Tuesdays with Story
December 21st, 2021
Joan Didion, December 5, 1934-December 23, 2021
“You get the sense that it’s possible simply to go through life noticing things and writing them down and that this is OK, it’s worth doing. That the seemingly insignificant things that most of us spend our days noticing are really significant, have meaning, and tell us something.” – The Paris Review interview (2006).
Here’s who presented on Tuesday evening
Larry Sommers (Untitled Memoir, chapters 2-3)
Bob noted that I provided artists with all the records mentioned except “Yes! We Have No Bananas.” Amber questioned whether the narrative was well served by using bullet points in a couple of places to list particular memories. Kashmira thought the chapters following Chapter 1 could proceed in a time frame more appropriate to the Air Force narrative of Chapter 1, weaving in flashbacks to earlier times later on. All good thoughts. Thanks, everyone.
John Schneller (Precious Daughter, chapter 27)
Most readers wanted a bit more out of the scene at the mountain precipice. Kotel’s emotional response to his near death moment could match up with a the tempestuous weather. I recognize it is a common weakness in my writing to leave emotions untouched. Kashmira enjoyed the introduction to snow. The grizzlies were popular with all but Jack wanted more taunting.
Kashmira Sheth (Bestest Hostess, chapters 5-6)
There were a lot of comments on these chapters. Some of them were:
Let the reader know that Dad is an engineer.
Make one more list when they reach the Olbrich Gardens
Make Montu’s question to Nina more specific
Explain khakra more clearly
Amber Boudreau (The Dragoneer sequel, Chapters 40-41)
Amber read from Chapter 40 of her sequel to The Dragoneer. Larry thought a few more hints needed to get dropped ahead of the time when Moira frees herself. Kashmira wanted to know where Moira was drawing strength from that allowed her to be so snarky to the antagonist. John accepted it as the evolution of Moira’s character. He also wondered if anyone else picked up on the dragon having bitten another character. They did, but Amber might make that clearer anyway.
Bob Kralapp (Two poems: “Token” and “Return.”)
For January 4th, the presenters will be:
Jerry Peterson, Night Flight, chapters 35-36
Amit Trivedi, ?
Kashmira Sheth, Nina Soni, Bestest Hostess
Amber Boudreau, Dragoneer sequel
John Schneller, Precious Daughter
Mike Austin, short story
“Here is lesson in creative writing. First rule: Do not use semicolons. […] All they do is show you’ve been to college.”—Kurt Vonnegut.
Seriously, I read this a couple of times before I got the joke. But that’s just me. I did spend some time, however, trying to remember the rules for semicolons. I thought they were an important thing to know about. But maybe I was wrong. Maybe everything I thought I should know about writing was wrong. Or maybe not. Maybe we’re all just groping about in the dark. For what? I don’t know. But I’m okay with that.
I’m also okay with Ernest Hemingway’s advice to “Write drunk, edit sober.” It sounds like fun. Except that I never get far before I fall asleep, and wake to a page of semicolons.
Tuesdays with Story 
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