(since May 08)

Christina's bookshelves

read (0)
currently-reading (1)
to-read (0)

Christina's friends (42)

	Michael, K. 15 books 400 friends
	Kelly 573 books 40 friends
	David 118 books 318 friends
	Shawna 7057 books 613 friends
	Dorothy M 15 books 326 friends
	Jody 123 books 104 friends
	Ami 2327 books 315 friends
	Dee Dee M 29 books 422 friends
	Corey 2170 books 204 friends
	N.M. 34 books 1733 friends
	Lucy 304 books 93 friends
	Kate 257 books 1088 friends
	Ed 122 books 1052 friends
	Daniel 2771 books 2739 friends
	Bohlol 128 books 1251 friends

see all 42 friends »

Christina Schwarz

author profile

gender

female

place of birth

United States

genre

Literature & Fiction

about this author

edit data

books by Christina Schwarz

combine editions
avg rating: 3.42 | 3551 ratings | 6 distinct works

	Drowning Ruth (Oprah's Book Club) by Christina Schwarz (goodreads author!) avg rating 3.46 — 2946 ratings — published 2001 18 editions	my rating:
	All Is Vanity (Ballantine Reader's Circle) by Christina Schwarz (goodreads author!) avg rating 2.89 — 111 ratings — published 2002 14 editions	my rating:
	So Long at the Fair: A Novel (Hardcover) by Christina Schwarz (goodreads author!) avg rating 2.75 — 61 ratings — published 2008 2 editions	my rating:
	Novemberkind. (Hardcover) by Christina Schwarz (goodreads author!) avg rating 0.00 — 0 ratings — published 2001 2 editions	my rating:
	La Petite Fille du Lac (Paperback) by Christina Schwarz (goodreads author!) avg rating 0.00 — 0 ratings — published 2003	my rating:

see all books by Christina Schwarz »

Christina is currently reading

	09/10 Christina is currently reading: A Good Man in Africa: A Novel (Paperback) by William Boyd bookshelves: currently-reading	my rating:
	add a comment

Christina's recent updates (rss)

September 10

Christina is currently reading:
A Good Man in Africa: A Novel (Paperback)
by William Boyd
bookshelves: currently-reading

my rating:

add a comment

August 05

Christina made a comment in the group Q&A with Christina Schwarz—Welcome topic:

Christina wrote: "Jill,

Be sure to introduce yourself if you go. It would be fun to meet.

Christina "

Christina joined the Q&A with Christina Schwarz group.

July 30

Christina made a comment in the group Q&A with Christina Schwarz—Drowning Ruth - genre topic:

Christina wrote: "Dear Clare--

I would certainly say that Drowning Ruth has more than a touch of the gothic about it-...more "

July 28

Christina made a comment in the group Q&A with Christina Schwarz—All Is Vanity topic:

Christina wrote: "Hi, Lady--

I'm very happy to hear you like All Is Vanity. Certainly, I don't think the book should...more "

July 25

Christina made a comment in the group Q&A with Christina Schwarz—Influences, plotting and characters topic:

Christina wrote: "I've always been a huge reader. The fact that there are no books listed in my profile only means th...more I've always been a huge reader. The fact that there are no books listed in my profile only means that I haven't gotten around to typing them in--I'm NEVER not reading anything. Since I've started writing seriously, though, I've been more careful to read only things that are well-written, because I do think it's easy to be influenced. The writers I try most consciously to emulate right now are late nineteenth century novelists, such as Edith Wharton and, my favorite, William Dean Howells. They were interested in the psychological make-up of their characters and were particularly good at revealing it through behavior. They were also highly attuned to social relationships. And they weren't afraid of a big plot. That's the kind of writer I'd like to be.

More recent books I've loved include Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout, The Ten-Year-Nap by Meg Wolitzer, The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett, Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri, The Secret River by Kate Grenville, and Julius Winsome by Gerard Donovan. If any of their many qualities were to rub off on my work, I would be thrilled.

I don't plot out my novels in too much detail, in part because writing helps me to think, so I can't get very far until I'm actually working with the characters. The process, especially at the beginning, feels very much like trying to grope my way forward with only a spot of light here and there to help me find the way. (Although that sounds spooky and it isn't!) I'm always amazed at how many decisions are involved--I could open this door or this one or this one. And each choice opens up a whole set of decisions. Choosing when to reveal information, however, is among the most intuitive of those decisions, though--I rarely think about it consciously. And for that I credit all the reading I've done over the years--I know how a story should unwind.

I love the idea of a story in translucent layers! Thank you! And I'm happy to hear that Jon and Ginny are immediately vivid. Ginny was actually the hardest character for me, in part, I think because I wanted her to be full of the contradictions real people have. I'd very much like to hear what readers think of her--and of any of the characters....less "

see all 0 of Christina's books »

Christina's friend comments

showing 1-2 of 2. (add a comment | view all)

from Bohlol

07/24/2008 09:50AM

flag abuse

from Lynne

06/12/2008 02:46PM

I'm a huge fan of Drowning Ruth. And I eagerly await So Long at the Fair. I've just pre-ordered it online. Looking forward to reading your latest.

Lynne

flag abuse

block this member *