Monthly Archives: August 2009

making order

Posted on August 29, 2009 by cynthia

In Mary Gaitskill‘s story collection, Don’t Cry, is a story entitled, “Mirror Ball.” It’s one of my four favorites in the collection and is described on the book jacket as an “urban fairy tale” in which “a young man steals … Continue reading →

Posted in Toni Morrison, form, recurring images, shapes, stories, subject matter | Tagged , | 5 Comments

the music room

Posted on August 25, 2009 by cynthia

The Music Room by Dennis McFarland was published in 1990. I read it the first time in 1991, and then again at the beginning of August–eighteen years later. I enjoyed it just as much. Here, McFarland could be describing his … Continue reading →

Posted in Sirenland, details, memory, reading | Tagged | 14 Comments

hot tub in a walk-in closet

Posted on August 21, 2009 by cynthia

Okay, here’s the thing. I got carried away in my post about the detail hunt. When I started writing it, I just wanted to write about how hard it was to catch details and maybe generate a discussion about where … Continue reading →

Posted in details, words, writing group | Tagged , , | 19 Comments

a detail hunt

Posted on August 17, 2009 by cynthia

The more I think about Pam Houston’s writing advice (via Henry James), that a writer ought to strive to be “someone on whom nothing is lost,” the more I want to be aware of what is going on around me. … Continue reading →

Posted in Flannery O'Connor, Pam Houston, craft of writing, details | Tagged , | 18 Comments

the space for me

Posted on August 11, 2009 by cynthia

If your life includes reading, writing, and books, then it’s likely filled with piles of books and papers and other things you’ve cut out or printed for ideas and then there are all the little notes for inspiration and the … Continue reading →

Posted in accumulation, life | Tagged | 14 Comments

a kind of fugue

Posted on August 8, 2009 by cynthia

“There is nothing to be done but go ahead with life moment by moment and hour by hour–put out birdseed, tidy the rooms, try to create order and peace around me even if I cannot achieve it inside me.” May Sarton. … Continue reading →

Posted in May Sarton, hours, life, shapes, the day, time, writing day | Tagged | 17 Comments

A Day in the Life of Pam Houston

Posted on August 1, 2009 by cynthia

Annie Dillard wrote, “How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.” On the first of each month, beginning today, Catching Days will host a guest writer. To inaugurate this monthly series, “How We Spend Our … Continue reading →

Posted in A Day in the Life, Pam Houston | Tagged , , , | 20 Comments