I'm thrilled to host Ava Louise while she tours her Intergalactic Matchmaking Services series with WOW! Women on Writing. She discusses one of my favorite topics - how very important it is for an author to read. I'm always reading something - lately books by Philip Roth and John Updike. I'm notorious for buying a new book or two before I've finished the to-be-read pile on my bedside table. Before I introduce you to Ava, please make sure you enter to win the Intergalactic Matchmaking Series by commenting here about your own reading list. Here's Ava: Thank you, Madeline, for having me as a guest. I feel safe in saying that for most authors, the road to writing is paved with books. As my bio says, I came to this writing life much later than many authors. While I joke that it took me over 40 years to figure out what I wanted to do when I grew up, I've always known I needed books in my life. I don't recall a time when I wasn't an avid reader. Reading allowed me to escape … [Read more...]
My life changed in an instant
I started my long-awaited consulting job this past Wednesday and with that my life's daily routines changed in an instant. I get up more than an hour earlier so I'll have enough time to workout before I have to be at work at 7:30 am!!!! Also, the amount of time I have to train for the Boston Overnight walk in June has been cut in half. I drive to work rather than walk downstairs to my home office. I need to be dressed in business clothes with makeup on rather than in my grubbies and no makeup when I work at home. I haven't watched any television for the last several days I sure miss my daily dose of Jeopardy nor have I read one word of any of the books stacked on my beside table. But most important of all, most of my writing time has been snatched away. So far I'm clinging to daily journaling usually right before I go to sleep, but my other writing has stopped. I was going great with the April Poem A Day prompts until this week. Though the prompts stopped on … [Read more...]
Let’s not forget our friends in Nepal
Please let's all join together to remember the thousands of people lost since the huge earthquake and avalanche in Nepal. And let's all join together to help the survivors rebuild their lives and their country. I pledge right here and now that I will donate as much as I can afford to help our friends in Nepal. Will you join me? … [Read more...]
John Updike writes love
I've been reading John Updike's Rabbit quartet since December 2014, and I'm finally about finished with the fourth: Rabbit at Rest. I'm dragging the last fifty pages out because I know Harry (Rabbit) Angstrom, the main character, is going to die before I turn the last page. However, I'm happy to say I have one more Rabbit book to go Rabbit Remembered a 2001 novella still there on my book shelf. I've learned a lot from reading Updike. He's a master of description and very long and detailed descriptions at that. His characters are perfectly drawn. I've gotten so I can almost predict how each of them will react to certain situations. He also knows how to write about love and sex. While he can be very graphic at times, I found the following passage quite lovely and tame. I've always felt we can write erotically without having to go into all the gory details. From Rabbit at Rest by John Updike: ¦Her eyes widen in the dim face inches from his on the pillow. Tiny … [Read more...]
Another novel character revealed
I've been missing my characters while my novel is in the eyes and hands of my beta readers. So I thought I'd share another one of the four main characters with you. I've patterned this character after my father, who in the novel is: Charles: son of Ira and Ruth Schuman. Ava Schuman's older brother Name Chaim/Charles/Charlie Benjamin Schuman He appears as a little boy in the beginning. Physical appearance: As a grownup he is short only 5 ft, 7 in. (only an inch taller than his father), slim, has dark curly hair lots of it, very large brown eyes, olive complexion. Looks great in a business suit and tie. Wears rimless glasses Learns English very quickly while he is on the ship coming over from Poland. Speaks pretty much without an accent though has trouble pronouncing Vs The deaths of his little brothers nag at him. He is very protective of his little sister and mother and father as a result. A good brother and son Very inquisitive and outgoing. He goes to college … [Read more...]
I’m writing poetry this month
I'm writing poems while a group of beta readers reviews my novel draft. And I'm loving it. Again this April I'm taking the prompts from Robert Lee Brewer's April Poem A Day challenge, though not especially concerned about entering the challenge. I'm a little poetry rusty after spending so much time this past year revising my novel. I'm satisfied just to have a poem prompt to write to every day. I'm in it for the practice. That said, here's a couple that might pass muster (with Brewer's prompts). I'd love your thoughts. 4. Write a departure poem. Many people depart to school and/or work every day, and they depart on a plane, train, or automobilesome even walk or ride a bike. Of course, that's keeping things rather physical; there are also emotional and psychological departures. You may even decide to make a departure from your normal writing style in tone or structure today. The Long Departure On the platform she, in a flowing white dress with gloves, shoes, and hat to … [Read more...]
Happy 90th birthday, The Great Gatsby
The Los Angeles Times posted an op-ed piece by Meg Waite Clayton* today commemorating the 90th anniversary of The Great Gatsby. The history of the book and its interest to readers when it was first published is fascinating. It wasn't well-received or reviewed. I reread The Great Gatsby a couple of years ago as an assignment for the novel revision workshop I attended. That it's still taught in schools and still beloved in the film industry three actors have played Gatsby (Alan Ladd, Robert Redford, and Leonardo DiCaprio) is definitely contrary to its early reception. I loved rereading it. I loved the last film. I can never get enough of the old sport. So, I've decided to publish Ms. Clayton's op-ed piece verbatim (fully acknowledging the Los Angeles Times and Meg Waite Clayton). I hope you find it as interesting as I did. Goes to show even famous authors have their ups and downs and perhaps their so-called duds. Gatsby, literature's party animal, turns 90 By Meg Waite … [Read more...]
Writing about places we can’t personally visit
Please welcome Karen Mann. I'm so happy to have her with us today because I very much resonate with her topic. When I was writing my novel I couldn't travel to Poland or have first-hand knowledge of the time-period in which my novel takes place - the early 1900s. Karen's novel, The Woman of La Mancha, takes place in the sixteenth century Spain. Here's what she did instead of personally visiting Spain and having a direct experience of the time period she writes about. When You Can't Do Seat Research, Then What? By Karen Mann Sena Jeter Naslund, author of Ahab's Wife, talks about doing seat research for her historical novels. Sit where your characters sat, live where your characters lived, and you can write about how it smells, looks, sounds, tastes, and feels. But what if you can't do that? When writing my novel The Woman of La Mancha, I was unable to go to Spain or even more specifically, I was unable to go to sixteenth-century Spain, yet my readers tell me I have made that … [Read more...]
Happy Passover/Easter
Last night we celebrated the Passover Seder with our large family - in San Diego. Those of us living in the Los Angeles area rode there and back together on a big black bus. The bus ride, the Seder, and warm family interactions with the over forty people in attendance made for a wonderful occasion. To top it off, we all had an opportunity to cuddle with our newest family edition - six month old Dylan - the grandson of our San Diego hosts. I received a meaningful and lovely holiday greeting card yesterday from my dear friend Cate Russell-Cole. Her words sum up the reason we celebrate Passover and Easter this weekend. Cate said: Long before Easter came into being, by the instruction of Moses, the people of God celebrated Pesach, or Passover, the feast of unleavened bread. It, like Easter, is a celebration of deliverance from bondage. Whatever your beliefs are, may this Easter/Pesach, greet you with peace, hope and give you the opportunity to celebrate what you are grateful for, in … [Read more...]
Draft five of my novel is with five beta readers
Last June I sent Draft Four of my novel-in-progress to five beta readers. This past Sunday I did it again. I sent Draft Five to five different beta readers. I also sent the manuscript to one of the first five beta readers and asked her to let me know if she thinks I created any damage as a result of all the cuts, changes, and rewrites I made to this latest draft - to comply with current guidelines for lengths of novels, I cut almost 9000 words. Hopefully, I left enough in tact that I didn't ruin anything. However, I have a safety net. I have saved every single draft of my novel. I can always add something back in if necessary. You can probably tell from the above, I consider getting my novel out in public both scary and exciting. However, it gives me a much-needed break from it. I've asked my readers to send me their comments by June 30 or sooner, so now I have time to blog, write some new poetry (I plan to participate in Robert Lee Brewer's April Poem A Day Challenge … [Read more...]
Six features of life-changing memoirs by M. Shannon Hernandez
I'm so happy M. Shannon Hernandez has agreed to return to Choices to discuss memoir while on her WOW! Women on Writing virtual book tour. We met her here before with her thoughts about journaling, and since I think journal writing is a great way to jump-start a memoir, it is fitting to have Shannon tell us how to write a life-changing memoir. Shannon recently launched: Breaking the Silence: My Final Forty Days as a Public School Teacher. She shares her vast experience in providing us with the six features of life-changing memoirs. How to Write a Life-Changing Memoir By M. Shannon Hernandez Life-changing! That is a tall order, isn't it? If you are an author, you most likely want to change lives with your words. Not only am I a connoisseur of memoirs, I also have written a memoir, and I coach memoir writers to turn their memories into manuscripts. I have spent much time dissecting memoirs. Here I discuss: Six Features of Life-Changing Memoirs 1: Narrow your focus waaaayyyy … [Read more...]
Happy Birthday, Ruth Bader Ginsberg
Ruth Bader Ginsberg turned 82 yesterday. In honor of her birthday, Huffington Post, shared some of her famous quotes. And since I love quotes I'm sharing a few with you. We're also celebrating RBG's 21 years on the Supreme Court. I sure wish I could give her a celebratory hug. I agree with Ruth Bader Ginsberg about having it all - but not at once. I wrote this article about it for Naturally Savvy. … [Read more...]
Myrna J. Smith and her thoughts on memoir
My WOW! Women on Writing blog tour guest today is Myrna J. Smith, author of God and Other Men: Religion, Romance, and the Search for Self-Love - her first book. A huge welcome, Myrna. Since Myrna's book is a memoir, I asked her to write a post about other memoirs that resonate with her. Here is what she has to say. Memoirs that Spoke to Me By Myrna J. Smith Frank McCourt's Angela's Ashes has all the qualities of a good novel: sex, violence, thievery, suffering, death, and, most importantly redemption. Amazingly it is a memoir, not a piece of fiction. We wonder, how so many terrible things could happen to one family? And how could young Frank come out of that suffering to live such a rich life in America? McCourt lives in Catholic Ireland and suffers from Catholic guilt. He really believes the consumptive Theresa would go to hell because of their sexual transgressions on the green sofa. He thinks he deserves punishment for a hundred other sins, including masturbation. But … [Read more...]
My stress meter
I have a built-in stress meter. I can tell how stressed I am by how loud my tinnitus sounds. When I feel relatively balanced, I hear very low wave-like sounds that seem to come from one ear. When I'm stressed the tinnitus sounds like crashing swells blowing through my head from both sides. So I was interested to read a recent New York Times article titled How Exercise May Protect Against Depression, given that even mild, repeated stress can contribute to the development of depression and other mood disorders in animals and people. Mood disorders, mania, and depression run in my family, so I need to actively make sure I lower my stress level. I've been exercising almost all my life, and I do it every day first thing in the morning. Exercise was especially useful after my son Paul's death fifteen years ago. That outlet kept me sane then, and it still does. That is, at least for a while. For example, I exercised this morning sixty minutes of cardio followed by a little iron … [Read more...]
What are you afraid of?
I'm very pleased to welcome Karen Jones Gowen during her WOW! Women on Writing blog tour. Her book, Afraid of Everything really got me thinking about fears and how hard it is to overcome them. When I was a young girl I was terrified of heights and flying, stemming from my favorite uncle's death in an airplane crash. As I grew older, I rationalized that if I continued to have these fears, I couldn't see and do the things I wanted to. Especially because I had to fly to most places I wanted to go. So I clenched my teeth and whitened my knuckles and flew until my fears grew less and less. However, I also encountered freeway phobia in my mid thirties. I got over that by telling myself I had to drive on the freeways they were essential routes for someone living in Los Angeles. Therefore, I was gentle with myself, promising myself I could exit a freeway anytime I wanted to. I also opened the car's window and let in a lot of fresh air. Of course the main antidote for all my fears was … [Read more...]
Some folks to show off
Yesterday we attended a book launch and reading of my friend Lee Quarnstrom's new memoir. Lee and I go all the way back to high school - New Trier Township in Winnetka, IL - where we studied journalism and worked together on the New Trier News. He went on to be a newspaper reporter and columnist and did a bunch of other things well worth reading about in his book - such as hang out with Ken Kesey on the Magic Bus for a while. From the title you'll see that he had an exciting life. He's now living east of Los Angeles with his seventh wife, Chris, whom he met at our 40th high school reunion. Chris and I have known each other since grade school. Besides the three of us, seven other New Trier alums attended the reading. It was such fun to get together with dear old friends. Another couple I've known for a long time, Alice and Richard Matzkin, will appear from March 3-5 on a free online event called Transforming Aging Summit - about making your later years your … [Read more...]
Making my product perfect
In Joe Bunting's "The Write Practice" piece, The Ten Lessons Dr. Seuss Can Teach Writers, dated February 27, 2015, I resonated with these two lessons: 6. Be a Perfectionist: It took Dr. Seuss nine months to finish The Cat in the Hat, a book that only contains 236 unique words. He would often spend as much as a year finishing just one book. And these were not long books! Each sentence, each word is important. Don't rush. Keeping molding your writing until it's just right. (Share that on Twitter?) 7. Cut Your Book Down to Its Essence: Longer is not better. Cut your book down to its essence. #SeussLessons (Share that on Twitter?) As he worked on a book, Dr. Seuss would sometimes discard ninety-five percent of it before he was finished. It was not uncommon for him to throw out 95% of his material until he settled on a theme for his book. *** These points verify how important it is to edit and cut. My goal was to cut 9,000 words from my manuscript, and I'm happy to say I'm just about … [Read more...]
Academy Awards revisited
I'm a movie junky. I can't see enough of them. So of course I love the Academy Awards television special. I never miss it. And in preparation I try to see all the movies with nominations for Best Picture, Best Actor, and Best Actress. Unfortunately I didn't quite make that goal for the 2014 movies. I didn't see Two Nights, One Night for which Marion Cotillard had a best actress nomination. That movie is still on my to-see list along with the documentary shorts. I also looked forward to seeing Neil Patrick Harris on this year's award show. I loved him as Doogie, so I was sure I'd love him Sunday night. And I wasn't disappointed at least with his opening joke and opening song and dance number. So sorry Jack Black interrupted it. I did think, however, that he looked a little embarrassed trying to emulate Birdman's undies scene. Anything to spice up the show, right? Doogie's opening joke in welcoming the audience to 2014's movies as the best and the whitest seemed to open the … [Read more...]
I’ll be at the Big Story Writers Conference on Saturday
A West Coast Writers Conference Production, The Big Story Writers Conference will be held this weekend at the Los Angeles Valley College from Friday, February 20 through Sunday, February 22. Here's the program. For fiction, nonfiction, and screen writers it will be chock full of workshops, seminars, and lectures with forty speakers, veteran educators, industry experts, publishing professionals, literary agents, publishers, and best-selling authors. And I'm happy to say I'll be one of them. I'll appear on a panel discussing: How to Write a Book Proposal that Sells (geared to nonfiction authors) The panel description says: Nonfiction authors have a special task of developing a book proposal that actually speaks for them -- even before the book is written. This panel of veteran authors will explain the elements of the proposal, and how to structure a successful one. That special task can be very daunting. However, the main lesson I learned in writing my book … [Read more...]
