fine points

The fine points of a polish…..how many French words to use? Are the names of the two main characters–these taken from history–too close: Louis and Louise? Use her first name? Francoise? But in history, she is known as Louise de la Valliere. Does it matter? Who knows? Who cares?
The clipping back of characters–who to leave [...]

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memory through

Notes from the journal……….fictional world: a unique landscape for the reader to enter…….short story: one incident or revelation…..novel: needs overarching story, deep and big enough to encompass ongoing development over time of related characters and themes
An exercise from a workshop/list of words describing childhood:
pine cones and saffron….red dirt and cotton plants….crushed crepe myrtle pods and [...]

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next

I wrote precious words for any novelist last week…..the end. My novel about Louis XIV is essentially finished. I must clean up the manuscript, shape up some character and plot lines, and send it to my agent. What happens next?
Once it leaves my hands, there is my agent’s reaction. Will she consider it ready to [...]

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this life anyway

listening to moby as i take down christmas a song’s lyrics vibrate inside me at least we were together holding hands flying through the sky he sings i remember one of the only dreams about my father long gone stern and remote we were flying through the sky holding hands under us pyramids even then [...]

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