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You’re out there! Nice to know so many of you are still reading, even if I’m unloved by Bloglines this week. As promised, the answers to your questions:
Heather asks:
Which writers would you most like _your_ work to be compared to?
Oh jeez… Which writers would I most like my work compared to, vs which writers have most influenced me, I guess, because they aren’t always the same… I’d love to have my work compared to Proust, for example, and In Search of Lost Time has had a profound influence on me as a writer and as a person, but I certainly don’t ever expect to be compared to Proust. I mean…really. Proust? I’m good, but I’m not THAT good. My biggest influences (at this point, and with names always being added) are Marcel Proust, Salman Rushdie, Federico Garcia Lorca, Carole Maso, Mary Gaitskill, Lydia Davis…. (Proust and Lorca both changed my life. Seriously.)
If my work could be compared to any of these writers, (I swear I’m being sincere here, but how does one talk about this without sounding a wee bit pretentious?), I’d say I have the most in common with Maso and Gaitskill. With Maso I share a certain concern with use of language and imagery in a lyric, muscular way. With Gaitskill, well, I’ll just quote my friend Emily Mitchell here (whose first novel, From the Air will be published this spring by Norton and you will all love it and I’ll let you know when you can buy it). Emily said in an email, of Gaitskill’s latest novel, Veronica, “I realized how much she is a writer in your vein – she is interested in looking at the terrible things which freedom allows people to do to themselves and each other.” I hope she’ll forgive my publicly quoting her private email. I think she will. She loves me and I love her and therefore such things are, I hope, permitted. Plus, I think she’s right on the money re: why I feel such a kinship with Gaitskill.
Danielle asks:
You obviously wear many hats, as an artist, and I’ve seen evidence of you using one medium to overcome blocks and difficulties in another (I can’t remember specifically which post, but there was one about painting to realize a character more fully). So what makes you feel like you are, more than anything else, A Writer? Is it a compulsion to write, a feeling that you are more clearly expressive in that mode, or…what?
Definitely a writer. I play around with painting and drawing, etc, but I’m not terribly proficient in them and it isn’t how I see or communicate best. I haven’t painted since I got pregnant (since oils are toxic and I don’t like acrylics) and I’m surprised to find I haven’t really missed it. Visual art has been a useful tool for me in the past, for gaining some understanding of aspects of a story or a character before my brain is ready to put words to it–image and feeling and color coming before words, I suppose–but it’s a tool I haven’t felt the need to turn to in the last year. Even when I was making visual art more often, it didn’t feed me the way writing does. Not sure how else to explain it… The writing feeds me. It’s not something I could ever stop doing, the way I’ve stopped painting.
Jenn asks:
Have you ever posted your writing online? Short stories, novel excerpts, anything like that?
I haven’t posted any writing online, but you can read one of my short stories here. I was thrilled that Mary Gaitskill was interviewed in the same issue where my story appeared. I figured there was the smallest chance that maybe she’d actually read my story as a result… Sigh…
Another Jenn asks:
I guess, if I had any questions to ask, would be what inspired you? I’ve been thinking about inspiration and creativity a lot recently, and I’m always interested in hearing what other people have to say on the topic.
I’m not really sure. I’m not even sure if I believe in inspiration, in the traditional sense. What do you folks think?
Amanda asks:
What is your favorite book about writing (either the mechanics or the craft aspects)?
I’ve never really found writing books all that useful, personally, though I know others find them helpful and I think that’s great. I did read Stephen King’s On Writing (because Emily kept going on about it) and found it to be a very good reminder of the basic things one already knows but has forgotten in the muddle of the actual work of writing. I found it reassuring: “Ah, right. Yes, I know how to do this.” Also, it’s not exclusively a writing book, but I found Jane Smiley’s 13 Ways of Looking at the Novel to be quite helpful in this latest round of revisions.
KaKi asks:
If you could only recommend one book about knitting, what would it be?
I feel like I should say something responsible here, like The Ultimate Knitting Book, but really I think everyone should own and use Knitting Vintage Socks. Because no knitted thing pleases me more than handknit socks.
Darling Carolyn asks:
When did you start dyeing your hair? and what prompted the first decision to do so?
When I was sixteen because I was a suburban punk and thought it was terribly clever to have magenta hair. Now I just do it because I like the way it looks.
Wen, Catherine, and Toni all asked after the dogs. (As to what’s on the needles, I promise to get to that in another post. Remember when this used to be a knitting blog? I’m getting back to that in my next post.)
The dogs are both doing well. They seem to like Thumper just fine and are good with him. The cat is another story entirely. The cat…oy vey… I’ve meant to knit sweaters for the dogs for years and still haven’t done it. I’m a terrible dog mom that way.
Thanks for the questions, and very nice to hear from some lurkers! Next post, a view of what’s on the needles… (ooh! so exciting!)
Thanks for answering my question! I actually don’t own either one of those books! Thanks for the addition to my wish list!
Posted by: KaKi
One of my feeds is being summarily ignored by Bloglines too. I just keep checking back with you because that freaking little red exclamation point tells me that Bloglines is f*ing up, rather than you’re just not posting…
Yeah, they’re checking into mine, too. I hate technology. 🙂
Would love to see what kind of educational filmstrip you’d come up with….
Posted by: Lee Ann
Thanks for answering my question! I actually don’t own either one of those books! Thanks for the addition to my wish list!
Posted by: KaKi
One of my feeds is being summarily ignored by Bloglines too. I just keep checking back with you because that freaking little red exclamation point tells me that Bloglines is f*ing up, rather than you’re just not posting…
Yeah, they’re checking into mine, too. I hate technology. 🙂
Would love to see what kind of educational filmstrip you’d come up with….
Posted by: Lee Ann
I’m Here… LOL
So I do have a question about the dogs. Being a dog person and retired handler who has dealt a lot with IGs, Do you dress your dogs? If so, shout me an email, I would love to give you a copy of my new dog sweater pattern book
Posted by: Lady Wyvern
I’m a little late to the whole q post, but I am curious what you prefer to write with or on. Can you reccomend a good pen/pencil/pad of paper/notebook/journal/etc? I did make a big leap and assume that you use the above instead of just jumping the computer, which is a possibility too.
the cat earned an oy vey? I have to admit that I’ve missed his pictures but did enjoy reading about his latest antics. The most recent thumper photo? beautiful. I miss the way laughs can be contageous and evoked with a simply silly face.
(I’m sharing space with a four year old who is hilarious and very articulate and his 8mon old sister who just learned how to crawl. That alone is making this rotation a good one.)
Posted by: Kristen
I’m suddenly feeling a need to de-lurk….and buy the sock book. ~x~
Posted by: Jane in London
I love that knitting book, too. And magenta hair… That was my favorite color when I was 8. I love your hair color.
Posted by: Kathy
You’re back on bloglines!
Posted by: Amy
Whoa, count me as one of the Bloglines oblivious. I should check in on my friends anyway 😉
Posted by: jackie
I’m Here… LOL
So I do have a question about the dogs. Being a dog person and retired handler who has dealt a lot with IGs, Do you dress your dogs? If so, shout me an email, I would love to give you a copy of my new dog sweater pattern book
Posted by: Lady Wyvern
I’m a little late to the whole q post, but I am curious what you prefer to write with or on. Can you reccomend a good pen/pencil/pad of paper/notebook/journal/etc? I did make a big leap and assume that you use the above instead of just jumping the computer, which is a possibility too.
the cat earned an oy vey? I have to admit that I’ve missed his pictures but did enjoy reading about his latest antics. The most recent thumper photo? beautiful. I miss the way laughs can be contageous and evoked with a simply silly face.
(I’m sharing space with a four year old who is hilarious and very articulate and his 8mon old sister who just learned how to crawl. That alone is making this rotation a good one.)
Posted by: Kristen
I’m suddenly feeling a need to de-lurk….and buy the sock book. ~x~
Posted by: Jane in London
I love that knitting book, too. And magenta hair… That was my favorite color when I was 8. I love your hair color.
Posted by: Kathy
You’re back on bloglines!
Posted by: Amy
Whoa, count me as one of the Bloglines oblivious. I should check in on my friends anyway 😉
Posted by: jackie
Dude. Bloglines updates other blogs twice a day, even when they haven’t posted anything new, and leaves you out for a whole week. What’s up with that??
Oh- I tried to get my sister to adopt Oscar. Only I paused a bit too long when she asked me if he was any trouble. Gotta work on my lying skills.
Posted by: Iris
Bloglines SUCKS! I missed the chance to ask my question….
Posted by: claudia
You have a cat? And it doesn’t like Thumper? I have 4 cats and a 2 month old, and they seemto be divided on the concept of the short person. One, however, will curl up on the pillow I use to help prop him up while I nurse him, and she’ll lick his head. It seems to help the cradle cap…. 😉
Posted by: Cathy
I’ve been wondering how your dogs were getting along with the baby as well. Because I too have an iggy. But not that I’m also going to have a baby. Been there, done that. And I’m now too old. But – back to the dogs – I knitted my iggy a sweater that I found a pattern free online that was specifically sized to their funny little bodies. The pattern is also on my website if you click in the right sidebar under “Knitting Gallery” then scroll down for Italian Greyhound Sweater.
Posted by: Shelley (Pink House)
Dude. Bloglines updates other blogs twice a day, even when they haven’t posted anything new, and leaves you out for a whole week. What’s up with that??
Oh- I tried to get my sister to adopt Oscar. Only I paused a bit too long when she asked me if he was any trouble. Gotta work on my lying skills.
Posted by: Iris
Bloglines SUCKS! I missed the chance to ask my question….
Posted by: claudia
You have a cat? And it doesn’t like Thumper? I have 4 cats and a 2 month old, and they seemto be divided on the concept of the short person. One, however, will curl up on the pillow I use to help prop him up while I nurse him, and she’ll lick his head. It seems to help the cradle cap…. 😉
Posted by: Cathy
I’ve been wondering how your dogs were getting along with the baby as well. Because I too have an iggy. But not that I’m also going to have a baby. Been there, done that. And I’m now too old. But – back to the dogs – I knitted my iggy a sweater that I found a pattern free online that was specifically sized to their funny little bodies. The pattern is also on my website if you click in the right sidebar under “Knitting Gallery” then scroll down for Italian Greyhound Sweater.
Posted by: Shelley (Pink House)