Memoirous

Start off easy by tackling your life story in small, bite-size pieces. Here's a how-to on how to get started. Wherever you download books!

From wherever you download books! The book is 365 days of inspiration—quotes from writers and writing prompts. Here is a what you might expect, from the first week in January: January 1 You Determine Where You’ll Go You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who’ll decide where to go... ― Dr. Seuss, from Oh, the Places You’ll Go! January 2 Books Books are the grail for what is deepest, more mysterious and least expressible within ourselves. They are our soul’s skeleton. If we were to forget that, it would prefigure how false and feelingless we could become. ― Edna O’Brien, from It’s a Bad Time Out There For Emotion January 3 Books A room without books is like a body without a soul. ― Cicero Can you recall the first book you read? Right now write about that experience and what keeps you coming back to books?

Empathy and New Year     A notion like that of empathy  inspires great distrust in us, because it connotes  a further dose of irrationalism and  mysticism. Lévi-Strauss Whitman took the cars  all the way from Camden  and when he got here  or rather there, said,  “Quit quoting," and took the next  back, through the Jersey meadows  which were that then. But what if it is all, "Maya,  illusion?" I doubt it, though.  Men are not  so inventive. Or few are. Not knowing a name for something proves nothing.  Right  now it isn't raining, snowing, sleeting, slushing,  yet it is doing something. As a matter of fact it is raining snow. Snow from cold clouds that melts as it strikes. To look out a window is to sense  wet feet. Now to infuse the garage with a subjective state  and can't make it seem to even if it is a little like  What the Dentist Saw a dark gullet with gleams and red.  "You come to me at midnight"  and say, "I can smell that after Chris

From wherever you download books! The book is 365 days of inspiration—quotes from writers and writing prompts. Here is a what you might expect, from the first week in January: January 1 You Determine Where You’ll Go You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who’ll decide where to go... ― Dr. Seuss, from Oh, the Places You’ll Go! January 2 Books Books are the grail for what is deepest, more mysterious and least expressible within ourselves. They are our soul’s skeleton. If we were to forget that, it would prefigure how false and feelingless we could become. ― Edna O’Brien, from It’s a Bad Time Out There For Emotion January 3 Books A room without books is like a body without a soul. ― Cicero Can you recall the first book you read? Right now write about that experience and what keeps you coming back to books?

Well it’s that time of year—to either go on a diet or let yourself go. This year I turned 59. Not only am I solo woman cyclist, I’m an out-of-shape middle-aged solo woman cyclist. But I have a plan! After the New Year. Yadda, yadda, yadda. We’ve heard it all before, but this time I’m for real. I’m joining a bootcamp run out of the Chicago Park District. Three times a week for one hour. I can already feel my muscles ache. Every time I stuff another cookie in my mouth I say to myself after the new year: bootcamp. Yet, how do we assure ourselves before taking off on a long-distance cycling tour that we have what it takes? I’m not sure if we have what it takes, meaning you don’t know until you go. The biggest part of conditioning for a LD ride is. . .  your fanny. This is super important and why it is important to have miles in the bank. If your butt gets blistered within the first 12 hours then you will have to take time off the bike—and might not ever get down the ro

George Carlin had a routine he did about the 7 words you can’t say on television, which prompted a Supreme Court decision concerning First Amendment rights. Under the current administration we now have a list of 7 deadly words that are being struck out of reports, erased from government websites. The forbidden words are: "vulnerable," "entitlement," "diversity," "transgender," "fetus," "evidence-based" and "science-based." Specifically the CDC, Center for Disease Control, the people who work to prevent the spread of Zika and bird flu, who fight ebola—are being told what words they can and cannot use. In the bigger scope of things I would much rather have people in place to react aggressively against the plague than those same people worrying about or busy cutting and replacing in their reports the word “fetus”. In ten years’ time that fetus will thank you, for ignoring the list and simply doing your job.

Great writing prompts -- no more writer's block! By Georgina on December 5, 2017 As writers, sometimes we have "writer's block." When this happens we look for writing inspiration to come in different ways. Hertenstein's book does a great job in giving writing prompts that really make you "think" and feel inspired in a "new way" focusing on memories from your past. I found this interesting, because I have not thought to write a memoir, but her book made me "think" and "remember" stories I could write and share with others. One clever idea was to write about what we see in the "Frozen Food Isle." I highly recommend this book - every day you'll have a new story to write! Excellent! ORDER A COPY TODAY!

Great for writers and teachers of writing. By Michelle Schaub on November 15, 2017 In this clever craft book, Hertenstein outlines a plan for busy writers to build a memoir in little flashes- those seemingly inconsequential moments that, when strung together, create a powerful memoir. Hertenstein provides a series of accessible yet thought-provoking prompts that can be completed in "the time it takes you to brush your teeth." Great for writers and teachers of writing as well. ORDER A COPY TODAY!

Don't Create Without It! By StalkyReader on November 21, 2017 While Jane Hertenstein’s book Flash Memoir is ostensibly geared toward writers, this book is a must-have for anyone who is creating art of any kind. Filled with amazing historical factoids (check out Hemingway’s lost valise or Wordsworth’s almost-permanent houseguest, Samuel Coleridge) as well as the writer’s personal examples of following her own advice, the main thrust of the book is to get the reader’s creativity flowing, and boy howdy, the author succeeds at that. Each little chapter or section describes something that can be used as a prompt for creativity, be it old postcards, newspaper headlines, websites filled with breathtaking photos, or basic, evocative stimuli such as certain smells or sudden memories. The author then gives an example of how this prompt can be used, frequently using her own posts to illustrate her point. And what a collection of riches she offers, from exploring deserted or “ghost”

  I get this question a lot, so thought I’d dedicate this blog post to answering that question— Well, who isn’t? I wake up every day afraid. Afraid I won’t be able to cope, face the unknown, to step outside the house. And for good reason— Maybe I’m simply a fearful person, but to me every day is fraught. The possibilities for failure are endless. Is this pessimism? Depression? Or an acute awareness, knife-sharpened by my childhood? The sense that one must be hyper-vigilant because no one else has their best interests at heart. I’m even afraid to write this. Writing is fear, to face the blank page, to pull words out of the invisible universe and conjure up a notion residing inside my head. To evoke a scene playing out in my imagination. To physically emote onto the page. And, this is scarier yet, with the hope of communicating, connecting with others. To instill in a reader the same emotions I’m feeling. That is an achievement usually unrecognized and definitely und

"Advent" by James Schuyler Open my eyes on the welcome rosy shock of sunshine. Open the first little door of my Advent calendar: a darling hobby horse on wheels. Open the window a crack: and quickly close it against a knife-like draught. The day looks warmer than it is. I’m not sure how I made it through this year. With all the Trump triggers. The mashup every Friday of an executive order that disenfranchises some segment of the US population. The frenzy of weekend tweets sure to distract. How did I manage to accomplish anything! Yet unbelievably I’ve had more success this year than ever. Not only a book contract for a novel I’ve been trying to sell forever, but 13 acceptances of “Other Writing” plus an eBook, Flash Memoir: Writing Prompts to Get You Flashing. Whew! Nevertheless, glad to see the end of 2017, and the advent of 2018, opening the little window on a new year and hopefully some surprises.

When I tell people about my various bicycling tours they usually blurt out, That doesn’t sound fun! They’re right. A lot of it is simply crazy. As a solo woman cyclist my tours are mostly about problem solving. One after another. Take for instance my very first solo international trip. I figured England: they speak English! It should be flat! Not sure why I thought that. Maybe I was contemplating that saying about being led down the garden path. That phrase refers to being deceived, by the way. So I booked a flight. I practiced taking the bike apart for the box and quickly reassembling it. I planned how I was going to get to and from the airport and manage check in and odd-sized carry-on, explaining to TSA what a spork is and that it isn’t lethal. Yet nothing prepared me for missing the international leg of the flight. The hurry of arriving early at O’Hare Airport had no impact whatsoever on the fact that my Air Canada plane would be late thus a stopover in Montreal turned int

5 out of 5 stars  Great for writers and teachers of writing. ByMichelle Schaubon November 15, 2017 In this clever craft book, Hertenstein outlines a plan for busy writers to build a memoir in little flashes- those seemingly inconsequential moments that, when strung together, create a powerful memoir. Hertenstein provides a series of accessible yet thought-provoking prompts that can be completed in "the time it takes you to brush your teeth." Great for writers and teachers of writing as well. 5 out of 5 starsExcellent# ByMel G.on June 18, 2016 I have read this book twice, and highlighted extensively. As a new memoir writer who works in slice of life and brief moments, I find her approach helpful. Highly recommend to all writers of memoir. Enjoyable read! Available from wherever you download books. Also you can click on the icons and go straight to Amazon

Check out my story “Catching Up” at Sunlight Press . A tiny slice of life about how we slowly fall out of shape and that it’s never to late to catch up.

5 out of 5 stars  Great for writers and teachers of writing. ByMichelle Schaubon November 15, 2017 In this clever craft book, Hertenstein outlines a plan for busy writers to build a memoir in little flashes- those seemingly inconsequential moments that, when strung together, create a powerful memoir. Hertenstein provides a series of accessible yet thought-provoking prompts that can be completed in "the time it takes you to brush your teeth." Great for writers and teachers of writing as well. 5 out of 5 starsExcellent# ByMel G.on June 18, 2016 I have read this book twice, and highlighted extensively. As a new memoir writer who works in slice of life and brief moments, I find her approach helpful. Highly recommend to all writers of memoir. Enjoyable read! Available from wherever you download books. Also you can click on the icons and go straight to Amazon 5 out of 5 stars  Excellent# ByMel G.on

We’ve imbued our political parties with morals. For example, Republicans care about life. Thus, they will appoint pro life judges. Democrats care about human rights. Thus, they’ll be better at foreign policy—saying NO to Russia. Bviously this is simplified. Also obviously I have no right to write about Hannah Arendt . A brilliant thinker. This weekend I watched the movie Hannah Arendt . I knew about her peripherally like in the sense she was one of the people (émergie who fled Nazi Germany) who helped ferment The New School where my daughter went. Once I saw the movie I was able to sort her into—Oh you thought that up, that line of thinking, about the question of evil. The movie released in 2012, Hannah Arendt died in 1975. Some of her books are: The Origins of Totalitarianism (1951). Revised ed.; New York: Schocken, 2004. The Human Condition (1958) Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on the Banality of Evil (1963). (Rev. ed. New Y

Last Tab Lastly, in closing up the tabs: an article at the BBC website: (Credit: Edouard Taufenbech) The woman who can’t forget Some people can remember every single event in their life – what’s it like? And The Blessing and the Curse of Never Being able to Forget Both articles are basically profiles of people who file away data/memories. Who can never forget. Some of us have excellent memories, some of us—mostly husbands—cannot remember what they went to the grocery for. Researchers are not yet certain what forms the basis of memories. The assumption is that most memories are language based—thus, it is unlikely to have memories pre-verbal. Yet, I know I can recall certain images—an overhead light over my crib because I associated the seemingly glazed spiral with a honey bun, even though I still didn’t have a word for honey bun. I guess looking at it made me hungry. I wanted to eat that thing over my crib. I remember climbing out of my crib. I wasn’t tall e

This week I’m closing tabs. Those needling articles I’ve clipped or stuck a pin into and left open on my desktop hoping to get to later. One had to do with Taylor Swift. I know only what the Internet tells me about Taylor Swift as I have not followed her career or spent time listening to her music. Except to say some of the earlier Youtubes of her music seem really simple. She’s a sensation. According to the radio her latest album, Reputation , has blown up the universe. On track to have the biggest sales ever. “Swift on track to sell more than 1 million records in the record’s first week.” If only this kind of success could transfer to books. Not since Harry Potter has a new release made such a splash. From the beginning she has been writing autobiographical songs, inserting herself as a character into the ballad/narrative/soundscape. From the BBC article: Take, for example, her first US number one, Our Song. Written for a high school talent show, it's a fairly