and their life journeys shaped by a culture moving from traditional Tico to global.

"It is a fascinating time," he says, "rural Ticos in the generation aged 35-50, have gone from no electricity, no phones in the house and often no running water, to cell phones, YouTube and Twitter in a space of 20 years." It is fascinating. Hope you enjoy his writing about it.

Favorite writer quotes:

"Instructions for living a life: Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it." Mary Oliver.

"I could not simplify myself." "That really struck home," (Peter) Matthiessen said. "I knew exactly what he means." He paused and then whispered it again. " 'I could not simplify myself,' " and then he added, "That's always been my goal." [Interview, NYT].

Gloria Steinem said, "Writing is the only thing that, when I do it, I don't feel I should be doing something else."

Ann McDermott says, "For me, having characters who are part of a faith then allows me to talk about how that faith either works or fails them without having to attack the institution." WA 27 Jun 2014

"War is a gale. It scoops up routine lives and (when it does not end them) scatters them here and there, never again to be reconstituted in the same form." Roger Cohen, NYT 8 Apr 2014.