Down a dark road

I ask myself what is the value of a book today– that a company like Barnes and Noble claims to have sold fewer devices for digital content for the last year than expected. Meanwhile, it’s retail store sales are sinking. This leads me to believe that altering sales strategies isn’t going to boost results and they were better off not making as many revisions. But then again, I am not an Economist and I come from the Old World, morphing into sadness every time I come across a bookstore closing. I find great pleasure in reading and being in a bookstore ranks as one of the finest places to be. But now all I have are memories. 

In the past, I have written about book signings I attended but here some literary moments worth mentioning. In Frankfurt, I heard and met the wonderful Mexican writer and poet, Octavio Paz, who had just won the Nobel Prize for Literature, as he talked about the aftermath of communism. In Berlin I met American author and feminist Barbara Ehrenrich who discussed the mid-life crisis. In New York I met author Amy Tan who spoke of being the daughter of immigrants– something I could identify with. In Pasadena, I came across the talented Lisa See, the dynamic Dexter Scott King and activist Christopher Kennedy Lawford.
I should add that these signings were not held at Barnes & Noble. During my eight years in the desert I have only attended two book signings; one held at the Main Public Library and the other at UNLV. However, a month ago on a Sunday afternoon, I headed to my local Barnes & Noble store. A line had formed outside, I found out that Tattoo artist Kat Von D, was signing copies of her book. My mind went on red alert– does she write? Do tattoos fall into the category of non-fiction, I wondered.  Personally, I associate them with tribal rituals, as a form of initiation, a vibrational energy from the first chakra;  a force that says who you are because you belong to the clan.  In my opinion it sends out another message- since our culture has no form of initiations people make up their own to try to feel safe in the world. I can’t understand why people don’t use music or buy canvases to express themselves, why they allow another to use their skin as a drawing board.  Now back to Kat; I remember her causing a split in a marriage… I don’t associate her as an author.  If this is a reflection of the changing tide, then clearly, I am not suited for it. Does Barnes & Noble consider their demographics? Who buys more books, I ask: kids under 25 or women like me, who frequent bookstores and are willing to invest in hard-cover?
The bookseller claims they have been under pressure from Amazon and Apple Inc. Perhaps their diminished revenue comes from making poor choices and by trying to cater to a younger audience through e-readers they may be cutting themselves off from a book reading public. I’ll end with a quote from English writer, Ian McEwan: “When women stop reading, the novel will be dead.”

Check-Mate

                   

One of the pleasures of reading biographies is getting insights into characters, whether we can identify with them or not. While away from my desk I read British author and historian Alison Weir’s biography of the six wives of Henry VIII— a colorful composite of history with amazing stories. I feel as though I’ve hit the mother lode of characterization. Each woman is unique and complex. There was so much information that I thought it would be fun to come up with a Queen Wife characterization list that anyone can use for their own writing.


Hear Ye Hear Ye:
First there was Catherine of Aragon who had the virtues of being intelligent and brave, but she was also intransigent. She was Henry’s devoted for wife for 24 years. But after a point she should have entered a nunnery and everyone would have been happier. Henry cast her aside when she didn’t provide an heir. Don’t you know people who are so sure they are right that they are willing to destroy all around them? Are they fueled by virtue or by false pride?


And then there’s Anne Boleyn, who was charming, seductive, and had the King’s passion and attention. But she also had a bad temper and when she began to panic about her relationship with the King, she behaved so outrageously that she pushed him away. If she could have stopped angering the King, she might have lived longer. Fear influences and changes a person’s behavior. Don’t you know people who undercut their relationships with others because of something they do?


Jane Seymour was a docile and devoted wife. King Henry said he loved her best of all his wives. She gave Henry his heir. But she was lonely because she would only associate with people of her stature. Don’t you know people who seem to have it all, but are really lonely on the inside? How does a person suffer with isolation when they cut themselves off believing they are better than everyone else?


Then there was Anne of Cleves, whose misfortune it was to be plain. She suffered an unbelievable insult when Henry put her away. Poor thing, but somehow with her compliance to accept her fate she wound up happiest of the wives. She found the secret to contentment. And the property and funds she acquired most likely helped. Had she lived today she could have written a best-seller. How do your characters search for happiness?


Fifth, and most tragic, was Catherine Howard, whose biggest problem was that she was young, naïve and committed adultery. Her tenure as Queen was short-lived. Learning about Catherine Howard gives a taste for the wild, and being out of control. Don't you know someone who is headed for disaster and there’s not a thing you can do?


And finally the sixth and final wife, Catherine Parr, who had the most modern feel to her because she knew what was going on and used it to her advantage. She became nursemaid to the fat and aging Henry. She was the least likeable character because she seemed so calculating, but I suppose anyone marrying a man who had two of his wives executed, would be cautious. How far will your characters go to get what they want?


What do you think? Any of the queenly wives remind you of either people you know that you can spin into a character? Or a character you have used in a story?

His bambina

My father was the rock of our family. Even though he was a talented businessman, he never stopped trying to do more, be more and extend his capacities. 

He was always looking to create the next opportunity, always looking for the next step up.

We were all so proud of him. His drive and determination rubbed off on his children.

He never got the chance to retire, because he died young. But his zest for life throughout his short time on earth was to work hard and play hard. He pampered himself every other year with a new car, custom-made Italian suits and owned a Patek Philippe watch. His idea of casual was a cashmere sweater. He found pleasure in entertaining and being with his family. Although if anyone were to ask my mother she would say his greatest excitement came from work and achievement. He cultivated a love of music- in particular dance, and a love of all things Italian and spoke it fluently. He also liked the spring and summer which for him meant swimming, fishing, baseball and his male bonding time included playing poker while drinking Hennessy Cognac. Although he was not the type to come to Las Vegas, he would have preferred Monte Carlo.

There was something in him that was young and fun. But all of that is now behind him. His entire future collapsed when he got ill and he was sick for a very long time.

After he died, I realized that I wish I would have spent more time with him — time, something I had all but taken for granted because I was young.

Time.

Why hadn’t I gone fishing with him more than a handful of times, and why didn’t I go to visit him more often? I always thought I would have plenty of time.

Even so, there was nowhere near enough time.

Time is suppose to blur the hurt but it can't blur memories. I remember him whenever I do something that is resourceful, or when I challenge the authorities and win or when my mind conjures up something creative and ingenious that hasn't been done before. At those times, I tell myself I am his daughter. When I watch my brother speak directly and firmly without raising his voice to get his message across and others acquiesce, I see my father. When I watch my one nephew determined to win his rowing race while others slump from exhaustion, I see my father. And when my younger nephew says something witty beyond his years and all the girls circle around him, I also see my father.

No I didn't have enough time with him, but his spirit lives on, within me and around me.

What about you, do you remember your Dad on Father's Day or throughout the year? Would you like to share a story?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y04seHfYLAA&list=PL99CC46FE7D8902F3

Is it worth the effort?

Summer

 

This will be my last installment on blogging. It's been a cruel summer in Las Vegas and with so many things going on in my life, and in a writing mode, I haven't been posting as often. But I will say this, blogging is like anything else, you have to love it to do it. There are many reasons to blog as there are bloggers, but here's my take on whether or not a writer should start a blog:

I can attest that blogging can be work, even if you only post once a week. Many bloggers say there is the constant nag running through their brain about what to write next. Then there is the writing itself, that often needs to be polished. Blogging is time-consuming, and takes away from your other writing tasks. It's why many writers when working on a book or project choose not to post. And you have to consider whether you have a topic worth blogging about. It is highly unlikely that you will develop a following if you only post random musings once in a while. Most successful blogs carve out a niche that is sustained by regular posts and is broad enough to support posting, without repetition, thus gaining a well-defined audience. And within a couple of years it's possible that there seems to be a conversation going on, especially if your passion shines through in your topic and voice.

For a writer, blogging is essential to build a platform. Blogging can make your writing visible to the world when you have a readership, but they must be responsive. Developing a readership is often like pulling teeth, you're begging for comments and often readers won't take action. They'll read the post, and move on to something else.

Writing a blog can also help you to identify your audience and their concerns. But wouldn't you rather hear critical or thought-provoking comments that silence? I know I would. Blogging can become a way of vetting the soundness of your ideas, and of finding new avenues you hadn't thought of exploring. Also, writing regularly will assist you in developing your voice. And it can take years before you get comfortable and settle into a voice that marks your blog.

So, do you have a specific subject to blog about? Are you ready to start writing weekly posts on a variety of issues within your chosen topic? Can you envision not just one or two posts on your subject, but many of them? If so, then you may be ready to start a blog.

I use Google's Blogger for teaching purposes and my primary platform is Word Press that is connected to my website. Word Press tends to be somewhat prettier for photo-concentrated blogs; while Blogger has a more seamless integration with Amazon. There are many considerations involved in choosing to blog or not but if you do decide to start a blog, good luck and shoot me your link!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPNhV1gF008

A Balancing Act

Millions of people have blogs. Only a fraction of them do it well enough to achieve real benefit, in terms of income, visibility, or sheer entertainment. It's a balancing act. I'm going to point out three areas for you to consider before you join the band of bloggers. While it's simple to start a blog, it takes vigilance and skill to do it really well, as is true of any kind of writing. Here are some things to keep in mind. 

 

Comments

Blogging can be a lonely business but when I hear from my readers the act of writing and posting becomes interactive, exciting and social. I really do love your comments! They make this all worthwhile. I try to respond to each one. Anti-spam programs including Askimet protect my comment form, so sometimes a real comment will make its way to a spam or moderation folder. I don’t moderate comments other than to make sure they’re not smut or spam. If you’re reading this I hope I’ve encouraged you to drop me a line or two. I’d love to hear from you.

Keep in Touch

If you like my blog I hope you will consider subscribing. I keep two blogs; one is simply an example for teaching purposes: Echo Between Us, on Blogger. My real blog is connected to my website: www.lindalaroche.com/blog and I use Word Press. There is a simple way to subscribe; just click on the right orange logo to the left of The Quill. You’ll receive an e-mail with each new post. I’m also active on Twitter https://twitter.com/lindalaroche07 and to a lesser extent Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lindalaroche07.

Disclosures

As the author of How to Write Short Stories to be Proud Of, I occassionally have a sale. Most bloggers profit from advertising or sponsorship from other companies. However, in both cases, it's peanuts. When a blog makes a bit of money it helps pay for web hosting and other fees associated with running the blog, but I've yet to put topple over from the imbalance of fat pockets, so my blog posts and time are currently uncompensated. I very much hope my readers will click on the Buy Now button on the right and consider purchasing my Ebook. 

 

I believe in full disclosure, so if someone wants to sponsor an article I will consider it and specifically mention it in a post. Whether a post is sponsored or not, as the Editor In Chief of the Quill, I only write about the things I love, things that I think about, that stir something inside me, or writing tips that have worked for me, to share with you. Writing, expression and sharing are my passion. When I see students forming little clusters talking about what they are doing and what they have learned, it makes my heart sing. My aim is to be honest yet positive. What I remark as good writing or needing improvement in a class or on my blog is subjective and I cannot guarantee that you will feel the same way. Whether you agree or disagree with me, please voice your opinion. I enjoy hearing from you!