Author Archives: Susan

REVIEWS: The Handbag by Michael Augustin

Posted on February 9, 2008 by Susan

Jumping ahead here a bit because I found this short-short absolutely delightful. Is it a story? Yes. A robber has a certain method of operation to snatch purses. Complication arises in the antagonist of 82 year-old Elisabeth Schroeder. Instead of … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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WRITING: Who knows?

Posted on February 9, 2008 by Susan

Quincy wasn’t just any old frog, he was a champion; fastest jumping, longest leaping bullfrog who none of the other kids’ frogs could beat even if Quincy was having a bad day. That’s why I got so emotional and started … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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REVIEWS: NRR Quickies Catchup

Posted on February 9, 2008 by Susan

Read a bunch; forgot to post on ’em. Blind Fish/Melanie Rae Thon: Sort of free form, not a real story but rather an essay, a parable that is full of symbolism and yet it cannot really be read as story … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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WRITING: Story Starts

Posted on February 9, 2008 by Susan

Sometimes–usually when you’re just not aware of your surroundings, as was the case with Brenda that day–something just a little bit different quirks your routine–like the man with glasses thick as a Mac-Air who jostled her on the subway–and your … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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WRITING: Magical Realism

Posted on February 8, 2008 by Susan

There was no good explanation but it was a clear fact, established by first one then another tentative admittance by the bolder folks in town. The sky on the night Eva Reinhold died was a bright vermillion red. Continue reading →

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WRITING: The Current Conditions

Posted on February 8, 2008 by Susan

Don’t need to repeat the post here, but a very interesting episode involving an important decision made in awarding prizes for literary submissions.  Continue reading →

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WRITING: Contests & Such

Posted on February 8, 2008 by Susan

Was going to post this on the CW course blog but I think it’s more important that it be seen and shared here.  (thanks to Bud at Chekhov’s Mistress for fingering it) Noted author Zadie Smith was to judge the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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REVIEWS: More Non-required Reading Quickies

Posted on February 8, 2008 by Susan

Two good ‘uns; expecially Level by Keith Scribner which has much to teach about metaphor:The Cats in the Prison Recreation Hall/Lydia Davis: Presents the major conflict in the opening line: "the problem was the cats…" to focus the reader then … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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REVIEWS: Quickies

Posted on February 7, 2008 by Susan

How to Set a House on Fire/Stace Budzko: Not a riveting story, more like a weblog post geared towards the sarcastic attempt to be clever Currents/Hannah Bottomy: In a series of "before that(s)" the story works backwords through a disturbing … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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TECHNOLOGY: Desktop Screenshot

Posted on February 7, 2008 by Susan

How things have changed in just the few short weeks since Mac–and yet a lot of these things may have been available in Windows and I just didn’t put the energy into finding them. Aside from taking miserable pictures of … Continue reading →

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REVIEWS: Words

Posted on February 7, 2008 by Susan

By John A. McCaffrey, third person pov, linear narrative with flashbacks recalled by the theme of words.  Opening with a description by a man of his girlfriend’s apartment while she is away picking up a pizza, we realize he is … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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REVIEWS: The Black City

Posted on February 7, 2008 by Susan

By Leonardo Alishan.  First Person POV, psychological realism or stream of consciousness, absolutely soaking wet with symbolism.  It starts off immediately with changing place and space in the first sixteen words:  "I cut my lower lip shaving and I was … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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REVIEWS: Geometry Can Fail Us

Posted on February 7, 2008 by Susan

By Barbara Jacksha, written first person pov, hits the ground running with the immediate situation, filling in a few details as the story moves along in linear timeline. Jacksha gives us the perfect triangle of conflict, a man, his wife, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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REVIEWS: The Mesmerist

Posted on February 7, 2008 by Susan

Third person pov, linear structure, starts right off into the action with Moody on a train noticing a young woman and in his immediate desire for her and empathy for what he guesses is a sadness within her, he hypnotizes … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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TECHNOLOGY: Laptop Aesthetics

Posted on February 7, 2008 by Susan

Yes, I envy the MacPro user for more than the large screen and graphic card.  I knew enough after three years with my Latitude (which still looks great) that the white MacBook was ridiculous and the black was a better … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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