Dan Jorgensen's Blog, page 96

'Genuine magic in what they do'

 

“Ilove artists. I find them fascinating. To me, there really is a genuine magicin what they do.” – Elizabeth Hand

Hand, who was born in Yonkers, NewYork in March of 1957, studied drama and anthropology in college and thought ofa career on stage before getting into writing. Since 1988, she has lived incoastal Maine, the setting for many of her stories, and she also livespart-time in Camden Town, London, the setting for her historical fantasy novel MortalLove and short story "Cleopatra Brimstone.” 

 

While Science Fiction and Fantasyhave been focal points for many of her works, she said she didn’t read muchScience Fiction as a kid.  “I was a totalTolkien geek - but I started reading Samuel Delany and Angela Carter and UrsulaLeGuin in high school, and I was definitely taken with the notion that here wasa literature that could explore various notions of gender identity and how itaffects the culture at large.”

 

Also a writer of television andsci-fi movie spin-offs, Hand is co-author of the DC Comics’ cult favorite Anima. Her most recent book is 2023’s AHaunting on the Hill. And she is a longtime reviewer and critic for TheWashington Post, Los Angeles Times and Village Voice, amongothers, and writes a regular review column for The Magazine of Fantasy andScience Fiction.

  

“I never think about genré when I work,” shesaid.   “I've written fantasy, sciencefiction, supernatural fiction . . . suspense.  Genrés are mostly useful as a marketing tool, and to help booksellersknow where to shelve a book.”

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A Writer's Moment: 'Breaking the wall in a zig-zag pattern'

A Writer's Moment: 'Breaking the wall in a zig-zag pattern':   “People always think that history proceeds in a straight line. It doesn't. Social attitudes don't change in a straight line. Ther...

'Breaking the wall in a zig-zag pattern'

 

“Peoplealways think that history proceeds in a straight line. It doesn't. Socialattitudes don't change in a straight line. There's always a backlash againstprogressive ideas.” – Erica Jong
Born on this date in 1942, Jong is anovelist, satirist, and poet, known particularly for her 1973 novel Fear ofFlying, famously controversial for its attitudes towards female sexuality.  To date it has sold more than 20 million copiesworldwide.
Jong earned degrees from Barnard andColumbia, where she majored in English Literature, and started writing formagazines and journals before trying her hand at fiction.  Fear ofFlying was her first effort and catapulted her into a successful lifelongcareer.  She has authored 11 novels,8 nonfiction books, and 7 books of poetry.  This past year she was the subject Kaspar Kasics' documentary film, Erica Jong - Breaking the Wall.
While fiction has led to most of herfame, she says she really enjoys poetry and her most recent book is a 2019 book of poetry titled– The World Began With Yes.                          “In poetry you can express almostinexpressible feelings,” she said.   “You can express the pain of loss, you canexpress love. People always turn to poetry when someone they love dies; whenthey fall in love.”

A Writer's Moment: 'Like diamonds in a sea of zircons'

A Writer's Moment: 'Like diamonds in a sea of zircons':   “Whether you are 12 or 70, you should sit down today and start being a writer if that is what you want to do. You might...

'Like diamonds in a sea of zircons'

 

“Whetheryou are 12 or 70, you should sit down today and start being a writer if that iswhat you want to do. You might have to write on a notebook while your kids areplaying on the swings or write in your car on your coffee break. That's okay. Ithink we've all 'been there, done that.' Just remember, it all starts with thewriting.” – Robin Hobb

 

Hobb, born in March of 1952, is thepen name of Margaret Astrid Lindholm Ogden who took her own advice and startedwriting for children’s magazines at the age of 18.  While successful in that field, she thought she’dbe better at science fiction and fantasy and decided to give it a try.  Since then, overthe past 4 decades, she’s arguably been the most prolific writer in those fieldswhile capturing most of the genre’s major awards.

 

Most critics have praised Hobb as“the standard setter for modern serious fantasy.” And no less writer thanGeorge R.R. Martin (author of the Game ofThrones series) said she is the bestfantasy writer he has ever read.  “In today’scrowded fantasy market,” Martin said, “Robin Hobb’s books are like diamonds ina sea of zircons.”

 

“Keep writing, keep faith in theidea that you have unique stories to tell,” Hobb advises, “and tell them.” 

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'One defense: The creative act'

 

“Againstthe ruin of the world, there is only one defense: the creative act.” – Kenneth Rexroth 

 

I've written before aboutRexroth, considered “Father” of the so-called “Beat Movement” of the1950s.   Rexroth extensively studied andemulated the poetic works of Ancient Greeks and writers from Asia and was achampion for American women poets.  For Saturday’sPoem here is Rexroth’s,

 

Yin and Yang

It is Spring once more in the CoastRange
Warm, perfumed, under the Easter moon.
The flowers are back in their places.
The birds are back in their usual trees.

The winter stars set in the ocean.
The summer stars rise from the mountains.
The air is filled with atoms of quicksilver.
Resurrection envelops the earth.

Goemetrical, blazing, deathless,
Animals and men march through heaven,
Pacing their secret ceremony.

The Lion gives the moon to the Virgin.
She stands at the crossroads of heaven,
Holding the full moon in her right hand,
A glittering wheat ear in her left.

The climax of the rite of rebirth
Has ascended from the underworld
Is proclaimed in light from the zenith.
In the underworld the sun swims
Between the fish called Yes and No.

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A Writer's Moment: 'One defense: The creative act'

A Writer's Moment: 'One defense: The creative act':   “ Against the ruin of the world, there is only one defense: the creative act. ” – Kenneth Rexroth    I've writ...

A Writer's Moment: 'To find out about things'

A Writer's Moment: 'To find out about things': “God forbid that any book should be banned.  The practice is as indefensible as infanticide.” - Rebecca West   Cicely Isabel Fairfield,...

'To find out about things'

“God forbid that any book should bebanned.  The practice is asindefensible as infanticide.” - Rebecca West

 
Cicely Isabel Fairfield, who wrote as Rebecca West, championed other writers, particularlythose who were blacklisted during the McCarthy Era, and probably would be appalled that books are still being banned in today's society. Born onthis date in 1892, she grew up in a home full of intellectual stimulation,political debate, lively company, books and music and turned intoa world-renowned author and reporter.  By the time she was 50 she was a leadingspokesperson for feminism and feminist causes, and by the time of her death in1983 she had published many hundreds of stimulating articles, short stories and books.     

Shewas called by Time Magazine "indisputably the world's number one woman writer,” and by U.S. President Harry S. Truman “the world’s bestreporter.” In addition to her dozens of books,West also was                        feted for her essays and as a leading reviewer and travel writerfor many of the world’s top newspapers and magazines.
Among herbest-selling books were Black Lamb and Grey Falcon, on the history andculture of Yugoslavia; A Train of Powder – based on her magazine coverageof the Nuremberg trials; and the novels The Birds Fall Down and the autobiographical Aubrey Trilogy: The Fountain Overflows, This Real Night, and CousinRosamund.    "Iwrite books," she noted, "to find out about things.”

'The Most Important writing award'

 

“Oneof the nice things about books as opposed to television and movies … is peoplereally do get involved, and they do create, and they do have their own visionsof what different characters look like and what should happen.  It’s great. It means their brains are working.” – James Patterson

 

Born in March, 1947 Patterson isthe most prolific author of all time with phenomenal success as a mystery, YAand children’s writer.  Intending tobecome an English professor, he was a Ph.D. candidate when he switched careersto advertising. After rising to a top executive position at New York ad agency  J. WalterThompson, he abruptly switched again in 1996, deciding he might dowell as a writer.  Good move.

 

His novels featuringAfrican-American detective/psychologist Alex Cross have been among the mostpopular and top-selling U.S. detective series' in history.  His 150 titles (and counting) have sold inthe hundreds of millions, and he also holds the distinction of having had more e-bookssold than any other author.  

 

And he is the first author to everhave the Number 1 titles in the Adult, YA, and Children’s categories at thesame time.  His awards include the Edgar,the BCA Mystery Guild’s Thriller of the Year, and the International Thriller ofthe Year and a National Humanities Medal.   But, he said, the award hemost cherishes is Author of the Year from the Children’s Choice Awards.

 

“This is what I believe is mostimportant:” he said, “Getting good books into the hands of kids – books thatwill make them want to say, ‘Wow, that was great.  Give me another one to read.’”

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