Read Wheelhouse Magazine On-line

My short story "Wood is Wood" just came out in Wheelhouse magazine. It's an on-line zine that I found to be edgy, political, and I loved the artwork and video aspect of it, so I submitted and voila. "Wood is Wood" is one of my funky relationship stories--you just have to read it to appreciate how weird people really are. I'll put a link at right. So what else, I'm teaching this fiction class and the question comes up--what is Memoir anyway, and I'm thinking how I read the Writer's Chronicle and whenever I come to one more article about the difference between fiction and memoir and James Frey's name gets mentioned, my eyes glaze over (break out the country girl / poor white trash profanity). Really, I think it's about our fear of writing true and personal stuff down and getting in trouble for that--at least for me it is. Whenever I write a fictional story that is somewhat autobiographical in nature (which is quite often!), my family members always say--well that is your perspective, or that's how you saw it. Of course it is! There's always some underlying tone of reproach, which I really think is guarded jealousy that one of them did not sit down and write it first. I know I DON'T always get my facts straight and that I bend and put events together that did not really occur at the same time. My sister or a brother will correct me and say--that's not when that happened or , "No, you said this!" But c'mon, as my MA teachers always said, you are digging for the EMOTIONAL TRUTH of the story, and that's why I write fiction--because I don't always have to stick to the exact facts. I have a poor memory for those things (facts) anyway, but I know I have emotional intelligence or else I wouldn't be a writer. I think that some of us writers are more concerned about writer's ethics and that this is just another way to block ourselves in our writing. I do have to say--there are some things I can't or won't write about (right now). I was reading an on-line interview with Junot Diaz on Failbetter.com where he said it takes ten years for him to write about his past, and for some reason that tidbit rang true for me, too. That is why the divorce stories of mine are still coming out in print (Sorry, Kent--they're fiction! and that's a story from your perspective, Jamey). And I am just now getting stories about post-divorce relationships published. I'm reading at a French Garden Restaurant in Sebastapol on March 2nd--poetry with the Topper's Hair Salon Poetry group. They graciously allowed me to read with them even though I have not recently been a dedicated attendee or have not even been writing poetry. I did, however, read a recent issue of West Branch and loved the poetry in there. So, on-line magazines to check out: wheelhousemagazine.com, failbetter.com , juked.com, and again, storyglossia.com, and smokelong.com. I'm trying to come up with a list of on-line faves. Going to the Chinese New Year Parade this Saturday in SF as my teenager is in Color Guard. GO DEL! still missing Roger. USF alumna are having a reading Saturday night at Canteen near the ACT theater. Their reading series is called Babylon Salon if your'e interested. I will attempt to post some links at right. Peace out--we need a new way to peace out. Keep writing...oh yeah, Jane Anne Staw is giving a free lecture tonight, Thursday, Feb. 21st at UC Berkeley on Creativity. Love her.

Upcoming Flash Fiction Seminar in Sebastapol

On March 17th, I'll be teaching a class in "The Quickie." We'll be reading and writing flash fiction on a Monday night at the Sebastapol Arts Center. The classes are only $15 and are, in part, funded by the Poets and Writers Grant. So, look them up and see what other great writers will be there. I intend to take all of them! They start in late February or early March, so sign up early. It may be a ways for some of you to travel, but the rewards are worth it. On February 16th, the Progressive Reading Series is meeting at the Makeout Room in San Francisco to help raise funding to beat initiatives that want to get rid of rent control. Steve Almond and Charles D'Ambrosio will be reading so check it (along with other terrific artists). I'm going. How about you?

End of January

So, what's going on. I've been teaching a fiction writing class through the Writing Salon in Berkeley and it's really interesting and exciting for me to be able to begin working with adults who want to write and read and share fiction. I'll be teaching a flash fiction seminar up in Sebastapol in March. This is a series funded by Poets and Writers. Lately, all I've been reading are short story collections. Then I went with a friend to hear Khaled Hosseini(Sp) to hear him talk about Afghanistan and his books. I picked up his new one A Thousand Splendid Suns, started it and got caught up in the prose. I'm teaching The Great Gatsby in my high school class again and trying to make the students slow down and appreciate the gifted prose. Then in the other class, we're reading Their Eyes Were Watching God. I'm hoping to sustain the interest level, but those high school kids are a picky crowd. Some of them are pretty literal and when Zora Neale Hurston waxes poetic about the bees and the pollen, some of the guys' eyes wax over (and some of the girls' too) and I've lost them. Oh well. They do like the word play when Amos Hicks is trying to hit on Janie. Been thinking about all the things going on in the world and how far removed I am from everything--the war, the economy, movie stars accidentally od-ing---sad, sad, sad. Wonder how we're ever going to get out of Iraq if a Republican wins the election. My teenage daughter has a good friend over there--kid fresh out of high school, a boy who went to church every Sunday by himself because he'd had some kind of vision, but couldn't find a job when he got out, so he enlisted. And the people over there, sustaining the hit. There's a new cable channel called Current (107) that shows podcasts and videos from viewers, has interesting insight and less censorship--take a look at it. It's a strange world.

Resolutions

1. Spend less time on-line ie. use time on-line to check e-mail, respond, go to favorite websites and read a story or poems.
2. Write in journal once a day.
3. Exercise once a day.
4. Sign kids up for classes--keep 'em busy. (Jacklyn: French and piano / Del: ?)
5. Take a vacation this summer with husband.
6. Go home to Iowa.
7. Go to other writers' readings in SF, Berkeley, Sebastapol.
8. Decide on a focus for my collection.
9. Find new writing spots.
10. Keep classroom focused -- have them do more creative writing, along with required stuff.

Time to go write this down in my journal--what's yours?

Happy New Year

New Years Resolutions: Write some more short stories. Create a new collection. I'm reading Creativity for Life by Eric Maisel (in little bits and pieces). I especially enjoyed the chapter on the artist's personality. I did some of the exercises with my teenager about her goals and plans for the future--pretty funny. One said to draw two animals, describe them with three adjectives, and then ponder them for how they are symbolic of one's own contrasts in personality. It was amazing how she picked two completely opposite animals and a little scary how the issues attached to the animals were similar to things she struggles with. Then we did an exercise around goals where she had to draw symbolically things that were in the way of what she wanted out of life and we found that money was the number one road block. So we talked about that for a while. I can see where my own fear of poverty has reared its ugly head in my own daughter. Time to write a story about mother/daughter relationships, I think. We made sock monsters over the holidays--super cute. I finished Lost in the City by Edward P. Jones. It's an older collection of his short stories, but I'm definitely a fan. I also read Ten Little Indians by Sherman Alexie, which I enjoyed. He does have a sentimental tone to some of his stories, but they gave me the courage to write something less ironic. Looking for a new collection to read. I usually go to a used book store--Dog Eared Books in SF is one of my favorites. There's also one in Oakland on Piedmont that I like, but due to my dyslexic nature around names, I've forgotten what it's called. Finished reading The Little Town on the Prairie to my younger daughter and now am looking for old used copies of The Little House in the Big Woods, The Long Winter, and These Happy Golden Years. My mother bought the set for me and my sister when I was in the fourth grade, but these are missing. If you're not from the Midwest, you probably think these books are boring, but we don't. Jacklyn is shocked that Almonzo, who is 23, walks Laura (only 15 and a half) home from church. She keeps saying, "That's eight years older! She's not even 16!"

Dog Whisperer

Having grown up a farm girl and knowing instinctively how to work with animals (domesticated and farm animals), I felt vindicated and happy to see how an older calmer dog keeps a younger more immature dog in line; teaches him to be calm. My older dog was always so patient and sweet and we felt he taught Casey the new puppy how to behave. Now that Roger, the older dog, has passed, Casey seems a little depressed and out of sorts, but I think she is also reacting to my vibe. I'd love to get her a middle aged dog that's good natured and loves cats, too. It seems like a tall order. I know some people don't agree with his methods, but realistically there are some pretty out-of-control animals that need a tighter reign than other animals. I haven't seen anything on the program that I really disagree with--as per his methods, but I've only watched it a couple of times.
What do you think?

Responding to comments

By the way, I really truly appreciate your comments you leave. I haven't yet figured out how to respond via blogging. So I'm just responding with my own comments. Anybody who can tell me what button to hit to respond to someone's individual comments? I'd greatly appreciate it.