Personally, I'd take the respect of fellow writers over the money. Then again, I've never been that driven by acquiring money--obviously--and what's money going to do for you when your writing community thinks you stink?
Okay, so he tried to sell it as fiction but the publisher said, Well, you say this is a memoir with a bit of embellishing? Let's make it a memoir, then--it'll sell better, so he does, he takes their advice, which is not always the best, admittedly, he gets sucked in, and then lookit.
At some point, you just have to stand your ground. Just say no, right?
But he's sold more books as a result of this fiasco, which I find repugnant. It figures. Our culture is currently so very celebrity-driven. Designer cars, designer clothes, designer books.
Eek!
Monday, January 16, 2006
Saturday, January 14, 2006
Scathing piece in the L.A. Times
Yes, I'm interested. Isn't everyone?
Some anonymous someone wrote and said that he/her (said person didn't want to reveal who they were) found it interesting that I've spent the week writing about people I don't care about.
I found that really interesting--and odd.
Aren't all writers interested in matters of ethics in publishing? Aren't you interested in whether what Frey did was considered unethical by the folks in publishing? By readers and other writers? And aren't you interested and curious at the power that Oprah wields?
I am.
And so I write about it. I care about ethics in publishing and I care about how all this will shake down.
The other day I asked a friend--a well-published author, in fact--if she'd been following the Frey fiasco. She said she really hadn't been but from what she ascertained, The Smoking Gun was just trying to start trouble. This was her opinion after reading headlines.
Headlines. We read headlines and we skim.
I suppose I'll hear from that anonymous someone who will tell me again how curious they are that I'm still writing about this topic I care nothing about. I just hope he/her/it says who they are this time, so we can have a dialogue. This is part of the problem, you know--so many of us are afraid to say who we are, express our opinions.
It's easier to remain silent, to not make waves.
Okay, now I must retrieve the L.A. Times from the sidewalk. SFAmylou emailed and said there's an article about Frey. Talk to you later...
I found that really interesting--and odd.
Aren't all writers interested in matters of ethics in publishing? Aren't you interested in whether what Frey did was considered unethical by the folks in publishing? By readers and other writers? And aren't you interested and curious at the power that Oprah wields?
I am.
And so I write about it. I care about ethics in publishing and I care about how all this will shake down.
The other day I asked a friend--a well-published author, in fact--if she'd been following the Frey fiasco. She said she really hadn't been but from what she ascertained, The Smoking Gun was just trying to start trouble. This was her opinion after reading headlines.
Headlines. We read headlines and we skim.
I suppose I'll hear from that anonymous someone who will tell me again how curious they are that I'm still writing about this topic I care nothing about. I just hope he/her/it says who they are this time, so we can have a dialogue. This is part of the problem, you know--so many of us are afraid to say who we are, express our opinions.
It's easier to remain silent, to not make waves.
Okay, now I must retrieve the L.A. Times from the sidewalk. SFAmylou emailed and said there's an article about Frey. Talk to you later...
Friday, January 13, 2006
Oprah determines what you read?
I have never ever read a book because Oprah recommended it. Of course all authors want to be on Oprah, but do authors read what she recommends? I doubt it. Matter of fact, I was attracted to Franzen's The Corrections when he declined being an Oprah pick. That intrigued me, and I loved the book.
But what is that, reading a book because Oprah picked it for her book club? What happened to wandering the bookstore looking for a book, or reading reviews, or listening to your friends talking about their books? Now, if you have no friends that read, then you're going to need Oprah. Or if you don't read reviews or you don't wander the bookstore.
She says if a book resonates, that makes it true? Oh Dear. Now we have to define the word "true."
But what is that, reading a book because Oprah picked it for her book club? What happened to wandering the bookstore looking for a book, or reading reviews, or listening to your friends talking about their books? Now, if you have no friends that read, then you're going to need Oprah. Or if you don't read reviews or you don't wander the bookstore.
She says if a book resonates, that makes it true? Oh Dear. Now we have to define the word "true."
Thursday, January 12, 2006
Publishers Weekly on Frey
Here's what Publishers Weekly and others have to say about Frey. (On Maud Newton's blog, scan down a bit. She has lots of links.
And please, somebody, tell me: Why does everyone care so very much what Oprah thinks and why does she have such influence over what people read? I mean, I know why authors love her, but the reading public, why???
And please, somebody, tell me: Why does everyone care so very much what Oprah thinks and why does she have such influence over what people read? I mean, I know why authors love her, but the reading public, why???
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
And more about the memoir form and Frey
Edward Wyatt, in today's New York Times says, "Memoir is a personal history whose aim is to illuminate, by way of example, events and issues of broader social consequence," said a statement issued by Doubleday and Anchor Books, the divisions of Random House Inc. that published the book in hardcover and paperback, respectively. "By definition, it is highly personal. In the case of Mr. Frey, we decided A Million Little Pieces was his story, told in his own way, and he represented to us that his version of events was true to his recollections. "Recent accusations against him notwithstanding, the power of the overall reading experience is such that the book remains a deeply inspiring and redemptive story for millions of readers." As far as the charges, which were made by the Smoking Gun Web site, "This is not a matter that we deem necessary for us to investigate," said Alison Rich, a spokeswoman for Doubleday and Anchor Books.
***
Publisher's Lunch reports: "Consumers posting on Oprah Winfrey's Book Club message board indicate that Random House is providing refunds to buyers of A MILLION LITTLE PIECES who call their customer service line to complain in the wake of the unanswered charges made by The Smoking Gun earlier this week. One correspondent posts: 'Tell them you wanted fact not fiction.... They are very nice and will tell you how to return the book for a full refund...'
***
Frey's publisher has made more money on this book than perhaps any book ever. I wonder what their position would be if the book had been minor, had there been no Oprah involved. Any guesses? Or am I just being a tad cynical? And how will this effect the memoir form, writers are wondering.
***
Publisher's Lunch reports: "Consumers posting on Oprah Winfrey's Book Club message board indicate that Random House is providing refunds to buyers of A MILLION LITTLE PIECES who call their customer service line to complain in the wake of the unanswered charges made by The Smoking Gun earlier this week. One correspondent posts: 'Tell them you wanted fact not fiction.... They are very nice and will tell you how to return the book for a full refund...'
***
Frey's publisher has made more money on this book than perhaps any book ever. I wonder what their position would be if the book had been minor, had there been no Oprah involved. Any guesses? Or am I just being a tad cynical? And how will this effect the memoir form, writers are wondering.
And more....
Well, that rumor isn't true; Random House says they won't refund your money for the book. You should return it to your bookstore and they'll do it.
Still....
If you liked the book, why wouldn't you just keep it?
Did you see James on Larry King? Maybe he just got caught up. Kind of like a freewriting, when you do all one sentence, how the sentence starts carrying you along with it, picking up speed, and you're letting it rip, letting the words pour out and you don't even know where they came from.
Maybe that's what happened.
As he said to Larry, it's only a few pages--something like 20 out of 400-something--that are in question. Should those 20 pages serve to ream the guy? Would anyone want to ream him if his book were failing instead of wildly succeeding? Was he being whiny, talking out of the side of his mouth? Once a lying addict, always a lying addict??
I dunno....
Larry did seem to go pretty soft on the guy. Barbara Walters would have made him cry. (Does she even still do interviews?)
Here's a transcript of the show. Oprah called in. Scan to almost the end of the transcript.
You're all so quiet out there. What do you think?
Still....
If you liked the book, why wouldn't you just keep it?
Did you see James on Larry King? Maybe he just got caught up. Kind of like a freewriting, when you do all one sentence, how the sentence starts carrying you along with it, picking up speed, and you're letting it rip, letting the words pour out and you don't even know where they came from.
Maybe that's what happened.
As he said to Larry, it's only a few pages--something like 20 out of 400-something--that are in question. Should those 20 pages serve to ream the guy? Would anyone want to ream him if his book were failing instead of wildly succeeding? Was he being whiny, talking out of the side of his mouth? Once a lying addict, always a lying addict??
I dunno....
Larry did seem to go pretty soft on the guy. Barbara Walters would have made him cry. (Does she even still do interviews?)
Here's a transcript of the show. Oprah called in. Scan to almost the end of the transcript.
You're all so quiet out there. What do you think?
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
More on James Frey
Here's more in the The New York Times on James Frey.
And if you want to listen to my interview with James, click here.
Is memoir different from journalism? Do you get to make things up in memoir? These are the questions, among others, that I hear these days.
In memoir, it's agreed that you can make some things up: dialogue you didn't actually write down but sort of remember, or want to approximate. Summary--instead of listing event after event. In other words, if you've had five marriages you might sum them up instead of reeling out each one. Didn't Mary Karr in The Liar's Club embellish beyond the beyond? When I heard that, I didn't want to read her book even more. I want to know that a memoir is basically true. Embellishments are okay. Lies aren't. Fabrications aren't.
And if someone says, "Is this all true?" and you say yes, it had better be true. Otherwise, you say, "I embellished, for the sake of the writing." If someone says, "Were you in jail for such and such?" you had better have been in jail for such and such. And don't say you expunged records, for whatever reason.
If you have a thought on all this, let it rip.
And if you want to listen to my interview with James, click here.
Is memoir different from journalism? Do you get to make things up in memoir? These are the questions, among others, that I hear these days.
In memoir, it's agreed that you can make some things up: dialogue you didn't actually write down but sort of remember, or want to approximate. Summary--instead of listing event after event. In other words, if you've had five marriages you might sum them up instead of reeling out each one. Didn't Mary Karr in The Liar's Club embellish beyond the beyond? When I heard that, I didn't want to read her book even more. I want to know that a memoir is basically true. Embellishments are okay. Lies aren't. Fabrications aren't.
And if someone says, "Is this all true?" and you say yes, it had better be true. Otherwise, you say, "I embellished, for the sake of the writing." If someone says, "Were you in jail for such and such?" you had better have been in jail for such and such. And don't say you expunged records, for whatever reason.
If you have a thought on all this, let it rip.
Monday, January 09, 2006
James Frey
Oh, dear. Right now I'd hate to be in James Frey's shoes. It will be interesting to see how this pans out. The man is bright, though. When he was on my show, he was smart and witty and compassionate. He sounded honest. Wouldn't he figure that any lies would be uncovered at some point? I don't get it. Oy vey.
Monday, January 02, 2006
When the power goes out in Southern California....
....if you have a laptop, or a notebook, you can still write.
We're in the squall here, a few blocks from the beach in Orange County, and when the power went out, the laptop stayed on and I kept working. But then Travis got up and I heard sirens and decided I should shower and get dressed, just in case. In case of what, I don't know. So I did. Made some calls to find out info about the outage. There was none, except for across town Debra's power came back on. Waited some more. No power. So I went outside with a flat pillow on my head to prevent my hair from soaking (of course the umbrellas are in Bry's car and Travis' poncho went bye-bye long ago--no rain, who needs a poncho!). So I'm out there with a flat pillow designed in browns and oranges and blues, and yellow rubber gloves, and I'm moving wood that's still dry from our woodpile that's--where else?--in the rain to a place under the eaves that's not getting rained on, and I'm out there for 15 minutes, doing this, feeling like we'll at least have heat for a while if the power stays off. I come in, wash my hands, and a few minutes later the power comes back on. Of course!
Hope you're staying dry and safe, wherever you are.
We're in the squall here, a few blocks from the beach in Orange County, and when the power went out, the laptop stayed on and I kept working. But then Travis got up and I heard sirens and decided I should shower and get dressed, just in case. In case of what, I don't know. So I did. Made some calls to find out info about the outage. There was none, except for across town Debra's power came back on. Waited some more. No power. So I went outside with a flat pillow on my head to prevent my hair from soaking (of course the umbrellas are in Bry's car and Travis' poncho went bye-bye long ago--no rain, who needs a poncho!). So I'm out there with a flat pillow designed in browns and oranges and blues, and yellow rubber gloves, and I'm moving wood that's still dry from our woodpile that's--where else?--in the rain to a place under the eaves that's not getting rained on, and I'm out there for 15 minutes, doing this, feeling like we'll at least have heat for a while if the power stays off. I come in, wash my hands, and a few minutes later the power comes back on. Of course!
Hope you're staying dry and safe, wherever you are.
Saturday, December 31, 2005
Keeping track, having fun
A writer who read my Writer's Digest article wrote to me with questions. I thought some of you might benefit, as well, from the answers.
How do you keep track of all the notes and pieces of paper and such? she asked.
Keeping track...well, I used to just have a box I threw everything in, all the notes and pieces of paper and cocktail napkins. Then I started carrying notebooks with me wherever I went—the Moleskines I so lovingly discuss and a reporter’s notebook—and now I make notes in them, instead of on shards of paper. That helps. I have filing systems I never refer to, that I really should purge (it being the new year, and all).
I'm paid to write, but it doesn't often feel like fun. How do you keep it fun?
Fun. Freewriting makes it fun for me, and if I have a bit of that in my life, then I’m okay. And writing fiction makes it fun. Something to look forward to. I love writing in my Moleskines (they cast a spell, I swear) and if I can mix up fun with work, I’m okay. I, too, labor over deadlines. I have two deadlines right now for articles for PAGES magazine. Freewriting in my Moleskines keeps the spark alive. In the past, when my interest has flagged, inspirational writing books helped get that spark going again.
How do you know when you have an idea that will sustain you for 200 pages and keep the reader turning the page?
As for ideas that keep nipping at your heels and how to make them long, well, some ideas are teensy and some aren’t. For me, I ponder: Will I be interested in this topic years from now? Since that’s how long it can take to write a book. There are some projects I began as book proposals that I thought I would stay with, and then didn’t. Others—like my book, PEN ON FIRE—kept me long after I thought they would. I've written novels that I later abandoned because I just wasn't interested enough in to revise and do what it takes to sell them. If you’re fascinated with your idea, that’s the main thing, and the main way to keep readers turning the page. The author Chris Bohjalian said when he's involved in a book project, he will abandon it even at page 150 if he's bored with it, because if he’s bored, his readers will be bored.
Platform: when do you know if your platform is big enough?
Good question! I can say that a regional platform can be appealing, and if you’re writing a book that connects to your regional platform, it may be enough. Yet, if your platform is, say, cooking, and you’re doing a book on connecting with adoptive parents, I would think your platform will mean little. If you know an agent, I’d ask her/him. If you don’t know any, I’d find a conference (of which there are a ton—the ASJA conference is in April in NYC—www.asja.org--and is great at making contacts with editors and agents. Take a meeting and ask them. They are great at being blunt and will tell you how it is.
....
Now, visuals help writing,help break up long blocks of text, yes? So here is what I saw one day high on the wall adjacent to where I work. The sun through the window created such gorgeous shadows.
Have a great New Year, full of creative energy, great ideas and lots of stamina to keep your butt in the chair!
How do you keep track of all the notes and pieces of paper and such? she asked.
Keeping track...well, I used to just have a box I threw everything in, all the notes and pieces of paper and cocktail napkins. Then I started carrying notebooks with me wherever I went—the Moleskines I so lovingly discuss and a reporter’s notebook—and now I make notes in them, instead of on shards of paper. That helps. I have filing systems I never refer to, that I really should purge (it being the new year, and all).
I'm paid to write, but it doesn't often feel like fun. How do you keep it fun?
Fun. Freewriting makes it fun for me, and if I have a bit of that in my life, then I’m okay. And writing fiction makes it fun. Something to look forward to. I love writing in my Moleskines (they cast a spell, I swear) and if I can mix up fun with work, I’m okay. I, too, labor over deadlines. I have two deadlines right now for articles for PAGES magazine. Freewriting in my Moleskines keeps the spark alive. In the past, when my interest has flagged, inspirational writing books helped get that spark going again.
How do you know when you have an idea that will sustain you for 200 pages and keep the reader turning the page?
As for ideas that keep nipping at your heels and how to make them long, well, some ideas are teensy and some aren’t. For me, I ponder: Will I be interested in this topic years from now? Since that’s how long it can take to write a book. There are some projects I began as book proposals that I thought I would stay with, and then didn’t. Others—like my book, PEN ON FIRE—kept me long after I thought they would. I've written novels that I later abandoned because I just wasn't interested enough in to revise and do what it takes to sell them. If you’re fascinated with your idea, that’s the main thing, and the main way to keep readers turning the page. The author Chris Bohjalian said when he's involved in a book project, he will abandon it even at page 150 if he's bored with it, because if he’s bored, his readers will be bored.
Platform: when do you know if your platform is big enough?
Good question! I can say that a regional platform can be appealing, and if you’re writing a book that connects to your regional platform, it may be enough. Yet, if your platform is, say, cooking, and you’re doing a book on connecting with adoptive parents, I would think your platform will mean little. If you know an agent, I’d ask her/him. If you don’t know any, I’d find a conference (of which there are a ton—the ASJA conference is in April in NYC—www.asja.org--and is great at making contacts with editors and agents. Take a meeting and ask them. They are great at being blunt and will tell you how it is.
....
Now, visuals help writing,help break up long blocks of text, yes? So here is what I saw one day high on the wall adjacent to where I work. The sun through the window created such gorgeous shadows.
Have a great New Year, full of creative energy, great ideas and lots of stamina to keep your butt in the chair!
Monday, December 26, 2005
Poetry
I'm writing my poetry lecture for my Gotham online class and came across this page on Pulitzer prize winning poet Gwendolyn Brooks. I admire Brooks so much.
Thursday, December 22, 2005
Pet peeves
Does anyone else have pet peeves and hate to discuss them? Right now I've got two, and I've just got to discuss them because They Are Everywhere.
The first is cell phones in cars. Now, okay, driving down the freeway or on a street not absolutely clogged with cars and people, and you're bored, and you gotta talk to someone, so you make a call. I try to avoid it, personally. If I'm alone, I'd rather listen to a book on tape or CD (right now I'm listening to The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri) than hang on the phone in the car. If my son is in the car, or my husband, hanging on the phone is just plain rude and I wouldn't do it.
But on the skinny streets of my town, when I see women and men in Mercedes and trucks or SUVs, especially, hogging up the street, turning corners, or backing up--yes! backing up or making u-eees--I want to scream. Sometimes I do, in fact, scream.
The other thing that's been driving me a little nuts is e-mailed Christmas cards. Now, sometimes, it's someone's birthday and you've forgotten to send them a card or you don't have their address and you e-mail a card. I've done it. Sure, why not? But when I receive an e-mailed Christmas card, I'm sorry but I tend to hit delete. (The exception this season was the one I received from Kim Dower, the sweetest book publicist ever. Her artist-husband created a cute cartoon and I printed it out.) And when I'm one on a list of about a million who've also been mailed said e-mailed card, I'm offended. It's almost worst than no card at all.
Technology can be a wonderful thing, but it can also bring out the obnoxiousness that we've all got buried within us, don't you think?
Thanks for letting me rant.
The first is cell phones in cars. Now, okay, driving down the freeway or on a street not absolutely clogged with cars and people, and you're bored, and you gotta talk to someone, so you make a call. I try to avoid it, personally. If I'm alone, I'd rather listen to a book on tape or CD (right now I'm listening to The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri) than hang on the phone in the car. If my son is in the car, or my husband, hanging on the phone is just plain rude and I wouldn't do it.
But on the skinny streets of my town, when I see women and men in Mercedes and trucks or SUVs, especially, hogging up the street, turning corners, or backing up--yes! backing up or making u-eees--I want to scream. Sometimes I do, in fact, scream.
The other thing that's been driving me a little nuts is e-mailed Christmas cards. Now, sometimes, it's someone's birthday and you've forgotten to send them a card or you don't have their address and you e-mail a card. I've done it. Sure, why not? But when I receive an e-mailed Christmas card, I'm sorry but I tend to hit delete. (The exception this season was the one I received from Kim Dower, the sweetest book publicist ever. Her artist-husband created a cute cartoon and I printed it out.) And when I'm one on a list of about a million who've also been mailed said e-mailed card, I'm offended. It's almost worst than no card at all.
Technology can be a wonderful thing, but it can also bring out the obnoxiousness that we've all got buried within us, don't you think?
Thanks for letting me rant.
Tuesday, December 20, 2005
All you need is one yes to send you on your way
Here's the online link to my article in the January 2006 issue of Writer's Digest on getting Pen on Fire published.
Sunday, December 18, 2005
Lest anyone think they are too old to publish....
...this just in from Publisher's Lunch:
Fifty-nine-year-old Paul Torday's debut Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, the story of a middle-aged scientist and his involvement with what initially looks like an impossible project: to introduce salmon into the Yemen, to Helen Garnons-Williams at Weidenfeld & Nicolson, at auction, for publication in February 2007, in a two-book deal, by Mark Stanton at Jenny Brown Associates (world).
katie.white@orionbooks.co.uk
It is interesting why Torday's age was printed. Maybe meant as an encouraging word?
Visit www.publisherslunch.com
Fifty-nine-year-old Paul Torday's debut Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, the story of a middle-aged scientist and his involvement with what initially looks like an impossible project: to introduce salmon into the Yemen, to Helen Garnons-Williams at Weidenfeld & Nicolson, at auction, for publication in February 2007, in a two-book deal, by Mark Stanton at Jenny Brown Associates (world).
katie.white@orionbooks.co.uk
It is interesting why Torday's age was printed. Maybe meant as an encouraging word?
Visit www.publisherslunch.com
Thursday, December 08, 2005
In love with Anita Shreve
There are a few authors whose books I pretty much love, without question. Everything they write, I love. I'm promiscuous that way. Chris Bohjalian (not a surprise to anyone who has read my book. T. Jefferson Parker. Now I've a new one: Anita Shreve.
I just finished Fortune's Rocks, an astounding book with much complexity (sounds like something she'd say, or something the judges would say on Iron Chef).
Prior to that, I read Seaglass, which I also loved, and prior to that, The Pilot's Wife. Yes, I loved that too.
When I started Seaglass, I learned that Shreve intended it to be one of three books in a trilogy, but not your usual trilogy. What all three books have in common is the house the main character lives in, a wonderful, rambling beach cottage in New Hampshire. They were written out of order, too.
And now I'm reading A Wedding in December. I just love Shreve's writing.
Are there authors whose work you pretty much love, no matter what they write?
I just finished Fortune's Rocks, an astounding book with much complexity (sounds like something she'd say, or something the judges would say on Iron Chef).
Prior to that, I read Seaglass, which I also loved, and prior to that, The Pilot's Wife. Yes, I loved that too.
When I started Seaglass, I learned that Shreve intended it to be one of three books in a trilogy, but not your usual trilogy. What all three books have in common is the house the main character lives in, a wonderful, rambling beach cottage in New Hampshire. They were written out of order, too.
And now I'm reading A Wedding in December. I just love Shreve's writing.
Are there authors whose work you pretty much love, no matter what they write?
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
Sunday, December 04, 2005
Hooray for notebooks and candles
After I delivered Travis and Alex to their birthday party gig in Redondo Beach--yes, the Green Room, Trav's classic rock band, had their second paying gig yesterday; today they play at Gina's Pizza at the Corona del Mar Christmas walk (for tips)--and on the way home stopped at Pudgy Beads in Long Beach (a glorious vintage bead store with wonderful owners), bought a few things, then drove home, cleaned up a bit (always cleaning up a bit, it seems), lighted the candles I had bought at Ikea on the way to Redondo, and sat on the sofa with my Clairefontaine notebook and Waterman fountain pen (indigo ink).
My iBook G4, which I love, tends to make me a little too perfectionistic, when it comes to first drafts of fiction. It's so easy to delete. With the notebook, I just write. I don't care about being perfect. I can cross out, but I can't delete, and for me, this is a good thing. So I set the timer and sat and wrote and by the time I was done, the room was dark, lit only by candlelight.
This morning at 6:15, Rosie, our six-month-old cat, jumped on the bed and woke me. I tried, for a minute, to go back to sleep, but the house was quiet, bamboo wind chimes by the front door were clacking tastily, so I got up, straightened up a bit (see ... always straightening.....) and sat down with the notebook and pen and wrote a couple pages.
This got me thinking about tools, again. I still love sitting with paper and pen, getting comfortable, and writing. The laptop is good for nonfiction first drafts, though not fiction. Wish I'd remember that when I'm trying to write at the laptop and nothing's coming out.
My iBook G4, which I love, tends to make me a little too perfectionistic, when it comes to first drafts of fiction. It's so easy to delete. With the notebook, I just write. I don't care about being perfect. I can cross out, but I can't delete, and for me, this is a good thing. So I set the timer and sat and wrote and by the time I was done, the room was dark, lit only by candlelight.
This morning at 6:15, Rosie, our six-month-old cat, jumped on the bed and woke me. I tried, for a minute, to go back to sleep, but the house was quiet, bamboo wind chimes by the front door were clacking tastily, so I got up, straightened up a bit (see ... always straightening.....) and sat down with the notebook and pen and wrote a couple pages.
This got me thinking about tools, again. I still love sitting with paper and pen, getting comfortable, and writing. The laptop is good for nonfiction first drafts, though not fiction. Wish I'd remember that when I'm trying to write at the laptop and nothing's coming out.
Friday, December 02, 2005
Squid and the Whale
Debra and Michelle and I went to see this movie tonight. Jeff Daniels is a pompous, no longer successful novelist. His wife is more successful than he. It's downhill from there. An intense movie. And an anti-divorce film, if there ever was one. If you and your spouse are on the fence about splitting up and you have kids, see this film. You will decide you are being whiny and work a little harder to stay together, for the kids, anyway. Laura Linney was great; what else has she been in? I can't place her.
Thursday, December 01, 2005
Thursday
It's going to rain. The sky is overcast, damp. I like rain. But I want it to pour and then be done with--at least until after Sunday when my 11-year-old's band plays at Gina's Pizza at the Corona del Mar Christmas walk. That's the one day a year this town is like New York. The streets are packed. There's one long traffic jam. I'm a back East girl at heart, still, and I love it.
But I don't feel like writing.
Still, I work on The ASJA Monthly, which I edit. But I don't feel like writing--doing my own writing, that is. So I pull on my purple boots, wrap my clapotis around my shoulders and head out with the list for Mother's Market.
I go to the library and check out a book on CD (The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver, which I read years and years ago, and loved). I am so addicted to books on tape or CD. You can listen when you walk, when you clean, when you knit. They help me have more patience with books. If the book starts slow, I don't mind so much. But I do find that certain readers are irritating. I checked out Don DeLillo's Underworld, which I only got to page 400 in (it's an 800-page book) and figured I'd listen to the rest on tape, but the narrator sounded like that digitalized voice you hear when the library calls you to leave a message that your book has come in and is on hold (my friend, Allison, does a perfect rendition of the voice), so I couldn't listen. And the narrator for Middlesex wasn't right either--not for me, so I turned the book in. I did love the narrator for Little Earthquakes, though, and loved the book, too.
Then I go to Mother's Market and down a wheatgrass juice and a Brain Power smoothie, figuring the combo should turbo charge my bloodstream, shop a little, and on the way home, stop at a little store, Paris to the Moon, where I read there was a section entirely devoted to Mother Mary, one of my idols. The store is all glittery and small. There's a pink area, a black and white area, a kids' nook with tin crowns from Mexico, and lots of vintage Christmas tree ornaments and snowglobes.
Onward to home, with goods and groceries. I clean up a little. Swiffer. Iron a red and white vintage tablecloth and spread it out on the table, in preparation for tonight, for Writers Block Party, my every other week group of talented students. Actually, all of people in my private groups, those current and departed, are talented, and it's a pleasure reading their work. My class at UC-Extension is a group of stellar women, bright and funny.
I still don't want to write, though, so I eat lunch: rice with soymilk and maple syrup. I know, I know... But I'm a vegetarian and Italian and like to eat a little differently.
I check in on my Gotham online class. Post a message on the blackboard.
Soon I will go pick Travis up at school. I have to prepare for my show, and my class. Maybe stop by Barnes & Noble and buy a new Moleskine notebook.
I don't think this will be a writing day for me.
But I don't feel like writing.
Still, I work on The ASJA Monthly, which I edit. But I don't feel like writing--doing my own writing, that is. So I pull on my purple boots, wrap my clapotis around my shoulders and head out with the list for Mother's Market.
I go to the library and check out a book on CD (The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver, which I read years and years ago, and loved). I am so addicted to books on tape or CD. You can listen when you walk, when you clean, when you knit. They help me have more patience with books. If the book starts slow, I don't mind so much. But I do find that certain readers are irritating. I checked out Don DeLillo's Underworld, which I only got to page 400 in (it's an 800-page book) and figured I'd listen to the rest on tape, but the narrator sounded like that digitalized voice you hear when the library calls you to leave a message that your book has come in and is on hold (my friend, Allison, does a perfect rendition of the voice), so I couldn't listen. And the narrator for Middlesex wasn't right either--not for me, so I turned the book in. I did love the narrator for Little Earthquakes, though, and loved the book, too.
Then I go to Mother's Market and down a wheatgrass juice and a Brain Power smoothie, figuring the combo should turbo charge my bloodstream, shop a little, and on the way home, stop at a little store, Paris to the Moon, where I read there was a section entirely devoted to Mother Mary, one of my idols. The store is all glittery and small. There's a pink area, a black and white area, a kids' nook with tin crowns from Mexico, and lots of vintage Christmas tree ornaments and snowglobes.
Onward to home, with goods and groceries. I clean up a little. Swiffer. Iron a red and white vintage tablecloth and spread it out on the table, in preparation for tonight, for Writers Block Party, my every other week group of talented students. Actually, all of people in my private groups, those current and departed, are talented, and it's a pleasure reading their work. My class at UC-Extension is a group of stellar women, bright and funny.
I still don't want to write, though, so I eat lunch: rice with soymilk and maple syrup. I know, I know... But I'm a vegetarian and Italian and like to eat a little differently.
I check in on my Gotham online class. Post a message on the blackboard.
Soon I will go pick Travis up at school. I have to prepare for my show, and my class. Maybe stop by Barnes & Noble and buy a new Moleskine notebook.
I don't think this will be a writing day for me.
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