Dan Jorgensen's Blog, page 69

A Writer's Moment: 'It's somewhere else to go'

A Writer's Moment: 'It's somewhere else to go':   “I just love writing. It's magical, it's somewhere else to go, it's somewhere much more dreadful, somewhere much more excitin...

'It's somewhere else to go'

 

“Ijust love writing. It's magical, it's somewhere else to go, it's somewhere muchmore dreadful, somewhere much more exciting. Somewhere I feel I belong,possibly more than in the so-called real world.” –  Tanith Lee
Born in London on this date in 1947 Lee authored some 90 novels and 300short stories, a children's picture book (Animal Castle), and manypoems in a 40-year career (she died in 2015).   She was the first woman towin the British Fantasy Award for best novel for Death's Master and recipient of the World Fantasy Lifetime Achevement Award shortly before her death.

Despiteher success with adult fiction, a large part of herprolific output was in children's fantasy, starting with her first book TheDragon Hoard in 1971, to her highly successful ClaidiJournals that included the bestselling books Wolf Tower, Wolf Star, Wolf Queenand Wolf Wing in the  2000s.
Much of her work, shesaid, came from "small things" rather than major inspirations, and asto her preference for whatshe liked to write, she replied, “Writing is writing, and stories are stories.Perhaps the only true genres are fiction and non-fiction."
                               
She encouraged everyone to write, saying, “Writers tell stories better, becausethey've had more practice, but EVERYONE has a book in them. Yes, that oldcliche.  But I believe it's true.”

'Connecting Elements, Solving Riddles'

 

“Thefunny thing is, though I write mysteries, it is the one genre in adult fictionI never read.   I read Nancy Drew, of course, when I was a kid, but I think thereal appeal is as a writer because I'm drawn to puzzly, complicated plots.”– Elise Broach

  

Born in Georgia on Sept. 20, 1963Broach now makes her home in Connecticut where she settled after earning twodegrees from Yale and where she primarily writes mysteries.  Among her many award-winning novels are Shakespeare'sSecret, Desert Crossing, and Masterpiece. 

 

 Broach also has authored 10 Picture Books foryoung children, including When Dinosaurs Came with Everything, a 2008Notable Children's Book (as voted by the American Library Association) and2018’s, My Pet Wants A Pet.   But it's mysteries she most loves.

“Mysteries always have the potentialfor interesting connections between the elements,” she said.  “I'm also most interested in the relationshipbetween the characters. As in Masterpiece,I'm trying to create characters who not only are solving a mystery but aresolving the riddle of their own personal relationships.”

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A Writer's Moment: 'Connecting Elements, Solving Riddles'

A Writer's Moment: 'Connecting Elements, Solving Riddles':   “The funny thing is, though I write mysteries, it is the one genre in adult fiction I never read.   I read Nancy Drew ,...

'Everday kindness of the back roads'

  “I believe that writing is derivative. I thinkgood writing comes from good reading.” –  Charles Kuralt

 

Kuralt was a master at sharing life from America’s backroads through his in-depth andheartfelt reporting.  Widely known forhis "On the Road" segments on The CBS Evening News with WalterCronkite, he later became the first anchor of CBS News SundayMorning, which has continued his feature reporting tradition. 

Born inWilmington, NC in September, 1934 he said he couldn’t remember a time when he didn't want to be areporter. “I don't know where I got the idea that it was a romantic calling,but I thought it was.  Kidsare always asked, ‘What are you going to be when you grow up?’ I needed ananswer. So instead of saying, a fireman or a policeman, I said, a reporter.”
He started reporting as a radioannouncer at age 14, edited the college newspaper atthe University of North Carolina, and then wrote for the Charlotte News, where he earned a prestigiousErnie Pyle Award for his features.  After moving to CBS asa newswriter, he started hosting the Eyewitness to Historyseries, winning a Peabody Awardfor his reporting.  In all, he wonthree Peabodys, including one for “On The Road,” for which he also won multipleEmmys.
“I think all those people I didstories about ‘On The Road’ measured their own success by the joy their workwas giving them,” he said.                              “The everydaykindness of the back roads more than makes up for the acts of greed in theheadlines.”

A Writer's Moment: 'Everday kindness of the back roads'

A Writer's Moment: 'Everday kindness of the back roads':   “I believe that writing is derivative. I think good writing comes from good reading.” –   Charles Kuralt   Kuralt was a master at shar...

A Writer's Moment: 'Not a real safe occupation'

A Writer's Moment: 'Not a real safe occupation':   “If a big person invests time in reading, kids learn reading is important, the child is important, words are important, stories are impor...

'Not a real safe occupation'

 

“Ifa big person invests time in reading, kids learn reading is important, thechild is important, words are important, stories are important.”– Gail Carson Levine

Born in New York City on Sept. 17, 1947 Levine is the author of the Newbery Award winning book, EllaEnchanted, and the wonderful semi-biographical novel Dave at Night, based loosely on her father’s “growing-up years” inan orphanage.
Although she grew up an avidreader, she didn’t have writing on her radar until later in life, wanting to bean artist or actress.  In her late 40s she finally gave it a try, starting with Ella, although it took 9 years of doingmanuscripts before she got that one accepted.         After it won the Newbery and was made into a successful movie, it gaveLevine the financial independence to focus on more, many based on fairy tales with a modern twist.  Her latest - her 26th - is Sparrows in the Wind.
“As a child, I loved fairy talesbecause the story, the what-comes-next, is paramount. As an adult, I'mfascinated by their logic and illogic,” Levine said.  As for why she didn’t get into writingsooner, she said (with tongue firmly in cheek), “Most of the authors I likedwere dead, so it didn't seem like a real safe occupation.”

A Writer's Moment: Using 'The Powers of Observing'

A Writer's Moment: Using 'The Powers of Observing':   “I love the line of Flaubert about observing things very intensely. I think our duty as writers begins not with our own...

Using 'The Powers of Observing'

 

“I lovethe line of Flaubert about observing things very intensely. I think our duty aswriters begins not with our own feelings, but with the powers of observing.” – MaryOliver

 

Born onSept. 10, 1935 Oliver won both the National Book Awardand the Pulitzer Prize for her poetic stylings, and The New York Timesdescribed her as "far and away, [America's] best-selling poet.”  Oliver,who died in 2019, said she often turned to nature for both wonder andinspiration.  For Saturday’s Poem, here is Oliver’s,

      A Dream of Trees

Thereis a thing in me that dreamed of trees,
A quiet house, some green and modest acres
A little way from every troubling town,
A little way from factories, schools, laments.
I would have time, I thought, and time to spare,
With only streams and birds for company,
To build out of my life a few wild stanzas.
And then it came to me, that so was death,
A little way away from everywhere.

Thereis a thing in me still dreams of trees.
But let it go. Homesick for moderation,
Half the world's artists shrink or fall away.
If any find solution, let him tell it.
Meanwhile I bend my heart toward lamentation
Where, as the times implore our true involvement,
The blades of every crisis point the way.

Iwould it were not so, but so it is.
Who ever made music of a mild day?

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