I’ve been participating in a writing group for the spring semester and it’s been going pretty well now. I was pretty loose with the group though I wanted to be clear with everyone early on in communicating my hopes we would not be a writing group but rather we would be more rigorous and approachContinue reading “living with ghosts”
Author Archives: john paul jaramillo
teaching, blogging and professionalism
I recently read an article about a Philly area teacher, Natalie Munroe, who lost her high school teaching gig after ranting about students, coworkers and administrators on a blog. And after reading and thinking about my own blog and my own need to write about teaching and teaching practices, I ‘m on the fence about thisContinue reading “teaching, blogging and professionalism”
fictive spaces and frank waters’ otherworlds
I should be reading the sixth essay in Bringing the Devil to His Knees. I still want to get through that book but the brain of school has me and I also wanted to finish up the Frank Waters memoir I’ve had on my desk for months. Interesting that the last two books I’ve read haveContinue reading “fictive spaces and frank waters’ otherworlds”
sixth essay: joan silber’s “weight in fiction”
Spent a few nights revising course syllabi for the upcoming spring term so I wandered away from my goal to read through Bringing the Devil to His Knees. And I did want to finish before the term but the brain of school and work is here so I’ll press on, and perhaps this will inspireContinue reading “sixth essay: joan silber’s “weight in fiction””
salinger and chuck wachtel’s “behind the mask”
Took a few nights away from reading through Bringing the Devil to His Knees to reread Paul Alexander’s biography of Salinger. I received it as a holiday gift and wanted to reread because New Years Day is Salinger’s birthday and also because it helps me reconnect with Salinger and his material. The work means soContinue reading “salinger and chuck wachtel’s “behind the mask””
fourth night of notes: steven schwartz’ “finding a voice in america”
Tonight I am taking a look at the fourth essay of Bringing the Devil to His Knees–the Craft of Fiction and the Writing Life. And apart from the essay I am seeing just how slow my reading process can be at times–almost as slow as my writing process. I have such a stack of books onContinue reading “fourth night of notes: steven schwartz’ “finding a voice in america””
where’s iago? by susan neville
Vonnegut has come up again and again to me the last couple of days–his novels at the used bookstore I decided against and the interview with his wife on cspan at 3am that made me regret–and I find him once again as one of the catalysts to Susan Neville’s essay “Where’s Iago?” I’m still tryingContinue reading “where’s iago? by susan neville”
richard russo’s in defense of omniscience
A few posts back I mentioned how I wanted to read through my tattered copy of Bringing the Devil to His Knees edited by Charles Baxter and Peter Turchi and while on holiday break from school I finally have the time and energy to reread and give some sort of classification and summary to thisContinue reading “richard russo’s in defense of omniscience”
maxwell’s so long, see you tomorrow
I’ve written about the achingly beautiful book by William Maxwell before but tonight my students will be concluding their Lit 111 experience with this book–the last lecture anyway. This will be our final discussion before they head off to complete their term papers and prepare for their presentations. I hope I can convey to themContinue reading “maxwell’s so long, see you tomorrow”
fat city
I’ve been obsessing over the novel Fat City and the film Fat City over the last couple of days. I should be reading So Long, See You Tomorrow by William Maxwell. I should be grading my Lit students’ second formal essay. But instead I am rereading scenes and watching scenes from the film. The filmContinue reading “fat city”
tracy daugherty “a character’s skin”
I’m thinking about this fine essay “A Character’s Skin” by my old mentor Tracy Daugherty. I’m also sitting here wondering how my students will react to his ideas concerning characterization. I’m hoping they will also have ideas on how it relates to the selections from Jesus’ Son by Denis Johnson I also gave them. AndContinue reading “tracy daugherty “a character’s skin””
didion’s minimalism
In my lit course we’ve been reading Joan Didion’s novel Play It As It Lays and there is so much for the young writer to learn from this book. I have to preface this review or response or whatever you want to call it by saying I’m a writer and not a literary critic. Mostly IContinue reading “didion’s minimalism”
teaching as a writer
I’m looking at my last post and seeing how frustrated I was. Grading assignment after assignment can do that to you. Three sections of composition can take a good amount of energy from you. And really teaching has given me so many opportunities. I shouldn’t knock it. Now I worry concerning time and writing–I worry thatContinue reading “teaching as a writer”
even more thoughts on spanglish
I’ve been thinking more and more about the idea of language in my fiction. It’s something I obsess over. And I guess this whole series of posts began with Richard Hugo and Auden and the idea the writer must love the language they utilize more than the reader. And I do love the mix of SpanishContinue reading “even more thoughts on spanglish”
research and thoughts on spanglish
This last week I’ve mentioned Spanglish in my classes on more than one occasion. My midwest students look at me as if I’m crazy and one even asked me, Is that a real thing? She said it rather dramatically and forcefully. She said it as if I was telling her about something so foreign andContinue reading “research and thoughts on spanglish”