Memoirous

Question from a 4 th grade history quiz: Why did Washington cross the Delaware? Answer I filled in the blank with: To get to the other side. I was terrible at history. I could not tell a Roman Republic from a Roman Empire—apparently this is very important and, yes, I flunked this quiz also. Yet I was able to imagine history. Not like an abstract timeline, but the story in history. I could close my eyes and see the cave-dark origins of the Neanderthal, see the women walking on the prairie behind wagons into canyons of deep unknown. I saw the Little House on the Prairie! I played with Laura and Mary—and prayed with them when Jack their dog went missing. I was with Hemingway in the Italian Alps fighting and falling in love, over and over again, in Paris and Pamplona, Cuba and Key West. I can tell you stories. Right now I’m working on a revision of a YA historical novel where I’m trying to make it as authentic as possible. Hang in there with me as I’ve been slow...

The conference I attended in the Pocono’s in eastern Pennsylvania, okay I’ll say it: Highlights Foundation, the Whole Novel Workshop . When dealing with an icon it is hard to get people to revision—or see it differently. Highlights. Do you see Goofus and Gallant? Picture yourself in a doctor’s office? The dentist! Or perhaps hidden pictures! It’s hard, isn’t it? (I could usually find all BUT ONE item in the hidden pictures!) In fact I was reluctant to tell people where I was going, because immediately my friends went to the icon. As well as assumptions. It’s kid stuff (code for easy). Simplistic. Didactic. Educational (code for boring). I’ve been to MANY writer’s conferences and each has its own flavor. Most, though, have been for writers of general literature (code for adults—except not XXX). Language is riddled with code. Language is code. We have to work hard to get around stereotypes, prejudices, clichés. This applies to both our attitude and our writi...

Many of my followers (Thanks! Both of you) might be wondering why the cyber silence this week.   I’ve been away at a writer’s conference dedicated to the WHOLE novel. When I read about the workshop on-line I couldn’t believe it. Someone will read my whole ms and give me comments? So I wrote for and received a grant from the Illinois Arts Council and a scholarship that GREATLY underfunded the workshop tuition. Before leaving for the week I received a 3-page critique letter. And immediately felt like running out into traffic. Obviously I am not a writer. So I left for the workshop carrying a backpack of doubts. But since here, I have been showered and encouraged and more than affirmed that indeed I am a writer. This is a YA (young adult) novel ms. A lot of people tend to think there is some writing that is easier. The truth is: there’s nothing easy about writing. To write for young people is just as difficult as writing for an adult audience. We still need to engage our r...