Wednesday’s WiP: Getting to Know the New York Society Library

The New York Society Library's quiet tribute last Wednesday evening to Maya Angelou, who passed away earlier that day.
The New York Society Library’s quiet tribute last Wednesday evening to Maya Angelou, who passed away earlier that day.
As someone who works a 9-5, M-F “day job” in a midtown Manhattan office, I’m a homebody during much of my out-of-office time. I’m lucky to live in an apartment I love. Ideally, I’d get lots of writing done there.

In fact, much of my at-home time is spent decompressing, darting in-and-out (errands, exercise, trips to my sister’s place nearby), housekeeping, laundering, and all those other activities that can keep us busy with everything except writing. Which may explain why my parents chose a special gift for my most recent birthday: a membership to the New York Society Library.

My parents have always been intrigued by the Library, which, like my sister’s apartment, is located within easy walking distance. They’ve encouraged me to think about getting a membership there. I guess I dithered too long, because this spring, they went ahead and treated me to said membership themselves. And after work last Wednesday evening, I made my inaugural visit in conjunction with the organization’s party for new members.

So, what is the New York Society Library? A brief summary: “Founded in 1754, the Library is open to all for reading, reference, and many events. Circulation and other services are available to members. Our landmark building houses over 300,000 volumes, reading rooms, study spaces, a children’s library, and an exhibition gallery.” Notably, in addition to its individual study rooms and impressive periodical collection (which I surveyed on Wednesday evening), the Library offers a variety of “Writer Services” that I’m starting to look into.

Unfortunately for me, I’m coming to all of this at a fairly inauspicious time of year. The Library is closed weekends during the summer, and it’s open past five only two days each week. Hardly ideal for any writer with a day job! Nonetheless, I’m hoping to experiment a bit with this new location for me to write and to read. We’ll see what happens. Meantime, we can all enjoy the Library’s archived event recordings. (I’m likely to begin with Meg Wolitzer in conversation with Delia Ephron re: The Interestings.)

Wednesday’s Work-in-Progress: A New Review and a Lesson Re-Learned

BNScreenshotLast week brought the publication of my first piece for The Barnes & Noble Review: a review of Anthony Doerr’s oh-so-impressive new novel All the Light We Cannot See. I’m really proud of this review and happy to share it.

Something interesting happened with this assignment that I thought I’d mention here as a sort of how-to reminder.

If you’re a reviewer and/or familiar with the galley versions that are circulated to reviewers and other early readers ahead of publication, you may have noticed these cautionary words that often accompany them: (more…)

Wednesday’s Work-in-Progress: A Poetic “Duet”

On Friday, May 2, The Forward‘s Arty Semite blog published my poem “Mount Zion.” And on Friday, May 9, my poem “September 1, 1946” appeared on the same.

Initially, I thought that I might share both poems with you. A pair.

But then, something better came along. And I mean that quite literally.

Last Friday, I shared the link to “September 1, 1946”–which uses W.H. Auden’s “September 1, 1939” to jump-start a poem about my father’s maternal grandmother–with some family and friends.

My great-grandmother, who is the woman at the center of "September 1, 1946," along with her grown-up "baby grandson" and HIS first baby--me.
My great-grandmother, who is the woman at the center of “September 1, 1946,” along with her grown-up “baby grandson” and HIS first baby–me.

Within hours, one member of that community–Jon Racherbaumer–posted a poem in response. It represents an effort, in Jon’s words, to express “how I imagine you imagining as you wrote.”

After reading both my poem and Jon’s, my friend and poetry teacher Sage Cohen commented, “What a duet!” And that’s how I hope you may also see them.

Here, again, is “September 1, 1946.” I hope that you’ll read it, and then return here for “Erika’s Vision,” re-posted here with Jon’s permission. (more…)

Wednesday’s WIP: After The Muse–and After the MFA

muse2014Honestly, I don’t know how they do it, but the Grub Street team presents an outstanding (and outstandingly-organized) conference with The Muse and the Marketplace every year. I have so many thoughts/gleanings to share after last weekend’s conference, but I am trying to be equally organized (in my mind, before I even attempt the screen). Pending further commentary, I thought I’d share a bit about the session that I moderated on Saturday afternoon.

The session that I’d proposed was titled “After the MFA: Constructing and Leading a Writing Life.” My super-accomplished co-panelists were Matt Bell, Patricia Park, and Laura van den Berg.

For those of you who weren’t able to attend the conference and/or our session, here’s the text of the handout that I prepared for distribution. Please feel free to add your resource suggestions in the comments section. Thanks! (more…)

Wednesday’s Work-in-Progress: Where to Read (and Publish) Literary Humor?

laughingSo, this past week brought a minor milestone to my writing life: my first submission to The New Yorker‘s “Shouts & Murmurs” department.

I would call the piece that I submitted an example of “literary humor.” I would do so because I can’t quite figure out a better label for it: it’s a short (450-word) piece that essentially brings a 19th-century novel’s character into the present. That’s about all I want to say about it right now.

I submitted the piece via the magazine’s online submission manager, and quickly received an auto-response acknowledging receipt and stating that I “should receive a reply within three months.”

In the meantime, I’m trying to build a list of other possible homes for this piece. You know, just in case The New Yorker declines to publish it. (more…)