Friday Finds for Writers

by Erika Dreifus on
Disabled

Treasure ChestWriting-related resources, news, and reflections to enjoy over the weekend.

  • “Dear Writing Geek” is a new advice column where you can ask Stephanie Vanderslice your writing-related questions.
  • Maybe it’s just me, but I simply don’t understand what’s wrong with using a period to end a sentence.
  • “What kind of nature writing does the world need now? Join two acclaimed writers whose work has appeared in Orion, Robert Macfalane and Rebecca Solnit, for a far-ranging discussion of how nature writing is evolving on both sides of the Atlantic. Moderated by Orion‘s Editor, Jennifer Sahn, this live web event is free and open to all December 5 at 3 p.m. Eastern/noon Pacific, and 8 p.m. GMT.” You must pre-register. (h/t @creativenonfic)
  • Philip Graham has written a really lovely tribute to his friend, Oscar Hijuelos.
  • And over on Lisa Romeo’s blog, Christi Craig offers an account of her recent participation in the Salt Cay Writers Retreat.

    • Have a great weekend, all.

    Jewish Literary Links for Shabbat

    by Erika Dreifus on
    2

    Photo Credit: Reut Miryam Cohen

    Every Friday morning My Machberet presents an assortment of Jewish-interest links, primarily of the literary variety.

  • Advice on writing for Jewish publications (and getting paid for what you write!) from the talented and prolific Rebecca Klempner.
  • In The New York Times Book Review: “Each week in Bookends, two writers take on pressing and provocative questions about the world of books. This week, Adam Kirsch and Rivka Galchen on why Hannah Arendt’s ‘Eichmann in Jerusalem’ remains contentious fifty years after it was first published.”
  • This just added to my tbr list: From Kristallnacht to Watergate: Memoirs of a Newspaperman, by Harry Rosenfeld.
  • “J., the Jewish news weekly of Northern California, has a rare opening for a full-time staff reporter working from our office in San Francisco’s Financial District.”
  • The Winter 2014 issue of Jewish Review of Books is online. Much of the content is for subscribers only, but you’ll find a few pieces available to all.

    • Shabbat shalom and best wishes for a joyous Hanukkah!

    Wednesday’s WIP: My First WaPo Review

    by Erika Dreifus on
    11

    AftermathAmong the things I’m grateful for in the writing realm as Thanksgiving approaches is a brand-new, first-time byline in The Washington Post. I deeply appreciate the opportunity I had to review a new historical novel, Rhidian Brook’s The Aftermath, as well as the expert editing my work received from Ron Charles before publication last week.

    I was drawn to the book in part due to my abiding interest in fiction that involves aspects of World War II, and in part due to my ever-increasing interest in fiction written by grandchildren of those whose lives were dramatically influenced by those historical events. In this case, as mentioned in the review, Brook drew the novel’s storyline from his own grandfather’s British military service in postwar Germany.

    I hope that you’ll read and enjoy the review. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone all of this blog’s readers who celebrate it. And if you’d care to share a comment regarding something in your writing practice that you are thankful for, I’d love to read it.