Artsy gift ideas with a family theme

Today’s ideas focus on the family. To start off, I’m suggesting one of my favorite mainstream authors, Marilynne Robinson. I first started reading Robinson’s work as a “have to” for a college class. The book was titled Housekeeping which I have to say made me roll my eyes. The title, however, is so completely understated. It’s an incredible book, full of cultural and psychological issues and maybe the best prose I’ve read.

The one I’m suggesting today, though, is Robinson’s newest: Home. Also simply titled, this book is an incredible deep look at the inner workings of an old minister’s family and the black sheep son and unassuming daughter who seems to be fine and well-adjusted but holds things within she can barely deal with. Again, the writing is beautiful and the story more so. I’m in awe of this author if you can’t tell yet. Gilead, her second novel, is slower and more inward, also an incredible read. It’s now in paperback and Borders has it for less than $13.00.

If you’re buying for a non-fiction lover, look for her The Death of Adam: Essays on Modern Thought. I’m only partway through this  one. It’s not a quick, easy read, but it’s incredibly thought-provoking and very much on-target.

How about that hard to buy for (other than electronics) group: young teen and pre-teen boys? Personally, I recommend the Hardy Boys series (not only for boys! I loved them as a kid!)

My son would highly recommend Rick Riordan’s Percy series for those who love action-adventure mixed with mythology.

~~~
Different artsy ideas:

Blank Journals for any age! You can usually find these on clearance at a bookstore. Add colored pencils, colored pens, or drawing pencils to spark creativity.

Find an art store and see what they have on clearance for a hodge-podge bag full of creative stuff for kids (or artsy adults). Add a low cost sketch pad or a calligraphy set. (Learning calligraphy is very good for young kids!)

~~
Have your own family theme ideas? Leave them in the comments. :-)

--

Write What You Know - but what does that mean??

 

In the process of research today, I was trying to find a specific type of establishment in NYC that would work for my story. Now, I've been to NYC briefly and plan to go back, but I don't have the option to run spend several days there just for story research. It would be nice, but let's face reality: when you have kids at home and a job and such and you aren't the owner of Trump Tower with a private jet, there are restrictions on doing such things.


Internet research wasn't working well. I had the look in my head for the place I needed but try putting that in a search engine. It didn't work well. Finally, I went to Yahoo Answers and asked people who would know: NYC residents. I answer lots of questions there about books and writing and sometimes other subjects, so I figured getting a touch of return help would be nice.

The first answer I received started by saying:  "The first rule of writing ... write what you know."

Hm. Yes, that's helpful. Thanks so much. He did also mention a name of a place that might work but I was rather annoyed at the inference that I didn't know what I was doing that I didn't bother to check the place. [Luckily, the second answer was exactly what I was looking for! He'll get 10 points for being not rude and very helpful.]

Write what you know. So he meant I shouldn't put my character in New York City since I don't know it well? Or that I should use only the places in the city I do personally know? I am using one, a small music venue I enjoyed, if it matters. I know the feel of the city enough for the story. I know enough that it needs to be mainly set in Manhattan instead of another borough. My main character is heavily into the music industry. Let's see, if I can only write about the places I've been long enough to write with any real detail about them, the story would have to be set in Illinois, Texas, Massachusetts, Idaho, Georgia, Virginia, Pennsylvania, or Germany. None of those work real well for this character. Actually, none of them work at all. Yes, I set Rehearsal in MA but it worked for them. Or does that mean I can't write about a character in the music industry since I've never lived in any of the three big music industry spots in the US? Not to mention I've never been involved in the music industry itself. That's what research is for!

I'd like to tell this "top contributor" that writing what you know does not mean using only settings you know first hand. How limited would that make the literary world? What about historical fiction? Should no one write about time periods they didn't live in? How sad would it be to lose all those magnificent stories of the past?

Writing what you know is much deeper than that. It's writing the truths you've learned, the things you've seen, the thoughts you've had, and feelings you've felt. It's putting yourself IN your work and adding all those luscious true-to-life things that make books "real" instead of simply described. It doesn't mean write about your life as a memoir, which is okay also, but limiting. It means to take those things and turn them into fiction that echoes real life, that shares yourself and your experiences.

I write what I know. I have always studied people and families and relationships to watch what makes them work or not work. I make note of societal issues that stand out in my mind because maybe I have some valuable thoughts or ideas to share about them. I think things through. I know things. I see things happen and the effects of those happenings. I write about them. It's fiction, of course. I use them differently than they were in real life but the same -- the same concepts, the same issues, the same relationships. Or different relationships based on how things might have worked "if" only....

THAT is writing what you know. Is my story invalidated because I don't know which NYC restaurant has the look and location I need for a certain scene? I don't think so. The story is about love, loss, despair, hanging on, and letting go -- all things I do know first hand. If I was doing a documentary about NYC, then I would see his point. Otherwise, it's way off base. So is anyone else who tells a writer not to do a story in a place she's never been. That would throw out all sci fi and fantasy also, wouldn't it?

Write what you know INSIDE. Write what you FEEL. Write what matters to you, what you care about. Use details from your everyday life such as the moist breeze blowing against your cheek while standing on a beach, or the pounding, clacking noise of a nearby train station, or the way you feel when someone takes your hand and says it's going to be all right. Use that. Use your own reality. And put it anywhere in the world your character needs to be. The rest can be researched.

-

Different Drummer: Serialized #6

Rehearsal: A Different Drummer
LK Hunsaker

Infinity Publishing
©2006 All Rights Reserved

Are you following the story here? Do you want it faster? This week only, Rehearsal: A Different Drummer is on sale at Smashwords as part of Read An Ebook Week [ebookweek.com]. Buy it in whole to read on your computer or online at your own pace:  http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/lkhunsaker

Different Drummer is only $4.50
Finishing Touches is only $2.62
And only this week -- ends March 14th

Of course, you can also get it in print personally signed from my website: www.lkhunsaker.com/Rehearsal-TheSeries.htm

Also... I've been interviewed!
http://almarquardt.com/blog/

A.L. Marquardt and I chatted interview-style about creativity, art, and publishing.

On to the story...

----------

Evan watched as she pushed a strand of hair from her face. He loved sitting outside with her during lunch, on the old weathered-gray picnic table beside the gym. She was in her element with the breeze brushing her skin and playing with her silky hair, and the branches above partly sheltering her from the sun. Susie had always loved the spring, when leaves and grass boasted their new green and the air was freshly cleansed by winter’s cold.

He was glad she asked to come in with them so they could have this time together, even if they weren’t alone. Duncan wasn’t saying much, though he often gazed at Susie from across the table, so they had time to catch up on what they missed during the busyness of the prior week.

Having exhausted conversation, she watched children on the nearby playground. Evan glanced over to find her focus and grinned about the small boy pushing a smaller girl on a swing. “Remind you of anything?”

She looked back and smiled. “You know, I always knew how to do it myself. I just wondered how long you would believe I couldn’t.”

He set a hand on her back. “I know. And I knew then.”

“You did not.”

He didn’t argue. His silence would answer as well.

“Then why did you keep pushing me?”

“Jeremy thought it was funny.”

“He knew that you knew? Why didn’t he tell me?”

“Because it was nice to see you smile for a change.”

She let her eyes wander back to the children. Her expression turned to thoughtfulness.

“Jeremy … your brother?”

Evan pulled his attention from her to answer his friend. “Yes. They were cohorts. Now and then I regretted teaching her sign language.”

“Sign language?” Duncan crossed his arms on the table in front of him and waited for an explanation.

Evan noted Susie’s glance, but he had to answer. “Jeremy was born deaf. She learned to talk to him much faster than we expected.” And she was wondering why he hadn’t told Duncan his brother was deaf, but she didn’t ask.

“Was tha’ the cause of the accident? Because he did no’ hear the car coming?”

“We’re not sure it was. The guy was driving so fast, it likely wouldn’t have made a difference.”

She looked at him again, then looked away. After all these years, Susie still couldn’t discuss it. She’d been the one outside with his brother at the time. Even with all their assurances, she wouldn’t stop blaming herself. She was twelve, Jeremy two years older. He knew better than to be on his bike after dusk, even if he did like splashing through rain puddles. It was his own mistake. She at least had the sense not to join him in his mission. Evan could have lost them both.

“You were friends with his brother also?” Duncan was studying her.

She hesitated. “Yes.” Her mood changed meeting his eyes. “And it was really unfair to Evan how we ganged up on him.”

He couldn’t help chuckling. “Yeah, and how many guitar strings did I lose that way?”

“Oh, you didn’t lose very many. We gave most of them back.”

“And some were still usable.” Evan took a swallow of his Coke and explained. “They used to untie them while I was away and refuse to give them back until I took them to the park. Occasionally, they got used for other things first.” He threw a look at Susie.

She tried unsuccessfully to hold back her laughter, reminding him of the fragile little girl he first knew. No matter how old they both got, he couldn’t imagine ever losing that image.

“You know….” She raised her own Styrofoam cup and sipped ginger ale through the straw. “I never told you this, but he proposed to me when I was eleven.”

Evan studied the profile of her face as she sipped more of the drink. Was she serious? Did his little brother beat him to it? “He what?”

She shrugged. “He said I was the only girl he could talk to, other than his mom, so if I didn’t marry him he wouldn’t be able to get married. I guess that was logical to a thirteen-year-old.” Susie looked down at her hands, playing with her napkin. “I told him to ask me again when I was his age because I wasn’t old enough yet.” She took a deep breath. “That was the first thing I thought of the day I turned thirteen. He’d said he would ask me again on that day.”

Less than a year after they had lost him. Evan wondered whether his brother would have actually asked her again. Knowing Jeremy, probably so. They had been very close.

“And wha’ would you have said?” Duncan waited until she looked up. “If he was around t’ ask you again? Would y’ have married him?”

“Well, thirteen isn’t as old as it seemed when I was eleven.” She was avoiding the question.

“No, bu’ would you still be together now? Engaged maybe?”

She was silent a moment. “Together as friends, I would hope, but not engaged. He was my buddy, like Stu. It wouldn’t have been more.”

Evan wished he could thank Duncan for asking what he wanted to know. He never would have. If she’d answered differently…

“Well, I need to get back to work.” She stood, gathering the discarded papers from her take-out sandwich and her still-half-full ginger ale.

He and Duncan did the same and followed her to the picnic area trash can, then to the well-worn path leading to the gym and studio.

“What time are you off?” Evan set a hand on her back before letting her walk away.

“Six.” She stopped. “Oh, you’ll have to wait an hour. I’m sorry, I didn’t think about that last night. I can try to get a ride from someone…”

“Angel, it’s fine.”

“You have practice at seven. That won’t give you much time…”

“I have things to do, anyway.” He looked at Duncan. “You mind staying until six?”

“No’ at all. I do no’ have plans.” He was watching her.

Other than practicing with them, Evan hoped. He hadn’t said for sure.

Susie pulled her eyes away from Duncan to answer. “Okay. I’ll come over as soon as I’m done.”

“We’ll meet you at the studio.”

-------------
Find a free read short story revolving around the loss of Jeremy at Smashwords