The work-in-progress blog tour: about my novel-in-progress

During this Hanukkah and Christmas season I can't help feeling grateful for all that this past year has provided. I'm especially grateful to my dear writing friends - some I've met in person and some not - who have brought me continued wisdom about the writing process and such joy in knowing them and their writing work. First of all thanks to Kathy Pooler, author of her new memoir: Ever Faithful to His Lead: My Journey Away From Emotional Abuse, for tagging me to participate in this blog tour. Kathy's memoir is a must read if you haven't yet. So here goes: My Work in Progress Synopsis and story idea : My novel, Papa's Shoes, is the story of a family immigrating to America in the early 1900s and a daughter's coming of age in the 1920s in downstate Illinois and Chicago. Some other things going on in the book life in a Polish stetl, early 19th century Chicago and Illinois, a woman's role in society at that time, religious prejudice, interfaith marriage, and a feisty … [Read more...]

Linda Joy Myers, President of the National Association of Memoir Writers

Linda Joy Myers, the president and founder of the National Association of Memoir Writers (NAMR), has generously had me speak on three telecom roundtables at her site. We also met virtually on a few Google + hangouts. So what a joy to finally meet in person last June when we both appeared on a panel to discuss writers' platforms at the Santa Barbara Writers Conference. Linda Joy graciously writes for Choices about how she created her powerful, must read memoir, Don't Call Me Mother. When you do read it, you'll see my endorsement near the front of the book: "With poetically visceral prose Linda Joy Myers tells of her relentless work to emerge from an abandoned and abused child to a forgiving and loving daughter, mother, and grandmother. This must read memoir brings her raw dark secrets to life. I couldn't tear myself away."  My 5-star review is on Amazon. Please welcome Linda Joy. Art, Poetry, and my Memoir Don't Call Me Mother by Linda Joy Myers When people ask me … [Read more...]

A masterful memoir by LInda Joy Myers

I had the pleasure of reading a review copy of Linda Joy Myers re-released memoir, Don't Call Me Mother. Every memoir writer should read, savor, and learn from the mastery in the way this book is written. Linda Joy Myer's memoir, Don't Call Me Mother: A Daughter's Journey form Abandonment to Forgiveness, totally fulfills her memoir writing axioms: write to heal, write your truth, write to bring your dark stories into the light. From the minute I picked up this book and started reading I was hooked. Her poetically visceral words drew me in and never let me go. Even when I had to take a break from her increasingly dark story of being abandoned by her mother and living with an abusive and controlling grandmother, her words stuck with me. They still do. I couldn't believe how this woman could have lived through such a childhood and come out alive, whole, and productive. Emerging as a viable adult was a grueling process. She revisited the cities and farm land where she grew up, she … [Read more...]