Friday, September 28, 2012

The Novelist Giveaway


















"Her story makes me think hard about who I am—about who I want to be."

—Laura Boggess

Win The Novelist over at Laura Boggess's place? Winner will be announced on Monday.

More words about The Novelist

"she embarks on a process of discovering herself, the strength of her own center, and the power of both yes and no"

"This book is clever, very clever"

"a masterpiece"

"this work of fiction L.L. pulls off is like nothing I've ever read"

"Such a clever book that highlights some of the tried and true rules of writing fiction and then breaks them all. Wonderfully"

"a stunning, tightly woven delight for the intellect and heart"

"laser-like reflection"

"Barkat reminds us we are not alone"

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Saturday, September 08, 2012

On, In, and Around Mondays: Fictional Seeing

Jewelweed


"I do it on purpose, you know."

That's what I told my friend, when it was observed that I have a Georgia O'Keefe approach to photography.

After I said this, I went back over some of my photos to see if it was true. Do I really do it on purpose? Often, yes. And sometimes it is just that I go through a series of shots, after the fact, until I find the ones that do what I would have done on purpose, had I the mind to do it.

I am reminded, suddenly, of an idea I include in The Novelist, from Mario Vargas Llosa. He said this regarding the construction of fiction, but I think it might apply to all kinds of seeing and composing...

A successful fiction would always contain something inexplicable, something unbound...certain factors [are] crucial to a work—intuition, sensitivity, divination, or the elusive reality of chance. (p.106, The Novelist)

Now it is also true that whether or not I create in a purposeful way, somehow my true self seems to come through not only in the inexplicable and the divination but also in the elusive reality of chance.

Makes me wonder, then. Is Georgia, really, always on my mind?

_____

On, In and Around Mondays (which partly means you can post any day and still add a link) is an invitation to write from where you are. Tell us what is on, in, around (over, under, near, by...) you. Feel free to write any which way... compose a tight poem or just ramble for a few paragraphs. But we should feel a sense of place. Would you like to try? Write something 'in place' and add your link below.

If you could kindly link back here when you post, it will create a central meeting place. :)

On In Around button



This post is also shared with Laura Boggess, for...




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