Tuesdays with Story

Tuesdays with Story
WRITER’S MAIL for December 18, 2010
by Clayton Gill

Good Words from Way Back
At Christmas I no more desire a rose
Than wish a snow in May’s new-fangled mirth;
But like of each thing that in season grows.
So you, to study now it is too late,
Climb o’er the house to unlock the little gate.
–Berowne to the King of Navarre in Love’s Labour’s Lost (Act 1, Scene 1) by William Shakespeare (1564–1616)

Brave New World of Rave New World
Imagine a world in which building your vocabulary in preparation for a college entrance exam involves reading novels specifically written for that purpose. Welcome to Rave New World from the college exam coaches of Sparknotes.com, where…

“It’s the year 2157, and every pleasure that doesn’t turn people into dutiful consumers has been classified as an addiction and outlawed. Jaden Emory’s job is to find out people’s hidden addictions — and root them out. But when rebellious raver Ally Fayre enters the picture, it’s Jaden who becomes addicted… to her.”

Read more of Rave New World: An SAT/ACT Vocabulary Novel at http://www.sparknotes.com/satfiction/ravenewworld/. Sparknotes products are available from Barnes & Nobel in PDF and eBook format.

Reading Recap: December 14 Meeting
There’s nothing like hot apple cider on a cold December night, and several folks indulged as we gathered on the second floor of the Sundance Theater & Café in the Hilldale Mall. Thanks to Aaron Boehm for sweet-talking his manager into letting us hang out there for a couple of hours!

Kim Simmons launched our lively evening with two chapters from City in Winter. The discussion focused on the Jamie character and his city. Dan Hamre wondered what happened to the assistants who had questions — they were dismissed rather subtly. The line, “I broke up the guild because I felt like it” brought mixed reactions from the group. Anne Allen thought the statement wasn’t needed, that it sounded too trite. But Carol Hornung liked it because it revealed the kind of administrator Jamie was. Andrea Kirchman felt Jamie was “a sucky administrator” because he was the only one who could answer questions. Carol wondered about the origin of technology in the city. Members of the group had lots of questions the reader would wonder about — some answers here and there would be helpful.

Anne Allen read one of the remaining chapters of Homecoming. Annie Potter felt the reference to Iraq should be taken out — it jolts the reader out of the story. However, she really liked the storm imagery. Jack Freiburger wanted more of the storm filtered through the scene. He suggesting having the characters glance at the storm from time to time, providing a backdrop or setting a mood for the scene. The group discussed the use of “duck tape” versus “duct tape.” Yes, technically the product is duct tape, but people call it duck tape, so, the group reasoned, it’s alright to use that spelling in dialog.

Dan Hamre presented a short story called “Afterthought.” Holly Bonnicksen-Jones enjoyed the creepy tone of the story. Carol certainly wanted to find out more about the mysterious Gel. There was some concern about the main character: Who is it — Leon or Julia? Both story lines need to be developed, otherwise the other character fades out. Jack liked the humor and “snarkiness” in Leon’s part of the story and felt that Dan could add even more of it. Jack also made a good point about writing science fiction and fantasy: Although many readers are familiar with the genre, many also new to it, and they need to be led gently with a little more explanation here and there.

Carol Hornung read the next scene from her mystery, Sapphire Lodge. Kim Simmons felt that the character Saffi was thinking too much about past events and was not nearly as scared or jumpy as she should be, considering that she was alone at night. Terry Hoffman and Holly agreed, though Jack thought that Saffi would focus on the mystery. He suggested she wouldn’t be fearful or distracted by “things going bump in the night” because she could trust her senses. Also, the revelation at the end of the scene needs to be “punched up more,” Jack thought, perhaps with another “color-emotion” leading the way.

Annie Potter brought along “Red Hot Sling Shot” from her memoir. Terry loved the ending, where the story jumps into the future and the aging adults reflect on the story. Jack agreed that it’s okay for the adults to reflect back now and then, but Annie should be careful that such passages don’t affect the apparent age of the narrator and thereby confuse the reader. He also found the way the family comes together against Rhino to be a significant turning point in the story. It’ the first time they’ve really fought back as a time, and Rhino was effectively shut down in this case.

Jen Wilcher has been working hard on The Hogoshiro Chronicles and shared her latest chapter. Carol enjoyed it but would like a little more explanation of the Japanese names. Dan felt the emotion was a little too strong for a culture that is seen as very reserved. Also, should “san” be used every time a name is used, or only in dialog? Continual use got a little cumbersome at times. The emotions in the flashback scene were clear, some of the group noted, so that Jen could trim out added explanations. Annie liked the tempo of the dialog, saying it sounded “very Japanese.”

Thanks to Carol for this Reading Recap!

Who’s Up Next?
December 21: Randy Haselow (chapter, Hona and the Dragon), Greg Spry (Chapter 2, Beyond Cloud Nine), Leah Wilbur (chapter), John Schneller (chapter, Final Stronghold), Justin Schober (chapter, sci-fi novel), and Jerry Peterson (Chapter 5, Thou Shalt Not Murder). Note: First-and-Third meets again at the Alicia Ashman Branch Library. Cathy Riddle brings Christmas cookies!

December 28: Kim Simmons (chapters, City in Winter), Holly Bonnicksen-Jones (chapter, Coming Up for Air), Terry Hoffman (chapter 6, The Tome), Leah Wilbur (?), Randy Haselow (chapter, Hona and the Dragon), and Jen Wilcher (The Hogoshiro Chronicles). Note: Second-and-Fourth meets at the Sundance Theater & Café in the Hilldale Mall.

January 4: Jim Barner (step sheet or chapter), Chris Maxwell (?), Aaron Boehm (screenplay, Part 4, Hell Cage), Jen Wilcher (chapter, The Hogoshiro Chronicles), Millie Mader (chapter 23, Life on Hold), and Kim Simmons (chapter 54, City of Summer). Note: First-and-Third returns to Barnes & Noble West.

January 11: Jack Freiburger (chapter, Path to Bray’s Head), Holly Bonnicksen-Jones (chapter, Coming Up for Air), Carol Hornung (chapter, Sapphire Lodge), Dan Hamre (Part 2, “Afterthought”), Terry Hoffman (chapter, The Tome), Aaron Boehm (?). Note: Second-and-Fourth Returns to Barnes & Nobel West.

January 18: Randy Haselow (chapter, Hona and the Dragon), Greg Spry (Chapter 3, Beyond Cloud Nine), Linda Meyer (?), Cathy Riddle (chapter, Beer Crimes), John Schneller (chapter, Final Stronghold), Jerry Peterson (chapter 6, Thou Shalt Not Murder).

January 25: Andrea Kirchman (?), Kim Simmons (chapter, City in Winter), Randy Haselow (chapter, Hona and the Dragon), Leah Wilbur (?), Anne Allen (chapter, Homecoming), and time for one more – if you’re interested, let Carol know (CHornung88@aol.com).

Carry on Celebrating After the Holidays
Members of Tuesdays with Story, save this date: Saturday, January 8, 2:00 p.m. Join fellow TWS members at the home of Jerry Peterson and Marge Smith Peterson (920 Glen Street, Janesville) for their Post-Christmas get-together.

Action steps: (1) Let Jerry know you’re coming (e-mail petersonjerry@att.net); (2) ask fellow TWS writers about carpooling (Clayton Gill and Millie Mader have room for 2 more); and (3) after Christmas, twist that left-over mistletoe into a torch to light up the New Year.

John Grisham’s “Best in a Long Time”
TWS member Millie Mader writes that The Confession “is, in my opinion, the best John Grisham novel in a long time.” What follows is Millie’s exclusive review for Writers Mail:

The Confession is not a mystery: We learn the identity of the rapist and murderer early on. The reluctant protagonist is Reverend Keith Schroeder, a Lutheran minister. We find a second hero of sorts in flamboyant, loud and liberal defense attorney, Robbie Flak. Flak proves to be loyal and empathetic, while loving the camera and the media. Nonetheless, he is relentless in his pursuit of justice for the Dante Drumm, an innocent young black man about to be executed in a small East Texas town for the rape and murder of a high school cheerleader.

We meet the real perpetrator, Travis Boyette, as he arrives at Schroeder’s parsonage in Topeka, Kansas. Travis claims to be dying of an inoperable brain tumor, the reason for his “death bed” confession. Probation for Travis’ latest assault is soon to end. He says he wants to save Dante from the death penalty. Questioned why he waited nine years to tell the truth, Travis responds that his years of imprisonment elsewhere have kept him unaware of the horrors that have deluged Dante. Travis claims he didn’t think that the local police would be so stupid and would have long since proved Dante innocent.

With only three days before the execution, Travis persuades Pastor Keith to accompany him on a quest to save Dante. Dante was convicted in a rush to judgment and the prosecution never produced a body. Travis says he buried his young victim in a remote area “south of Joplin, Missouri.” He claims he will remember the spot, as he “visited it” several times between other assaults. Pastor Keith wants to locate the body and save an innocent man. His conscience overrides any possible threat to his ministry.

But how can Pastor Keith or Robbie, the defense attorney, persuade the authorities that Travis is telling the truth? No one in authority wants to admit error, even when confronted with clear-cut evidence. Moreover, scandal sullies the local district attorney and his illicit affair with the trial judge. Political gain and personal greed fuel the lead detective, the governor, and his personal attorney. An acquaintance of Dante’s perjures himself out of spite. But when this person wants to recant, he is threatened, and advised that no one would believe him.

State authorities have convinced the locals that they are about to execute the right man. Previously, there had been no racial problems in this rural town. The locals now looked the other way when Robbie points out Dante’s admirable background — a star football player, and the son of an educated and respected black family. He had a clean background and, in fact, barely knew the victim.

Protests erupt and arson fuels rage that rocks the town and splits the local citizenry. Will Pastor Keith and Travis find the body? If they do, will anyone believe them? Will the lies and political greed be avenged? Whatever happens, how will Dante’s family deal with the past nine years?

If you read Grisham’s 1994 novel, The Chamber, then you will find his new novel drawing you much deeper into one of this nation’s most challenging issues. Both novels are scathing indictments of the death penalty. The Confession will make you search your heart and your soul.

Writers Mail: TWS Newsletter Duty Roster
Editing your own writing takes practice, the sort of practice you get editing a periodical such as Writer’s Mail. TWS members provide the yarn and past editors provide various patterns. But, as an editor of Writer’s Mail, the tapestry you weave each week is unique, your own contribution to our writers’ group. Try a month editing our weekly newsletter and discover how much it helps your own writing.

December – Clayton Gill
January – Randy Haselow
February – Cathy Riddle
March – we need you!
April – we need you, too!

Please contact this month’s editor for details about becoming an editor of Writer’s Mail.

Beyond Beta: Google eBooks
Digital media analysis firm Forrester Research says that 10.3 million e-readers (not including iPad) were sold in the U.S. during 2010, a market worth $966 million, as reported recently by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). Forrester figures in another news report project the e-book market will grow to $2.8 billion by 2015.

Now Google is in the e-book market, too, with Google eBooks, a no-charge, “device agnostic” service enabling you to access some 3 million free books and purchase almost any other digital book a Google web search can find. As you collect e-books, you can put them in “your library in the digital cloud, so you can read all your favorite books using just about any device with an Internet connection.”

The BBC quotes a Forrester analyst who says, Google is “sitting on information that no-one else has….” Google “knows when you are searching for authors and what book titles and that is its biggest strength.”

For the BBC story: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-11913870
For more on Google eBooks: http://books.google.com/help/ebooks/overview.html

From the Wordsmith: Being as It’s about Being
From A.Word.A.Day with Anu Garg, a noun: “Ontology,” pronounced on-TOL-uh-jee, meaning “the philosophical study of existence and the nature of being.” Ontology comes from the Greek onto- (being) plus -logy (study), with its first recorded use in 1663. So it’s a sign of our times that “ontology” in the computer and information sciences describes “the formal representation of knowledge in a domain, for example, by defining classes, their attributes, and relationships.”

Usage: “But there’s still that pesky problem of ontology. ‘He does exist and he doesn’t really exist. What does that mean?’” –Christy Corp-Minamiji; “Interview: Wandering Through Time with Award Winning Author Charles Yu”; Seattle Post-Intelligencer; Nov. 15, 2010.

Garg’s “thought for today” (December 18, 2010) applies to all us wanna-be writers: “Wanting to meet an author because you like his work is like wanting to meet a duck because you like paté.”
–Margaret Atwood, novelist and poet (b. 1939)
For more: http://wordsmith.org/words/today.html.

From Word Spy: Your Digital Spoor
From Paul McFedries’ Word Spy comes “data exhaust,” a noun phrase: “The digitally trackable or storable actions, choices, and preferences that people generate as they go about their daily lives.”

The citation: “In Brin’s way of thinking, each of our lives is a potential contribution to scientific insight. We all go about our days, making choices, eating things, taking medications, doing things — generating what is inelegantly called data exhaust.” –Thomas Goetz, “Sergey Brin’s Search for a Parkinson’s Cure,” Wired, June 22, 2010

McFedries doesn’t mention it, but “data exhaust” also would apply to all those retrievable-but-forgettable online searches and other web access activities that comprise our daily “e-lives.”

For more: http://www.wordspy.com/

The Last Word: We Knew “It” Was Coming
Here’s the teaser from a Wall Street Journal story on December 13: “As e-books proliferate, advertisers are experimenting with ways to pitch to consumers while they read, a trend that could change the publishing business but faces opposition from some traditionalists.”

The advertisers would be able to offer free books to consumers by means of “sponsorships.” Sponsors’ advertising would appear as videos, graphics, or text in all sorts of web-compatible formats. The WSJ story says: “Ads can be targeted based on the book’s content and the demographic and profile information of the reader.”

New technology is in the works to update this profile per book, so that new ads from the digital cloud continuously update for a particular e-book-and-reader demographic. However, besides the “traditional” reluctance of many authors and publishers, e-book advertising also faces a big challenge from readers: The ad annoyance factor.

Thanks for reading!