What's your secret (password)?

by Joan

Several years ago New York Times reporter Ian Urbina became interested in the personalized codes we refer to as passwords. He began collecting anecdotes from friends and strangers, proving his theory that passwords are more than just annoying codes we are forced to maintain. This spurred his recent fascinating New York Times article, “The Secret Life of Passwords.”

“In our authorship of them, in the fact that we construct them so that we (and only we) will remember them, they take on secret lives. Many of our passwords are suffused with pathos, mischief, sometimes even poetry. Often they have rich back stories. A motivational mantra, a swipe at the boss, a hidden shrine to a lost love, an inside joke with ourselves, a defining emotional scar — these keepsake passwords, as I came to call them, are like tchotchkes of our inner lives.”

In the article Urbina shares unique stories from his interviews, from Howard Lutnick, chief executive of Cantor Fitzgerald who was tasked with cracking the passwords for those who died on 9/11, to a woman whose password reminds her of the father she had struggled to know, to a man who used his low SAT score as a reminder of how far he’d come.

Urbina writes, “Some keepsakes were striking for their ingenuity. Like spring-loaded contraptions, they folded big thoughts down into tidy little ciphers.”

For years my password was some form or extension of a 4-digit code that we’ve used in our family. When security breaches hit Apple, Target and others, I changed it to something more personal. Now it's a phrase that represents the key to my ultimate aspiration. Sometimes my pessimistic side takes over and I twist it into the roadblock between me and my goal. Unlike many of the people Urbina interviewed who were more than forthcoming with their passwords, I’m not ready to share mine just yet.

Urbina writes, “Many of these passwords seem to be quiet celebrations of things we hold dear.” I love this idea so much, I thought I'd steal it for character development. Along with understanding motivation, desires or Achilles heals, to know my character’s password is to know his innermost secret. Even though my next novel is set during the Depression, long before computers, I'm looking forward to devising passwords for Greer and Mort.

For grins, we came up with secret passwords for a few well-known characters:

From Pamela:

A grownup Scout from To Kill a Mockingbird: MyP@LB00

Denny from The Art of Racing in the Rain: LetEnzoDriv3

Cheryl Strayed in WILD: The Mon$ter

Alice in Still Alice: WhoAmI?

From Elizabeth:

Emma's father: niceboiledegg

Mr. Rochester: 1intheattic

Alice in What Alice Forgot: sultanaplus2

Hermione Granger in Harry Potter: awitch&2dentists

From me:

Amy Dunne (from Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl): OhNoU$dont

Bernadette Fox (from Maria Semple’s Where’d You Go Bernadette): swat#gnats%

From Elizabeth Gilbert’s The Signature of All Things, Alma Whitaker: !Bndgcloset!

What's your character's secret password?

Follow up here. If you're interested in being part of Ian Urbina's follow up piece for The New York Times Magazine, email your keepsake password story to urbina@nytimes.com.

TED Talks You Shouldn't Miss

By Joan

Two weeks ago I blogged about how images inspire stories in us, referring to a TED talk from author Tracy Chevalier. If you’ve ever been on the TED site, you’ll know it’s not so easy to stop watching after one. There are over 1700 TED talks available to view, on philosophy, technology, engineering, culture, entrepreneurship, you name it. The talks have been delivered by all types of people: experts, cultural icons, even whiz kids.

I thought I’d share some literary talks I came across. 

Two powerhouse authors tackle creativity. This one from celebrated author Elizabeth Gilbert about ever-elusive creative genius. (Gilbert, by the way, is presenting again this week.) And of course, Amy Tan always entertains. Susan and I saw her in Dallas not too long ago and here she is speaking about where creativity hides.

Lisa Bu speaks about her discovery of reading after her dreams of a career as a Chinese opera singer were squashed. After moving to the United States, she discovered reading and shares how books opened her mind to new possibilities and introduced her to people she would never meet in person. “Books have given me a magic portal to connect with people of the past and the present.”

Karen Thompson, author of The Age of Miracles, speaks about fear. “If we think of our fears as more than just fears, but as stories, we should think of ourselves as authors of those stories.” She says, “Our fears are an amazing gift of the imagination. A kind of everyday clairvoyance.” As one of the most fearful people I know, I like her take on it!  

In case you missed it, last week Pamela shared a great TED talk from author Kelly Corrigan on the link between reading, vocabulary and communication. 

There’s a clever talk from former Poet Laureate, Billy Collins. Five of his poems were set to animation in this intriguing look at life. I particularly enjoyed "Literary Amnesia" and "Forgetfulness."

And I’ll leave you with a talk from recent National Book Critics Award winner, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, who talks about the danger of a single story. Her father was a professor, her mother an administrator. She was an early reader and writer, and read primarily British and American books. So her writing featured people who drank ginger beer and complained about the snow. It wasn’t until she read African authors that she learned literature could feature many characters, some like her, some like her housekeeper's family who were very poor. When she went to university in America, she encountered people who believed a single story about Nigerians. She learned first hand that if we are conditioned to believe something about a race or culture, we won’t learn the full story.

Have a favorite TED talk? Share it with us! Feeling uninspired? Spend some time with TED.  

Our Best Reads of 2013

By Kim

Are you looking for something great to read? The contributors here at What Women Write have some recommendations for you. Here are our top picks for 2013.

Kim

The Pieces We Keep by Kristina McMorris

This is McMorris’ third novel and, I believe, her best so far. It has the elements I loved about her previous books – WWII setting, unconventional love story, gorgeous prose, and a bittersweet conclusion. It would have been simple to stick with a formula that has proven to work in the past. Instead, McMorris challenged herself (and her readers) by taking two seemingly unrelated story lines, one present day and one from WWII, and presenting them in alternating chapters. A careful reader will soon have theories about who is haunting Jack and why, but the puzzle is so cleverly unraveled that I doubt anyone will have all the pieces in place before the end. To see my full review, click here.

Letters from Skye by Jessica Brockmole

I devoured this lush novel during every spare moment of my recent vacation, hating to look up and remember I was in Missouri, not on Skye. On several occasions I wondered how Elspeth and Dave could possibly meet, let alone have a happy ending. I read on with bated breath. Every time I thought I had things figured out, I’d find out I was wrong.

This is a beautiful debut, and a must read for all romantics. For my full review, click here.

The Painted Girls by Cathy Marie Buchanan

The grace on the Opera stage contrasts sharply with the lives of the dancers backstage, many of whom, like Marie and Antoinette, are from the Paris gutters.The Painted Girls unflinchingly contains all the grit and blood of the Paris slums, though it is far more hopeful a tale than novels like Victor Hugo's Les Miserables. The alternating first person point of view plunks the reader right into Marie’s tattered shoes or Antoinette’s sweat-soaked wash-house clothes. That the narrative is in present tense adds an immediacy to the tale that keeps pages turning. As a mother, my heart alternately ached and swelled for those girls, especially because I have my own “little dancers” – ages eleven and seven. Neither of them will be reading The Painted Girls any time soon, but when they are grown, or at least nearly grown, I will hand them a new copy. My own will probably be as tattered as Marie’s shoes by then. To see my full review, click here.

Becoming Josephine by Heather Webb

Sometimes when I’m familiar with the subject matter of a novel already, it disappoints. This one amazed! I’d only known “Josephine” as half of a famous couple before, but Webb introduced me to Rose Tascher, who was a force to be reckoned with. Napoleon did not make an appearance until about page 175, and I didn't miss him. Not a bit. He’s not even named when he’s first introduced, and the description of him made me sputter my mocha latte all over myself at Starbucks. I was tempted to read that part aloud to those who stared at me for laughing. See my full review here.

Mrs. Poe by Lynn Cullen

A gripping novel filled with sensuality, danger and passion. I read Edgar Allan Poe's The Raven in school, but knew very little about the man other than that he was a bit odd looking. Cullen made me see him through Frances Osgood's eyes and, I admit, I fell a bit in love with him. Mrs. Poe (not Frances) is a remarkable character herself. Victim or villain? I had a hard time coming up for air until I found out.

The Moon Sisters by Therese Walsh

I loved Walsh's The Last Will of Moira Leahy a few years ago and was thrilled to receive an ARC of The Moon Sisters, which will release on March 4th. (It is available for pre-order now.) This gorgeous novel is about two polar opposite sisters who, while grieving their mother's apparent suicide, embark on a magical journey to the setting of her unfinished book. If you are a sister, or have one, you won't want to miss this literary feast for the senses. I will do a full review for my March 7th post.

Susan

The Goldfinch-Donna Tartt

Whatever you've heard about Donna Tartt, and whether you've read her other two highly acclaimed novels, The Secret History and The Little Friend, you really must tackle this near 800 page work of genius. I literally walked around the house for ten minutes in a daze with my hand over my mouth after I reached the end. This is simply a stunning and brutal story written with the most gorgeous language and insightful prose I've seen in a long, long time. Released at the end of October, it’s been named at the top of several “best of the year” lists. I would venture to say it’s one of the best novels I've read in the past decade of hard-core reading. This book is a masterpiece.

Madame Bovary-Gustave Flaubert

Of course, this book is the original time-tested masterpiece of fiction, and I’m embarrassed to say that this reading of the classic was my first. I read the Francis Steegmuller translation (although I’ve heard wonderful things about the more modern Lydia Davis translation, and was cautioned by the checker at the bookstore that when reading Bovary, the translation is key.) Flaubert is used as the benchmark for interiority in characterization, for his complete grasp of close third point of view, and for use—albeit in the original French-- of verb tense. I should also note that it was important for me to read How Fiction Works, by James Wood, before reading Madame Bovary (at the advice of a literature professor friend.) More on that book below.

The Tilted World-Tom Franklin and Beth Ann Fennelly

This novel is another great study in point of view. Husband and wife team Franklin and Fennelly wrote the alternating POVs of Ingersoll and Dixie Clay in this compelling tale of the 1927 Mississippi River Great Flood. Slipping between chapters was a delicious experience in language and exposition, with the gender-specific details shining through. Fennelly, a poet, and Franklin, a novelist, both teach at the University of Mississippi, and collaborated on this piece at the urging of their agents, husband and wife team Nat Sobel and Judith Weber. It is a beautiful story, rich in historic detail, yet is also a touching tale of family and ultimately, of love.

How Fiction Works-James Wood

Don’t allow the size of this book fool you: it is absolutely packed with insight and references in 123 segments. James Wood, the highly regarded literary critic for The New Yorker, also teaches half time at Harvard and is married to author Claire Messud. I've carried How Fiction Works with me for the past six months and still haven’t finished it. With a four page bibliography, reading this was almost like taking a master class is fiction and literature. Wood covers everyone from the Russians to Homer to James Joyce, covering topics like character, consciousness, and sympathy. This little red book was named A New York Times Book Review Notable Book of the Year, a Los Angeles Tomes Best Book of the Year, and a Washington Post Best Book of The Year and was published in 2008.

               

Others with high recommendations that I read this year:

Signature of All Things - Elizabeth Gilbert

Let the Great World Spin - Colum McCann

The Woman Upstairs - Claire Messud

The Tenth of December - George Saunders

Guests on Earth - Lee Smith

The Orchardist by Amanda Coplin

Joan

Signature of All Things, Elizabeth Gilbert 

One of the most compelling novels I've read—ever. A brilliant birth-to-death book about a woman botanist in the 19th century. It's a potion of life, determination, philosophy and world culture. Read my full review here.

A Constellation of Vital Phenomena, Anthony Marra

An intense, stunningly written novel set in the backdrop of war-torn Chechnya - so tragic and intense, and darkly funny. Read my review here.

Life After Life, Kate Atkinson 

This novel is a literary conundrum. It starts when Ursula is born to a British family in a 1910 snowstorm and dies that day. She is reborn on the same day in slightly altered circumstances, only to die at age five. And then again. Each alternate life has repercussions for her family and possibly the world. After I finished this one, I did not want to pick up another book for days.

Burial Rites, Hannah Kent

A breathtaking debut set in early nineteenth-century Iceland. A woman imprisoned for the murder of two men is placed with a family to await her hanging. The narrative alternates between diary entries for the accused woman and third-person of those around her. Fans of Sally Gunning’s books will love this one.

The Kitchen House, Kathleen Grissom

Who wouldn't root for a six-year-old Irish orphan who is raised in a slave kitchen after losing her parents on a ship from Ireland? The characters in this novel are so finely drawn, from the chilling farm manager to the strong-willed daughter of the plantation owner. Their voices are still in my head.

The Invisible Bridge, Julie Orringer

This novel is based on the author’s grandfather, a young Hungarian who gets the chance of a lifetime to study architecture in Paris, only to have it taken away from him when World War II erupts. I read a lot of WWII fiction and this is one of the best.

Orphan Train, Christina Baker Kline

A beautifully written novel that balances the gritty realities of orphans in the Depression era to those in present-day. Kline studied and researched orphan trains and has received much praise from those who have lived through this haunting time in our history. Read my full review here.

Sure Signs of Crazy, Karen Harrington

Wow – what engages a reader most? Voice, voice, voice. This book from our friend Karen Harrington had me laughing, crying and rooting for the precocious Sarah Nelson.

Still Writing, Dani Shapiro

So inspiring, true, personal and universal.


Pamela

2013 was a bizarre year for me in terms of reading. I went through my goodreads account as well as my Amazon purchase history to refresh my memory. What I discovered is most of what I'd read were books I'd already read! I'm in two book clubs and in charge of selecting the books for one at a retirement home and have learned to choose books I've vetted, so I know the content will be well-received. I mistakenly chose one I'd not read beforehand and NO ONE liked it--even though I did, but quickly realized the content was a bit too dark for our membership. 

Therefore, much of the new books I'd hoped to read in 2013 remain unread as of this blog posting. Along with some other goals for the new year, I'm adding: Make a significant dent in my TBR stack! Among those are several titles already listed here by Joan and Susan. 

A few I enjoyed this year include Julie's Calling Me Home, Elizabeth Berg's Tapestry of Fortunes and Dani Shapiro's Still Writing.

My inability to focus for long stretches of time due to my mother's illness and her eventual passing had me doing some light reading which books included Tina Fey's Bossypants, The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt by Caroline Preston and Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh.    

My sister sent me three books by Lisa Genova and I thoroughly enjoyed Love Anthony, a story about two women whose paths cross at the most opportune times--as one grieves the loss of a child and the other mourns the end of her marriage. Still Alice and Left Neglected are in my TBR stack. Here's to an upcoming Year of Reading!!


Elizabeth

A few years ago, I logged every book I read, and it was a smart choice. Why have I not repeated that? This year, I intend to, but for 2013, much of what I read is lost to me. I know I re-read some old favorites including a couple of Jane Austen's novels, some Maeve Binchy, Anne Tyler. I also added Binchy's last (A Week in Winter) and Tyler's latest (The Beginner's Goodbye), and refreshed my enthusiasm for both of them amongst my very favorite writers.

I also added a new favorite author to my list: Ron Rash. I think Susan gave me the heads-up on this North Carolinian, and I could not stop gushing to friends and family and strangers and dogs and bugs and light bulbs about the terrific Nothing Gold Can Stay, a collection of short stories published in February. It helps that I'm familiar with the area, visiting each summer, but even if you've never been to Western North Carolina, the stories will hopefully resonate with you anyway for their truth and wisdom and tiny heartbreaks and triumphs. I followed up quickly with his novel Serena, and cannot wait to see the movie this year with Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper.

In December, I bought myself a copy of Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?, Mindy Kaling's hilarious memoir, and I admit to an ulterior motive, but even if I weren't hopeful that she and I will eventually cross paths, I'm glad I read it. Funny and smart, it was a great read for the busy season and one I will no doubt read again.

A few more that I recall from the year:

Mary Coin, by Marisa Silver
Still Alice, by Lisa Genova (yes, Pamela, read it!)
Divergent, by Veronica Roth (and yes, dear daughter, I will read both sequels this year)

Julie

2013 was a bit of a blur with the release of Calling Me Home in February, then gearing up late in the year for the January paperback release, but I did manage to start reading a lot again by summertime when I was traveling. Instead of looking at my list and seeing what I read and choosing from those, I'm just going to name and annotate a few that float to the top every time someone asks me what I loved reading this year--the ones I truly "couldn't put down."

I kept seeing Liane Moriarty's The Husband's Secret popping up here and there, most notably the New York Times Bestseller List week after week, and then when She Reads chose it for their September pick, I figured I needed to see what all the fuss was about. I was not disappointed. I dove into the story headfirst and while I figured out fairly soon what the secret was, I couldn't stop reading. The way Moriarty puts all the pieces together is really kind of genius--especially when you get to the very end of the book. I won't say anything else because that would spoil the fun. But speaking of fun, Moriarty is also very funny. In the droll way that is my very favorite type of humor, she had me chuckling on countless pages in the midst of a pretty dark storyline. Rather inappropriately at times, I might add. But she also had me gasping and nearly in tears a few times. I love a book that inspires a range of emotions like that.

A book I picked up rather randomly (but remembered later that author Allie Larkin had told me about it months earlier) was Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell. I usually don't read a lot of young adult fiction, but man, this turned out to be another book I can't stop raving about. I don't know if it's because I grew up in pretty much the same time period as the two teen narrators (mix tapes? punk rock? no cell phones, anyone?), or because I was a misfit an awful lot like Eleanor (and maybe a little like Park) when I was in high school, but this book slayed me in numerous ways. And guess what? It was another dark storyline laced with humor and tears and surprise. Hmm, now that I think about it, I like to write dark story lines laced with humor and tears and surprise. I guess that makes perfect sense. (I think that's why I've always loved fiction by Elizabeth Berg, and hope to read the one Pamela mentioned very soon.)

Next, every year, I read a lot of books by friends, and 2013 was no exception. One I was privileged to read and blurb ahead of release but was published in 2013 was The Glass Wives by Amy Sue Nathan. I loved it! And it was definitely a favorite for the year. I'm sure it's partly because I was thrilled to read it early and excited to be so drawn in to a story by such a dear friend. But mostly? It's just a great story. I'm reading her work-in-progress, too, little by little, and Amy is simply a talented writer of women's fiction, not to mention a champion of it. (See her blog, Women's Fiction Writers.) Also? The Glass Wives is a book with a rather dark story line, laced with humor and tears and surprise. GO FIGURE!

Finally, did anyone mention Me Before You by Jojo Moyes? You guessed it: Dark story line. Humor. Tears. Surprise. Another one I was happy I decided to read to see what all the fuss was about, and happy to discover I loved it. I've actually been reading Moyes for years, and am continually surprised at her success with genre bending and hopping around a bit. But with Me Before You, she clearly hit upon a subject and voice that sent her plummeting from "solid author" status to bestseller on just about every possible list. It was a perfect storm, much like this fabulous story.


What are your favorite reads? Tell us about it in the comments.

Elizabeth Gilbert

By Susan

As regular readers know, we at What Women Write are blessed enough to live in the Dallas-Ft. Worth metroplex, which gives us great access to author signings and readings. Monday night, as a part of Highland Park United Methodist Church Authors' LIVE event, Joan, Pamela, Elizabeth and I slogged through Dallas rain and traffic to spend the evening with Elizabeth Gilbert.

Joan and I splurged on the reception and signing before the event, and had a few moments to talk with the author. We told her we were writers (which I suspect she hears from lots of her readers). Joan told her how much she adored the audio version The Signature of All Things, read by Juliet Stevenson, and I marveled at her graciousness and enthusiasm for the long line of devoted fans.

Joan Mora, Elizabeth Gilbert and Susan Ishmael-Poulos

And "fans" is the only word for those dedicated to Elizabeth Gilbert, and her transparency and genuine delight in those fans was evident.

The reading began fifteen minutes late due to weather and traffic concerns and the room continued to fill well into her talk. She read a delightful passage from Signature, and opened the floor to questions.

Gilbert is most well known for the ten million copies of her memoir Eat, Pray, Love, and less known for her long list of awards and bylines. In 2002 she received a National Book Award nomination for her non-fiction book The Last American Man. As she talked about the success of Eat, Pray, Love, she explained the difficulty writing after her stunning success, stating that moving forward, she had to draw on the memory of writing when nobody cared, and noted that writing post-failure and post-success were remarkably similar.

"The motive in writing," she said, "must be love of writing. If it is anything else, you will not find your happiness from it, because you can't control how your work will be received."

Following Eat, Pray, Love, she wrote her second memoir, Committed, the story of her marriage and life after the success of the first memoir. Now, with The Signature of All Things, she transitions gracefully back to fiction. In The New York Times Book Review, Barbara Kingsolver says “Gilbert has established herself as a straight-up storyteller who dares us into adventures of worldly discovery, and this novel stands as a winning next act. The Signature of All Things is a bracing homage to the many natures of genius and the inevitable progress of ideas, in a world that reveals its best truths to uncommonly patient minds.”

She also openly discussed her battle with the depression that plagued her early marriage, and her journey toward happiness. "The opposite of depression isn't happiness," she stated. "It's vitality." And vitality is the perfect word to describe the presence of Gilbert, who seemed as comfortable talking to fans while signing books as she was behind a lectern, talking about her own struggles, her writing process, and her books.

Gilbert's U.S. tour for Signature continues through November. You can learn more about her and other upcoming events at http://www.elizabethgilbert.com/events/. For any reader, lover of words, writer or fan, Elizabeth Gilbert is one to see if you have the opportunity. She shines!

The Signature of All Things

by Joan

Last week Pamela mentioned that we are looking forward to seeing Elizabeth Gilbert as she visits Dallas for Highland Park United Methodist’s Authors’ LIVE. Ms. Gilbert is touring to promote her latest novel, The Signature of All Things.

From the publisher: 

Exquisitely researched and told at a galloping pace, The Signature of All Things soars across the globe—from London to Peru to Philadelphia to Tahiti to Amsterdam, and beyond. Along the way, the story is peopled with unforgettable characters: missionaries, abolitionists, adventurers, astronomers, sea captains, geniuses, and the quite mad. But most memorable of all, it is the story of Alma Whittaker, who—born in the Age of Enlightenment, but living well into the Industrial Revolution—bears witness to that extraordinary moment in human history when all the old assumptions about science, religion, commerce, and class were exploding into dangerous new ideas. Written in the bold, questing spirit of that singular time, Gilbert's wise, deep, and spellbinding tale is certain to capture the hearts and minds of readers.

Kirkus: “A sweeping saga…superb…writing seems lifted from pages written two centuries past…a brilliant exercise in intellect and imagination.”

Barbara Kingsolver: “Gilbert has established herself as a straight-up storyteller who dares us into adventures of worldly discovery, and this novel stands as a winning next act. The Signature of All Things is a bracing homage to the many natures of genius and the inevitable progress of ideas, in a world that reveals its best truths to uncommonly patient minds.”

Alexandra Alter, Wall Street Journal:  "In a complete pivot, Ms. Gilbert has turned out the most ambitious and purely imaginative work in her 20-year career: a deeply researched and vividly rendered historical." 

I started hearing the buzz about this novel last month and knew I would love it. From the opening pages, the reader is immediately transported to the 18^th century. This sprawling story begins with Henry Whittaker, a lad who, beginning at a young age, values wealth above all else. He thieves his way from native England and across ocean voyages to far away lands, where he pockets rare botanical specimens. After becoming wealthy in the quinine trade, he settles in Philadelphia with his Dutch-born wife, Beatrix. He amasses an even greater fortune there and builds a grand home with extensive grounds, naming it White Acre (a play on his name) along the lines of a Biltmore or Hearst Castle.

Beatrix is a sturdy, unsentimental woman who keeps their business holdings' books and records. In 1800, their daughter, Alma, comes into the world needing for nothing, but wanting to know everything. With unfortunate looks, “her face was far better suited to a grown man than to a little girl,” she is an awkward only child. Henry and Beatrix expect Alma to pursue knowledge with a vengeance. She is as comfortable questioning adults at dinner parties as she is in her own company.

Often left on her own to study and read, Alma delights in finding trunks full of books: botanical, historical, scientific, religious and, of course, sexual. Though she has thus far kept no secrets from her parents, she recognizes as dangerous her developing fascination with one explicit book in particular and the sensual obsession it has aroused in her.

In an effort to fill her dinner table with interesting guests, Alma meets an artist who is a master at painting orchids. Though also highly intelligent, their similarities end there. His focus is on the spiritual, supernatural and magical. For all her interest in facts and hard knowledge, Alma is unable to avoid his pull. But she misunderstands his intentions completely and is left staggeringly unsatisfied and bereft.

I found this to be one of the most compelling novels I’ve read--ever. Even at 499 pages, the narrative is fluid and engaging. Exquisitely written, the characters and settings come alive. What made this novel even more enjoyable for me was listening to the audio version narrated by the brilliant actress Juliet Stevenson. If you enjoy historical fiction and novels with strong female characters, this novel's for you. If you have an interest in botany, philosophy and world cultures, you will be in for an even greater treat.

Dallas visit info: 

Highland Park United Methodist Church's AuthorsLIVE! on Monday night, November 4, at 7 p.m. 

Let us know if you can join us and we’ll save you a seat!

Elizabeth Gilbert Comes to Dallas

By Pamela

If you've followed us much at all here, you know how much we love supporting authors when they come to our area. Not only do I believe it's good karma or kismet but, as a writer, I find it so fascinating to hear an author share her story about how her book came to be. Much like watching the director's cut of a movie with the commentary on, listening to a writer tell about how a story grew from a germ of an idea into a tome you can hold in your hands is so intriguing.

Elizabeth Gilbert 

Soon we will be in the company of Elizabeth Gilbert as she tours through Dallas to promote her new novel, The Signature of All Things. Care to join us?

She will speak at Highland Park United Methodist Church's Authors Live! on Monday night, November 4, at 7 p.m.

Ms. Gilbert returns to her fiction roots in The Signature of All Things following the memoir of her spiritual and geographical journey in Eat, Pray, Love. Multiple narrative threads weave seamlessly into this 18th-19th century saga that is typically Gilbert.

Highland Park United Methodist Church is located at 3300 Mockingbird Lane in Dallas. Ms. Gilbert's appearance is sponsored by The Friends of the Highland Park Public Library and The Friends of the SMU Libraries. The event is free and open to the public. Books will be available for purchase and there will be a book signing following the program.

Hope to see you there!

Getting Lucky

By Susan

Sometimes, if I get lucky when I’m writing, something happens and I am in The Zone. It is hard to explain what this means: I just know that my pen flies across the paper, as though possessed. My hand can’t keep up with the images in my mind. Some times, when I read it later, I have no real memory of writing it.

On other occasions, I might wake in the middle of the night with a dream on the tips of my fingers and get up and write without a thought to what it may mean. I curl into my biggest chair and scribble away. Or if I am driving alone, I may be overtaken by an idea—a bud of a flower that demands instant water, food and sunlight. Sometimes it’s a fleeting thought, sometimes a complete sentence. Regardless, I am compelled to stop and take notice.

Elizabeth Gilbert (Eat, Pray, Love) refers to the Greeks and their daemons, to the Romans and their genius. Norman Mailer (The Naked and the Dead) called it The Spooky Art. Stephen King, the master at modern creative fiction, writes, “Your job isn’t to find these ideas. It’s to recognize them when they show up.”

So what is this thing, that when captured, can pour out of writers like magic? And what is it, that when absent, quite stereotypically drives writers to drink?

Therein lies the problem: it’s another story altogether when you summon the muse and she refuses to speak. Your fingers become clumsy, as though this is the first time you have ever attempted such a thing. I’ve sat for nights on end, waiting for something to appear on the page. I think back to my creative writing classes from 20 years ago, trying to remember a nugget of instruction to help me summon inspiration.

I buy books on writing (I have a full shelf of writers telling me how to write). Yet reading about writing, I have found, is not writing. Reading about not writing is never the cure for not writing. Just like the only cure for obesity is eating less and moving more, the cure for writers block is whining less and writing more. Just write.

Here are some exercises and suggestions that have helped me. (See? I am now a writer talking about writing to writers who are having a difficult time writing). Keep in mind that the key to all of this is just doing the work. You can write longhand or type, sitting or standing, it doesn’t matter. Just get the words out.

1) Begin a paragraph with the following sentence: “In my mind I see…” and take it from there. If you are working on a specific piece, put this in your character’s point of view. Write at least 200 words, more if you catch inspiration by the tail. One of my favorite pieces that I ever wrote started with this exercise.

2) Go stand outside and describe what’s out there. How’s the weather? (Hemingway said, “Remember to get the weather in your god damned book- weather is very important. “) How does the air feel: heavy and sticky, or brittle and cool? How will the weather affect your scene? If you are writing about a hurricane, don’t tell me it’s raining. I want to smell it, hear it and feel the hairs stand up on the back of my neck with the electricity of the storm. Don’t shortchange your readers by leaving something this crucial out of your work.

3) Working Papers- The Artist’s Way recommends journaling three pages each morning before you start the work of the day. Three pages of purging, I call it, shaking the leaves from your trees, shedding the dead skin cells before getting to the flesh of things. “I need to go to the store today,” Or, “I am worried about my mother.” Get these things out of your system before really working on your project. De-clutter your brain matter of all the things that are on your mind. Then you can find your story.

These three simple exercises may help, or they may not be for you. Remember that your writer’s block is your own—not mine, not Hemingway’s or Virginia Wolfe’s. Remember that your muse, too, belongs to you. Welcome her and don’t let her pass you by. At the same time, don’t curse her when she is somewhere else. Show up for the job whether your inspiration is there or not. And the words will appear, sometimes like blood from the pen, sometimes flowing like a Colorado stream. But show up. There is no easier way to fail at your novel than simply not writing it.