Category: Musings
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That First Novel
I recently interviewed novelist, Thrity Umrigar. A former journalist for 17 years, Thrity developed the daily discipline of writing and revised and re-wrote large parts of her first novel, Bombay Time, while working as a Nieman Fellow at Harvard University.
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Reading What You Love
On vacation I read Thrity Umrigar‘s new novel, The Weight of Heaven. Besides being a sensitive and thrilling read that addresses both personal and relevant global issues, I, a writer, learned much from Umrigar who is thoroughly seasoned in this profession.
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another blessed and glorious day…
today was another blessed and glorious day. i spoke with a writer friend of mine. she’s having problems finding work. so many of us are. it’s sad. i hope things will get better. until then i want to focus on helping those i know and encounter in hanging in there surviving–giving them what i’d want…
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interesting and blessed day…
interesting day… i interviewed novelist, Thrity Umrigar, on her latest work, The Weight of Heaven. such a nice person. then i wrote several blogs about her. south asian writers have so influenced me–Jhumpa Lahiri, Lavanya Sankaran, Manil Suri, and of course, Thrity Umrigar.. i wish more black and african americans read their work. we could…
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another day…
wow! i am really tired. and there’s been so much death lately, Michael Jackson, Farrah Fawcett, E. Lynn Harris, Eunice Kennedy Shriver and others… it’s a lot. and then I’ve had some friends to pass on. i’m glad a i have children. never thought they would give me this much hope, but they do. and…
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settling back in…
just back from two weeks in Maui. had a great time. was in the water every day. went to sleep hearing the waves splash upon the shores. read “The Weight of Heaven” by Thrity Umrigar and began Audrey Niffeneggar’s, “The Time Traveler’s Wife“. all-in-all it was a wonderful and restful time. things are quiet here…
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So You Want to Write a Story: What’s At Stake?
Establishing what is at stake for the protagonist of your story is essential for grasping and holding a reader’s attention. Addressing and making clear the risks your major character faces, and doing this early on in a novel engages the reader towards caring for the major character.
