welcome

[Kyle]

welcome to all new members! this group is still in developing stages, so suggest away. i just wanted to have a place where we could have focused discussions on these two interesting sub-genres (or slices) of literature.

also thought the bookshelf might be an interesting resource of debut novels and memoirs. i have added about 50 examples. if anyone notices a book that doesn't belong (not a debut novel or memoir) please speak up!

and, of course, i'm looking for suggestions on adding to the bookshelf....there must be thousands to go (of memoirs that is).

as far as debut novels, well, by definition, there are as many as there are novelists!! which will make it interesting to see which ones our bookshelf ends up holding (we can vote some off the bookshelf or on the bookshelf like a reality show if we'd like--could be fun).

i am particularly interested in two things: the genre of the memoir in general (and so I'd like to read as many good ones as i can); and

first novels as opportunities to experience authors at their very earliest, developing stages, often authors whom we had first come to know from work produced later in their lives. this window into their writing "youth" shows them at their most "raw", least experienced, and, often, most honest, and gives us a look at writing into which they probably put the most of themselves, the most blood sweat and tears compared to their later work--not always--but often.

otherwise, let's have fun! and enjoy appreciation of writer's first efforts or self-reflections or both (often both because memoirs tend to be debut literature as we all know..write about what you know, right?!!)

welcome!

kyle

[Jane]

hi Kyle, hi Kelsey - thanks for the invite.

[Michael]

The REAL Miami Vice!

I worked a detective and as a supervisor on the City of Miami Police Department for twenty-two years; thirteen of which were spent as an undercover detective in the REAL Miami Vice where I worked everything from Narcotics & Vice, Prostitution, Gambling and Pornography, to Dignitary Protection of President Jose Napoleon Duarte (of El Salvador) and Pope John Paul II.


My new book, REFLECTIONS FROM THE PIT, pulls no punches: it shows you the good, the bad and the ugly; the dark side of police work, both the humor and the tragedy. When you are done reading it, hopefully, you’ll say to yourself: “I never knew people, much less cops, like this ever existed.”

Michael Berish
Author of REFLECTIONS FROM THE PIT.
www.realmiamivice.com

[Ilyn]

Dear Friends,

May you and your loved ones have a safe, joyous holiday season and a blessed 2009. May all your Christmas and New Year wishes come true.

[Janice]

I am so glad to be here in this group! I'm working on the sixteenth edit of my memoir. I'm so fortunate to have an agent who has acted as mentor these past two years. Would love to share.

Sweet holidays to all!
Janice

My blogs are - http://www.wordslut.typepad.com and http://www.janicevcolman.blogspot.com. And there are others. I'm obsessed (which is not a bad thing).

[Jen]

Thank you. I finally published Musical Chairs after six years. I really put my everything into that book. So, thanks for this opportunity to plug. (Janice, I've seen your blog. Love it.)

[Emily]

Hi! I'm new here and looking forward to this group!!!