Nobel Prize-winning poet and playwright Derek Walcot was quoted on The Writer's Almanac this morning: "For every poet it is always morning in the world. History a forgotten, insomniac night; History and elemental awe are always our early beginning, because the fate of poetry is to fall in love with the world, in spite of History."
Tonight at 12:01, I will enter my first-ever novel contest.
Good morning Garnette: I just read a lovely essay in the January 17th New Yorker and I thought of you and how grateful I am that I took your LLI class and stuck with you and the group. When I retired in 1997 one of my biggest ambitions was to write about my life, but it took a decade and your class to get me rolling, and keep rolling. So I just wanted to say that.
ReplyDeleteIf you can get hold of the January 17th issue (hospitalized spidermen on the cover) read the "Personal History" piece, "The Lamb Roast" by Gabrielle Hamilton. It is just such a perfect example, at least I think so, of a relatively short memoir that says so very much. And one more example, as well, of someone who needed to be a very resilient child.
I should be packing for Tobago, leaving in a week, and cleaning up the house, but I cooked a small leg of lamb last night, a rare event for me, and so my eye was drawn to the heading and I took time off to read, and am so glad I did. It was minus 10 degrees here last night and I'm happy for my trusty wood stove, and shiver to think what it must have been up there in Andes and hope you are keeping warm. with love, Judy
Dear Judy, your kind note warms my heart, thank you. And perfect timing too. I've been paying attention to the prompt assignments we share so beautifully. I am continually amazed at the variety of responses to the same phrase. And the deepening abilities to capture and write our memories. As you know, I do believe that just writing, just sitting down and doing it, and consistently, does hone clear and meaningful ability. But to see it in action with a diverse group, my heart is overwhelmed with gratitude. I know it works because I saw myself develop over the years.
And another good reason your note means so much to me today revolves around this publishing goal I set for the year. There's a contest for novels I've been sedulously aiming for, deadline begins tonight at 12:01. Yesterday afternoon I checked off the last step -- and then discovered I would have to cut out the first two chapters. An excerpt of 5000 words, as well as the whole manuscript, is required. I picked the best 5000 but they were in Chapter 3 - and I am sure that's a right selection.
The rules are the 5000 must be the first 5000.
However, the first two chapters introduce everything. And the whole novel is based on twelve Biblical verses. It's really a funny situation. I will work through it, that's one of the publishing tasks, to cut tender to the bone. Hence, your Lamb Roast.
I am warm, plenty of fleece, down, and opera. The sky is blue, it's snowing, good day to exult in my novel. Love, Garnette