These Words

The Writer Moves

2009-08-31T23:05:00.001-05:00

After much deliberation, I have decided to retire this blog and move my thoughts, feelings and updates over to Twitter, which is better suited to my needs at this time. I hope you'll follow me there! And thank you for following me here for so long.

http://twitter.com/aprilbd

TSS Week 31

2009-08-02T07:09:00.008-05:00

I haven't had much cause to write any Sunday Salon posts because I haven't really completed any books in a while. I'm still reading a handful at one time and that slows things a bit, but I thought that since I haven't blogged in a while, I would write about them all.

I did finish a novel called Inheritance, written by Indira Ganesan. It was about a teenage girl living in India who has an interesting family and history, and she spends the novel trying to both figure it out and learn who she is. It was a good "time-pass," as I've heard people say. I enjoyed it but it did not make any real impression on me.

I am currently reading Les Miserables for the first time via DailyLit. I love it. It is long-winded and there are parts on French history that lose me (I skip over them - shh! Don't tell!) but it is, for the most part, truly touching and beautiful. I have been reading for months and am only about 32% through it, but that's Hugo for you. I'm in no rush.

I also started reading Virginia Woolf's Mrs. Dalloway. I have never read Woolf's fiction before (have read A Room of One's Own and adored it, of course) so it took me a little while to adjust to it, but the writing is fantastic and I'm glad I stuck it out. Again, I am only about 25-40% through it but it is going well.

Finally, I recently started The Slave by Isaac Bashevis Singer. It is a pretty dark tale but very interesting. Singer tells his story of Jacob, a Jewish man who survives the Chmielnicki massacre, in a folk tale sort of way. The predominant faith represented is Judaism, but there is also a lot of superstition and pagan ritual weaved throughout. I will keep you posted.

TSS Week 30

2009-07-05T09:15:00.003-05:00

A good friend and colleague lent me The House of the Spirits weeks ago because we like to discuss books together and she thought I would like it. I was eager to read it because I have heard such great things about Isabel Allende's work but had never read any. I finished the novel yesterday and I am so glad that I read it.

The House of the Spirits is about a Chilean family's trials and triumphs. Allende is all about the details and small nuances of her characters which, while it annoys me in some other authors, is endearing and captivating in her work. I constantly looked forward to returning to the novel when I had a few spare minutes to read. I got lost in it.

The family encounters great suffering as their country undergoes extreme change (the coup d’etat of 1973), which each character seems to contribute to in his/her own way. This novel is often cited as an example of magic realism, which is a fantastic element that really adds to its appeal for me.

The Writer's Weekend Update

2009-06-13T07:59:00.004-05:00

I am having serious laptop problems, which is simply disastrous for a writer. I'm going to take it in today to see if it can be repaired. Even if it can, it might be time to upgrade. I have been told that creative people should use Macs rather than PCs. Anyone think there's any truth to that, or have an opinion? I haven't used a Mac since I was in grade school playing Oregon Trail, and I'm intrigued. I've heard good things about Scrivener.

Right now, I am finishing up an article on Swiss artist Jean Tinguely for Swiss Made Magazine. I haven't written for them in a while, though they recently published an older piece of mine on Herman Hesse (pages 92-95).

I broke 24,000 words in my novel last weekend because I went to an Austin WriterGrrls write-in. The hosts are lovely ladies with a lovely home and I always make good progress when I write there. They are hoping to host these write-ins on a monthly basis, which would be wonderful for me.

I was reading a blog post recently that said that for new authors, you should never, never submit a manuscript of more than 80,000 words. In reality, it should be closer to 50,000. This is good to know. I am just wondering how many words I need to write in order to come up with 50-80,000 good ones. I am halfway at my target mark, but I am still only focusing on one character's perspective on the narrative (there are two others waiting in the wings). And obviously, I know that the 24,000+ words I have written do not all merit being included! It's such an intense process, especially for a first-timer like me.

The Writer Re-Organizes

2009-05-30T09:07:00.001-05:00

Over the holiday last weekend, I sat down and read my novel draft. I started my novel over a year ago but I have let life get in the way so much that every few months I have to sit down and reread what I've written. I made a lot of progress during November 2008 thanks to NaNoWriMo, but I haven't worked on it consistently since, so rereading what I had written was a surprise to me. (Imagine that!) It was as if someone else had written it. There were parts that made me think, "Wow, this is really good," and other parts where I said to myself, "Why did I make this character do that? What was I thinking?" It was a really interesting experience. As I've said, I've had the experience many times, but never with 20,000+ words in one sitting.

My goal now is to really buckle down and not let myself get to that point again, where I have to reread to remember. If I can't finish this novel now, when can I? When I'm in graduate school? When I have children? Now is the perfect time.

Anyway, I decided to jot down each scene on a small index card and put them up on a bulletin board. I've seen writers do this and it seems like a good way to: a) help me remember what I've written ;) and b) rearrange scenes and visualize the plot in a way that a super long Microsoft Word file does not. I've also color-coded according to who the narrator is and if the scene is written yet. I hope this works. Do any other writers out there have suggestions or insight into their own plotting processes?

The Writer Moderates, Take 3

2009-05-24T10:02:00.003-05:00

I am so pleased with the outcome of our latest BookWoman panel on Mental Health. There was a great turnout and the discussion was very helpful. Our panelists were:

Polly Ross Hughes, an award-winning journalist who has done extensive work on mental health issues and has just started her own publishing company.

Andrea Ball, an award-winning journalist who currently writes on philanthropy for the Austin American-Statesman.

Holly Hollan, the author of Soaring & Crashing, My Bipolar Adventures.

Diana Kern, the founder of EXPECT RECOVERY!

I am so thankful to all of them for participating, as well as to Susan Post of BookWoman for providing the venue and support, and all of the people who came out.

The Writer Must Refocus

2009-05-17T09:39:00.004-05:00

Despite my silence, a lot has been going on recently. I am stuck in a quandary of where to spend my time and devote my energy. My personal Achilles' heel is to believe I can do 50,000 things at a time and to then attempt it. Through discussions with friends and personal reflection, I have realized once again that it is time to prioritize and make some sacrifices. (Ugh! So hard!)

Anywho, rather than waste more time discussing how I manage (or don't manage) my time :) I am going to give my brief updates!

The most pressing and arguably exciting news is that next Saturday, May 23rd, is my newest panel on women's issues at BookWoman in Austin, Texas. You can find all of the info at their website. The panel is chock full of impressive ladies and it should be great, so if you are in Austin please come out. We'd love to meet and talk with you!

Aside from that, I am focusing once again on my novel. The critique group I belong to is really helping me learn how to "show, don't tell" and bring my scenes to life. It's very exciting!

TSS Week 29

2009-04-26T06:44:00.002-05:00

After These Things is an excellent sequel to Only Human, Diski's novel about the biblical Abraham and Sarah. After These Things picks up with Isaac, their son, and his children and grandchildren. If you are familiar with the Bible, you know about Isaac and Rebekah, their twins, Jacob and Esau, and Jacob's adventures with wives Leah and Rachel. If not... it's pretty interesting reading.

It was done extremely well, just like the first novel, though at first I had a hard time latching on because I didn't like Isaac and Rebekah the way I liked Abraham and Sarah. Jacob didn't do much for me either, though of course I fell in love with the maltreated Leah, because what women without extreme coquettishness and beauty does not relate to Leah? The Bible says even God had pity on her.

I also liked that God was not a character in this novel. He was in the previous one, and he was anthropomorphic enough to be annoying. Although Diski introduced "the Editor" as narrator (which was an interesting contrivance), this character didn't do much for me and ultimately became a distraction.

Poetry Challenge: Rekindled

2009-04-23T18:39:00.003-05:00

NaPoWriMo has been great so far, and it reminded me about my poetry challenge way back when. I need to take it up again, because it gave me the opportunity to really stretch my writing, not to mention to experience fantastic poets I hadn't read before. To recap:

1. Sappho

2. Omar Khayyam

3. Anne Sexton

4. Dorothy Parker

5. Adrienne Rich

TSS Week 28

2009-04-19T09:29:00.006-05:00

I am still reading After These Things and I am enjoying it, but I do skip around a lot (in terms of books) so today I will talk a bit about the other ones I've started.

1. Twilight

People have been at me to read this series for ages. Everyone raves, regardless of age. I decided to bite the bullet when my colleagues started raving as well. I am sure I will like it because for all my literary pretense, I do enjoy pop lit (e.g. Harry Potter, The Da Vinci Code). Only about 25 pages in but it is good. I have seen the movie so no surprises in the book so far.

2. The Writer's Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers

I was looking for guidance on how to structure my novel and I asked for advice from my local writing group, the Austin WriterGrrls. One person who responded recommended this book, and I just started working on it. It is fabulous! The author, Christopher Vogler, brings together Jungian psychology and the work of Joseph Campbell to isolate a story-telling pattern that has been around since the days of early myth and prevails, even now, in popular novels and films. It has served as a great guide for me and I feel it would resonate with anyone who is a consumer of pop culture. Still in the early stages, though, so we shall see!

3. Les Miserables

I have been reading this novel for a while now, but I recently let it go for a bit because I was frustrated with a lot of sections on French history that were hard to follow. I wonder if Hugo did not envision his novel as being a classic worldwide? Did he expect only his countrymen and women to read it, or was he trying to educate the rest of us? I have come to a point where I skip or skim the parts that are not relevant to the plot, so it is going well once again. Terribly interesting story, from what I can remember of the film.

Please note that I am not complaining about sections on Napoleon or the French Revolution, only the stories about mayors and small-time scandals. It doesn't interest me enough to do the work to look it all up, and from what I can see, it is not essential to the story.

Little Writing Tidbits

2009-04-07T23:13:00.001-05:00

New York Times: H.P. Lowers Bar for Printing Glossy Color Magazines

I found this article very interesting. It made me wonder if this could be somewhere to take Della Donna in the future. I love the idea of laying out and printing a physical magazine, but I prefer to keep DD free and accessible to everyone, as it currently is.

Also, I think NaPoWriMo is genius! (More feasible than NaNoWriMo, for me at least.) I am a few days behind since I just found it but I have already started writing some poems.

Finally, I am also taking part in ProBlogger's free course, "31 Days to Build a Better Blog." It is really convenient, since one email comes to my inbox each day.

Book Meme

2009-04-05T21:15:00.003-05:00

I found this meme over at The Bluestocking Society and thought I would give it a whirl. Feel free to take it and do it yourself too.

Hardback or trade paperback or mass market paperback?

I like both kinds of paperback, though I like trade slightly more.

Bookmark or dog-ear?

I bookmark to remember where I left off, and I dog-ear to remember what I want to reread and write down.

Alphabetize by author or alphabetize by title or random?

I don't alphabetize. I'm more into how they look on the shelf (by size and all).

Keep, throw away or sell?

I only keep if it is life-changing (otherwise I would have more than I have room for). Otherwise I let people mooch or give away. What kind of person throws away books?

Keep dust jacket or toss it?

I'm not big on hardcovers but when I have them, I keep it.

Last book you bought?

I'm Not Scared by Niccolò Ammaniti. Impulse buy for $1!

Last book someone bought for you?

The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga.

What are some of the books on your to-buy list?

I have hundreds on my to-read list, but to buy and own? I can't think of anything off the top of my head.

Collection (short stories, same author) or anthology (short stories, different author)?

Collections.

Harry Potter or Lemony Snicket?

Harry Potter!

Morning reading, afternoon reading, or nighttime reading?

All day reading? :) But seriously... nighttime.

The books you need to go with other books on your shelves?

I'm not sure what this means. Honestly, the last thing I "need" is more books :)

Do you read anywhere and anytime you can or do you have a set reading time and/or place?

I carry books everywhere just in case. I mostly read before bed but I also read when I am waiting for someone or alone in a restaurant or something.

Do you have seasonal reading habits?

No, not really.

Do you read one book at a time or do you have two or more books going at once?

Multiple, multiple, multiple. Forget one or two, it is usually more like five.

What are your pet peeves about the way people treat books?

I don’t like checking a book out of the library and finding food on the pages. That skeeves me out.

Name one book you surprised yourself by liking.

"The Metamorphosis." I didn't expect to dislike it but I didn't expect to be so blown away either.

How often do you read a book and not review it on your blog? What are your reasons for not blogging about a book?

I'd say of ever 3-5 books I read, I blog about one. The reason is laziness.

TSS Week 27

2009-04-05T08:14:00.005-05:00

Goodreads now has a way to blog your book reviews with a simple HTML code plugin. That is kind of cool. I might start doing that :) Here is the latest one:

The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga

My review

rating: 2 of 5 stars

The New Yorker said that this novel depicts an India that is "like the Wild West on acid." I didn't get that at all. Honestly, I enjoyed the story and felt compassion for some of the characters, but I didn't enjoy this novel like I expected to. I am weary of all of the Indian literature out there that focuses exclusively on corruption and poverty, as if there is nothing else that India has to offer. I have read many Indian bestsellers and I would like to see the beauty of India for once. We have corruption in the United States too, but it is not what every American novel focuses on. Is there only a Western market for Indian tragedy?

I may need to move out of the realm of what is popular in order to find this. Suggestions are welcome!

I also started reading After These Things by Jenny Diski. I was pleasantly surprised to find it in the library one day, having read and enjoyed Only Human a while back. Only Human was a novel about the biblical Abraham and Sarah, and After These Things is a sequel of sorts, focusing on Isaac, their son, his wife, Rebekah and their twin sons, Jacob and Esau. If you are familiar with the Bible, you probably know all of the intrigue that surrounded these people and the stories. I was really excited to find this novel since I am a real sucker for Biblical fiction from secular sources. (They tend to humanize and make sense of stories I grew up with.) Anyway, I am 1/4 of the way through and enjoying it. I think that after I finish I may need to reread The Red Tent by Anita Diamant. I love that novel and it has been many years since I read it. It focuses on Jacob's daughter, Dina, so it seems like a natural next step in the saga.

The Writer on Saturday Morning

2009-03-14T09:00:00.004-05:00

Saturday mornings (and sometimes Sundays too) are the most productive times for me. I wake up early, as my body is conditioned to do all week long, and in the quiet of my still sleeping apartment, I nurse a cup of coffee (or two!) and write. It is the most magical part of my week and I look forward to it.

While the dishwasher is rocking and the coffee is brewing behind me, I thought I would put down some of my thoughts, news and other miscellaneous items.

The critique group looks like it's going to begin in a week or two. Again, it will be only three members - two non-fiction writers and myself - but I don't mind. I haven't touched my poor novel since NaNoWriMo in November, and this group has given me that nudge to pull it out again. As I do, I am looking for some guidance on structure. I read a lot of fiction so I have a general sense of how to structure a story, but as a first-time novelist I really want to nail it. I asked some friends in the Austin WriterGrrls group for advice and Wendy Wheeler, a fabulous Renaissance woman, directed me to some notes on the 7 Point Plot Outline on her site that I am currently taking a look at.

In other news, plans are in the works for a third panel event at BookWoman. The store manager has signed off on my new idea and I already have some great leads. I will keep you posted!

In that vein, I should mention some other exciting events going on in Austin that have caught my attention. I had lunch yesterday with Laura Pressley, a SafePlace board member I interviewed for my first piece on domestic violence in The Good Life. She brought me up to speed on some excellent legislative work they are doing.

In addition, SafePlace is having a Field Day Festival on April 18 where my friend and former interview subject and panelist Michelle Mock will be speaking. She is a strong woman with a dynamic story, and those of you in Austin should come out! If you plan to, leave a comment here and let me know - I'd love to meet you.

The Writer Has a Cup of Coffee and Thinks Out Loud

2009-03-07T09:27:00.005-06:00

There are talks among some of us Austin WriterGrrls about creating a critique group. I tried in the past but it fell flat after one member (of three total) decided it wasn't for her. It's difficult to have a critique group with only two members. I suppose you can do it but I don't think it was what either of us wanted, so the whole thing came to an end.

The discussion has been revived among writers of non-fiction and has led to the idea of having a group that accepts members who are working on non-fiction or fiction. We are all professional writers and I don't think it would do any harm; in fact, it might break up the monotony. There is some interest and I am really hoping it takes off because getting honest feedback on my novel in progress is something I could really use.

In other news, those of you who are on Facebook can become a fan of Della Donna if you so wish. I should probably put that up on the actual DD site somewhere. I am planning a design change now that I am being trained on the Adobe Creative Suite. I plan to, at the very least, overhaul the banner on top.

TSS Week 26

2009-03-01T21:15:00.001-06:00

I read A Tale of Two Cities in high school about 10 years ago and have been meaning to reread it ever since. After watching some TV programs on the French Revolution I decided that it was time. I am so glad that I did. A 15 year old simply cannot comprehend the beauty that is this novel.

Very few books have ever made me cry, and this is one of those select few. One of the best things about it, aside from Dickens' powerful prose, was the fact that he did not make it good vs. evil, black vs. white. The reader feels sorry for the despised poor who are so sorely misused that they live their lives in misery. S/he also feels sorry for the aristocrats who are being carted off to the guillotine in droves. There are no right answers, and there are no easy explanations. Everyone is a victim, and everyone is a villain.

While I'm at it, I am going to read another work that is set during the French Revolution: Les Misérables. I know it is a monster and I usually can't hack those but DailyLit emails make everything manageable.

The Writer is Still Alive... I Promise

2009-02-18T18:35:00.004-06:00

It is frightening for me to realize that I haven't posted here in over a month. With the American economy being what it is, there have been many changes in organizational structure and workload at my company right now. That accounts for some of my absence. Aside from that... well, I haven't been doing much on the freelancing side. The Good Life magazine has gone out of business, to my dismay. I am still writing for Nü Magazine, though, and doing some other things. I also released a new issue of Della Donna not too long ago.

My independent writing focus has been drawn back to my novel. I haven't worked on it since November, but I am thinking about it and mulling it over. I took a look at my NaNoWriMo work last night and was surprised to find that it really yielded some important scenes. Even though I didn't complete the novel in November, that challenge had great results.

Here are the links to my recent work, in case anyone is interested:

Abstractions and Normality
The Throwbak Kid

TSS Week 25

2009-01-11T08:50:00.004-06:00

Crime and Punishment is a philosophical novel about human nature, morality and Russian society at the time it was set, although one could argue that such struggles can take place in any society at any time. I don't know that the following description contains a spoiler, as you can probably find this information on any book jacket, but if you intend to read Crime and Punishment without any knowledge of it beforehand, skip the rest of this review.

Raskolnikov, the protagonist, commits murder fairly early in the book. He kills an old pawnbroker woman he despises along with her sister, who is an innocent bystander who happens to walk in while he is committing the crime. He kills them with an axe. It's gruesome.

This happens so early that the entire novel centers around the aftermath. Will Raskolnikov be caught? Many seem to suspect him. Will he crack and confess? He certainly borders on madness and insanity throughout. Does he feel any remorse? Well, he certainly justifies his position, drawing on philosophy, history and his own intellect to excuse himself. Do we buy his reasoning? Ah, that is the question.

The other characters and lesser narratives that run through Crime and Punishment really invite the reader in. I might be alone in this opinion, but I found it hard to care much about Raskolnikov. Get caught, don't get caught, it didn't really make much difference to me. He is not likeable or hateful - he just left me ambivalent. But throw in a sister, a mother, friends, etc. who are affected by his choices, and now I care deeply. And by the end, I am on the edge of my seat, wondering what will happen.

The fact that I'm long-winded means I loved it. It made me think about a lot of issues, and I'm sure there was much I didn't understand that would merit a re-read in the future. My only complaint is not with the work itself but with the version I read via DailyLit emails. I think the translation of that version was poor. Also, Russians seem to have a lot of names, so it was hard to keep track of characters. (For example, Raskolnikov's real name is Rodion Romanovitch, and he is sometimes called Rodya, yet often called Raskolnikov.) But other than that, I definitely recommend it.

The Writer's Update

2008-12-21T20:19:00.006-06:00

I am currently working on my third feature article for The Good Life magazine.
Nü Magazine just ran some of my articles: "Multimedia Artistry: Celine Bellon" and "DJ Simple Simon: Prepmode."
Upcoming pieces will soon be available at Nü Magazine and The Feminist Review.
The Winter Issue of Della Donna will be out shortly!

Happy holidays!

TSS Week 24

2008-12-21T15:00:00.002-06:00

I just finished reading Inventing a Nation: Washington, Adams, Jefferson for the U.S. Presidents Reading Project. I really enjoyed the book because I love American history, even though I don't read it as much as I should. The only thing that really hurt it - and this is a big deal - is Vidal's inability to focus. Though this is my first Vidal read, I know that he is a political firebrand. That is not what I take issue with. If you would like to talk at length about how the Bush administration has ruined America, go for it... in a book about the Bush administration. All too often I will lose myself in 1776 with its colorful characters and tempestuous events, only to be yanked out as Vidal takes some 'prophetic' insight from Benjamin Franklin, et. al. to prove that Bush is a hack. Not once, not twice, but often. One of his major points in this book, published in 2003, is that George W. Bush fulfills many of the fears of the founding fathers. Again, it is fine to make that argument, but not in a book that presents the founding fathers and the birth of the nation as its subject matter.

Aside from the present day pontifications, Vidal also jumps around on the founding fathers themselves. One minute, John Adams is president... the next, he is back at the Continental Congress trying to get the others to break with Britain. These are not flashbacks - the story is just told in chunks and pieces. It is very hard to find a thread to hold onto.

Publishers Weekly summed it up best when they said, "This book was surely intended to be thought provoking. Unfortunately, it provokes more thought about its author than its subjects."

Now that I've been all negative, I have to say, it was so well written and captivating that I never once thought of putting it down, no matter how much the flaws annoyed me. I would read Vidal again - I just hope this interjection of political opinion into historical biography is not a pattern with him.

TSS Week 23

2008-12-07T12:42:00.000-06:00

I just finished The Hundred Secret Senses, which is now one of my favorite Amy Tan novels, rivaled only by The Bonesetter's Daughter. Yes, I love The Joy Luck Club, The Kitchen God's Wife and Saving Fish From Drowning - I love any Tan story I come across - but The Hundred Secret Senses (along with The Bonesetter's Daughter) really stands out.

Olivia, the narrator, is the American-born daughter of a Chinese man and an American woman. When her father is on his deathbed, he reveals to his wife that he left behind a daughter in China and asks her to retrieve and raise her. Enter Kwan, Olivia's older half-sister who believes that she has "yin eyes" and can see and speak to ghosts.

Olivia struggles her whole life to ignore and dismiss Kwan's superstitions until her marriage is crumbling and she, her estranged husband and her sister find themselves on a trip to China together. The ending is extremely poignant and bittersweet without being unrealistic. Tan plumbs the depths of issues like life and death, reincarnation, history, soul ties, relationships and culture in this story, and I just ate it up.

I'm also rereading The Catcher in the Rye for some volunteer work I do at the library. Is it just me, or does that novel get better every time you read it? Maybe I am just getting older and smarter, and can actually see the genius in the handiwork instead of loving it because Holden curses (which is why I loved it when I first read it in high school). Okay, that's not entirely true, but it was certainly part of it - going from reading authors like Dickens and Shakespeare to J.D. Salinger, someone whose work is dated for a child of the 80s and 90s but just as timeless as those other masters, was a breath of fresh air. Holden cursed, he thought most of the adults around him were morons, and he struggled with not fitting in and not being understood. He made me love him from the very first reading.

Now that I am older, there is only more to love - Holden's concern for protecting the innocence of children, his mourning for the loss of his own innocence, his struggle to understand a complicated and "phoney" world. When I first read Catcher, Holden was my peer - now, he is a child to my adult. It is strange to view a character from such a shifting lens. Yet I have a feeling I will still be reading Catcher when I'm 80, and I will still be finding new layers to love.

The Writer Moderates, Take 2

2008-11-25T10:33:00.003-06:00

Left to Right: April Boland, Cynthia Juniper, Mary James, Michelle Mock.

A few weeks ago BookWoman hosted us once again to hold a panel on sexual violence. The panel featured Cynthia Juniper, author of Principles of Recovery from Abuse, Mary James, author of Destiny and the Magic of LaGrimas Creek, and Michelle Mock, a survivor of sexual assault. The discussion was fantastic, in my opinion, and addressed many important subjects for survivors as well as the general public. The best part was being able to meet and offer resources to victims who came out to learn and share insight. Thanks again to Susan Post, the manager of BookWoman, the panelists, and everyone who came out to promote healing.

The panel went so well, in fact, that I accepted the opportunity to write another piece for The Good Life, this time on child abuse. I am so thankful for yet another chance to speak out and hopefully make a dent in an enormous problem.

NaNoWriMo Update

2008-11-25T10:22:00.001-06:00

I have written 11,371 words this month. It is way short of the mark but it is 11,000+ words I didn't have before, so I am staying positive. I am traveling right now so have severely neglected the novel but I hope to get some work in at some point this week.

TSS Week 22

2008-11-09T08:11:00.002-06:00

I haven't read Poe since junior high and so I decided to read his "best" short stories in keeping with my eerie October reads. Overall, I loved the collection. I was able to see just why Poe is such an icon. His work was chilling, but not graphic or scary enough to keep me, a total wuss, from reading it. My favorites were "The Black Cat" and "The Masque of the Red Death."

I found Rispondimi in the library by accident while looking at the novels of Amy Tan (Tamaro was close to Tan :). I noticed the title in Italian and picked it up. I'm so glad I did because it was fantastic!

Rispondimi contains three short novellas about desperation. The stories are sad but the writing itself is beautiful and real. I did not come away from the book depressed as you might think. It is a useful, touching portrait of human weakness, struggle and regret.

I have to complain about the translation job. I was about to say that a native English speaker should have translated this work, until I saw the John Cullen is from New Orleans! Overall the translation didn't hinder the power of the stories, but it was done poorly. Example: Translating "coming of age" or "turning eighteen" as "I couldn't wait to reach my majority." I am aware of the literal translation that would lead to this but an English speaker should know better.

All in all, highly recommended!

The Writer Must Try Again

2008-11-06T08:00:00.003-06:00

I joined up with NaNoWriMo for the first time this year. I was pretty excited about it but already, in week one, I have let my enthusiasm flag and my work slow. I had expected - somewhat unrealistically - that I would sit down and bang out the required words each night with no problem. *Snort* What I found was that sometimes I didn't know where to go, and because I perceive this novel as important to me (as opposed to a random idea I dreamed up specifically for NaNoWriMo), I hesitate to take any risks. This is problematic and I think that now that I am recognizing it, I can address it. After all, no one will hold me to what I write this month. The point is just to write! To experiment, to dream, to visualize, to evoke. I look forward to trying again.

So, I have not even broken 2,000 words on a day when I should have around 8,335, but I am hopeful. Maybe I will even throw a prayer or two up to St. Lucy.

Good luck to all NaNoWriMo'ers everywhere. We are all in this together! And it's a beautiful thing.

P.S. I excerpted the following from a pep talk email I received (as a NaNoWriMo member) from author Jonathan Stroud:

Getting that first draft out is a horribly hard grind, but that (perversely) is where the joy of it lies. There is nothing better for me, nothing more uniquely satisfying in the whole process of making a book, than the sensation at the end of each day—good or bad, productive or unproductive—when I look over and see a little fragile stack of written pages that weren't there that morning. A few hours earlier they didn't exist. And now they do. In a strange way this is more actively thrilling than even holding my finished, printed, book in my hands. It's where the magic lies. Alchemists tried for centuries to turn base metals into gold. Every time we sit down and put words on paper, we succeed where they failed. We're conjuring something out of nothing.

2008-11-03T12:17:00.002-06:00

I have some exciting news to share :)

My special report on sexual violence has been published in this month's issue of The Good Life Magazine. If you live in Austin or surrounding counties, you can get a free copy at most stores and restaurants. If not, you can still read it online!
To celebrate this release, I am moderating another panel at BookWoman. It will take place this Friday at 7:00 pm and feature several important women - authors, activists and survivors who will share their insight into this terrible problem. The event is free so I hope that (once again) those of you in Austin will stop by, and/or share the info with your friends.

Time: Friday, November 7, 2008 @ 7:00 p.m.
Location: BookWoman
Title of Event: "No More Shame" - A Panel on Sexual Violence

Join authors Cynthia Juniper and Mary James, sexual assault survivor Michelle Mock and local writer April Boland to discuss a widespread problem facing women (and men) all over the world. Free copies of The Good Life Magazine (containing a feature story on sexual violence in Austin) will be available.

TSS Week 21

2008-11-02T07:40:00.001-06:00

The Book of Lost Things reminded me of two stories I have encountered before: The Chronicles of Narnia and the film "Pan's Labyrinth." In reality, it is quite different than both, but there are strong commonalities:

a child escaping from his early 20th century war-torn world into a fantasy land
the fantasy land experiences all have deep philosophical meaning

I enjoyed Narnia (though I haven't finished it) and I enjoyed Pan's Labyrinth - likewise, I enjoyed The Book of Lost Things. I don't think it deserves all of the hype it has gotten, but it was a good read.

The book starts with an introduction to David, a 12-year-old English boy. In the first few chapters, his mother dies of an illness. Strangely enough, this remains my favorite part of the entire novel because of the way Connolly tackles the monster that is grief with the simplicity in which it presents itself to children.

Beyond that, David - a bookworm we can all love - finds himself losing touch with reality and delving into books, which eventually leads into this new fantasy world. Grimm's fairy tales have been culled for material, and Connolly's retellings are done well. In the same vein, the novel is quite dark... it is not a children's story. I found it to be a worthwhile statement on coming of age, loss and morality.

2008-10-24T16:30:00.001-05:00

The Fall Issue of Della Donna is now out, just in time for Halloween!

TSS Week 20

2008-10-19T12:06:00.000-05:00

I finally finished Frankenstein. It is a tragic story and though the monster is supposedly the villain, I found him very sympathetic (more so than Dr. Frankenstein). The plight of the outcast and how it drives them to do evil things made me think of those kids who are relentlessly teased until they shoot people in their schools. Not that the violent acts are justified, but that they are realistic consequences of human isolation and rejection. I wonder if this was part of Shelley's point, that crimes and the people who commit them should not be viewed in a black and white fashion.

I also found it interesting how Dr. Frankenstein and the monster came to depend on each other, even in enmity. After all, when the Dr. is hunting the monster down and becomes weary, the monster leaves food for him to keep him going. Perhaps it was a desperate need for any kind of interaction, especially with his creator, but it intrigued me.

Also, as if you have been waiting with baited breath (hee hee), my review of Blue Genes has been published in Estella's Revenge.

2008-10-17T12:52:00.002-05:00

This is my new mantra concerning my novel:

"If you cannot get rid of the family skeleton,
you may as well make it dance."
- George Bernard Shaw

TSS Week 19

2008-10-12T09:49:00.004-05:00

I finished Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows last night. What a ride. I do feel that sorrow that comes with the end of a favorite series. In fact, it just reinforced for me (as a writer) how gifted writers are when they can make you care about their characters. Really care. As in, these characters are friends of yours that you think about long after the books are over. J.K. Rowling has written a Lord of the Rings for my generation. The series is definitely a classic, to my mind.

Here come the spoilers, so please don't read if you don't want the book... you know, spoiled.

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I can't tell you how happy I was/am that Snape was vindicated. I knew I loved him for a reason.

Part that made me cry: When Percy returns to the Weasleys.

I particularly like Stephen King's review of the final book and the series in general.

2008-10-08T22:00:00.000-05:00

I am considering participating in NaNoWriMo for the first time. Most of you will probably have heard of this already, but in case you haven't, November is National Novel Writing Month, and people from all over the world challenge themselves to write a 50,000 word novel in one month. Sounds crazy (unless you're Stu :) which is why I have always steered clear of it. Yet this year, it sounds like an amazing way to force myself to sit down each day and work on my novel. Sure, whatever I come out of November with will not be publishable, but some of it will be, and those parts can be expanded. What do you think? I shudder to think that I could actually stick to this for 30 days, but it can't hurt to try, even if I don't hit the target.

An Update on the Writer

2008-10-02T10:58:00.003-05:00

The special report has been submitted. I am very proud of the work I've done and glad that it's nearly finished. Now there will be back and forth editing and tying up of loose ends, but come November it will hit the stands all over Austin. I really hope that it will make a different for someone. That is the whole purpose, after all.

In the meantime, here are the last few articles I've written for Nü Magazine. I forgot to announce them when they came out, and I have been a little slow in updating my website.

My editor over there, Oscar Valdes, is so talented with layout and design, in addition to being a great guy.

Finally, the other big thing I have going on is organizing my second panel at BookWoman. It will coincide with the publication of my piece on sexual violence, so that is the topic. If you are an Austin-based author who has written on the subject (in a memoir or otherwise), and you would like to participate, let me know! We'd love to have you.

Till next time friends :)

TSS Week 18

2008-09-28T09:48:00.005-05:00

This week I am still working on Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. It is an audiobook on 17 CDs and I just began the 6th one. Part of me is dying to get right through it and find out what happens, but the other part of me wants to take it slow because I will miss this series.

I read more than half of Wide Sargasso Sea in the last week or two. A friend recommended it after Jane Eyre, and it is on the 1,001 Books to Read Before You Die list. It just wasn't doing it for me, though, and I finally put it to rest.

I'm also still reading Parachutes and Kisses, which is very good. I'm reading it so slowly because of the 300+ page book curse that is on me. The length makes me lose interest - not enough to drop it, but enough to take forever to read it. That wouldn't be a problem except I am forgetting and mixing up all of the protagonist's lovers.

Finally, I am reading Frankenstein for the first time through DailyLit emails. Boy, is it good! It seems to be a commentary on the danger of scientific advancement, which today makes me think of the danger of continual technological advances. I'm not anti-technology - in fact, I love it - but it's hard not to look at this character who overreaches, thinking that it is all he ever wants in the world, and lives to regret it. Makes you wonder.

2008-09-26T10:19:00.003-05:00

The clock ticks as the deadline approaches... Can she do it folks? She will, or will die trying ;)

I just received word that an article I wrote has been accepted for publication in The Lipstick Pages. I'm looking forward to that, and will link to it when it's up.

In other news... well, there is no other news. I have been hunched over my desk for days and will continue to be until my Good Life feature is complete. Stay tuned and I promise I will have something for you soon.

TSS Week 17

2008-09-14T11:23:00.009-05:00

This week, I have been totally captivated by a memoir I am reviewing for Estella's Revenge. It's called Blue Genes by Christopher Lukas. It delves into his family's history of mood disorders, focusing specifically on his mother's suicide when he and his brother Tony were children and then again on Tony's suicide as an adult. I don't want to say too much about it because I do have to write that review, but I just love it. (And isn't that a great title, to boot?)

Aside from that, I am working on Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I'm also really enjoying that (naturally :) but am very sorry to see the series end. This is one of those powerful series that rarely comes around. Personally, I am not ashamed to love books that are trendy. For example, Dan Brown's novels - I know a lot of people who wouldn't touch them with a ten foot pole, but I really enjoyed them. (Okay, there are tons of glaring flaws in writing and plot, but I couldn't put them down, and that says something.) Also, on another note, the Harry Potter audiobooks read by Jim Dale are fantastic. I'm hoping he's recorded Lord of the Rings because his accent and sheer talent are sounds for this American's sore ears.

I'm also still working on Pride and Prejudice. It is slow reading because it's coming in daily e-mail installments. I'm just not blown away. I'm not even all that interested in what will happen next. It has really become an issue of I'm almost done and I want to be able to finally say I've read this, but I won't ever read it again. Oh well.

TSS Week 16

2008-09-07T19:45:00.010-05:00

This installment is spoiler-ific because I finished Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince today. If you have not yet read this book (or Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers), stop reading this post and go away. It's for your own good. In fact, I will put some lines below for good measure.

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J.K. Rowling keeps surprising me, which is clearly one of the reasons she is so popular. But honestly, Dumbledore's murder knocked the wind out of me. I couldn't believe it, and I was sure he was going to pull a Gandalf and return at some point. Well, he didn't, at least not in this novel. I don't know what happens in the next and final installment of the series. I have been thinking about Dumbledore all weekend, in disbelief. Wow. And I probably shouldn't admit to this, but I was kind of a Snape fan (I think because Alan Rickman is so good). I know that he is mean to Harry and all, but I preferred to think of him as misunderstood, especially after the revelation about how Harry's father James really treated him. I was so hoping he was on the right side. (He might still be, under the imperious curse or something, but that feels like a stretch.) Sigh. Book 7, here I come. (This is the first time I'm reading it, so no spoiler comments, please :)

Other than that, I am still reading Pride and Prejudice. It is okay. I know that is literary blasphemy, but eh. I'm enjoying it enough to continue but it is not living up to the hype for me.

On a side note, does anyone else find Mr. Bennet absolutely hysterical? Best character in the book, I would say, however minor.

The Writer Pokes Her Head Out of Her Study

2008-09-04T22:10:00.002-05:00

My apologies for dropping the ball on this blog for a bit. My Good Life Magazine feature on sexual violence is due at the end of this month, so I have been pretty heads down and will be for the next several weeks. The researching and interviewing form one key component, and writing the other. The writing process, which I am about to undertake, is both exhilarating and challenging (as my fellow writers know!). I will be spending a lot of time with my laptop and the stories of so many people who have been hurt, wounded and mistreated, and who have been strong enough to overcome it. Whenever my friends and colleagues learn what I am writing about, they wince and grimace. They sympathize with me for having to focus on such a terrible issue. And yet, I feel privileged to write about it, and to share the stories of the real heroes - the survivors who not only made it through, but who speak out publicly, without shame, in order to help others. As you can see, pieces like this are really meaningful to me, and again I'm thankful to Ken Martin at The Good Life for giving me the opportunity to write them.

TSS Week 15

2008-08-17T09:12:00.005-05:00

I may not do it every week but I love these Sunday Salon postings :)

I am still reading most of the books I previously blogged about, but I have also started new ones. Last week I read American Born Chinese because a friend lent it to me. It was a quick read, being a graphic novel, and I thought it was fabulous. It had three different narratives that came together as one at the end, all focusing on either Chinese culture or the Chinese-American experience. I thought Gene Yang presented the plight of the "Other" very well.

I also reread Lucy this past week, a short novel by Jamaica Kincaid about a West Indian au pair in New York City. In only 164 pages, Kincaid takes you inside the mind of one of the most complex literary characters of all time. She uses Lucy, her protagonist, to shine a light on colonialism and its effects, woman's place in the world and its effects, mother-daughter relationships, friendships and more. I loved this book when I first read it four years ago, and I still do.

Finally, I am rereading Prozac Nation. Again, I loved this memoir when I first read it years ago. I am enjoying it again now though I am certain that it could have been shorter had Wurtzel been less repetitive. That is starting to annoy me, to be honest, so I have been putting it down for some time and picking it back up.

2008-08-07T02:00:00.000-05:00

Over at Women on Writing, there is a wonderful piece on how to focus your writing. I love tangible tips and charts, but that is just me :)

I recall that a couple of years ago I was fixated on becoming a creative non-fiction writer. I went and saw Lee Gutkind, the creative non-fiction guru, speak at the Texas Book Festival and I started reading his how-to books. I have since let that fall by the wayside as my writing has developed, but I still think about it from time to time and wonder if it is something to explore.

2008-08-04T12:10:00.000-05:00

Alive Magazine just published my article, "My Solo Travels in Italy," in their August issue (beginning on page 25). I cannot get over the amazing layout job the editors did. I hope you will check it out!

TSS Week 14

2008-08-03T09:37:00.000-05:00

The friend who turned me on to Jane Eyre in the first place has had me over to her place several times for a viewing of the BBC version. It is great - Timothy Dalton is so Mr. Rochester.

Anyway, on to what I am reading. I started the copy of Erica Jong's Parachutes and Kisses that I picked up from the local bookstore for a dollar. I admit that I have not yet read Fear of Flying or How to Save Your Own Life, the two previous titles in the series, but I am enjoying it nonetheless. It is about 400 pages long and I have only read 70, so it is hard to predict if the plot will be pleasing to me, but the writing and the characters have been enjoyable so far. Isadora Wing, the protagonist, is a famous author who is dealing with her painful third divorce by drowning her sorrows in exploits with younger men. Jong's writing is fun for us analytical types because there are tons of passing references and allusions to classic literature, religion and popular culture. It makes you feel like part of the 'in group' to pick up on them.

I am also reading E.M. Forster's A Room with a View. I enjoyed Where Angels Fear to Tread and have been wanting to read A Room with a View since my visit to Florence years ago. It was slow for a while but now, in the second half, I am started to get interested in what might happen. In a nutshell: Lucy, the young beauty in the story, allowed a young man of lower social standing to kiss her while vacationing in Florence (simple kiss = big no-no back then). She is now back in England and engaged, yet the young man and his father have made a return appearance. Will this youthful indiscretion ruin Lucy's future happiness? (It's like a soap opera. Tune in next week to find out.)

Finally, I started my first ever reading of Pride and Prejudice. Most people would balk at this since my formal training is in literature, but no, I have not yet read the novel. It is pleasant so far - I didn't expect it to be as humorous as it is at times. Not much has happened so far except Mr. Darcy seems to have multiple personality disorder and Jane is very sick at Mr. Bingley's house. The feminist in me wants to kill Mrs. Bennet for being happy about this, just so that her daughter can spend more time at the wealthy bachelor's pad.

TSS Week 13

2008-07-27T13:30:00.000-05:00

I was mercilessly teased by a colleague for this, but I loved Jane Eyre. I thought it was really beautiful. Yes, it was romantic and that turns off some people, but I like a good romance every now and then, especially when it is done so well as this. Besides, the novel also addressed issues of faith and religion, social and economic class divisions and conscience. Not only that, but Jane and Mr. Rochester are such finely drawn characters. Everyone else, while necessary to the plot, is utterly peripheral when you recognize the power of these two individuals in personality, passion and conviction.

This past week I started reading Elisabeth Kübler-Ross's On Life After Death. I wanted something to answer my nagging question of "Where has my loved one gone?" This book answers that question. Of course, it only contains one of many theories about this, and I am not sure how much I believe and how much I do not, but it is a nice read anyway. Dr. Ross references many patients that she had who came back to life after having been dead, as well as experiences with "ghosts" (for lack of a better term; certainly not one she uses, though) who return with messages and comfort. Again, I am highly skeptical but sometimes you just want to tell yourself that something is true to erase the uncertainty.

Finally, I am reading Tartuffe for the first time through DailyLit emails. I am a big fan of that website and service! The play is good so far. Not much to say as I have only read a few scenes, but it has captured my interest.

2008-07-26T09:13:00.000-05:00

I have not worked on my novel in months. Since my loss I just lost all desire and will. I have continued to write, but mainly in the form of articles and blog posts (speaking of which, I have a new gig over at HalfHourMeals.com).

Anyway, recently my characters have been trying to get my attention. I think about them and want to return to the novel, though I have not as of this writing. I suppose after such a long break I will have to just jump in.

The Writer Moderates

2008-07-21T09:30:00.000-05:00

The Voices of Addiction event was fantastic - so much so that the manager of BookWoman has asked me to return and coordinate a series of them. Thank you to everyone who came and helped make it a success!

I was extremely impressed with the panelists and would love to do what I can to plug them and their work.

Carol Ann Conway is the author of Born into the Enemy Camp.

Jacquelyn Covington is the author of Who? An Addict Like Me who works with Street Works in Nashville, TN to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS and to provide services to those infected.

B. Gayle Boles is a psychologist and children's book author with a very inspiring blog called "A Courageous Life is an Adventure." (She has also published in Della Donna :)

2008-07-17T10:27:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Amanda, a fellow bookish lady.

What kind of book are you most comfortable reading?

That's a good question. Books that are not excessively long because those psyche me out. I would say contemporary novels.

What kind of book do you love to hate?

Over the top chick lit. I can get into chick lit sometimes but books with lipstick or a woman shopping on the cover make me cringe.

What was the last book you surprised yourself by liking?

Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut. I would have thought it would have been too bizarre for me but I couldn't put it down.

What was the last book you surprised yourself by disliking?

I will say The Accidental. I was so hooked from page one that I thought I was going to love it, but by the end, it was kind of a waste of time.

What book would you take with you if you suspected you might be marooned in the near future?

Only one?? :) I think it would be Catcher in the Rye. I ask you, does literature get any better than that?

What forces you to read outside your comfort zone?

I volunteer to co-lead a local book club for teens, and they are mainly into vampires and sci-fi stuff. Firstly, I rarely read contemporary YA stuff, and secondly, not in those genres. I have been enjoying the books so far, though.

TSS Week 12

2008-07-13T10:40:00.000-05:00

Only Human has been on the bookshelf for years. I bought it for about a buck at a used bookstore and just never got around to it. On a whim, I started reading it last week and breezed right through it.

I am a fan of biblical historical fiction that is written from a humanistic or secular perspective. In fact, I bought this novel because it reminded me of The Red Tent, one of my all-time favorites. Only Human focuses on the story of Abram and Sarai, more popularly known as Abraham and Sarah from the Old Testament. The author, Jenny Diski, alternates between an unnamed 3rd person omniscient narrator to God's first person narration. God is an interesting character and, to tell you the truth, not all that likeable. In portraying him this way, Diski flipped the story on its head, which is part of what I loved about Diamant's retelling of a biblical story.

My copy is available on BookMooch if anyone is interested in having it.

I have been reading Jane Eyre through DailyLit emails for months now, but I am finally towards the end. I see that my friend who continually raves about the novel was completely right. I am in love. I will write more when I finish it!

Finally, I have begun William S. Buck's translation of The Ramayana. Ever since reading his fantastic translation of The Mahabharata for a literature course, I have been wanting to read this one. Though I am currently reading several books, I decided while I was at the library that if it was on the shelf, in stock, it would be a sign that I was meant to read it. The computer said it was but it was not in its place. After scouring all of the return carts, I found it. Does that still count as fate telling me to read it? :)

2008-07-11T10:05:00.001-05:00

For those of you who like inspirational writing that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside, you might enjoy checking out the 302designs blog. If you recall, I wrote about this company for Nü Magazine. Upon meeting David and Abdon, I was really impressed by the fact that they value positive messaging and inspiration as much as they value fashion and business. This is why I continually write for their blog, along with other talented writers.

Come One, Come All

2008-07-10T12:29:00.000-05:00

I am happy to announce to those of you in the Austin area that I have put together a special event at BookWoman that is coming up next weekend. Here is the information:

BookWoman
5501 N. Lamar Blvd. #A-105
Austin, TX 78751
Tel: 512-472-2785

www.ebookwoman.com

SUNDAY, July 20, 4pm
:: Panel Discussion :: Voices of Addiction :: Jacqueline Covington, Carol Conway, B. Gayle Boyes - moderated by April Boland ::

This presentation will focus on the harmful effects of addiction on women, both directly and indirectly. Two of the panelists are published authors on the subject along with a long-time substance abuse counselor who works for the Texas Dept. of State Health Services.

Jacquelyn Ann Covington is the author of Who? An Addict Like Me! in which she shares her true story of the journey down the hopeless path of addiction, and the remarkable Magdalene organization that helped her find her way back -- truly a travelogue of the trip to hell and back. She also is heavily involved in StreetWorks, an organization in Nashville that deals with the prevention and counseling of those affected by HIV/AIDS.

Carol Ann Conway has done extensive marketing and public speaking on behalf of women. Her seminars for "Women in Transition" reached out to affluent women who found themselves divorced with children after a lifetime of wedlock. She is also the author of the memoir, "Born into the Enemy Camp."

B. Gayle Boles has been a psychotherapist for close to thirty years, having spent the last twenty years working in substance abuse counseling in private treatment centers and adult prisons, and at the Texas Youth Commission. She now works for the Texas Department of State Health Services. She has recently written a fantasy novel for 8-12 year olds entitled "Dodging Sheila," and she is currently working on a mystery novel.

April D. Boland is a writer and editor originally from New York City. Her work has been published in the Austin American-Statesman, the Feminist Review and various magazines and journals. She recently wrote a special report for the Good Life Magazine on domestic violence n Austin, and she is currently working on a second one about sexual violence. She is also the founder and editor-in-chief of Della Donna, a webzine for women.

Just a Snippet

2008-06-30T14:57:00.000-05:00

I will write more soon, I promise :) But in the mean time, here is a new piece I wrote about Austin photographer Jo Ann Santangelo.

2008-06-16T12:48:00.000-05:00

Some "yay"-worthy news and updates:

The current issue of Dovetail Journal contains an article I wrote entitled "Darkness and Light." Though the journal focuses on interfaith couples that are Jewish and Christian, I wrote about my personal experiences being in a relationship that is (culturally) Hindu-Christian. Unfortunately, you need a subscription to access the piece, but I thought I would mention it in case anyone subscribes.
An editor at Alive Magazine contacted me about publishing a travel piece I wrote. Pretty excited on that one, and will post a link when it's out (August issue).

TSS Week 11

2008-06-15T10:57:00.000-05:00

I fell in love with The Accidental in the beginning. It is narrated by five different characters, and the first - Astrid, a 12 year old girl - totally captivated me. I loved her instantly and was hooked. The next, her 17 year old brother Magnus, was also done extremely well. The adults, however, were not as interesting. I found myself going through their parts just to get to the kids again.

The first half of the plot was intriguing, but after that, it just fell. Smith lost the magic and seemed to get away with no real resolution or ending at all. This disappointed me because it had such potential, and I had such high hopes. Kudos to her for creating a couple of fantastic characters, though.

I also just finished I, Lucifer, a novel I have been wanting to read since I saw it in a bookstore years ago. The cover says, "Finally, the other side of the story," which piqued my interest. I am well-versed in the Bible and Judeo-Christian traditions, and I love when people take a familiar story and redo it (The Red Tent is an all-time favorite). Anyway, this novel turned out to be less about Satan's retelling of cosmic history and more of an illuminating portrait of Satan himself. Who is he, what motivates him, is he really so bad? These are questions the reader finds her/himself asking. Duncan does a fabulous job of humanizing Satan without being unrealistic - every so often he reminds you that you cannot really believe a word he says. You learn to analyze Satan intuitively, without trusting his opinions of himself. The ending was perfect, fitting and satisfying. I loved it.

2008-06-12T10:02:00.000-05:00

This is a meme I took from Stu. It is a list of banned books - I will be bolding the ones I've read and completed and italicizing ones I've sort of read :)

#1 The Bible
#2 Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
#3 Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes
#4 The Koran (excerpts)
#5 Arabian Nights (almost entirely)
#6 Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain (children's version as a child)
#7 Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift
#8 Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer (excerpts for a class)
#9 Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
#10 Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman (only read Song of Myself)
#11 Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli
#12 Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe
#13 Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank (half)
#14 Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert
#15 Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
#16 Les Misérables by Victor Hugo
#17 Dracula by Bram Stoker
#18 Autobiography by Benjamin Franklin
#19 Tom Jones by Henry Fielding
#20 Essays by Michel de Montaigne
#21 Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
#22 History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon
#23 Tess of the D’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy
#24 Origin of Species by Charles Darwin
#25 Ulysses by James Joyce
#26 Decameron by Giovanni Boccaccio (started it, abandoned it)
#27 Animal Farm by George Orwell
#28 Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell
#29 Candide by Voltaire
#30 To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (many times!)
#31 Analects by Confucius
#32 Dubliners by James Joyce
#33 Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
#34 Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway (started it, abandoned it when I was 19)
#35 Red and the Black by Stendhal
#36 Capital by Karl Marx
#37 Flowers of Evil by Charles Baudelaire
#38 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (childhood)
#39 Lady Chatterley’s Lover by D. H. Lawrence
#40 Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
#41 Sister Carrie by Theodore Dreiser
#42 Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
#43 Jungle by Upton Sinclair (excerpts for a class)
#44 All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque
#45 Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx
#46 Lord of the Flies by William Golding
#47 Diary by Samuel Pepys (excerpts for a class)
#48 Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway
#49 Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy
#50 Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
#51 Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak
#52 Critique of Pure Reason by Immanuel Kant
#53 One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey
#54 Praise of Folly by Desiderius Erasmus
#55 Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
#56 Autobiography of Malcolm X by Malcolm X (read half, been meaning to finish)
#57 Color Purple by Alice Walker
#58 Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger (many times!)
#59 Essay Concerning Human Understanding by John Locke
#60 The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
#61 Moll Flanders by Daniel Defoe
#62 One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
#63 East of Eden by John Steinbeck
#64 Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison
#65 I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou (summer reading assignment when I was 13)
#66 Confessions by Jean Jacques Rousseau
#67 Gargantua and Pantagruel by François Rabelais
#68 Leviathan by Thomas Hobbes
#69 The Talmud (excerpts)
#70 Social Contract by Jean Jacques Rousseau
#71 Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
#72 Women in Love by D. H. Lawrence
#73 American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser
#74 Mein Kampf by Adolf Hitler
#75 A Separate Peace by John Knowles
#76 Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath (many times!)
#77 Red Pony by John Steinbeck
#78 Popol Vuh
#79 Affluent Society by John Kenneth Galbraith
#80 Satyricon by Petronius
#81 James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
#82 Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
#83 Black Boy by Richard Wright
#84 Spirit of the Laws by Charles de Secondat Baron de Montesquieu
#85 Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut
#86 Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George (in 5th grade, don't remember much)
#87 Metaphysics by Aristotle
#88 Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder (childhood)
#89 Institutes of the Christian Religion by Jean Calvin
#90 Steppenwolf by Hermann Hesse
#91 Power and the Glory by Graham Greene
#92 Sanctuary by William Faulkner
#93 As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner
#94 Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin
#95 Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig
#96 Sorrows of Young Werther by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
#97 General Introduction to Psychoanalysis by Sigmund Freud
#98 Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood (most of it)
#99 Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Alexander Brown
#100 Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
#101 Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman by Ernest J. Gaines
#102 Émile by Jean Jacques Rousseau
#103 Nana by Émile Zola
#104 Chocolate War by Robert Cormier
#105 Go Tell It on the Mountain by James Baldwin
#106 Gulag Archipelago by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
#107 Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein
#108 Day No Pigs Would Die by Robert Peck
#109 Ox-Bow Incident by Walter Van Tilburg Clark
#110 Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes

2008-06-09T11:52:00.001-05:00

I have a brand new piece out at Nü Magazine about my friend and talented artist, Kate Payne.

2008-06-09T08:59:00.001-05:00

Eight months ago, I was Asok the Intern. Now I'm Dilbert. Things are looking up. I am well on my way to becoming cynical and jaded in the workforce.

You are DILBERT...swept up in your surroundings, you, the average worker, just try to get along with it.

Which Dilbert character are you?

TSS Week 10

2008-06-01T04:00:00.000-05:00

I am reading a book of essays by Ray Bradbury entitled Zen in the Art of Writing. I stumbled across it at the library. In the past, I read Fahrenheit 451 like most but didn't find it all that exciting. Instead, I have had a love affair for years with The Martian Chronicles.

This book of essays on our beautiful craft is already inspiring me beyond belief, and I only just started. Here are some fabulous quotes I came across so far:

"First and foremost, [writing] reminds us that we are alive and that it is a gift and a privilege, not a right. We must earn life once it has been awarded us. Life asks for rewards back because it has favored us with animation.

So while our art cannot, as we wish it could, save us from wars, privation, envy, greed, old age, or death, it can revitalize us amidst it all.

Secondly, writing is survival. Any art, any good work, of course, is that.

Not to write, for many of us, is to die."

"You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you."

I can't put it down; it has gripped me like non-fiction rarely does. Alternately, I also feel inspired to throw the book down and run and write every few minutes, which is exactly what such a book should make me feel.

2008-05-27T09:50:00.000-05:00

I will have a (late) Sunday Salon post up shortly, but in the meantime, you can check out my latest article at Nü Magazine.

2008-05-20T08:59:00.000-05:00

I have been thinking about short stories lately. I wrote several as homework assignments when I took a fiction writing course, and was quite surprised and happy at how they turned out. (I had always told myself I couldn't do fiction.) I even published a handful in various places.

Now, whenever I see a call for submissions or a contest involving short stories, I rack my brain for which of those initial stories are left (unpublished). It is kind of silly. The other day I told myself, Hey, write some more short stories! I can't beat those old ones to death, no matter how much I like them.

I have actually had a couple in the works for a while now, but I didn't know how they would turn out so I left them hanging. Their premises are really interesting but I need to wrap my head around them from start to finish.

I just found this advice over at Write101.com:

Put a man up a tree
Throw stones at him
Get him down

That sounds about right.

2008-05-16T10:24:00.000-05:00

Dang, I miss posting. Yes, I said "dang."

I met with the fabulous editor of the Good Life Magazine the other night and we nailed down my next assignment. It will be a special report on sexual violence, focusing on rape, incest and molestation. (Not exactly a light summery topic, is it?) It will be similar to the domestic violence piece in many areas, including its scope (immediately Austin, but growing incrementally) and my methods. I anticipate that it will be much more difficult, especially when you get into the abuse of children.

The topic was my idea. Part of me wonders what I could have been thinking, while the other says, "You like to complain about the horrible things in the world. You have sisters who have to grow up in it. Do something about it."

So I will.

Wish me luck... prayers, even.

So It Goes

2008-05-13T09:16:00.000-05:00

I am currently writing a profile of Herman Hesse for Swiss Made Magazine. I believe this will be published in the Fall issue, but don't quote me on that.
I am interviewing Kate Payne, a fellow Austin WriterGrrl and great friend, for Nü Magazine, as she is a talented artist and poet.
Tomorrow evening I will meet with the editor of the Good Life Magazine concerning a new special report. He has already approved my topic, but I won't disclose any information until the assignment is in hand.

All in all, things are going well, if busy. I am nothing if not overcommitted. It seems to be a trend.

TSS Week 9

2008-05-04T18:11:00.000-05:00

I do not want to go into my loss much but since I mentioned it here on the blog, and since it is affecting my writing, I would like to flesh out some thoughts without details.

Since it happened, I have lost my impetus to write. Most people write to channel grief and frustration - even I do - but this grief is so new and fresh that writing seems to require too much energy. I look at the blank document and want to run away, no matter what the writing is supposed to be about. Perhaps prompts and short exercises will be useful now, rather than anything dramatic.

I am currently reading a book called "Writing to Heal the Soul: Transforming Grief and Loss Through Writing." It seemed like an excellent concept and I have really been enjoying it. I have read 9 chapters now but have only done one exercise (from Chapter 1) so I need to tune it to the workbook aspect better. I acknowledge this :) This is why I sat down, actually... not to blog but to write out an exercise.

I recommend the book so far, and will let you know later if I find the exercises to be worthwhile.

The Writer Explains Herself

2008-05-01T10:08:00.001-05:00

Hello readers,

I apologize for the recent lack of invigorating posts on this blog. I recently suffered a loss that has inhibited my writing and sapped my spirit. The good news is that I am doing better every day, and though my writing has suffered, it is not non-existent. I do the little I can and it helps. I am going to try and do better henceforth because I love this blog, but thanks for understanding anyway.

2008-04-22T14:33:00.000-05:00

I wrote another piece for Swiss Made Magazine, this time on the artist Alberto Giacometti. It is coming out in the June issue. For those of you who were kind enough to get a free subscription to see my last piece, make sure you keep an eye out for it.

2008-04-14T14:29:00.000-05:00

I have had a great deal of luck using the Dorothy Parker method of taking a line or two of poetry I like and beginning a poem with it myself. Here are some quotes that have served me well:

Is there anybody going to listen to my story?

-John Lennon, "Girl"

But O, the thorns we stand upon!

-Shakespeare as Florizel, The Winter's Tale

All goes onward and outward, nothing collapses,
And to die is different from what any one supposed, and luckier.

- Walt Whitman, "Leaves of Grass"

They sicken of the calm, who knew the storm.

- Dorothy Parker, "Fair Weather"

Comment with your favorite quotes; I would love to hear and maybe use them.

TSS Week 8

2008-04-13T08:35:00.000-05:00

I finished Osamu Tezuka's Buddha series and was very sorry to be done with it. The last volume, Jetavana, was especially poignant and wrapped up the entire story well. I was nearly moved to tears by the account of Buddha's death at the very end. I am really going to miss the series and may need to start it all over again in the near future!

I am also rereading The Five People You Meet in Heaven for the umpteenth time. Some people find this book cheesy while others finds it moving - I am in the latter group. Even the made-for-TV movie version gets me. I remember reading this novel for the first time when it was newly published and being amazed at Albom's talent and creativity. Since it is a short read, I reread it often.

Finally, I am loving Anne Lamott's Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life. This book was recommended to me by a woman I sat next to when I saw Anne Lamott. She said it is great, especially if you think you might ever want to write. (I then informed her that I am a writer :)

The book is fabulous. It is teaching me so much about characters, plot development, setting, and even, as one chapter is titled, "shitty first drafts." I highly recommend it to writers.

The Introverted Writer, Unmasked

2008-04-10T13:45:00.000-05:00

The Austin WriterGrrls have a retreat every summer where they spend a weekend away at someone's beautiful lake house. Everyone who is qualified to teach a subject does so in little workshops; for example, one woman previously taught on haikus while another has decided to teach about one-act plays.

This year, they have asked me to present on how to start your own e-zine, since they are familiar with Della Donna. I was and am pretty flattered, though I am not a public speaker. (How many writers are, really?) I had better get enough material together to fill up 50 minutes - eek! - and soon.

2008-04-01T10:28:00.001-05:00

*Brief hiatus*

The Writer Makes It... Sort Of

2008-03-28T13:36:00.000-05:00

I attended my first meeting of a critique group this past week. I sort of put it together by throwing an invite out to the Austin WriterGrrls, a group of which I am a member, and two women responded. We met over some very good food and exchanged notes and ideas on our respective pieces.

I was concerned that sensitive little old me would not take kindly to constructive criticism, but I was wrong. I found their notes so helpful, and true! Sure, I may not always agree and I may not take every suggestion, but it is great to have someone point something out to you that you, as the writer, just couldn't see.

In other EXTREMELY EXCITING YET TOP SECRET news, I have been offered a reading/signing event at a bookstore. Like a real author. I guess "offered" is not the proper term since I approached them, but they have enthusiastically accepted. The catch? It's the damn story I wrote using my pen name. Which means my alter-ego gets to have her own party, and I don't. Which means I can't even tell you the details here or invite any of my friends.

Ms. ------ is going to become famous at this rate, while April Boland remains a hack. Cruel irony.

If it wasn't my life, I'd find this incredibly amusing.

TSS Week 7

2008-03-23T08:27:00.000-05:00

Do libraries make anyone else weak in the knees? I have been spending a lot more of my time there lately and I find that it is comparable to a meditative act.

Anyway, I suppose that rather than being the year I read dangerously, this is the year that I read choosily. For some reason I am finding it much easier to drop books that I'm not into. This past week I said goodbye to both War of the Worlds and My Antonia. I was about 1/3 into WW and 1/2 into My Antonia, but I couldn't take either anymore - they both bored me. I am secure enough in myself to admit this, though these are both deemed classics.

In other news, I finally started reading Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut. This book was recommended to me years ago by a college classmate who swore by it. The only Vonnegut I've ever read is Slaughterhouse-Five but that was enough to make me a fan. Cat's Cradle is odd - naturally - but I like it!

I also took a short Italian novella out of the library in order to brush up on my language skills. It is called La strada che va in città or The Road to the City. It has been pretty readable so far, and quite enjoyable. The author, Natalia Ginzburg, was Palermitana like the part of my family featured in my novel :)

2008-03-20T12:37:00.000-05:00

I was rereading an old meme, thinking of tagging stu with it, when I realized that the following:

Have you ever written based on artwork you’ve seen?

No, I haven't, but that's an excellent idea.

...is a lie. I once wrote a poem about Giacomo Balla's "Abstract Speed + Sound."

2008-03-20T11:55:00.000-05:00

Last night I wrote the epilogue to my novel. Felt kind of silly considering I have not even cracked 3,000 words yet, but it came to me and I jotted it down. Maybe it will come in handy.

I formed a writing critique group with two other women, and we are supposed to meet next week. I have never been involved in one before because I am sensitive (read: scared), but it is a necessary step. I hope it goes well and we all get a lot out of it.

I received my copy of the book that shall not be named (the one I contributed to with a pseudonym) last month. It looks amazing and I am so proud to be a part of it. The publishing company and I have been trying to get the word out to editors, even making myself available for an interview. No one has bit yet, except for one local magazine, and they only have room for a blurb. *Shrug* I'll take it. I want the book to do well because the proceeds go to charity, and besides, I don't exactly need the exposure under a fake name. Still pretty exciting though. Cannot wait for the big publication party.

The Writer Develops Tunnel Vision

2008-03-18T12:44:00.000-05:00

I have become totally consumed by my novel. I guess that is a good thing, what a novelist should aspire to, right? Not only have I jumped head first into my research, planning and actual writing, but I am refreshing my grasp of the Italian language. No one in my family speaks it and it is a mark of pride for me that I do, so I do not want to lose it through laziness and lack of practice. Ci vediamo!

Other news: well, not much, as I just said that I am consumed by my novel :) Actually, the Good Life editor offered me the opportunity to write a follow up on my domestic violence feature. After a bit of a rest, I am going to take him up on it. Exciting!

TSS Week 6

2008-03-16T11:09:00.000-05:00

I had a fantastic experience this week - I got to see Anne Lamott. I randomly decided to read her book, Grace (Eventually), last week, having no idea that she would be in town to talk about it. (I wasn't aware that it was her most recent work.) When I saw the flier for the event, I was completely surprised (and jazzed).

This is the first time I have seen her and she was great - a very funny and compelling speaker, just like her writing. She took questions from the audience, and I had the opportunity to ask her something I have always wondered while reading her work, which is what kind of criticism she receives from mainstream conservative Christians and how she deals with it. She spoke of extreme hostility with previous book releases that seems to have died down now. It seems she is just comfortable with herself, even her uncertainties, and that is enough for her. I think she is a brave, special woman.

Here are some Grace (Eventually) quotes that I found meaningful:

"Being human can be so dispiriting. It is a real stretch for me a lot of the time."

"...it really is easier to experience spiritual connection when your life is in the process of coming apart. When things break up and fences fall over, desperation and powerlessness slink in, which turns out to be good: humility and sweetness often arrive in your garden not long after."

Dishonesty

2008-03-11T09:26:00.000-05:00

I am getting sick and tired of these writers who publish fake memoirs. Does no one have any integrity anymore? If you are a great fiction writer, then fine, there's a market for you. There is really no need to make up outlandish autobiography material. You wreck the credibility of all writers when you do this. If I want to write a memoir that contains an incredible (true) story or two, one that could really change someone's perspective, I now run the risk of not being believed because of Gentiles who claim to have been raised by wolves while escaping the Nazis and suburban white women who want to be gangbangers.

Many writers like myself have a great deal of respect for our craft, that's all I'm saying.

TSS Week 5

2008-03-09T12:24:00.000-05:00

I finished the Secret Garden this week and just loved it! (I have been having a lot of luck with these children's books lately.) It is an inspirational story that highlights the beauty and power of nature, as well as, to borrow a phrase, the power of positive thinking. For example, here is a great quote that I noted down:

"Much more surprising things can happen to any one who, when a disagreeable or discouraged thought comes into his mind, just has the sense to remember in time and push it out by putting in an agreeable determinedly courageous one. Two things cannot be in one place."

While the ending was predictable and obvious long before, it still packed an emotional punch. All in all, this novel was a joy to read.

Feeling that I had lost the magic of putzing around library and bookstore shelves for random finds, I spent some time looking around my local library this past week. I wound up taking a copy of Stephen Ambrose's To America: Personal Reflections of an Historian home with me. I am really enjoying it! I have loved American history since elementary school but haven't read much of it in recent years. This book is very approachable and engaging. (As a literature person, I often find nonfiction, particularly histories, extremely dull.) Ambrose makes some arguments that are more conservative than I am used to hearing and believing, so it is interesting to hear a new view and figure out what I think about it. Can't seem to put this one down.

Skimming tons of books on Italian immigrants who came to America in the late 19th century, as my primary novel is based on a true story involving my great-great-great grandparents who came here. Research is more fun than I thought it would be, though I don't want to speak too soon because it's early yet :)

I am also still completely captivated by the Fables series, having read volumes 6 and 7 this week.

Happy Sunday Salon everyone!

2008-03-07T14:02:00.000-06:00

C. Hope Clark writes in her FundsForWriters newsletter:

The serious writer:
writes regardless of the circumstances
rewrites until he can't stand to look at the words
rewrites more until he adores his words and wonders how the heck he ever wrote that first draft
would like to earn money as a writer but won't stop writing because he can't pay the rent from the income
is in no hurry to publish a great story
doesn't submit not knowing if the story is good

2008-03-05T07:58:00.000-06:00

I am quite frustrated with my hosting service. My website, AprilBoland.com, has been down for a week, though it has always been maintained and paid for. The thing that bothers me is how it might hurt my credibility. The last thing I need is editors finding an "expired" site through my link. Voice mails and emails haven't helped yet. BlueFish Hosting, you disappoint.

In other news, I really got a handle on my second (and now primary) novel. If anyone pays attention to the word count bars on the side of this blog, you will have noticed that after a very long dry spell, I wrote 1,100+ words of novel #2 on Sunday. My boyfriend and I spend a lot of time reading, writing and lounging in local coffeehouses, and we found one on Sunday that was so comfortable and great that I let loose a barrage of inspiration. It was pretty exciting, after all this time of banging my head against the wall.

In order to keep my momentum, I scoured the shelves of local libraries for appropriate books so I can research both the time period and the various psychological aspects of my characters. Wish me luck.

I leave you with a great quote from Suzanne Harrison that I found in my Worldwide Freelance Writer newsletter this morning:

"If you want to be a professional writer, earn your living as a writer, and succeed and prosper as a writer, then you must treat your writing as you would any other business, or professional service. Set your writing hours, and keep them. Don't wait for the muse to strike. Get up every day and write, regardless of what you're thinking or feeling. How would your boss respond if you didn't bother turning up for work? Would he understand that you "just don't feel like it today?" No, I didn't think so. So why do you treat your writing any differently?"

Poet #5: Adrienne Rich

2008-03-02T07:05:00.002-06:00

Adrienne Rich: her work is balm to the feminist heart.

"Nothing can be done
but by inches. I write out my life
hour by hour, word by word
gazing into the anger of old women on the bus
numbering the striations
of air inside the ice cube
imagining the existence
of something uncreated
this poem
our lives"

"It is strange to be so many women,
eating and drinking at the same table,
those who bathed their children in the same basin
who kept their secrets from each other
walked the floors of their lives in separate rooms
and flow into history now as the woman of their time
living in the prime of life
as in a city where nothing is forbidden
and nothing permanent."

"I dreamed I called you on the telephone
to say: Be kinder to yourself
but you were sick and would not answer"

TSS Week 4

2008-03-02T06:33:00.000-06:00

I am at a crossroads with the Decameron. While the tales are interesting, I'm just not into reading a long book of various tales right now. I need a plot, a story with main characters to keep me going, and the storytellers just aren't doing it. I hate to put aside another My Year of Reading Dangerously title - making myself look like a wuss here - but I must. I am having a selfish period right now; having just completed my degree in literature, I just want to read what I want. I am having an adverse reaction to heavy "classics." So, that's that.

While I am continuing along with Fables volumes, I decided to try another critically acclaimed graphic novel, which led me to Blankets by Craig Thompson. I found it on Time's list of top graphic novels. It was 600 pages long but I finished it overnight. Fantastic. His descriptions of an intense fundamentalist Christian upbringing rang true with me, and the tale of young love is, at once, both sweet and realistic. Great read, I would definitely recommend it to graphic novel fans.

I finished another incredible book this week: Rosemary Daniell's Confessions of a {Female} Chauvinist. I haven't enjoyed a book of essays like this one in a very long time. Daniell writes about everything from being one of the only females working on an oil rig to her relationship with a renowned Southern poet who also happened to be an alcoholic and a narcissist. Daniell is an interesting breed of feminist - she quotes statistics on sex discrimination in employment, for example, but she also admits that she likes to wear pink clothing and high heels and date stereotypically macho men. She is a modern day Southern belle who has broken the unspoken rule among Southern women: "Do what you want, just don't tell." (I'm paraphrasing.)

Lastly, I finished French Women Don't Get Fat, and if you're interested in my thoughts, you can read them over at the Feminist Review.

2008-02-29T22:16:00.001-06:00

My feature article on domestic violence has been published; you can read the PDF version by clicking on the magazine cover image above.

Poet #4: Dorothy Parker

2008-02-26T21:34:00.003-06:00

I know that was fast but the poetry reading got me in the mood. I went to the library and came home with three poetry books by different authors, so prepare yourselves for a rapid succession of posts pertaining to the Poetry Project :)

Dorothy Parker was fun to read! (It was my first time, except for Resume, which most people know, I think.)

"This is no sea of mine, that humbly laves
Untroubled sands, spread glittering and warm.
I have need of wilder, crueler waves;
They sicken of the calm, who knew the storm."

"And if my heart be scarred and burned,
The safer, I, for all I learned"

"Should they whisper false of you,
Never trouble to deny;
Should the words they say be true,
Weep and storm and swear they lie."

Note: Parker did a cool thing, which was to read some of her favorite poets like ee cummings and T.S. Eliot, then take a line or two from their work and begin her poems with those lines. That is probably something I will experiment with; I invite you poets out there to do the same!

The Emergence of the Poet

2008-02-26T13:21:00.000-06:00

I went to another poetry reading last night with my friend who is a poet. I am a writer but I hesitate to refer to myself as a poet, though I do like that term. It describes a lifestyle I want to have, a person I want to be! The truth of the matter, though, is that I write poetry significantly less than I write in other genres, and significantly less than I used to. It's a sad thing.

I am a veritable shrinking violet around other people and it was difficult to get myself to begin reading poetry at these gatherings, but last night, when I had no poems on hand to read, I enjoyed the experience a bit less. That sounds vain but it isn't. It's not like people are trailing me around for my autograph afterwards. I just feel more a part of the community aspect of it when I read. You know... we are all poets here, sipping lattes in dark light, half-outdoors in the night with a small stage and a microphone, sharing our craft. That's what I love about it, and last night I felt more like an outsider.

The only reason I didn't read is because I haven't written anything new! I flipped through my poems and discovered that I had already read the ones I felt were good. There is also that pesky "it's too personal" mantra of mine that prevents me from reading much of the quality work. Alas. My goal now is to write new material and be able to read at the poetry reading in April (next month's is at a venue I don't care for), when my friend will be the featured reader.

TSS Week 3

2008-02-24T11:02:00.000-06:00

I am sorry to say that I gave up on Proust. I have wanted to read him for so long but I was just not enjoying it enough. I try to abide by the 50-page rule, and I gave Swann's Way 90 pages because it's so large, but it was just too much work for too little in return. Perhaps I will try again when I am older or have more time on my hands (retirement?).

To move along to another My Year of Reading Dangerously title, I started the Decameron by Boccaccio. I am pretty excited about this one because I love reading works from countries where my family has come from. So far, the narrator has given a backdrop of how the plague is sweeping Italy and has all but wiped out Florence. This set the stage for the fact that seven ladies and three gentlemen who met in the church of Santa Maria Novella left the city for their own safety. They are passing the time at a nearby palace (how convenient) and so they tell each other stories each day. I have visited both Florence and the church, which makes the work resonate even more with me.

This week I also read the first three books of the Fables series. I got the recommendation from a trusty bookish friend but was surprised when I picked them up at the library. I hadn't expected these "graphic novels" to be compilations of a comic book series. I don't read comic books and was almost put off by this until I decided to give it a shot. I was immediately sucked in. Fables takes traditional fairy tale characters - Snow White, the three little pigs and the big bad wolf, Goldilocks and the bears - and puts them in modern New York City, where they have an underground community called Fabletown. It is amazing to watch characters I know so well become - *gasp* - real people!

Poet #3: Anne Sexton

2008-02-22T11:34:00.001-06:00

Anne Sexton was a cool lady. Her poems are a breath of fresh air to a feminist like myself. She took fairy tales - not the Disney versions, but the real dark stuff from Brothers Grimm - and related them to the 20th century.

"Now the runaways would run no more and never
again would their hair be tangled into diamonds,
never again their shoes worn down to a laugh,
never the bed falling down into purgatory
to let them climb in after
with their Lucifer kicking."

"She married the prince
and all went well
except for the fear -
the fear of sleep.

Briar Rose
was an insomniac...
She could not nap
or lie in sleep
without the court chemist
mixing her some knock-out drops
and never in the prince's presence.
If if is to come, she said,
sleep must take me unawares
while I am laughing or dancing
so that I do not know that brutal place
where I lie down with cattle prods,
the hole in my cheek open.
Further, I must not dream
for when I do I see the table set
and a faltering crone at my place,
her eyes burnt by cigarettes
as she eats betrayal like a slice of meat."

TSS Week 2

2008-02-17T09:10:00.000-06:00

This week I completed Land of a Thousand Eyes by Peter Olszewski. It is a travel memoir about his time spent in Myanmar, teaching the locals about journalism as a staff member and trainer at the Myanmar Times.

I became interested in Myanmar after reading Amy Tan's Saving Fish From Drowning, and this book did not disappoint. Olszewski describes the junta (military regime) and their involvement in the newspaper through censorship as well as the daily lives of the people, their customs and traditions, and how he eventually came to connect with and care for them. It even contains a romantic cross-cultural love story. Olszewski also has a great personality and sense of humor that comes out in his writing. All in all, I really couldn't put it down.

(The book is available for free download at Wowio.com.)

I also reread The Vagina Monologues by Eve Ensler. I first read it a couple of years ago and enjoyed it, and I enjoyed it again this time, although it is very hard to read about female genital mutilation, rape and other atrocities committed against women and girls without becoming very uncomfortable and very angry. I am therefore glad this play was a quick read because I don't know how long I could have endured it. There were some light, funny and touching parts too, so it was not all darkness, which gives the book a great balance. I think that not only women but men too should read this book at least once. It is an important piece of literature for our time.
I also read Eve Ensler's The Good Body this week. It was another important read, in terms of how women view their bodies and how harmful that can sometimes be. This is another book that packs a powerful punch, yet for someone who has only read both of these Ensler works, I think I should see both of them performed. I think that the theatrics and the faces are an integral part of the experience of these works.

In other notes, the SARK book I wrote about last week is complete, and it was excellent - a very worthwhile read (though if you want my opinion, Succulent Wild Woman is an important first SARK read for women). I am also reading Marcel Proust's Swann's Way and Frances Hodgson Burnett's The Secret Garden, so stay tuned for notes on those next week :)

2008-02-14T14:01:00.000-06:00

I have not written poetry in a long while. I was doing well with and enjoying my little poetry challenge and need to get back on it. I will soon be scouring the shelves of the library to discover who Poet #3 will be :)

In other news, my editor is working over the domestic violence feature. This is a weird process for any writer - it feels like you have given birth to a baby and someone takes her and dyes her hair and changes her clothes and everything - but fortunately, my editor is a really smart, really nice guy. The process is, therefore, going well.

I am also writing an ebook on marketing tips and tricks for writers, so stay tuned for that.

TSS Week 1

2008-02-10T14:23:00.000-06:00

Hey! This is my first posting as a member of the Sunday Salon, and I am psyched. I guess I will dive right in. (Note: I read a lot of books at once so bear with me. I am going to limit myself to three per post.)

I really have no more excuses for not participating in the "My Year of Reading Dangerously" challenge except perhaps because I'm scared. I have been trying to read David Copperfield, for example, for about 9 years now. I am terrified by its length and by Dickens, though I have read and enjoyed him before. I guess this is the point of the challenge. I might switch my schedule up to start with Proust though, since I have been given many books as gifts (including Proust) and people are anxious that I read their gifts soon. Stay tuned.

I read The Wonderful Wizard of Oz for the first time this week. I didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I did because, after all, don't we all know the story by heart? Apparently not. I know this is cliched but the book is so different! There are all kinds of characters and countries we were not introduced to in 1939. I thoroughly enjoyed it, although it is pretty violent, and I wonder how appropriate it would be for young children.

I also read The Little Prince for the first time. (I was having a serious children's book craving.) It was fabulous! One of those children's books that really packs a lot of philosophy and wisdom under the guise of fun. I was confused by the end and again, think that it might be heavy for young readers, but perhaps I am biased in that I like to try and shelter children from everything! (It's a scary world out there.)

Because I fell in love with SARK recently, after having read the fabulous Succulent Wild Woman, I ran to the library to get more of her. I took out Eat Mangoes Naked, which is a book about pleasure: how to find pleasure in the smallest things, in the dark times, etc. While it has not hooked me so far, I am enjoying it. (As I recall, I felt the same way about SWM, and by the end I was totally recharged and inspired, so I'm not giving up yet.)

2008-02-08T13:00:00.000-06:00

I don't know how many of you are familiar with the Red Room, a site where authors blog and such, but I was over there today reading a list of literary articles from the Onion. Some of them are just hilarious and I wanted to recount a few here:

Ghost Of Anne Frank: "Quit Reading My Diary"

Shocked to learn that the diary containing her most intimate thoughts and feelings has been read by millions of people worldwide, the ghost of Anne Frank held a press conference Monday to tell the world to "stop reading my diary, and put it back where you found it right this second."
*Entire article
Rapture Wreaks Havoc On Local Book Club

MARION, IN—Following last week's rapture, which transported four members of the Marion Mockingbirds Book Club to heaven in order to be with Jesus Christ, the three remaining members have reportedly been scrambling to maintain a regular Wednesday meeting schedule as well as the usual coffee-and-pastry rotation.
*Entire article
Toaster-Instruction Booklet Author Enraged That Editor Betrayed His Vision

TOWSON, MD—Consolidated Concepts copywriter Ronald Leff announced Monday that his vision for the Black & Decker Electronic Toast-R-Oven™ Broiler instruction booklet was "thoroughly betrayed" in the final editing process.
*Entire article
First-Time Novelist Constantly Asking Wife What It's Like To Be A Woman

SAN JOSE, CA—Claims adjuster and novice author John Kitner is "constantly" asking what it's like to be a woman, reports his wife Becky.
*Entire article

The entire list can be found at the Red Room.

2008-02-07T16:37:00.000-06:00

On Sunday morning, after having taken the op-ed seminar on Saturday, I was sitting at my kitchen table, drinking coffee and reading Half the Human Experience. When I came across the definition of sexual harassment, I soon realized that I had experienced it several times as a child in school. I had been upset by these occurrences but also thought of them as typical behavior for boys. I was immediately inspired to put the new skills I had learned to work and write an op-ed.

It always makes me nervous to publish personal things about myself, but I thought that it's important to talk about these things if I don't want them repeating in, say, the lives of my little sisters.

Today I was delighted to learn that the Austin American-Statesman had published my op-ed (albeit with their own title - I had dubbed it "The Dark Side of Coming of Age"), and many women I know are telling me that they, too, have experienced what I experienced. I'm glad I wrote it.

2008-02-05T13:37:00.000-06:00

I joined the Sunday Salon, which means that once a week I will be blogging about books I am reading - yay! I know this is a writing blog but I also know that you won't mind because:

a) if you're a writer, you're a reader

b) I will be reading and discussing some super cool writing books

c) I'll keep it interesting, I promise

The Writer is Inspired

2008-02-05T11:24:00.000-06:00

On Saturday I attended a fantastic event that was sponsored by the Woodhull Institute and Dove. In the morning, they held a panel on the topic "Defining Beauty." Panel members include the fabulous Naomi Wolf, author of The Beauty Myth, which I have skimmed but never fully read (shame on me), who is one of the best speakers I have had the pleasure of listening to. There was another author there whom I hadn't heard of - Courtney E. Martin who wrote Perfect Girls, Starving Daughters - and she was just so cute and smart. (I call her cute because I don't know how old she is, but she had a little girl voice that was delightful.)

There was some great discussion on beauty, pressure, eating disorders, work discrimination, and other issues. We also watched some powerful videos from Dove's Campaign for Real Beauty. I enjoyed it very much. It was also nice to see some Dads with their young daughters in the audience.

In the afternoon the Woodull Institute gave free seminars on different topics. I took "Financial Literacy" and "Writing to Change the World." The writing course was on writing op-eds for newspapers and was incredibly useful. Catherine Orenstein, an accomplished op-ed writer who is also the author of Little Red Riding Hood Uncloaked, led the session. She began by saying, "I am Catherine and I'm an expert in the story of Little Red Riding Hood because I published a book on the subject." She then went around the room asking every woman to do the same. The first one, a college student, protested that she wasn't really an expert in anything. Catherine used this opportunity to point out that every time she conducts the seminar, women say that very same thing, while men do not. She asked why and the answers were generally centered around the same point: "I don't want to seem cocky." (Women are taught to downplay their achievements and be humble.) There was also, "What if I'm wrong about something?" indicating insecurity.

Catherine asked us to imagine that we were scientists who thought we had discovered the cure for cancer and were in a room surrounded by terminal cancer patients. Would we remain silent for fear of being wrong or sounding arrogant? A couple of women admitted that they would but most said that they would speak up. She talked of the responsibility to share what you know, especially if it will help another person. And so it is with writing op-eds (or anything else, for that matter).

More information is at the Op-Ed Project. I encourage you all to check it out!

The Writer Writes a Novel

2008-02-01T15:49:00.000-06:00

I finished my feature and received positive feedback from my editor - yay :)

This has left me with free time to write for myself. So did I get cracking on my novel in progress?

No. I started a new one.

I was never aware that I had ADD until now.

I had an idea for a novel that is based on real events in my family's past (think great great greats). I know a bit about the lives of these people and I have always been fascinated to find out more, but very little information is available, which frustrates me. I decided that if I cannot know my history, then I will recreate it. That's all a writer can do.

So I took out my vintage photo of the great great greats and started writing. I'm happy with the one page or so I wrote and am anxious to continue. So do I just forget about my first novel?

I love the first novel but I kind of hit a wall considering I never learned how to write a novel. Writing a novel is quite different than writing a long story. It just is. You have to structure it in a special way and I need to learn that way, otherwise I will keep writing and writing and not getting anywhere.

I read so many novels it's unbelievable, so I feel that I should know how to create my own by now. Since I do not, I think I'm going to sit down and outline my favorite novels, as well as ask around at my writing groups. Only way to learn.

I dream of middle-of-the-night furious writing sessions with just me, a cup of coffee, a cigarette and a typewriter. I don't smoke and I don't own a typewriter but it's such grand imagery, and very sexy.

2008-01-22T02:00:00.000-06:00

Stolen from Andi because blog theft is all part of the biz...

What’s the last thing you wrote?

Still plugging away at my domestic violence feature.

Was it any good?

Yes, though I want it to be better, and it will.

What’s the first thing you wrote that you still have?

Wow, I don't have any of the stories or scripts I wrote as a child, unfortunately. I will have to say copies of my junior high school newspaper - I was on the staff.

Write poetry?

Yes.

Angsty poetry?

In my teens :)

Favorite genre of writing?

Non-fiction ... fiction is hard!

Most fun character you’ve ever created?

Since I am fairly new to the fiction game, I have mainly based characters on real people, but the most fun character dreamed up out of my head was a fictitious girlfriend for my real-life friend. Her name was Xena and she was a rebel to the extreme. A real pip.

Most annoying character you’ve ever created?

Probably the same one :) She did not have very good interpersonal skills, that's for sure.

Best plot you’ve ever created?

My novel plot, which I will not divulge.

Coolest plot twist you’ve ever created?

Same.

How often do you get writer’s block?

Too often :)

Write fan fiction?

No.

Do you type or write by hand?

I type. I only write by hand when I am unable to type and I am never happy about it.

Do you save everything you write?

Mainly.

Do you ever go back to an idea after you’ve abandoned it?

I rarely work on one project consistently, there is always back and forth.

What’s your favorite thing you’ve written?

Fiction: A short story, "Hot Chocolate and Sympathy," which is mainly about grief and perspective.

Nonfiction: It will be my domestic violence piece when I finish because the stories of the people I have met are so touching, it would be wonderful no matter who wrote it.

What’s everyone else’s favorite story that you’ve written?

People in my life tend to enjoy the stories I write in which they are characters!

Do you ever show people your work?

I show people published work. My boyfriend reads some of the unpublished stuff, and occasionally I will send it to a friend, but not often.

Did you ever write a novel?

Not yet, no.

Ever written romance or angsty teen drama?

Yes! But I was so young then so you can hardly hold it against me.

What’s your favorite setting for your characters?

I don't really have a favorite - I have put them on the streets of New York in winter, in a truck cross-country, and in a car on a rainy night in pursuit of an unfaithful lover.

How many writing projects are you working on right now?

The magazine feature and novel are my two main projects. My contributions to the Onion, the Feminist Review, Estella's Revenge and Nü Magazine are ongoing. I am also writing a family memoir that is coming to me two sentences at a time at random intervals so that should be done in about 20 years.

Do you want to write for a living?

Yes but I don't see myself as a full-time novelist or anything. It would be wonderful to write creative nonfiction for activist causes.

Have you ever won an award for your writing?

When I was fifteen, my short story won "Honorable Mention" in a publishing company competition.

Ever written anything in script or play format?

I wrote many plays as a child but I don't anymore.

What are your four favorite words?

Most of my favorite words are in Italian. Scifissimo ("the grossest"), scrittrice ("female writer"), and madonna ("mother of God," the equivalent of our exasperated "Jesus Christ!"). I also like "skutch" which is an Italian-American creation meaning "thorn in my side" (as in childhood memories of my mother yelling, "Stop being such a skutch!").

Do you ever write based on yourself?

I have appeared in various forms in short stories. I can't help it; I know me best.

What character have you created that is most like yourself?

I have different incarnations in different stories. I have even been male. The funny part is when I am editing and come across an accidental "April" reference :)

Where do you get ideas for your characters?

Many people in my life have been characters. I have also created characters that combine aspects of different people.

Do you ever write based on your dreams?

No, my dreams are too bizarre.

Do you favor happy endings, sad endings, or cliff-hangers?

As a reader, I prefer happy endings that are not nauseating. I like when a major difficulty leads to something positive but not unrealistic. I do think, however, that if you are really trying to get a social message across, sad endings get the job done better than any other kind. Look at novels like "A Fine Balance." I was depressed for days over that one. The world is full of sad endings and will only become better when more people are made aware of them, in my opinion.

Have you ever written based on artwork you’ve seen?

No, I haven't, but that's an excellent idea.

Are you concerned with spelling and grammar as you write?

Absolutely. I am an editor at heart. I first knew that when I realized I was editing people in my head as they spoke to me :)

Ever write anything in chatspeak (how r u?)

No... scifissimo!

Does music help you write?

I am very easily distracted. I can write with music only if there are no lyrics or if it is in a different language.

Quote something you’ve written. Whatever pops into your head.

"I’ll never forget the way he looked when I first saw him after the accident. I suppose that everyone in an intensive care unit looks pretty bad, but I was unprepared for the swelling, the blood, the unconsciousness. His face looked like a big balloon, as if he had gained fifty pounds since I had seen him only hours ago. His head was all gashed and cut – even more so in the back, where fortunately I could not see – and blood matted his hair... thick, dried evidence of a horror that would haunt me for years."

Thoughts on Writing and Happiness

2008-01-18T10:59:00.000-06:00

Yesterday I went to a lunch meeting of the Austin WriterGrrls, a group of which I am a member, albeit a delinquent one. It was really nice to meet with other women writers and discuss our craft and our lives. I enjoyed myself.

I am coming to the end of my domestic violence assignment. It is due ten days from today. I think I will feel a small sense of mourning when it is done. The project has become "my baby" - I have worked on it for longer than any other and it means so much to me. When I see it in print, however, everything will culminate in the best possible way. One of the most fulfilling parts of being a writer.

Another fulfilling part is spending hours just writing. At the lunch, one woman described a Sunday morning where her daughter was out of the house. She made a pot of coffee, went back to bed with her laptop, and wrote for about four hours. We talked about how enjoyable that process is. Then last night I was listening to an interview done with Curt Finch (whose book I edited), and he spoke of how his most enjoyable moment as a programmer is writing software for hours. And I was like, hey! That's the same thing I feel while writing.

Perhaps when I have finished my degree (this month) and have put the domestic violence project behind me, I will have more time to just write. That novel ain't gonna write itself. (My Brooklyn accent comes out during moments of emphasis.)

2008-01-11T15:29:00.001-06:00

Nü Magazine has a new website design that is fabulous, and while you're over there checking it out, you may want to peruse the latest issue. My piece, "Shannon: A Developing Soule," is on page 10.

Creative Writing Prompts

2008-01-08T12:32:00.000-06:00

WordGrrl's blog now has a considerable list of prompts: check it out!

Featuring Domestic Violence

2008-01-08T09:49:00.000-06:00

It occurs to me that I should write about what has been my biggest writing project over the last few months. Several months ago I applied for a gig at The Good Life magazine here in Austin. The editor let me know that although the position had been filled, he had read my article, "Breaking the Silence: Why Violence Against Women is No Joke," and was interested in speaking with me about writing a domestic violence feature for his magazine.

Naturally, I was floored. Domestic violence has always been a passionate issue for me and I have dreamed of the opportunity to write something about it that could make a difference.

I have spent the last few months gathering statistics from the police and the sheriff's office, as well as interviewing survivors, activists and government officials. The experience has been life-changing for me, as my eyes were opened not only to the magnitude of the problem (locally, nationally and globally) but also to the ways in which we as a society are working against it. I have been alternately disheartened and inspired; the project has even brought me to tears.

I am finishing up as it is due this month, and it will be published in March. I will keep everyone updated.

Happy 2008

2008-01-04T08:39:00.000-06:00

I know I have been negligent with the blog. Holidays have come and went and I just haven't had much to say about writing. That will change, I promise :)

I am still interested in doing the "Dangerous Reading" challenge I committed to, but this month I have to finish up a course and a large magazine feature I am working on, and am therefore not doing any leisure reading (well, I shouldn't say any) until February. I can catch up, though, so don't you worry!

Another Pseudonym Conundrum

2007-12-12T15:06:00.000-06:00

Okay, so many of you might recall that I am in the process of publishing one of my essays in an anthology under a pseudonym because the subject matter is very personal. I struggled with this decision because I thought that my acceptance and subsequent publishing were both great steps for my writing career, so why should a woman with a made-up name get the credit? In the end, however, I determined that it was worth it to retain privacy, as I can carry copies of the piece in my portfolio in the future anyway.

Today I received an e-mail from the president of the publishing company, asking if I would be willing to be interviewed by the media in conjunction with book promotion. Oh, the exposure every writer dreams of! Now I can either be interviewed as someone else or just pass altogether. It doesn't help that the publishing company is based in my hometown of New York City, so that will probably be the targeted media.

I am so happy and proud and yet quite frustrated :)

A Poet's Reflections

2007-12-08T13:46:00.000-06:00

I had a disturbing experience during my last trip "home." Months before I had thought to myself, "I should try to publish a book of my poetry." It isn't hard these days; even if you cannot find a publisher to work with you, there are countless venues for self-publishing. I cradled the idea close to me and really found solace in it. I told myself that when I visited home, I would pick up my old black and white composition notebook with "April's Poetry" scrawled on the front, and I would choose the best works of my teen and early adult years. Then I could take those back with me, polish them up, and include them with my current stuff.

That is not exactly what happened.

I went home, dug out my notebook and spent an evening reading through my life from ages 15 till about 20. You could see my stages of development scribbled across the book through its contents:

Love poems to God
Struggling with God
Love poems to a boyfriend
Hate poems to an ex-boyfriend

These are just some examples of the themes I took on at various periods. You know, where my inspiration lied.

I realized that these poems were crummy. I knew that many were crummy but I remembered some of them as being quite good. Sure, I read a few aloud to my sister and we laughed together at the humor laced throughout, but in the end, there was not a single one that I would consider worthy of publication.

Conversely, though I am not happy with many of my poems today, there are also many that I am proud of and would want to publish.

I guess I learned that I have grown as a writer, which is a good thing. I am also glad that I had a medium (such as poetry) to get through the tough adolescent times. It is strange, though, to face the reality that you are a completely different person than you were, even in your writing!