Once upon a time, about 10 years ago, I thought maybe I could write a mystery series about a midwife in Elizabethan England. I had an elaborately convoluted title and an elaborately convoluted plotline, and at that point I got stupendously bored. Deborah Harkness agoboreconvolute share on social
Once upon a time, forests were repositories of magic for the human race. John Burnside foresthumanmagic Change image and share on social
Once upon a time, growing up male gave little boys a sense of certainty about the natural order of things. We had short hair, wore pants, and played baseball. Girls had long hair, wore skirts, and, no matter how hard they tried, always threw a baseball just like a girl. Kenneth R. Miller baseballboycertainty share on social
Once upon a time, I could sing three hours. Now, when you see me say 'I'm done,' I'm done; ain't nothing left till the next night. Bobby Womack hourleavenight Change image and share on social
Once upon a time, I sat in my mother's lap as she turned the pages of Golden Books, and I gradually learned to read. Michael Dirda bookgoldengradually Change image and share on social
Once upon a time, I thought that politics was the name we gave to our higher instincts. That was before Margaret Thatcher, who came to power when I was 11 years old. Andrew O'Hagan givehighinstinct Change image and share on social
Once upon a time, I was a climate-change skeptic. James Balog changeclimateskeptic Change image and share on social
Once upon a time, I was a little girl sick in the hospital, and my mother gave me a copy of 'Grimm's Fairy Tales' to comfort me. Kate Forsyth comfortcopyfairy Change image and share on social
Once upon a time, I was a workaholic clocking more than 80 hours per week. That changed after I began to write. I now work only around 35 hours per week. I do not work on weekends because these are the days that I use for research as well as for my writing. Ashwin Sanghi beginchangeclock share on social
Once upon a time, I was very shy and you wouldn't even see me in a room. Then, when I was 16, I made the conscious decision to not be afraid of anything - this was about the time I picked up the bagpipes too - and my life pretty much changed forever. Maggie Stiefvater afraidbagpipechange share on social
