Author Archive

Home » Archives for Erika Dreifus » Page 679

Friday Finds for Writers

by Erika Dreifus on
2

It’s Friday, folks! Here are a few noteworthy links for you to explore at your leisure this weekend.

  • Planning to write about the London Summer Olympics? Check out this style guide from The Associated Press.
  • “Opportunities” to avoid.
  • Next up: “4 Ways to Land Travel Writing Assignments by Thinking Creatively”–great post, totally aligned with my own “think outside the box” philosophy for freelancing.
  • A few “black lit mags to watch.” (via The Review Review)
  • And if you’d like to know how an essay-review on The Millions has rekindled my interest in the fiction of Etgar Keret, please hop on over to my other blog.

    • Happy weekend, all. See you back here on Monday!

    From My Bookshelf: Fiction by Etgar Keret

    by Erika Dreifus on
    5

    Confession: I frequently read, admire, and link to Israeli author Etgar Keret’s nonfiction/essays (particularly his columns for Tablet), but I haven’t always been as comfortable with Keret’s fiction. I read The Nimrod Flipout when its U.S. publisher sent me a review copy of the English translation several years back (2006), and although I understood what the fuss was about–Keret is one prodigiously talented, not to mention prolific writer–my own reading tastes just don’t hunger for the sheer strangeness–call it experimentalism, fabulism, magical realism, whatever–that seemed to characterize the collection.

    Moreover, back then–around the time of the Second Lebanon War–my nascent interest in attempting to understand contemporary Israel through its literature was intensifying. There was so much about Israel that I, a Diaspora Jew, needed to learn (this remains all too true six years later). Keret’s fables and flash fictions didn’t seem to engage with the seriousness of what the Israelis call hamatzav— “the situation,” namely, the pervasive conflict that suffuses life in their country. It occurred to me only hazily (if at all) that this was a selfish indulgence of my Diaspora self; living within “the situation,” Keret could certainly be excused from spending still more time with it in his fiction.

    But last week, a review-essay on The Millions caught my eye. Titled “The Maturation of Etgar Keret” and written by Bezalel Stern, it captivated me. And it sent me hurrying to add two new volumes to my bookshelf: Suddenly, A Knock on the Door (Keret’s latest book to be released in English, with translations by Nathan Englander, Miriam Shlesinger, and Sondra Silverston) and Four Stories, a slim collection I’ll address in greater detail shortly. (more…)

    Wednesday’s Work-in-Progress: Encouraging the Next Generation

    by Erika Dreifus on
    5

    During my day at Book Expo America a few weeks back, I was intrigued to discover the new “Not For Parents” series from the folks at Lonely Planet. The publisher describes these books as designed “for budding travel lovers 8 and up,” adding that the series “opens up the world to a whole new generation of adventurers – with intriguing stories and fascinating facts about people, places, history and culture from around the world. From hideous histories to funky food, they cover all the cool stuff to know and are jam-packed with photos, illustrations and cartoons.” I considered myself lucky to snag a complimentary copy of the New York City book for my niece, who turns nine this summer.

    I am even more delighted to have convinced said niece, Rachel, to write a brief review for this blog. (This was an activity that helped us pass the time before we went to the movies last weekend.) Please note that Rachel is already a practicing reviewer, with other posts to her credit over on her mom’s site.

    I haven’t changed anything here–and all opinions are Rachel’s! (more…)

    Monday Markets/Jobs/Opportunities for Writers

    by Erika Dreifus on
    Disabled
  • Oh, is this one, from the Centre d’Art – Marnay Art Centre (CAMAC), tempting! “CAMAC and Fondation Ténot offer each year a residency bursary to one visual artist, one writer and one musician or composer in order to create new career prospects for artists.” The bursary includes a 2-month residency at CAMAC (France). The creative-writing bursary is open to “established poets, novel writers and playwrights.” There is no application fee. Deadline: July 14, 2012.
  • Going on the job market? You could receive free CV and résumé critique from the experts at The Chronicle of Higher Education: “This summer, the CV Doctor would like to help two candidates with their CV and résumé. Many of you may have been on the academic job market before, and, in uncertain times, you may be widening the range of job possibilities you’re considering. So, we would like to help you understand the differences between these two documents, and how to make them effective for different audiences.” They’d like to feature “an M.F.A. looking for a faculty position and for an arts administrative position.” You have until July 9 to submit your documents. Go!
  • California writers! Poets & Writers, Inc.,  is currently accepting submissions for the California Writers Exchange Awards program, which “introduces emerging writers from California to the New York literary community and provides them a network for professional advancement. Every third year, writers in California are invited to submit manuscripts. Judges review the entries and select a winning poet and fiction writer. Winners are flown to New York City for an all-expenses-paid, weeklong trip to meet with literary agents, editors, publishers, and writers, and to give a public reading.” They also receive honoraria ($500). Deadline is August 31, 2012, and there’s no application fee.
  • Coming later this week: the July Practicing Writer newsletter. As always, it will be packed with no-fee contest info and submission calls from paying venues. Subscribe now, if you’re not already among us. It’s free, and your email address is not shared.
  • Cultural Tourism DC (Washington) is looking for a Communications Associate-New Media, Literature for All of Us (Chicago area) seeks a Book Group Leader, and Rhode Island School of Design is advertising for a News Editor/Writer.

    • Friday Finds for Writers

    by Erika Dreifus on
    4

    Time to send you off for the weekend with some resources and ideas–and maybe some entertainment.

  • First, from BookBaby.com: “If you’re an independent author or small publisher, attending [literary festivals or conferences] can open up some great new opportunities, but they’re also expensive, especially if you’re traveling. You want to make sure you plan ahead, set clear goals, and get the most out of the experience.” To that end, here are some helpful hints.
  • I need to spend some quality time–soon–with Carol Tice’s guide to fixing your writer website.
  • Sometimes, I get a little annoyed by all of those tweets, posts, and articles by “mama writers” about how hard it is for them to get any writing done–even when their partners are the family breadwinners/insurance providers, their children are in school and healthy/without special needs, and they have child-care assistance to boot. (You’ll notice that I don’t link to those kinds of items very often!) What a refreshing change it is to find Writer Abroad’s reflections on “5 Reasons Having a Baby Can Make You a More Productive Writer.” Thank you, Chantal!
  • Big list of (classic) literary spoilers.
  • OK, so I wasn’t exactly prepared. But it appears that Wednesday (June 20) was International Short Story Day! Celebrate belatedly by enjoying this downloadable new short-story anthology, courtesy of HarperPerennial. (h/t @GrubWriters)
  • I’m a Brooklyn gal by birth (and I spent my first nine years there), so I’m naturally drawn to this new literary map of the borough. (If any of you can think of a literary reference for Sheepshead Bay, where I spent ages 3-9, I’d be most grateful. My other B’klyn nabes–mainly Brighton Beach/Manhattan Beach–have some claims to fame, but poor Sheepshead Bay–with the eponymous bay pictured below–is apparently a literary desert!)

    • Have a great weekend, everyone. See you back here on Monday!