Carla Norton's Blog, page 3
August 6, 2016
"War on the Page"
Few Americans glancing at the calendar today will even consider that on Monday, August 6, 1945, at 8:15 a.m. Hiroshima suffered the single most terrifying attack in history: The detonation of an atomic bomb.
I'm sharing a few thoughts on the subject in today's post, "Awful Inspiration: War on the Page." http://algonquinredux.com/awful-inspi...
I'm sharing a few thoughts on the subject in today's post, "Awful Inspiration: War on the Page." http://algonquinredux.com/awful-inspi...
August 3, 2016
What an honor!
I'm honored and thrilled to announce that WHAT DOESN'T KILL HER has won the 2016 Nancy Pearl Book Award for Best Fiction. Huge thanks to the PNWA (Pacific Northwest Writers Association) and to all the judges!
July 6, 2016
Wading into the Debate
It’s controversial, and some of you are going to be mad, but at the risk of offending sensibilities I feel compelled to take a stand on that age-old debate: dogs or cats?
Now, I love them both—don’t get me wrong—but when it comes to storytelling, dogs make worthier subjects. Forgive me cat lovers. This isn’t to say that cats aren’t fascinating in real life. Cats are softer, and I might even argue that kittens are cuter than puppies. But on the page, dogs rule.
Readers, come on, you’re with me, right? All kids love stories about dogs like Lassie, and we never really outgrow our affection for dogs as characters. Consider classic novels like Call of the Wild, by Jack London, and contemporary bestsellers like Suspect, by Robert Crais. Who didn’t love Marley and Me? And what about The Art of Racing in the Rain?
Can you imagine those stories with cats instead of dogs? No, I thought not.
The truth is that we can relate to dogs more, partly because they convey emotion in ways that cats cannot. Dogs smile. You know it’s true. Sure, some of you will accuse me of anthropomorphizing, but who hasn’t looked into a dog’s eyes and seen joy, or compassion, or pain?
**for more, please visit:
http://algonquinredux.com/wading-into...
Now, I love them both—don’t get me wrong—but when it comes to storytelling, dogs make worthier subjects. Forgive me cat lovers. This isn’t to say that cats aren’t fascinating in real life. Cats are softer, and I might even argue that kittens are cuter than puppies. But on the page, dogs rule.
Readers, come on, you’re with me, right? All kids love stories about dogs like Lassie, and we never really outgrow our affection for dogs as characters. Consider classic novels like Call of the Wild, by Jack London, and contemporary bestsellers like Suspect, by Robert Crais. Who didn’t love Marley and Me? And what about The Art of Racing in the Rain?
Can you imagine those stories with cats instead of dogs? No, I thought not.
The truth is that we can relate to dogs more, partly because they convey emotion in ways that cats cannot. Dogs smile. You know it’s true. Sure, some of you will accuse me of anthropomorphizing, but who hasn’t looked into a dog’s eyes and seen joy, or compassion, or pain?
**for more, please visit:
http://algonquinredux.com/wading-into...
June 6, 2016
Book Clubs: Love 'em or Hate 'em?
Sometimes I finish a book aching to talk about it. You know what I mean: The story has burrowed under your skin, the ideas keep ticking in your head, and you just can’t let it go.
At times like these, rather than latch onto strangers on the street or corner them in elevators, it’s nice to belong to a book club.
One friend of mine had a book club that left me envious. Not only did their reading list include literary masterpieces, but they had a smart approach to every session: The person who had selected the book started the meeting with a brief presentation, including the author’s biography.
Unfortunately, this particular friend lived over 70 miles away, so it was tough for me to try to muscle my way into her group.
My sister belonged to a book club for years that developed a unique method. When too many in their busy circle had trouble finishing a long novel, they decided to stick to short books of not more than 250 pages. They called themselves “The Very Little Book Club,” which always made me smile.
Because of their small numbers, they were able to pull off an unusual method of book selection, too. They took turns, and whoever decided on the title bought a copy for each member of the group. (Some of the selections, as you might imagine, were not exactly top sellers; others were lucky finds on the remainders table at the local bookstore.)
One selection, The Sweet Potato Queens’ Book of Love, by Jill Conner Browne (213 pages), inspired them to add extra flair to that month’s meeting: They prepared Southern dishes from recipes in the book and dressed in Sweet Potato Queen attire, including wigs. Now that’s a book club to love.
Still, discussing a book with a group can get a little dicey. Opinions differ. More than this, one person’s assessment of a book can easily tip from subjective interpretation into the realm of absolute “truth.”
Okay, I confess I’ve been guilty of this once or twice.
***
To read the rest of this post, please click the "blog" tab on my website, CarlaNorton.com, or go to http://algonquinredux.com/book-clubs-... Thank you!
At times like these, rather than latch onto strangers on the street or corner them in elevators, it’s nice to belong to a book club.
One friend of mine had a book club that left me envious. Not only did their reading list include literary masterpieces, but they had a smart approach to every session: The person who had selected the book started the meeting with a brief presentation, including the author’s biography.
Unfortunately, this particular friend lived over 70 miles away, so it was tough for me to try to muscle my way into her group.
My sister belonged to a book club for years that developed a unique method. When too many in their busy circle had trouble finishing a long novel, they decided to stick to short books of not more than 250 pages. They called themselves “The Very Little Book Club,” which always made me smile.
Because of their small numbers, they were able to pull off an unusual method of book selection, too. They took turns, and whoever decided on the title bought a copy for each member of the group. (Some of the selections, as you might imagine, were not exactly top sellers; others were lucky finds on the remainders table at the local bookstore.)
One selection, The Sweet Potato Queens’ Book of Love, by Jill Conner Browne (213 pages), inspired them to add extra flair to that month’s meeting: They prepared Southern dishes from recipes in the book and dressed in Sweet Potato Queen attire, including wigs. Now that’s a book club to love.
Still, discussing a book with a group can get a little dicey. Opinions differ. More than this, one person’s assessment of a book can easily tip from subjective interpretation into the realm of absolute “truth.”
Okay, I confess I’ve been guilty of this once or twice.
***
To read the rest of this post, please click the "blog" tab on my website, CarlaNorton.com, or go to http://algonquinredux.com/book-clubs-... Thank you!
May 6, 2016
Writing from Here to There
Most of us love the fact that books can take us out of our ordinary lives and transport us to distant lands. But how does an author create a story that can do that?
Many novelists root their stories in places they’ve once lived. Barbara Kingsolver, for instance, spent part of her childhood in the Congo, which lends verisimilitude to her terrific novel, The Poisonwood Bible. And while The Stockholm Octavo is set in the 18th Century, the novel was doubtless inspired by the nine years author Karen Engelmann lived in Sweden.
“Write what you know,” writers are told. But what if you’ve lived only in one place, and you find your hometown of minimal literary interest? Living in the Southwest may not inspire dreams of becoming the next Tony Hillerman. And while Jane Smiley set A Thousand Acres in Iowa, your novel might demand a quite different setting.
So, if something lies far beyond your experience, you’ve got to put some extra effort into creating scenes. If you’re writing a political thriller, for instance, you may want to visit Washington, D.C. If you’re writing a courtroom drama, sit in on a trial. You get the idea.
...
You can find the rest of this short piece via this link: http://algonquinredux.com/writing-fro...
Many novelists root their stories in places they’ve once lived. Barbara Kingsolver, for instance, spent part of her childhood in the Congo, which lends verisimilitude to her terrific novel, The Poisonwood Bible. And while The Stockholm Octavo is set in the 18th Century, the novel was doubtless inspired by the nine years author Karen Engelmann lived in Sweden.
“Write what you know,” writers are told. But what if you’ve lived only in one place, and you find your hometown of minimal literary interest? Living in the Southwest may not inspire dreams of becoming the next Tony Hillerman. And while Jane Smiley set A Thousand Acres in Iowa, your novel might demand a quite different setting.
So, if something lies far beyond your experience, you’ve got to put some extra effort into creating scenes. If you’re writing a political thriller, for instance, you may want to visit Washington, D.C. If you’re writing a courtroom drama, sit in on a trial. You get the idea.
...
You can find the rest of this short piece via this link: http://algonquinredux.com/writing-fro...
April 6, 2016
Travel on the Horizon
If you love to travel and love to write, you can simply weave together these two urges to create the ideal occupation, right? It makes perfect sense… or so I thought when I first landed in Thailand. My writing implements were at hand and my senses were primed. I would absorb it all, craft pages of sparkling prose, and my imagined career as a travel writer would be underway.
By day two, however, I’d yet to write a single useable paragraph. And by the next afternoon, I’d utterly succumbed to the sweet seductions of the tropics. The eye-popping scenery, the extraordinary food, the lovely people, and the fascinating temples made any sort of work seem preposterous. I’d worked hard for this vacation. Why spoil it?
Some may scoff at my laziness, but others will nod their heads, thinking, “Been there.”
The truth is that travel writing isn’t as easy—or as lucrative—as we might like to believe. Plenty of travel bloggers do the work for free. And only a talented few can hope to sell articles to publishers such as Travel + Leisure or airline magazines. (Photographers, you know what I’m talking about.)
*To read the rest of this month's post, please visit:
http://algonquinredux.com/author/carl...
And feel free to comment. Thank you!
By day two, however, I’d yet to write a single useable paragraph. And by the next afternoon, I’d utterly succumbed to the sweet seductions of the tropics. The eye-popping scenery, the extraordinary food, the lovely people, and the fascinating temples made any sort of work seem preposterous. I’d worked hard for this vacation. Why spoil it?
Some may scoff at my laziness, but others will nod their heads, thinking, “Been there.”
The truth is that travel writing isn’t as easy—or as lucrative—as we might like to believe. Plenty of travel bloggers do the work for free. And only a talented few can hope to sell articles to publishers such as Travel + Leisure or airline magazines. (Photographers, you know what I’m talking about.)
*To read the rest of this month's post, please visit:
http://algonquinredux.com/author/carl...
And feel free to comment. Thank you!
March 10, 2016
The Flip Side of Profiling: Coercion & the Captive Mind
The Strand Magazine asked me to write an article about Stockholm syndrome and it was posted today! Here's a taste:
THE FLIP SIDE OF PROFILING: COERCION & THE CAPTIVE MIND
Years ago, I wrote a true account of an astonishing crime that gave me nightmares: Twenty-year-old Colleen Stan was kidnapped at knifepoint, locked in a coffin-sized box, and held captive for over seven years. She was subjected to unthinkable deprivation and abuse.
She finally escaped, but at her kidnapper’s trial, the defense attorney startled everyone by portraying this captor/captive “relationship” as consensual. Indeed, the victim had failed to seize multiple opportunities to escape. Why?
You’re probably thinking “Stockholm syndrome,” but the term was so poorly understood in those days that journalists actually wagered over whether this sadistic kidnapper would be set free. Luckily, the jury also heard the testimony of expert witnesses who explained Stockholm syndrome as existing on a spectrum of mental coercion, or “brainwashing.”
Thus began my lifelong obsession with a niche of forensic psychology that is essentially the flip side of profiling, looking not at perpetrators, but victims.
Here’s a bit of background: The term Stockholm syndrome was coined by a Swedish criminologist in 1973 after a team of bank robbers locked hostages in a vault for six days. Some of the captives later expressed affection and sympathy for their captors. This seemingly counterintuitive response is a survival mechanism that has since been seen in so many cases—plane hijackings, prison riots, POWs—that hostage negotiators are trained to anticipate it.
...
If you'd like to read the whole article, here's the link: https://www.strandmag.com/the-flip-si...
THE FLIP SIDE OF PROFILING: COERCION & THE CAPTIVE MIND
Years ago, I wrote a true account of an astonishing crime that gave me nightmares: Twenty-year-old Colleen Stan was kidnapped at knifepoint, locked in a coffin-sized box, and held captive for over seven years. She was subjected to unthinkable deprivation and abuse.
She finally escaped, but at her kidnapper’s trial, the defense attorney startled everyone by portraying this captor/captive “relationship” as consensual. Indeed, the victim had failed to seize multiple opportunities to escape. Why?
You’re probably thinking “Stockholm syndrome,” but the term was so poorly understood in those days that journalists actually wagered over whether this sadistic kidnapper would be set free. Luckily, the jury also heard the testimony of expert witnesses who explained Stockholm syndrome as existing on a spectrum of mental coercion, or “brainwashing.”
Thus began my lifelong obsession with a niche of forensic psychology that is essentially the flip side of profiling, looking not at perpetrators, but victims.
Here’s a bit of background: The term Stockholm syndrome was coined by a Swedish criminologist in 1973 after a team of bank robbers locked hostages in a vault for six days. Some of the captives later expressed affection and sympathy for their captors. This seemingly counterintuitive response is a survival mechanism that has since been seen in so many cases—plane hijackings, prison riots, POWs—that hostage negotiators are trained to anticipate it.
...
If you'd like to read the whole article, here's the link: https://www.strandmag.com/the-flip-si...
March 6, 2016
The Writing Life: FAQs
I'm sharing a few insights and writing tips today via AlgonquinRedux.com. Here's a taste:
I get a kick out of talking with interested readers and aspiring writers, and the past few weeks have been jam-packed with presentations at various events: a book festival, a crime writers’ conference, and an annual assembly of state librarians. For me, one of the highlights comes toward the end of the hour when the floor is open for questions.
Since not everyone can make the time or afford the cost of a conference, I’d like to share a selection of frequently asked questions and attempt to provide a few answers.
Q: What is your writing routine?
A: Everyone has an individual routine, but discipline is the key. I prefer to write in the morning, but plenty of writers opt for afternoons or a few stolen hours before bed. Some writers set specific production goals, such as writing, say, a thousand words, or five pages, or three hours. Others rebel at setting goals.
I remember that one famous writer used to keep rotten apples in his desk because he believed the aroma stimulated his imagination. Freud found cocaine effective. Plenty of people smoke or drink, and Churchill apparently consumed quantities of alcohol each evening, then sat down to write with an after-dinner cigar. Caffeine is my personal drug of choice, but I enjoy quoting Hemingway, who advised: “Write drunk; edit sober.”
You can find the rest of this short piece via this link: http://algonquinredux.com/the-writing...
I'd love to hear your thoughts!
I get a kick out of talking with interested readers and aspiring writers, and the past few weeks have been jam-packed with presentations at various events: a book festival, a crime writers’ conference, and an annual assembly of state librarians. For me, one of the highlights comes toward the end of the hour when the floor is open for questions.
Since not everyone can make the time or afford the cost of a conference, I’d like to share a selection of frequently asked questions and attempt to provide a few answers.
Q: What is your writing routine?
A: Everyone has an individual routine, but discipline is the key. I prefer to write in the morning, but plenty of writers opt for afternoons or a few stolen hours before bed. Some writers set specific production goals, such as writing, say, a thousand words, or five pages, or three hours. Others rebel at setting goals.
I remember that one famous writer used to keep rotten apples in his desk because he believed the aroma stimulated his imagination. Freud found cocaine effective. Plenty of people smoke or drink, and Churchill apparently consumed quantities of alcohol each evening, then sat down to write with an after-dinner cigar. Caffeine is my personal drug of choice, but I enjoy quoting Hemingway, who advised: “Write drunk; edit sober.”
You can find the rest of this short piece via this link: http://algonquinredux.com/the-writing...
I'd love to hear your thoughts!
February 3, 2016
coming events & a special note
Hi there! I've written both fiction and nonfiction, which gives me a chance to meet all kinds of readers. Please scroll down for coming events, plus info about my fundraising campaign for kidnapping survivor Colleen Stan.
2/20 Amelia Island Book Festival, Author Expo/Reader Extravaganza, “Hitchcock-like Suspense,” 3:00 p.m., Amelia Island, FL
2/25-28 Left Coast Crime, The Great Cactus Caper Mystery Conference, “From Fact to Fiction, Journalists Writing Mysteries,” Sat. 11:00 a.m., Phoenix, AZ
3/2 Florida Library Association Annual Conference, “Mystery Writers Breakfast,” 7:30-9:30, and “Mystery Writers Panel,” 10:30-12:00, Daytona Beach, FL
* Besides signing novels, I’ll be giving away as many free copies of Perfect Victim as I can in order to promote the crowdfunding campaign I’ve launched for kidnapping survivor Colleen Stan. With each book, I’ll ask for a donation via the GoFundMe.com campaign, titled “Help Colleen Raise Her Grandson.” (Huge thanks to all generous souls who join me in lending her a helping hand!)
Here’s the link: https://www.gofundme.com/pq9tms84
P.S. I had a wonderful time visiting Goddard College in January. I gave a reading from What Doesn’t Kill Her, and the next day led a workshop on “The Arc of the Novel.” It was a treat to return to Goddard’s Vermont campus, where I received my MFA degree in 2009, and I was thrilled to see many of my favorite faculty members. (I love that place!)
2/20 Amelia Island Book Festival, Author Expo/Reader Extravaganza, “Hitchcock-like Suspense,” 3:00 p.m., Amelia Island, FL
2/25-28 Left Coast Crime, The Great Cactus Caper Mystery Conference, “From Fact to Fiction, Journalists Writing Mysteries,” Sat. 11:00 a.m., Phoenix, AZ
3/2 Florida Library Association Annual Conference, “Mystery Writers Breakfast,” 7:30-9:30, and “Mystery Writers Panel,” 10:30-12:00, Daytona Beach, FL
* Besides signing novels, I’ll be giving away as many free copies of Perfect Victim as I can in order to promote the crowdfunding campaign I’ve launched for kidnapping survivor Colleen Stan. With each book, I’ll ask for a donation via the GoFundMe.com campaign, titled “Help Colleen Raise Her Grandson.” (Huge thanks to all generous souls who join me in lending her a helping hand!)
Here’s the link: https://www.gofundme.com/pq9tms84
P.S. I had a wonderful time visiting Goddard College in January. I gave a reading from What Doesn’t Kill Her, and the next day led a workshop on “The Arc of the Novel.” It was a treat to return to Goddard’s Vermont campus, where I received my MFA degree in 2009, and I was thrilled to see many of my favorite faculty members. (I love that place!)
January 6, 2016
"MFA? Yes, please, but hold the kale"
Hello Everyone,
As you may know, I blog monthly for AlgonquinRedux.com, and you can find my latest here:
http://algonquinredux.com/mfa-yes-ple...
You can also find the link by clicking the "Blog" tab at CarlaNorton.com.
Now, I've got pack. I'm heading up to c-c-cold Vermont!
Carla
As you may know, I blog monthly for AlgonquinRedux.com, and you can find my latest here:
http://algonquinredux.com/mfa-yes-ple...
You can also find the link by clicking the "Blog" tab at CarlaNorton.com.
Now, I've got pack. I'm heading up to c-c-cold Vermont!
Carla
