Distraction
Sometimes, it's a good thing
Distraction is generally understood to be the sworn enemy of writers. God knows it’s mine.
I have a lovely home office, which is a blessing and a curse - the latter because home is full of delightful, time-consuming distractions demanding my full attention and, yes, I put laundry in that category.
I take some comfort in knowing that even the best writers battle It. The late Kent Haruf famously pulled a wool cap over his eyes to home in on the powerfully quiet tone that infuses his lovely novel Plainsong.
John McPhee told of tying himself to his writing chair with his bathrobe belt, and Zadie Smith resorted to a flip phone rather than a smart phone and used internet-blocking software.
But now we’re living in what to me feels like the kids’ game of Opposite Day. No longer do I turn to distractions to avoid writing. Instead, the writing is what I turn to as a welcome distraction from the world around me. It doesn’t help that I’m a news junkie, so that I’m hyper-aware of the many Very Bad Things happening on so many levels. When the increasingly surreal real world gets too overwhelming – i.e., daily – diving into the WIP is a relief.
Very Bad Things happen in my novels but they’re not real. And, even though there are days when the plot takes on a life of its own, dragging me kicking and screaming into unexpected places, in the end it’s a world over which I have total control. The more I focus on fiction, the less reality intrudes. Given the way things are going out there in the real world, I’m looking forward to a wonderfully productive year.
Bakes of the month: Sourdough struggles, peachy relief
I’m seven loaves into a project I’m calling 100 Loaves of Sourdough. None has been bad, but each has had an issue I try to address with the next loaf, and the one after that. Pictured is loaf No. 7, from Kitty Tait’s recipe in Breadsong, the terrific book she wrote with her father Al.
In the midst of the sourdough struggles, I needed some instant gratification. Luckily, it’s peach season, which means peach cobbler, which is basically sunshine tucked under biscuits.
What I’m reading (and watching): Intrigue near and far
I’ve been fascinated by tales of Patty Cannon – a notorious slave catcher who lived on the southern Delaware/Maryland border – ever since I worked a high school summer job in the Dover Public Library, where I was shown Patty’s skull resting in a hatbox atop a high shelf. (True story.) And for years I’ve been meaning to read Song Yet Sung, the 2008 novel by one of my favorite writers, James McBride, featuring Patty herself. I’ve finally gotten around to it, and it’s been worth the wait.
Dan Fesperman’s atmospheric espionage novels demand reading as soon as they come out. A number of noteworthy-books-of-summer lists floating around confirm my own excellent assessment of his most recent, Pariah. I love Fesperman’s deft touch in incorporating geopolitical issues, and especially enjoyed the way he took advantage of some present-day situations when writing this.
Finally, I didn’t get as much reading as usual done this month because a) life and b) I’ve indulged in the guilty pleasure of binge-watching Imma Tataranni, an Italian crime show featuring a delightfully exasperating deputy prosecutor who routinely shows up the men who foolishly consider themselves her superior. As an added pleasure, the show is beautifully shot in Matera, a city in Basilicata in the arch of Italy’s “boot,” renowned for its cave dwellings. I’ve learned a lot about contemporary Southern Italian issues while watching it. It’s based on the novels by Mariolina Venezia - alas, not yet translated into English.
Appearances
I was remiss last month in forgetting to mention fellow journalist/author’s Rich Ehisen’s generous invitation to appear on his podcast The Open Mic: Writers in Their Own Words. Like a lot of journos, I’d almost rather have root canal than be on the other side of the mic, but Rich makes it easy. Check out his interviews with other writers – the show is here on YouTube, and on the usual podcast sites. I always learn something when listening to other writers talk about their work. The only problem with Ehisen’s show is that after listening to those other writers, you’ll end up adding a lot of other books to your TBR pile.
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I love talking with groups about books or writing in general, either in person or via the magic of Zoom. I also give writing workshops, perfect for libraries and writing groups. Interested? You can contact me via my website or by messaging me here.
As always, thanks for reading!
Love your news letter!