Pam Webb

a writer's journey as a reader

Archive for the category “Books”

23 Mar 2013
4 Comments

A Quiver of Quotes


perusing through a recently acquired preview AP textbook, I couldn’t help but appreciate the assortment of writerly quotes sprinkled throughout the book.  A collector of words, I knew I had to gather them, and words, like arrows, fly straight, cleaving the mark true and fair when the marksman is skilled and the aim is practiced.  (ooh, maybe that will end up in a textbook someday…)

Never mistake motion for action–Ernest Hemingway

 

 It is not necessary to portray many characters. The center of gravity should be in two persons:  him and her. —Anton Chekov

Anton Chekhov

Anton Chekhov (Photo credit: blue_paper_cranium)

To produce a mighty book, you must choose a mighty theme.–Herman Melville

It is the writer’s privilege to help man endure by lifting his heart.–William Faulkner

For me, fiction is life transformed and fueled by imagination.–Dagoberto Gilb

A ration of failures is built into the process of writing. The wastebasket has evolved for a reason.–Margaret Atwood

When I’m asked what made me into a writer, I point to the watershed experience of coming to this country. Not understanding the language, I had to pay close attention to each word–great training for a writer. —Julia Alvarez

English: Photo of Julia Alvarez from Interview...

English: Photo of Julia Alvarez from Interview with LaBloga. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Not all things are to be discovered; many are better concealed.–Sophocles

Great literature is simply language charged with meaning to the utmost possible degree.–Ezra Pound

You must write.  It’s not enough to start by thinking. You become a writer by writing.–R.K. Narayan

Between my finger and my thumb
The squat pen rests.
I’ll dig with it.
—Seamus Heaney

 

 

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Posted in creativity, Literature, Uncategorized, writers, Writing and tagged , , , , , , , ,
21 Mar 2013
4 Comments

Wives and Daughters


One of the final pages from the manuscript for...

One of the final pages from the manuscript for Wives and Daughters (The Works of Mrs. Gaskell, Knutsford Edition) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Have you ever eagerly brought a movie home only to discover you’ve watched it before?

When that happens I either slip it out and chastise myself for my negligent memory or shrug and go for it anyway.  Such was the case with BBC’s production of Gaskell’s Wives and Daughters.

 

Lovely.  I watched the whole thing in one sitting.  I would not do well with the weekly installment watch plan anymore.  I tend to eat all my Haagen-Daaz in one sitting too.

As for Wives and Daughters I think Gaskell should have actually named the series, The Doctor’s Daughter because it all centered on Molly, who was the doctor’s daughter.  I didn’t see much about wives and only a couple of daughters were the focus.  Maybe I will have to read the book.  And right now I am trying to do so.  It’s not working.

One problem I am finding out with watching really wonderful BBC adaptations is that they quench my desire to dig into the book.  I really should stick to my book first policy.

 

If you should hunger after a character driven historical plot that is reminiscent of Jane Austen’s complicated romance plots, then do look up Gaskell and her Wives and Daughters–watching or reading it is too personal of a decision for me to actually recommend. Umm-I did really like, really like the BBC more than I have Gaskell’s flowery writing.  But don’t let me influence you.

Posted in Literature, Movies, Reading, reflections, writers and tagged , , , ,
18 Mar 2013
5 Comments

Pinning My Interests Away


I’m stuck.  I’m stuck on the how and why I am venturing out on the newest craze of “HeyLookAtMe” socializing: this week it’s Pintrest. It must be that hermit in me that is holding out on sticking up photos of couches, cupcakes, book covers, pets, and favorite movies. I don’t get the concept of pinning up photos.  But that’s a whole ‘nother post in itself.

English: Red Pinterest logo

English: Red Pinterest logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I’ve been doing some pondering of late about the whole tizzifying concept of web presence.  If publishers, agents, editors, even fans (thinking someday potential) exonerate and extol the virtues and necessity of working The Web–well, then I guess it should be done.  I thought I was doing pretty well with a biweekly post to my blog.  Apparently that’s not enough.  I should have a Facebook account (I don’t).  I should also Tweet, Tumble, Stumble Upon, and be Linked In with others–I did try, but the bigger question came up: when exactly am I to find time to write if I’m busy telling everyone that I’m writing?  Here’s some more figuring, a step up from pondering:

It takes time to …

  • Sign up
  • Create a profile
  • Check messages
  • Answer messages, invitations, reply back
  • Update the profile page
  • Again
  • Redecorate the home page
  • Again
  • Create a post
  • Postdate my posts
  • Get lost visiting other blogger’s sites
  • Leave pithy comments
  • And on, and on

All this activity consumes my precious time needed to write.  I decided I found myself running around checking too many little fires instead of enjoying the warmth of the bigger one I had built.  That’s metaphor speak for all that time and energy linking, tweeting, facing, and pinning, and stumbling, and what other web verbage is out there, left no time for the actual purpose of kindling* those web fires in the first place: my real writing–picture books, YA novels, poetry, middler reader renderings.  My cow joke manuscript is languishing.  I should be pursuing that publisher tip I received last year at the SCBWI conference. Yes, there are publishers who looking for a cow joke book for their list.

Sigh. My writing languishes while I coax and blow on the embers of a handful of hopeful flames of recognition.  So I shall not be poking at smolderings any longer; I shall stick to the toasty warmth of WordPress.  Especially since I’ve discovered the scheduled post option.  I now have time to attend conferences, revise current projects, and reflect upon yet another rejection letter.

So, wonderful reader(s)–have you found that all those web verbage fires leave you a bit cold, considering all the effort it takes to get them going?

*kindle, Not Kindle–not an intentional pun

Blue Skies,
CM

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Posted in Blogging, creativity, reflections, technology, time management, Writing and tagged , , ,
15 Mar 2013
7 Comments

Romeo and Juliet Stories


Mass-produced colour photolithography on paper...

Mass-produced colour photolithography on paper for Toy Theatre; Romeo and Juliet (background and surroundings removed) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Soon I will be introducing my students to Shakespeare through Romeo and Juliet.  It’s a timeless story repeated throughout literature and film.  Two lovers not meant to be together yet drawn to love one another regardless of their circumstances.  I didn’t realize how strong that story line ran until I watched Lorna Doone the other night.  And there it was right before me–John Ridd and his pure love for Lorna Doone.  Such a gorgeous love story.  I then began to think about all about the other Romeo and Juliet stories I’ve come across without realizing it.  Some end happily and others do not.  It’s the telling of the two hearts intertwined that makes the story so memorable. I do believe the world has been made a bit lovelier for the joy that comes from the sorrow that happens when two hearts are kept apart because it is so wonderful when those hearts do find their way to be together after all.

A handful of Romeo and Juliet themes:

Lorna Doone

 

The Summer of My German Soldier

 

Tristan and Isolde

 

Pyramus and Thisbe

 

West Side Story

I am looking forward to the upcoming release of Romeo and Juliet starring the lovely Hailee Steinfeld, nominated for her role in True Grit. There are many  Romeo and Juliet versions, yet I am hopeful this new version will be a standout. The depth Ms. Steinfeld brought to the role as Mattie Ross, she will, I hope, bring as Juliet, for a Romeo does need his inspiration.

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Posted in Books, reflections and tagged , , ,
08 Mar 2013
6 Comments

Bookmarks Past and Present


It’s not often I read a book in one sitting, and finding a bookmark is often a necessity that leaves me in a bit of a flummox.  I try to keep one consistent bookmark, yet that seem to evaporate.  My current favorite is a ticket from a vacation spent in Seattle.  I have attached good memories to the stub and combined with a good read it’s a double pleasure.  I’ve managed to keep hold of it since summer.  It might just be a record.

Bookmarks come and gone:

  • paper scraps:
  • napkins
  • yarn
  • pens, pencils
  • odd bits: flashlights, calculators, television remotes
  • Then there are the bookmarks that are actually bookmarks. The MEPA has provided the niftiest magnetic bookmarks.  The library seems to collect them more than I–they have reminded me more than once that I have left them once again in a book returned to them.
  • What about your bookmarks?  Any oddities or favorites to share?
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Posted in Books, Reading and tagged
05 Mar 2013
5 Comments

Clasically Thin


My efforts to shed a few pounds have cascaded into my reading life.  I’m not sure if that is a confession or an observation.  I have come to appreciate the classic lite fare of literature as much as I have come to enjoy lighter meals when dining.  At times there is something so satisfying on digesting a novel of under three  hundred plus pages, not that I don’t enjoy a large tome now and then, but I do find I like a comparatively quick read fulfills my need for literature.  There is also the advantage of being able to start another literary morsel that much sooner.  Here are a few of my lighter, yet nourishing favorites:

Daisy Miller by Henry James

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Billy Budd by Herman Melville

The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway

 

Room with a View by E. M. Foster

 

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Nora Zeale Hurston

Jane’s Offerings:

The Complete Novels of Jane Austen

Literary lite certainly does not mean insubstantial.  Actually, I have found after a couple of reads of  lighter weight (not to be confused with welter weights) I crave a jolly long read.  For instance, Daisy Miller introduced me to James’ Portrait of a Lady–which is quite fulfilling.

Any lite reads on your menu?

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Posted in Literature, Reading, reviews and tagged
01 Mar 2013

Reading Between the Lines


image: Walmart.com

I had no idea how wrong I was really reading until I read Thomas Foster’s book.  Okay, not so much as wrong, but unenlightened.  The catchy title hook of “a lively and entertaining guide to reading between the lines” is truly that.

Professor of English at the University of Michigan, Foster showcases his deep and wide literary knowledge through his delightful instructive on how to really read literature.  His style is as if you are sitting in on lecture due to its friendly, conversant tone. And yes–it is quite entertaining. If there were more literature professors like Foster we might have an overrun of English teachers in the population, then again, maybe the population would become more knowledgable about literature after taking his class.  However, if traveling to Michigan  is inconvenient, I suggest picking up this book.

Reading like a professor simply means gaining an understanding of  all those hidden nuances of that suddenly pop out in 3D once you know they are there.  Kind of like finding the Waldos in the picture once you know what he looks like.

Here is a smattering of chapters:

  • Every Trip Is a Quest (Except When It’s Not)
  • Nice To Eat With You: Acts of Communion
  • If It’s Square, It’s a Sonnet
  • When in Doubt, It’s from Shakespeare…
  • ….Or from the Bible
  • It’s Greek to Me

Foster provides the literary basics (themes and motifs; models; and narrative devices)and utilizes a tremendous variety of examples of genres ranging from Homer to Shakespeare to Toni Morrison (Foster has an absolute thing for Beloved). Succinctly stated, Foster literally reduces the intimidation of reading literature.

You can even test your newly acquired knowledge on the included short story “The Garden Party” by Katherine Mansfield.

For those of you who prefer novels to literature you can check out his companion book:

This is one of those books I wished had been available when I was struggling with Melville and the like in college.  Future AP students be forewarned: expect Foster’s book on the summer reading list. A much better choice than Moby Dick (which you will be able to read once having read Foster).

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27 Feb 2013
2 Comments

Blog Hop


blog-hop-png

Valerie Lawson is one gung-ho gal when it comes to writing and getting published.  From her detailed commentary from attending the Big SCBWI Conference to contests to writing tips she knows how to motivate and inspire.  That’s why I jumped at her latest writing endeavor (see above).

The Next Big Thing comes at a great time for me because I am determined to get my manuscripts out into the hands of editors and agents this year. I recently sent an agent  one of my YA manuscripts and I am awaiting her response.  So, here I go with my Blog Hop contribution:

1. What is the working title of your book?
FreeFall
2. Where did the idea come from for the book?
For a time I was a teacher in an alternative program and there were a couple of male students who struggled with trying to change the direction of how their life was headed. Fighting, a tough home life, and going to juvie hall were aspects of life they dealt with. I saw how they struggled to keep from falling further into a destructive lifestyle. I also saw the need for a strong male mentor to step in and help befriend these guys and so  with these elements before me I sat down and the story began writing itself.
3. What genre does your book come under?
Definitely YA, although I believe adults would find interest in the interrelationships.
4.  Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
I’m not much up on teen actors these days, but I did keep a mental picture of a young Matt Dillon (Outsiders vintage) in mind for Wes, the lead protagonist.
5. What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
Sometimes to keep from falling we need to accept the hand of friendship.
6. Is your book self-published by an independent publisher, or represented by an agency?
It is currently being reviewed by an agent.
7. How long did it take to write the first draft of your manuscript?
The first draft took about a year to write and I submitted chapters through my writing group and through Inkpop when the site was up and running. I also received feedback from an editor at an SCBWI conference. I’ve been working on polishing the manuscript over the last couple of years based on feedback received.
8. What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
I think of Ponyboy from The Outsiders and how he tried to overcome the difficulties of his life, but The Outsiders isn’t really my inspiration, only the struggles are– of a young man with potential who is caught up in a lifestyle he wants to get out of, yet isn’t sure how to do so. Any YA books where the protagonist is in conflict with himself, as well as conflict with society would be the main genre.

9. Who or what inspired you to write this book? See #2
10. What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
Feedback received mention the high school action being realistic, along with the shifting dynamics of longtime friendship that’s changing. There’s also a great scene of a three on three basketball competition. The biggest grabber is the opening.  Here it is:

          Falling.  Air rushing past him.  Rippling his cheeks, his clothes, coursing over him like cool river water.  Arms spread-eagled out, he faces the approaching ground with a smile.  Yeah.  Getting closer, closer.  Any time now.  Not quite there. Pull!

          “You’re dead.”

          Wes slammed the console.  “No way.  The machine is off.  I had it timed.”

          Nick smirked. “Game over. You’re dead.  You didn’t pull the rip cord in time.  And you are now splattered all over some farmer’s field in Kansas.  You cut it too close every time.”

          Still tingling from the game’s adrenaline rush, Wes stepped out of the game booth. He got such a rush playing Free Fall.  There was something about jumping out into nothing but the blue sky and screaming down towards earth.

Thanks, Valerie for the inclusion to The Next Big Thing. Be sure to check out her site and the others who have participated.

Image

FreeFall: a novel of a young man who needs to change his direction in life

Happy Pages!

Posted in Blogging, creativity, Uncategorized, Writing and tagged , , ,
23 Feb 2013
18 Comments

Gently Persuaded


Raise your hand if you prefer Pride and Prejudice.

All right, now raise your hand for Emma.

How about Sense and Sensibility?

Mansfield Park? Okay.

Northhanger Abbey? Just asking.

And the rest of you? It’s got to be for Persuasion–right?

Well, Jane only wrote six novels; it’s got to be for one of them.

Hmm, I shall gently try to persuade you to cast your Austen vote for Persuasion.

Reason 1:

  • Pride and Prejudice gets much too much attention.  Jane has six literary children and P&P will become unbearably too spoiled with so much fuss. Look at all the celebratory brouhaha over the publishing of the novel! Goodness…

Reason 2:

  • Anne and Frederick don’t have to go through that messy “love me, love me not” business found in JA’s other plots; they already love each other.  Getting to the point where they re-realize it makes it so much more satisfying than the on/off dilemma.

Reason 3:

  • Persuasion has THE best love letter.  Here is a partial:

“I must go, uncertain of my fate; but I shall return hither, or follow your party, as soon as possible. A word, a look, will be enough to decide whether I enter your father’s house this evening or never.” 

Who could not met upon receiving this as an encouragement?

Reason 4:

  • Anne and Frederick are older and have been knocked around a bit in life and more truly represent the reality that love’s course is not perfect. In other words: their love is more relatable than the fairy-talish idea of sitting around and waiting for Mr or Ms Right to pop along when least expected (okay–Emma had a bit of that going on).

Reason 5:

  • the 1995 version with Ciaran Hinds and Amanda Root captures well the complicated tango of emotions these two separated lovers endure as they find their way back into each other’s hearts and arms.  Amanda Root’s transformation from wilted and worn down spinister-in-the-making to resolute refreshed woman is transfixing.

True love lingers and is not forgotten

So, five amazing reasons why Persuasion should become THE Jane Austen first mentioned in her stable of renowned novels.

Have I persuaded you?

English: Persuasion(ch. 9) Jane Austen: In ano...

English: Persuasion(ch. 9) Jane Austen: In another moment … someone was taking him from her. Français : Persuasion(ch. 9) Frederick libère Anne de son jeune neveu, qui l’étouffe. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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The Pride and Prejudice Bicentenary Challenge 2013

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20 Feb 2013
11 Comments

Egads, Those Cads of Literature


You know who they are.  Those bad boys who jilt the girl, cheat the honest friend, and play havoc with the plot.  They are the cads of literature.  Having finished Jane Austen’s Persuasion I have added Mr. Elliot to the list.  His subterfuge was most deplorable.  Then again, I do adore how she swiftly cast him aside for someone much more worthy of her devotion.  My favorite heroines have done just that–put those cads in their place.  Since I am on a Jane Austen revisiting read here are some cads that live in her books:

Henry Crawford (Mansfield Park)–I detected cad from the very start

Frank Churchill (Emma)–what a naughty game you played with so many hearts

Oh, Willoughby (Sense and Sensibility)–we wanted so much to like you

Elliot (Persuasion)–did you really think you could turn Anne’s head or her heart away from Wentworth?

Tsk tsk, Wickham (Pride and Prejudice)–your charm could not cover your secret faults

 

As to Northhanger Abbey, I haven’t decided who the cad truly is.  It’s up on my list to review.  As to other literary cads–any nominees?  Rhett Butler comes to mind, but then was he a cad or simply a foil for Scarlett?

Happy reading!

English: Engraving of Steventon rectory, home ...

English: Engraving of Steventon rectory, home of the Austen family during much of Jane Austen’s lifetime (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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