Author Archives: Susan

WRITING: Group Therapy

Posted on August 22, 2008 by Susan

We’ve attempted to rekindle an on-campus writing group that survived for about three years before dwindling down to a dedicated two or three.  There seemed to be a call for it; potential new writers who hadn’t been around when the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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WRITING: More on Verse

Posted on August 17, 2008 by Susan

In setting out a short story into verse, I’m finding obvious places where the story doesn’t suit the form.  Interestingly enough, I noticed–but ignored–this in the story form as a change in voice, where the imagery and beat or rhythm … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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WRITING: Verse

Posted on August 16, 2008 by Susan

Interesting; it struck me that a recent short story was, when read aloud, rather lyrical in sound so I started chopping it up into lines and it works–but it doesn’t fit any proper form.  The best I could call it … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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WRITING: Voice

Posted on August 15, 2008 by Susan

One of writing’s toughest elements for me to grasp is the concept of voice.  It’s been a mountain to climb to develop it, particularly when I didn’t quite understand what it was and how it affected story.  It’s not all … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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WRITING: Waves of Words and Messages

Posted on August 14, 2008 by Susan

What a trip! From the June highs of hypertext and IF to the poetry and old fashioned story I’ve been riding the tide of traditional tale telling to its simplest form.  Perhaps it was the influence of William Gay and … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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REALITY?: Harvest Fare

Posted on August 13, 2008 by Susan

Freshly picked tomato & basil pizza (ready to go into the oven) (It’s rectangle because I can’t find my pizza pan):

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STORIES: Somewhere in Old Europe…

Posted on August 13, 2008 by Susan

…I’ve been led into the lives of an old man and for two days he’s bothered me with a need to tell me things: But as her face came to his mind he shuddered, frowned, and gathered his saliva in … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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STORIES & WRITING: Immortality – Hearing Voices

Posted on August 13, 2008 by Susan

I’ve no idea where this is coming from, but Poe has left me and somehow a Chekov wannabe had moved into his room: As he traveled he realized that birdsong followed, had been following him for a while.  He stopped … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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REALITY?: Seasons Come

Posted on August 12, 2008 by Susan

The neverending cycle of the seasons and this time finds me bottling last year’s wine while watching this year’s fruit for harvest. Unfortunately I marked the corks at ’08 when what I’m supposed to do is mark the year of … Continue reading →

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POETRY: Freedom – Learning Metaphor

Posted on August 12, 2008 by Susan

Freedom A laughing old man drifted past her his mouth widening in a greedy bite of sky she watched a moment before her one jade eye was stolen by a rabbit washing dishes on a hill High above the old … Continue reading →

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WRITING: Fatal Flaws

Posted on August 12, 2008 by Susan

Something was pointed out to me in my most recent writing that just about has me gagging on such an amateurish error.  A simple naming of a character throws off an entire theme by establishing its own. Eve–crabapple–naked–temptress.  All in … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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REALITY?: Funday

Posted on August 12, 2008 by Susan

Today should be a happy day; bottling wine and adding just enough sweetener to bring out the taste of peach and pear.  This naturally requires a lot of tasting to that point and homemade wine is potent. Too bad the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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LITERATURE: Up Next: Ragtime E. L. Doctorow

Posted on August 11, 2008 by Susan

I don’t know why I chose this, but simply by placing Burroughs’ Naked Lunch back on the shelf, I followed the alphabetical arrangement to the next shelf and pulled it out. While I’m not sure I wanted to go quite … Continue reading →

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WRITING: Some Words of Wisdom

Posted on August 11, 2008 by Susan

Got a nice note from Scott Doyle at Lit Scribbler when he wandered onto my site via MetaxuCafe and when I went to check out his own space, I came across something that I really wanted to share. This post … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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WRITING: Taylor-inspired Exercise

Posted on August 11, 2008 by Susan

Never really got into writing exercises outside of writing class and seminar work, but Peter Taylor’s amazing skill at character has inspired me to attempt to study, learn and practice what he does so well. In most of the stories … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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