August 17, 2014 Check-in (A Day Early)

I hope you're doing well.

Fiction reading/creative writing is going well. I went to my book group last night. We read Elizabeth Strout's Olive Kiteridge. Have you read it? We sat out on one of the group member's back decks as the summer sun went down...I didn't budget enough time to read the entire book but managed to read some of the chapters. I wasn't totally prepared for the group, but it didn't matter...there was enough for everyone to talk about...and the important thing was we were together.

We looked out on two mountains and ate chocolate cake (with hints of cinnamon and allspice), cherries, and ice cream. We drank coffee.  We laughed and shared our plans for the fall. The table was thoughtfully set with beautiful place mats and napkins. We talked about aging and relationships. We talked about the nature of reality and hope and finding a place in a community.

Olive, in the book, is a flawed character. She's abrasive, sometimes vindictive, and critical. She is harsh to her very kind husband and tough on her son. And yet, and this is a pivotal yet, there are moments in the book were Olive also unknowingly helps others---lonely widower Jack, her former student, and the anorexic girl come to mind. We talked, too, about how God accomplishes his work (healing, for example) in the most flawed characters---the apostle Paul, Moses (who I thought was just a stutterer but the group reminded me also murdered an Egyptian), Peter, Noah, Jonah, David...

This gathering was inspired by a piece of fiction. That's pretty neat in my book. I remember taking a literary theory class in school and how we spoke about the purpose of art...and one purpose is to act as a catharsis--- it is a vehicle for helping us heal and work through things in own lives or work through universal themes that each of us experiences--- loneliness, aging, death, identity and loss of identity.

I would also like to think that art acts as a social lubricant---it helps bind people together. It helps draw people together as if they were all huddled and gathering warmth around the same fire---and the artwork is that  fire. This carries hints of romanticism---but I don't mean for this to be a sweet notion...

Today, I had writers critique group. I submitted my fifth chapter for the Marjorie novel. I got some really helpful critiques. Things that I didn't catch in my own writing, like my disregard for point of view in the latter part of chapter 5, were pointed out to me. My very smart critique partner also pointed out that radios (which I have a boy listening to in the chapter) weren't really popular in 1907 (when my story is set). I would not have known. What an anachronism. Oopsie daisy. I might as well have put an ipad in the scene. I have to go now to research what exactly boys did in 1907 for recreation---marbles, baseball, lacrosse? Goodness knows...

The chapter uses "astronomy" imagery. It's a novel in free verse, heavy in imagery...I'm working with the idea that each person is tied to something from nature---Marjorie scenes use astronomical imagery, scenes about Henrik (a Civil War vet) use river imagery, her father's scenes use rock imagery...

My smart critique partner suggested that I tie the astronomy imagery with Marjorie's educational ambitions---one of the conflicts for Marjorie is that she needs to decide whether or not to go to college. So perhaps she could be interested in pursuing astronomy in college....This would add a layer to the imagery...the imagery would serve a purpose...I think of my Marjorie as a dreamer (and thus associated with things celestial) but I never thought of her as interested in astronomy...This was a really great suggestion.

I offered some critique too and I'm really excited for my smart writer friend's novel. It's really neat to see her process over the last year and a while. I really like her main character, but I can't tell you more about it...you'll have to wait until it's published and get a copy!