by Cynthia Newberry Martin | May 22, 2009 | catching moments, craft of writing, Dani Shapiro, details, Pam Houston |
In the car yesterday, I was listening to the CD that came with The Writer’s Notebook. On it are two recordings. One was a discussion on character. On the panel were Ron Carlson, Dorothy Allison, and Dennis Johnson. There was no introduction; it just started....
by Cynthia Newberry Martin | May 20, 2009 | journeys, memoir, place, reviews |
It’s often what grabs us when we are very little that becomes our passion. We can remember the moment. For me, it was a morning in kindergarten. I must have been five. One of the kid’s mothers put on a puppet show–in French. I was smitten. I...
by Cynthia Newberry Martin | May 16, 2009 | reading |
One of the comments on the last post has me thinking about when, during the process of reading a book, I will go back to reread. Because I have so many books waiting to be read, I only stop to reread small patches–sentences or paragraphs. And I read with a...
by Cynthia Newberry Martin | May 14, 2009 | reading |
How many times have you thought this or said this? When I say it, I actually don’t mean good; I mean that will take my breath away. That will make me want to read it again. So I say this, I’m guessing, three or four times a year. I’m not the only...
by Cynthia Newberry Martin | May 12, 2009 | life, reading, the day |
Hey, do you remember in elementary school when there would be paper drives? You’d go around to your neighbors’ houses, maybe with your little brother’s red wagon, to collect all the newspapers they had. Well, I was thinking we’d have a comment drive. To collect all...
by Cynthia Newberry Martin | May 10, 2009 | life, the day, truth |
My husband and son just left the house to take his mother (my son’s grandmother) to church and to lunch. I declined. It is, after all, Mother’s Day. As the mother, I should get to choose what I want to do. And I still choose what I began choosing that...
by Cynthia Newberry Martin | May 7, 2009 | craft of writing, memoir, memory, reviews, time |
Frank Conroy was the director of the Iowa Writers Workshop for 18 years. He was also a writer himself, the author of 5 books, including the “classic memoir” Stop-Time. He died of colon cancer in 2005 at the age of 69. “My faith in the firmness of...
by Cynthia Newberry Martin | May 4, 2009 | poetry |
On the evening of April 14th, I attended a reading at the Sacramento Poetry Center. It was a cold night in California. Bright colorful blankets were provided–such a nice cozy touch. Perhaps all poetry readings should include blankets. Anyway, the reading was by...
by Cynthia Newberry Martin | Apr 29, 2009 | catching moments, craft of writing, memory, reviews |
“We weren’t really stealing them…But we call it stealing to make it more exciting.” Per Petterson is a writer who can stand inside a moment, turn in a circle and look up and down until there is no inch of that moment left unexplored. Mary...
by Cynthia Newberry Martin | Apr 27, 2009 | life, time |
The Russian Doll Aspect of Life: I am the same person who liked to play with Troll Dolls in third grade, tried out for cheer leading in ninth, worked as a waitress in college, lived in France, and practiced law. All of these “me’s” are difficult for...
