First Published Story!

My short story "Merle Littel" has been published by the literary journal "Slow Trains". You can read it here.

Look At Me by Jennifer Egan

A tale of two Charlottes, both with identity problems. The first is a model who has a horrific traffic accident, breaking every bone in her face. Reconstructive surgery leaves her attractive, but unrecognizable to her friends and acquaintances. The second Charlotte is the teenage daughter of a friend of the first, cruelly labeled by her friends, and going through a "coming of age" crises. Just about everyone in the novel is having problems of one type or another with who they are.

And that is part of the problem that I had with the novel. It seemed unfocused and rambling. There were a lot of characters and points of view - too many? It was a tiring novel to read, and I had to force myself to finish it.

From a craft perspective, Egan not only alternates between characters, but changes from first person to third person and back, something that is not quite as transparent and seamless as it should be. She starts with Charlotte the model in first person, then introduces Charlotte the teenager in third person, goes back to the model, this time in third person, introduces a confusing array of other characters in third person, and finally gets back to the first person narration of Charlotte the model. Confusing - and tiring.

And there is one character, the mysterious "Z", who is never tied up at the end. I hate dangling plot lines that are never resolved.

Other than that, there is a lot to be absorbed here - it was a finalist for the National Book Award.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

What can I say that hasn't already been said by hundreds of others? I've read them all now, and had a great time doing it. I am amazed at the people who attack these books because they are popular, or because of their content, or criticize the writing. What snobs. Suspend your disbelief, stop being so critical, and enjoy yourself!

I love how creative and inventive the author is. She has created a world that amazes and delights, peopled it with interesting characters, and spun a dramatic and engaging plot with big themes. In the last book of the series she delivers a satisfying ending that avoids the popular non-ending ending and the more popular "obviously there will be a sequel" ending. Bravo.

It is helpful, thought, to look at what I learned from the author about the craft, since my blog is about the craft of writing as well as reading.

• do not use all caps for shouting. This really annoys me.


• do not use stammering when characters are stressed.


• do not use funny accents for foreigners. A little dialect goes a long way.


• spare the adverbs. Too many, used too often, dilute their impact.


• don't wander. Stay focused. Get to the point.

I know the author must be relieved that it is all over. The stress must have been terrific. I hope she takes a long rest...

The Feast of Love by Charles Baxter

A unique, creative, outstanding book. It's a first person, serial protagonist novel. This technique is the same as William Faulkner's "As I Lay Dying". Slightly different here, since there is a narrator, who is writing a novel, and who appears at the beginning and end only. Every other chapter alternates between the other characters, in first person, as they each tell parts of the story.

The title explains it all. The novel examines the love lives of the characters. Not everything goes smoothly, just like real life. It is excellently written, imaginative, and a real pleasure to read.

You Are Not a Stranger Here by Adam Haslett

A collection of short stories, all dealing with either gay issues or people that are mentally disturbed. These should be classified in a couple of new genres: Gay Gothic and Psychotic Gothic. The stories are horrific, sorrowful, dramatic. The writing style is sparse and spare. The style may be the only one that works with subject matter like this. The more horrific the story the more sparse the style is a good rule for writers.

I "enjoyed" only one of the stories: "Notes to my Biographer". The manic excitement of the protagonist (a manic depressive off his medication) was infectious, and sad.

I particularly disliked "Divination", which bordered on maudlin trickery.

A little bit of this subject matter goes a long way. There is a fine line here, that the author risks crossing, and when he does, it turns me off.

Thirteen Ways of Looking at the Novel by Jane Smiley

Jane Smiley is one of my favorite authors. Reading her novels, though, didn't prepare me for the depth of her insight into the novel. As the title suggests, she examines how the novel fits into history, art, morality, psychology, and so forth, all with humor and vision. She also includes two chapters on writing your own novel, as well as an examination of the process of writing one of her own novels. She concludes with opinions of one hundred (and one) novels that she read while writing the book. I highly recommend it.

In America by Susan Sontag

The story of a Polish actress who comes to America, not to be an actress, but to live quietly in a commune-like setting with her entourage of admirers. She discovers she can't stop acting so returns to the stage.

I have to say I didn't care for it very much. Too rambling and unfocused. The "zero" chapter and the last chapter are confusing and unnecessary. What does the protagonist want? Where is her conflict? Other than coping with her life as a actress, where is the story?

And it won the National Book Award...