Cheryl Snell's Blog, page 61
August 6, 2010
Reader Review
I found this comment about Shiva's Arms today in the online Barnes & Noble. Thanks, Anonymous. You rock!
"Some novels pull you in with the first sentence. Cheryl Snell's debut novel, Shiva's Arms, does just that as she takes the reader across oceans, decades, and cultural transformations reflected in the characters: Ramesh, a Hindu scholar, his American wife Alice, and Amma, a traditional matriarch named for the god of Creation and Destruction. Amma struggles with the culture clash her son has...
"Some novels pull you in with the first sentence. Cheryl Snell's debut novel, Shiva's Arms, does just that as she takes the reader across oceans, decades, and cultural transformations reflected in the characters: Ramesh, a Hindu scholar, his American wife Alice, and Amma, a traditional matriarch named for the god of Creation and Destruction. Amma struggles with the culture clash her son has...
Rejection Letters
Match 'em!
"There certainly isn't enough genuine talent for us to take notice."
A Anne Sexton
B Sylvia Plath
C Lady Gaga
"The girl doesn't, it seems to me, have a special perception or feeling which would lift that book above the 'curiosity' level."
A Bastard Out of Carolina
B A Good Man is Hard to Find
C The Diary of Anne Frank
"…even to an enlightened Freudian…the whole thing is an unsure cross between hideous reality and improbable fantasy... I recommend that it be buried under a stone for a thousa...
"There certainly isn't enough genuine talent for us to take notice."
A Anne Sexton
B Sylvia Plath
C Lady Gaga
"The girl doesn't, it seems to me, have a special perception or feeling which would lift that book above the 'curiosity' level."
A Bastard Out of Carolina
B A Good Man is Hard to Find
C The Diary of Anne Frank
"…even to an enlightened Freudian…the whole thing is an unsure cross between hideous reality and improbable fantasy... I recommend that it be buried under a stone for a thousa...
Free Advice
1)Make characters authentic in their milieu, who will tell the truth with a broader perspective.
2)Use sentiment without sentimentality.
3)Provide readers with an undisturbed fictional dream.
4)Remember that when people tell you something in the writing doesn't work for them, they are almost always right. When they tell you what it is and how to fix it, they are almost always wrong.
5)Remember that autobiographical fiction requires the most invention. Nobody ever wrote a more autobiographical st...
2)Use sentiment without sentimentality.
3)Provide readers with an undisturbed fictional dream.
4)Remember that when people tell you something in the writing doesn't work for them, they are almost always right. When they tell you what it is and how to fix it, they are almost always wrong.
5)Remember that autobiographical fiction requires the most invention. Nobody ever wrote a more autobiographical st...
August 5, 2010
Top Ten List
Top Ten Reasons We ♥ Shiva's Arms
1. Because it takes you to India, where you've always wanted to go.
2. Because if you ever had a mother-in-law, you can relate.
3. Because it's got sex, drugs (ok, meds) and rock n roll.
4. Because it's pretty funny.
5. Because we all need to raise our test scores. Can you say vidama pidingarathu?
6. Because it comes with exotic recipes.
7. Because its author is a multiple Pushcart Prize nominee. And Pushcart almost sounds like Pulitzer.
8. Because the book is so sub...
1. Because it takes you to India, where you've always wanted to go.
2. Because if you ever had a mother-in-law, you can relate.
3. Because it's got sex, drugs (ok, meds) and rock n roll.
4. Because it's pretty funny.
5. Because we all need to raise our test scores. Can you say vidama pidingarathu?
6. Because it comes with exotic recipes.
7. Because its author is a multiple Pushcart Prize nominee. And Pushcart almost sounds like Pulitzer.
8. Because the book is so sub...
Inside the Book Tour
I've been posting links to all my blog tour activity on Facebook, and yesterday I came across a negative review. I dutifully posted it under the heading I SUCK, and got some interesting responses:
No you don't.
Pish. It is a wonderful book--beautifully written.
don't let that one write up bother you if you love it then it is art and thier will always be someone who doesn't agree. I have had several artists try to give me advise on my work telling me it's not quality lmao but I ...
No you don't.
Pish. It is a wonderful book--beautifully written.
don't let that one write up bother you if you love it then it is art and thier will always be someone who doesn't agree. I have had several artists try to give me advise on my work telling me it's not quality lmao but I ...
August 3, 2010
August 2, 2010
Sheila Deeth hosts
The interview, as promised. Let's go over to Sheila's blog and chat, shall we?
August 1, 2010
Shiva's Arms Virtual Book Tour stop
Tomorrow I'm visiting with writer Sheila Deeth. Listen to what she has to say about Shiva's Arms ---
"...It's a great book though, a beautiful cross-cultural story of an American woman married to an Indian man, of the way cultural mistakes complicate emotions, and accident hurts tear people apart. It's a hopeful tale too, of torn threads woven together. And it's a musical tale where the words carry the scents and sights and sounds bringing them to glorious life."
"...It's a great book though, a beautiful cross-cultural story of an American woman married to an Indian man, of the way cultural mistakes complicate emotions, and accident hurts tear people apart. It's a hopeful tale too, of torn threads woven together. And it's a musical tale where the words carry the scents and sights and sounds bringing them to glorious life."
July 31, 2010
Dosa
Last night,I improvised an ersatz dosa that would have made Amma livid. Yes - it breaks that many rules!
Soak 1/2 cup green split peas (we were out of urad dal) and 1 cup of brown rice (we were out of white basmati) for a few hours, drain the mixture, then put it in the blender with onions, dill, curry powder,cumin, and salt. Blend with enough water to make a thick froth and let it ferment overnight right in the blender, with the lid on. In the morning you'll have sourdough pancake batter for ...
Soak 1/2 cup green split peas (we were out of urad dal) and 1 cup of brown rice (we were out of white basmati) for a few hours, drain the mixture, then put it in the blender with onions, dill, curry powder,cumin, and salt. Blend with enough water to make a thick froth and let it ferment overnight right in the blender, with the lid on. In the morning you'll have sourdough pancake batter for ...
