Had some time this weekend to return to Julian Schnabel’s film Before Night Falls. There are several aspects to the film that I admire. I like watching films about young writers and this film was based on Cuban poet and novelist Reinaldo Arenas, a young writer living through interesting times such as the Cuban Revolution. WhatContinue reading “quick note on before night falls”
Category Archives: Updates
some notes on margot livesey’s “how to tell a true story”
Months back I began making notes on the book Bringing the Devil to His Knees: the Craft of Fiction and the Writing Life. My hope was to use the book in my Lit 150 class in place of Burroway’s Writing Fiction: Guide to Narrative Craft. I’ve never used a collection of essays and have always usedContinue reading “some notes on margot livesey’s “how to tell a true story””
notes: composite novel, novel-in-stories or just plain stories
I’ve been obsessing over this question for weeks now. What to label the book? I’m putting the final touches together for my first book and after reading more and more on the subject of genre I seem to be more confused than ever. After reading The Composite Novel–The Short Story Cycle in Transition I amContinue reading “notes: composite novel, novel-in-stories or just plain stories”
some thoughts on the rum diary
I’ve long been a fan and admirer of Hunter S. Thompson’s work. I’m also a big fan of literary adaptations and so when a new version of Thompson’s work comes out, especially in wide release, I’m always excited. It began with Where the Buffalo Roam, the Bill Murray, Peter Boyle and Art Linson/John Kaye adaptation wayContinue reading “some thoughts on the rum diary”
the composite novel : the short story cycle in transition
I want to read this book as I am more and more thinking I write composite stories rather than chapters. The composite novel : the short story cycle in transition (Book, 1995) [WorldCat.org].
a clockwork orange notes
Here are my notes for today’s Banned Books Reading at Lincoln Land Community College: Anthony Burgess’ classic 1962 dystopian novel A Clockwork Orange is 49th on the American Library Association’s Banned and Challenged Classics’ list. According to the ALA website: In 1973 a bookseller in Orem, UT was arrested for selling the novel. Charges wereContinue reading “a clockwork orange notes”
reading the ice at the bottom of the world by mark richard
This morning I’m reading the stories from Mark Richard’s book The Ice at the Bottom of the World. I’m doing it because Amy Hempel advised us to do it in her summer workshop and because it came in the mail last week–usually I try not to read so much when I am revising. My firstContinue reading “reading the ice at the bottom of the world by mark richard”
notes on spanglish
Isis Artze–contributing writer to The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education–and her article “Spanglish is Here to Stay” obviously have a similar point of view to Ilan Stavans’ article I studied yesterday morning. She writes it is here to stay and needs attention. She also quotes from Stavans’ article and calls him the foremost scholar on the “linguistic phenomenon”Continue reading “notes on spanglish”
first spanglish article notes
This morning I’m reading “Spanglish: Tickling the Tongue” by Ilan Stavans. Ilan Stavans is a Professor of Spanish at Amherst College in Massachusetts and published this article in 2000. What interested me most about this article was Stavan’s focus on some background of language mixing and–the 150 year history–and his point of view which seems to be similar to mine.Continue reading “first spanglish article notes”
the old folks and spanglish articles
I’ve been thinking more and more about Spanglish and why it feels so natural to write in a certain style–or speak in a certain style. I think I like Spanglish so much in the fiction because I am trying to capture the way the old folks spoke to me. I’m not trying to create somethingContinue reading “the old folks and spanglish articles”
living with ghosts
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”
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””