Archive for the ‘writing’ Category
You know that bump on the upper inside corner of your middle finger, the one you got as a kid from all the cursive handwriting in school? Do you still have it? Did you ever? Experts now say that the ‘writer’s bump’ or callus is almost completely disappearing, what with the rise of computers and the fact that students no longer seriously learn the Palmer method of cursive handwriting in school. Which got me to thinking–has the rise in using computers to type affected the quality and/or output of creative writing? In what way has it changed what we write and are there benefits to switching back to longhand? CONTINUE READING…..
In Greek mythology, the muses were the nine daughters of the god Zeus and Mnemosyne, goddess of memory. They were thought to inspire the creation of literature and the arts and transmit the knowledge of poetry, history, dance, astronomy, music, and comedy. Their legacy is threaded through modern language with words such as ‘museum’, ‘musing’ and ‘amused’. It is, however, most apparent in the seriousness that artists and writers give to finding ‘their muse’. What does this mean and how can finding your muse improve your writing?
from paper cat
I love used book stores. There’s just something about the smell of dust and a thousand different homes and libraries all crammed into one small store, the particular silence, the sepia light, the anticipation of finding a treasure hidden amongst all the old backpacker guides to Estonia and beginning Spanish textbooks. (I found my first copy of Justine at a Goodwill in Portland. I had no idea what it was with its red cover sans dust jacket. Reading it was one of the great surprises of my life.)
Often, however, I come across old books that are truly amazing, useful not for reading, but for their sheer ‘beingness’. I once found a whole Jello cookbook from the 1970s, with recipes for meat Jello molds, and savory gelatin salads with olives. The glossy full page pictures were enough for me to pony up the $1.50 for the book. Then there was the Zulu phrasebook with the bright blue cover, the illustrated copy of Dante’s Inferno with the swirled Florentine cover I found at Powell’s that one time…. And while i love these books for just existing, I’ve always wished that I could ‘do’ something with them, something that would make them more than just the odd book that I get to show the poor sucker whom I lure into my library. Well, I did some hunting around and found some great ‘recipes’ for those awesome old books.
by foxypar4
I love to read. Fiction, Non-fiction, the back of the cereal box–whatever–it’s all fair game for me. And I absolutely love to share my bibliophilia with others. Books, I believe, are what make the world go round. If you are interested in reading any of the books I recommend, I highly suggest purchasing them from abe books, an online consortium of independent used books stores. You can purchase used books, new books, support libraries with ex-libris book purchases and all the while support the independent book stores created with love of books and not profit in mind.
So, here’s what I’m reading this week:
Finding Your Own North Star-claiming the life you were meant to live, by Martha Beck.
Please, everyone pick up a copy of this book. Beck is an expert in career and life development and a wonderful writer. In this book, she gives practical advice and exercises on finding your true path in life. It is so down to earth and funny that it is a joy to read. It gives you the courage to go after your dreams. She is a mind reader. I found myself saying ‘yeah, but’ a few times and literally, the next page she was answering my questions. Her approach to life design is holistic and psychological and even just reading ten pages will change your life…
This is a stunning novel about a small community near the Black Hills of South Dakota. Meyers is a breathtaking writer whose descriptions of character and landscape haunt you even after you finish reading. Twisted Tree is divided into sixteen ‘chapters’ which are really more like semi-autonomous short stories, each from a different perspective. Bound together by the brutal murder of a young girl in their community, each character helps to knit together a quilt of history and relationship that leaves you both heartbroken and hopeful. For me, his writing shifts and grows around each character so the tone, mood, and style of writing is very different and never leaves you bored. I am reminded, at certain times, of Virginia Woolf’s characters in Mrs. Dalloway and the writing of Annie Proulx.
