Dan Jorgensen's Blog, page 371
April 2, 2019
A Writer's Moment: Living a Life of Fairy Tales
A Writer's Moment: Living a Life of Fairy Tales: “Every man’s life is a fairy tale written by God’s fingers.” – Hans Christian Andersen Born in Odense, Denmark on...
Living a Life of Fairy Tales
“Every man’s life is a fairy tale written by God’s fingers.”– Hans Christian Andersen
Born in Odense, Denmark on this date in 1805, Andersen was first introduced to the wonderful world of fairy tales by his poor and under-educated father who still found time almost daily to read to his young son – especially from 1001 Arabian Nights. "Being read to by a parent” led Andersen to a lifelong love of both reading and fairy tales and the rest of the world became the beneficiary.
After singing as a child in the Royal Danish Theatre, Andersen turned to writing when his voice began to change, first working on theatrical pieces and then switching to fairy tales. His first efforts were adaptations from tales he had heard as a child and before discovering the magical worlds in his own imagination.
The Little Mermaid, The Ugly Duckling, The Little Match Girland The Emperor’s New Clothes are just a few of the many famous fairy tales that came from the pen of this prolific and imaginative author. His stories – translated into more than 125 languages and shared worldwide – have inspired plays, ballets and both live-action and animated films.
Since 1956 (for stories) and 1966 (for illustration), the International Board on Books for Young People has honored Andersen’s memory by presenting the Hans Christian Andersen Award to an author and illustrator whose complete works have made a lasting contribution to children's literature. “Life itself,” Andersen wrote shortly before his death in 1875, “is and has been a most wonderful fairy tale.” Share A Writer’s Moment with a friend at http://writersmoment.blogspot.com
April 1, 2019
A Writer's Moment: Making It Everybody's Business
A Writer's Moment: Making It Everybody's Business: “My doctrine is this: If we see cruelty or wrong that we have the power to stop, and do nothing, we make ourselves sharers in the guilt. Cr...
Making It Everybody's Business
“My doctrine is this: If we see cruelty or wrong that we have the power to stop, and do nothing, we make ourselves sharers in the guilt. Cruelty and oppression … is everybody’s business to interfere with when they see it.” – Anna Sewell
Born on March 30, 1820 in Great Yarmouth, England, Anna Sewell embedded herself in our culture and concern for animals with her classic novel Black Beauty, written in 1877 while she was nearing death from tuberculosis. It is her only published work.
The novel, made into several movies as well, became an immediate best-seller. Sewell died just five months after its publication, but lived long enough to see its impact and success. With fifty million copies sold, Black Beauty is one of the best-selling books of all time. Although originally written for those who worked with horses, it also teaches us how to treat people with kindness, sympathy and respect.
About people, she noted, “It is good people who make good places. Never miss an opportunity to tell someone how much they mean to you.” Share A Writer’s Moment with a friend at http://writersmoment.blogspot.com
Born on March 30, 1820 in Great Yarmouth, England, Anna Sewell embedded herself in our culture and concern for animals with her classic novel Black Beauty, written in 1877 while she was nearing death from tuberculosis. It is her only published work.
The novel, made into several movies as well, became an immediate best-seller. Sewell died just five months after its publication, but lived long enough to see its impact and success. With fifty million copies sold, Black Beauty is one of the best-selling books of all time. Although originally written for those who worked with horses, it also teaches us how to treat people with kindness, sympathy and respect. About people, she noted, “It is good people who make good places. Never miss an opportunity to tell someone how much they mean to you.” Share A Writer’s Moment with a friend at http://writersmoment.blogspot.com
March 31, 2019
It's Why Writers Write
“There comes a time in each life like a point of fulcrum. At that time you must accept yourself. It is not anymore what you will become. It is what you are and always will be.” – John Fowles
Born in England on this date in 1926, Fowles was a gifted athlete and student and went on to distinguish himself in both the classroom and on the athletic fields before serving in the military at the end of World War II and during its aftermath. Utilizing his military pension and experiences, he studied at Oxford and began what would become an award-winning writing career.
After writing a number of short stories and poems while also teaching English in the Greek Isles, he returned to England and wrote The Collector, a critically acclaimed novel and feature movie, quickly followed by The Magus – based on his time in Greece – and The French Lieutenant’s Woman, which not only was a worldwide bestseller but also the basis for the mega-hit movie starring Meryl Streep.
Over the rest of his lifetime (he died in 2005) he authored a dozen major novels, half-a-dozen collections of short stories and essays, and several books of poetry. Shortly before his death he was named to the London Times “50 Greatest British Writers” in the last half of the 20th Century. “There are many reasons why novelists write,” he said at the time, “but they all have one thing in common - a need to create an alternative world.” Share A Writer’s Moment with a friend at http://writersmoment.blogspot.com
A Writer's Moment: It's Why Writers Write
A Writer's Moment: It's Why Writers Write: “There comes a time in each life like a point of fulcrum. At that time you must accept yourself. It is not anymore wha...
March 30, 2019
A Writer's Moment: When Poets Find Their Voices
A Writer's Moment: When Poets Find Their Voices: “Poets find their voices when they articulate the wishes of the dead, especially those slain as sacrificial talismans to a larger frame of...
When Poets Find Their Voices
“Poets find their voices when they articulate the wishes of the dead, especially those slain as sacrificial talismans to a larger frame of existence.”– Michael S. Harper
Born in Brooklyn, NY, in March 1938, Harper grew up in New York and Los Angeles and began creative writing while still in high school. After studying at the Iowa Writer’s Workshop, he earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in California and went on to a distinguished teaching career, including professorships at Colgate, Brown and Harvard.
Using stories from both his family's past and events in black history in general, he built a sophisticated vision of racial encounter and experience through poetry and music. He wrote 8 volumes of poetry, contributed to numerous journals and anthologies, and collaborated on numerous musical efforts born out of the African-American experience. For Saturday’s Poem, here is Harper’s, A R I A
Saner in the 'golden moment'
“a capella”
the three idioms of song
scores coming at you 'fast'
one dying in refrain
a tyranny of magic making
only the chords
full tones as increment
'to live is to resist stillness'
except in the zone
the soloists salute a 'chant of saints'
while the aria moans
alone on assignment
'the making' continues to shine
'to make' is to live live (italics mine)
where force is made chorus made out of nothing
Share A Writer’s Moment with a friend at http://writersmoment.blogspot.com
March 28, 2019
A Writer's Moment: 'Self-doubt is not a good idea'
A Writer's Moment: 'Self-doubt is not a good idea': “As a writer, you have to believe you’re one of the best writers in the world. To sit down every day at the typewrit...
'Self-doubt is not a good idea'
“As a writer, you have to believe you’re one of the best writers in the world. To sit down every day at the typewriter filled with self-doubt is not a good idea.” – Jo Nesbo
Norwegian writer and singer Nesbo has parlayed that self-confidence into a highly successful career. His creative fiction about Norwegian and international crime solver Harry Hole, a gritty detective known for his ability to not only solve perplexing crimes but also “save the girl,” has earned him legions of reading fans. And on screen, his suspenseful yarns have earned myriad screenwriting awards. Nesbo, born on March 29, 1960, has nearly 30 million copies of his books in print worldwide, translated into some 40 languages.
Many of his readers and viewers also tune in to hear him sing as lead vocalist and songwriter for the rock band DJ Derre. The personable Nesbo, who grew up in a small town outside of Oslo has not forgotten his roots, saying many of his readers and listeners think of him as “a family member made good.”
“I’ve always said that you can’t visit readers where you think they are, but instead you need to invite them home to where you are,” he said. “They need to join you in your world. That’s the art of storytelling.” Share A Writer’s Moment with a friend at http://writersmoment.blogspot.com
