I am bringing an old post back because I wanted to review again the fabulous discussion on women's art, especially the work of Katherine Ace and the events that surround and shape the direction of women's lives. And re-reading it again, I still find it as fascinating and with much to offer as when we […]
Katherine Ace: The Open Ended Metaphor Read More »
This is a complicated moment in the novel when several threads come together, all for the purpose of resolving Anna’s terrifying possession. Having accepted the maenad’s mask, and now in its spell, Anna throws herself into the bloody revels of the maenads following Bacchus. Two men with separate interests in Anna have been searching for
Excerpt from The Innamorati: Anna’s Return Read More »
This is was fun scene to write as it provided me a chance to get back at that wretched Orpheus after reading all the mythological shenanigans he did to harm the Sirens and get away with it. Well, only to a certain extent. There was that unfortunate incident with the maenads, but even from that
Excerpt from The Innamorati: Erminia And Two Poets Read More »
I am trying to remember that moment in writing The Innamorati — constructed mainly around the characters of the Commedia dell'Arte– when I decided I needed the Siren Herminia to join the cast. I cannot now conceive of the novel without her — but neither can I recall conceiving the necessity of her in the
Homeric Sirens II: Enchanters of All Mankind Read More »
This excerpt is taken from Chapter Eight in The Innamorati when Erminia finds herself in the piazza, watching a performance of the Commedia troupe, the Libertini. She is stunned by the magic of Anna Forseti's masks. And their power incite in her the longing to be fully the fantastic creature that she is, threatening to
Excerpt from The Innamorati: Erminia’s Song Read More »
I am working on a series of posts on my research on the sirens — all of which went into creating the character of Erminia, the siren in The Innamorati. I decided to provide something from the novel as an opportunity to see how the research transforms into character. So here is the chapter where
Excerpt From The Innamorati: Erminia, the Siren Read More »
I realized in the middle of the night that everything I had imagined about the plot structure of Three Sisters was insufficient unto the task. I had assumed I could move from one sister's narrative to another, forming discreet and somewhat separate interludes. But, I realized as I turned over on the pillow that If
A Middle of the Night Meeting With the Commedia Read More »
As I am participating in a scary-supernatural book reading event, I thought I would lead off with this older but excellent novel, Pedro Páramo by Juan Rulfo — which I have now re-read for the third time because it never fails to make the hair on the back of my neck stand up. This is
The Dreaming Dead: Juan Rulfo Read More »
Yes…because sometimes writing just feels like this, right before working, in the middle of working, and for the rest of the day after working. It's not scary — but adjustments do have to be made. Probably better not to do anything involving knives or automobiles. Véronique La Perrière M., Dissolution et recommencement (swan), 2011.
Letting Go When Writing Read More »
“The strangest of all the phantasms described is, perhaps, the Youaltepoztli, literally, “the night hatchet or axe.” It manifested itself by causing loud intermittent sounds resembling those produced by the blows of an axe in splitting wood. These ominous sounds were audible at dead of night in the mountains, and inspired terror, for they were
Youaltepoztli: The Night Hatchet Read More »
