She's At It Again

New Blog

2006-10-04T15:10:00.000-04:00

Check out my new blog Humna Humna

I'll be posting there from now on.

Thank you

2006-10-04T12:32:00.000-04:00

To everyone who donated for the Light The Night walk. In the rain's mist walkers took their places at Penns Landing last weekend to show their support of friends and loved ones impacted by Lymphoma and Leukemia.

Want to know more? Light The Night

Are You Normal?

2006-09-26T17:59:00.000-04:00

I took the "Are You Normal?" test but my results aren't surprising. No one should question my "cute but psycho" shirt. Oh wait. No one questioned it.

Nevermind.

My Normalcy Quotient is: 39 out of 100.

My quiz results make me a Marvelous Maverick

Giddy-up partner. I'm a maverick and don't know what the definition of normal is. That's a-okay because I'm now part of a fascinating group of desperadoes. Wherever I ride, it's sure to be off the beaten path because it's way more fun to find the path least traveled. (For those who know me, I didn't write this text I swear. I just changed the "you" to "me" so I didn't sound like a complete sociopath by posting this on the blog. Okay, done with the disclaimer.)

What about you? Take the test and let us know your results.

Take this free personality test by Clicking Here>> or going to http://www.chatterbean.com/runormal/

Zadie Smith's Questions - Discussion.

2006-09-22T10:49:00.000-04:00

Thank you to Jade and Vikram for responding to this post. I enjoyed reading both perspectives on these topics.

My opinion? To the first question about multiculturalism I'd like to throw an additional bit to ponder. I recently attended the Tesoros (Treasures) traveling exhibit of art from Latin America currently at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. This exhibit contains artwork demonstrating that in the 1900s immigrants from China, Spain, and Africa all lived in Latin American countries. As an American I found this fascinating because I think, sometimes, we forget that the concept of a "melting pot" isn't unique to the United States but is a truth that exists for all countries.

The concept of borders conjures images of invisible walls that prevent us from moving to another location. The reality is that the moment a human became curious and decided to see what existed beyond the horizon or over a mountain, the possibility of cultures intermixing existed.

I don't say this to minimize the current challenges that exist in Europe or within any country but to add a different perspective on the topic.

In terms of the second question, I agree with Ms. Smith. Characters should be created to be full of life, not to stereotype a group, ethnicity, community, etc. All writers are tasked to create characters that live on the page and in the reader's mind. Hence why there are so many workshops on character development.

Thank you again to Vikram and Jade for responding. I'd still love to hear additional perspectives on these two topics.

Zadie Smith Reading and Topics for Discussion

2006-09-20T13:03:00.000-04:00

Last night I attended a reading by Zadie Smith at Bryn Mawr College. Ms. Smith is a wonderful reader. She adds accents to her characters’ dialogue, which enriched the time spent.

What I was most impressed with was the question and answer session. When asked her opinion of the spread of multiculturalism and where it’s going, she retorted (and I’m paraphrasing) that multiculturalism isn’t something that can be boxed or policied or compartmentalized. It is a natural progression of a global society. The moment humans were able to cross an ocean and climb into a plane the blending of cultures and ethnicities was destined. In other words, it just happens.

I also thought it was interesting when another audience member said that she thought Ms. Smith’s characters were vivid and truly represented entire groups. Ms. Smith’s retort (again paraphrasing) was that characters shouldn’t represent an entire group but stand on their own as representing the individual character and nothing more. If one character seemed to represent an entire ethnic or religious group then those are the sections of text in which the writer has failed.

What are your opinions regarding these topics? I’ll save mine until I receive some responses to this post.

Crime? What Crime?

2006-09-15T13:17:00.000-04:00

I'm attending a meeting in State College next weekend. In preparation, a friend and I were trying to find good places to eat in that area. My friend stumbled upon the latest link to the right, the Center Daily blog. If you want a good laugh then read the fruitful activities and interesting antics of the college town.

A great way to start the weekend.

Frank Wilson Interview

2006-09-07T07:25:00.000-04:00

Last night I interviewed Frank Wilson, the Book Review Editor for the Philadelphia Inquirer. Look for that interview on the Picolata Review in upcoming months.

Light The Night

2006-09-05T12:40:00.000-04:00

On September 30, I will be walking for the Light The Night Leukemia and Lymphoma Society fundraiser at Penns Landing. I'm sure many of us have known someone ill with Lymphoma or Leukemia. Recently a few friends of mine have been impacted by Lymphoma, so this walk holds something dear to me. I will be walking in memory of Ken Mullin, a good friend who passed away in June from complications related to Lymphoma.

If you would like to contribute to the fundraising campaign, please go to the link below and donate as little or as much as you choose.
http://www.active.com/donate/ltnPhilad/1780_lcoutant

Thanks,
Lisa

John Baker's Five Questions

2006-09-02T20:20:00.000-04:00

I received some inquiries saying that they had difficulty finding my answers to the Five Questions previously posted by John Baker, so I'm reposting my answers below. For the original post, click here.

1. Why do you blog?
I started blogging as a fun way to keep friends and family informed of my activities (the good ones). Then I was told that the url was being forwarded hither and thither I became inspired to broaden my scope. At that point, I decided to blog about literature and other activities surrounding the literary arts.

2. Which author and/or book has most influenced you?
The first book I clung to was The Count of Monte Cristo (in 4th grade). My reading tastes have always been eclectic, much like my taste in other areas. I love Salman Rushdie for his ability to weave environment, storyline, timeframe, social issues and all with a lyrical writing style. I love Charles Baxter’s writing because he is able to not just create a character but become the character (read Feast of Love and you’ll see what I mean). I enjoy Russell Banks for his ability to create worlds that would otherwise seem ordinary and breathe in the extraordinary. I love Amy Bloom for her ability to also take the ordinary and make it sing. When I was a pre-teen I read Dick Francis because I didn’t want to think too much and I liked horses. When I was a teen I read Anne Rice because who wouldn’t want to read about vampires while a teenager? In high school, I enjoyed almost all of the reading assignments (yes, I am an uber dork). Basically all stories that have left me with that “wow” feeling when I turned the final page and read the last sentence have influenced me. If I close the cover and in my mind I’m still in that world and all that it represents, then I’m a marked woman.

3. Which three blogs do you most visit?
I’ve been a bit out of touch lately but I usually visit:
Beatrice at http://beatrice.com/
MataxuCafe at http://metaxucafe.com/
and this one of course.

4. Why do you read fiction?
Because it gives me insight into anothers thoughts and dreams. Because I’m catapulted into other worlds that have been given a unique perception and taste by the author. Because it makes me think about topics I may not have thought about before.

5. What makes you laugh?
The Three Stooges, children’s laughter, a stupid joke, sarcastic comments, Bill the Cat, silliness.

Lisa D. K. Coutant blogs at She’s At It Again, which can be found here: www.lisacoutant.blogspot.com

Jus' Loafin' Around - Phew!

2006-09-02T10:20:00.000-04:00

I could blog about the food or the schedule or the parties or the town of Middlebury (consisting of two streets, maybe one) or the craft classes or the dances but I won’t. I’ve seen other bloggers and writers share those moments so let them tell the tales. I’m sure I have nothing earth shattering to add.

Someone asked me if I’d return to Bread Loaf and without question I said I would. If they’d let me.

I walked the halls of buildings that have the resonance of prior years and previous attendees. I broke bread with award winning authors and poets. I shared thoughts and dreams with other writers.

Thank you to everyone at the 2006 Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference for making it a memorable and humbling experience.

Jus' Loafin' Around - Oh Write, I Mean, Workshop

2006-09-01T07:58:00.000-04:00

Part of attending Bread Loaf is to have your writing workshopped. What does that mean? I’m glad you asked. (If you already know, then skip to the next paragraph.) Well, workshopping is when a writer submits a piece for the group (workshop leader, fellows, and attendees) to read prior to meeting and provide feedback to the writer. Most workshops include ten attendees, one Fellow (an assistant to the Workshop Leader) and a Workshop Leader.

Percival Everett lead our workshop. We had two Fellows, Robert Hill and Gonzalo Barr (this year’s winner of the Bakeless Award in fiction). All three gave invaluable feedback that really challenged each one of us to strive to be better writers, which in my opinion, is the reason to workshop.

The Fellows were so supportive that they met with workshop attendees individually to give additional comments and talk through ideas and concepts. This was in addition to the one-on-ones with Percival who generously gave us his time and feedback. Oh, and he’s dang funny.

During the workshop, I had the opportunity to read vivid prose by other workshop participants; truly talented writers.

Jus' Loafin' Around - The Readings

2006-08-31T06:32:00.000-04:00

Some readings mesmerized audiences. I must concur with Laila Lalami’s post on MoorishGirl.com that mentioned the staff readings are among the most anticipated and well-received. I’m proud to have been present to hear them and even more honored to say that I know a few of ‘em.

I was privileged to sit in on Fellow, Scholar, and Workshop Leader readings including those by Ursula Hagi, Ted Conover, William Kittredge, Toi Derricotte, Linda Gregerson, Robert Boswell, Percival Everett, Kevin McIlvoy, Antonya Nelson, Sigrid Nunez, Paul Lisicky, Linda Paston, Gonzalo Barr, Tim Bascom, Oni Buchanan, Thomas Sayers Ellis, Nicholas Montemarano, Glaydah Namukasa, Peter Orner (RSF), Erich Puchner, Jason Schneiderman, Richard Siken, Aryn Kyle, Anthony Lacavaro, Frances de Ponte Peebles, Bonnie Rough and Pulitzer Prize winning poet William Meredith.

Since I’m blogging about the readings, I must include the Blue Parlor Readings (BPRs). BPRs give an opportunity for regular ol' attendees to read from their works. I heard wonderful voices sharing original prose and look forward to seeing those same prose in print. Did I read? Yup, but I must admit the melodramatic ham in me took over and I went a bit over the top when reading dialogue. Uh vel.

Jus' Loafin' Around - Yo, Got a Posse?

2006-08-30T08:25:00.000-04:00

I am an introvert. There. I said it. I joined Introverts Anonymous and they put me through the ten-step program but I only made it through five of the steps.

1. Admit that I’m an introvert.
2. Affirm while standing in front of a mirror that it’s okay to be an introvert and that I’m a good person.
3. Say hello to random people on the street.
4. Don’t run away when they say hi back.

Oh wait. Nope. Only made it through 3.5 steps.

The reason this is relevant to my days as a Loafer is that by the end of the second day I had been befriended by not one, not two, but four others. (I’m not including someone I already knew in the list because I paid him to talk to me.) Now, these women may have befriended me because I had a car and they didn’t but I’d like to believe that the open and friendly atmosphere at Bread Loaf had already affected them. Our group ate together, hung out together, and caused general mischief together. I will not admit to any specific mischief, but if you email me privately and I’ve had a few drinks then I “may” provide more details.

I will remember these women as an integral part of my Bread Dough experience. Talented, intelligent, beautiful, and funny writers all, I’m proud to have been attached to them, if only for a limited time.

More Bread Loaf Bloggers (In No Specific Order)

2006-08-29T15:35:00.000-04:00

Katrina in New Orleans

Robert Steven Williams

Adam’s Blog

Perpetual Folly

Mary Akers

Poetry Crush

Original Content

Dr. Dolen’s Divinations

Miss Hag

The Connecticut Philadelphian

The Open Page – A Commonplace

Jus' Loafin' Around - Bread Loaf History

2006-08-29T08:55:00.000-04:00

The first day, I had lunch with Leo, the Bread Loaf grounds keeper (or grounds manager as some may call him). To meet Leo is a treat. A kind hearted man who, if I didn't know better (based on his knowledge of the mountain), I would have sworn he's been the grounds keeper since the days of Robert Frost. He gave me the history of the mountain, the Inn and its association with Middlebury College (for the official history, click here). The lunch marked the beginning of my love affair with the salad bar and coffee station. Two staples most Loafers cannot live without.

That evening Michael Collier, the program's director, gave a welcome speech. This is when I realized how tightly knit the community is and how much of an honor it is to be given an opening into it. During the speech he said that there will be times on this mountain when you'll want to run away and at the same time be inextricably attracted to Bread Loaf. If an attendee needs to feel grounded, all he needs to do is call home and have a friend or loved one ask, "So, how's that place? Ya know. Bread Dough?"

One More Loafer

2006-08-28T15:13:00.000-04:00

Robert Steven Williams blogs about his experience this year at the Loaf.

'Nother Loafin' Perspective

2006-08-28T13:55:00.000-04:00

Laila Lalami attended this year's Loaf as a Fiction Fellow. She's posted a few entries about her experiences.

Jus’ Loafin’ Around - On the way to Cape May

2006-08-28T13:50:00.000-04:00

No, not really but I was on the way to Bread Loaf. I’ll start my Loaf tale here, on the first day prior to the first hour. I live in Philadelphia. Rittenhouse Square to be a bit more precise. Most mornings I awaken to the heartwarming sounds of bums arguing or trash trucks performing their usual function – collecting garbage.

The morning, or rather late evening I left for the Loaf, the street lamps were illuminated and the morning air cool. I lugged (no exaggeration) my bags to my truck and began my journey. I hoped to stop at a Starbucks on the way but alas I was up too early even for the standard coffee drinker (4 AM).

The most interesting thing about the drive was the transformation. I left concrete slabs and buildings that touched the clouds. As I drove through Pennsylvania and then New York to reach Vermont, the cement turned to grass and the modernized buildings to Victorians, Colonials, and farms. Streets peppered with the rush of city living were replaced with lounging cows and tractors waiting to be used.

To get to the Inn, I drove a narrow curving road that seemed to follow a stream that webbed itself under and next to the man-made path giving me the feeling that I had left one point in time and somehow was transported to a unique world.

And so I was.

The Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference is annually held at the Bread Loaf Inn and its surrounding buildings to form a quaint town alive with a dining area, theatre, store, and library. When I checked in, I was given my room assignment, the name of my roommate and a mailbox number with combination. My room, on the second floor of the Inn, had a view of the street before it and part of the front porch. After I unpacked I wandered the campus a bit to get a sense of my new environment. For those of you who know me, you will understand this – before I could really get a feel for the campus, I got lost. No, no, not on a cross street (there isn’t one) or among the crowds (ditto) but rather walking through the Inn. That’s when I decided to be safe and wait for the guided walking tour, which lasted approximately 20 minutes.

“And over here is a really cool building,” said the tour guide.

“What’s its historical prominence?” a fellow attendee asked.

“I don’t know,” said the guide. “But it’s a really cool building.”

And so it was.

Tune in next time for another installment of Jus’ Loafin’ Around.

Jus' Loafin' Around

2006-08-27T19:30:00.000-04:00

After 11 days on the Bread Loaf mountain, I am home. Tired, but home.

When someone commented on this blog before I left that Bread Loaf is a unique experience, he wasn't kidding. Part creative outlet, part summer camp, part workshop - the writers' conference allows published and aspiring writers from across the globe to interact and exchange ideas, thoughts, and dreams.

I've been checking out other articles about Bread Loaf and I think I'll shy away from the standard content about my workshop and the late night parties, although both did occur.

Look for posts about my experiences at this year's Bread Loaf Writers' Conference in upcoming weeks.

As a teaser - I'd go back.

Reports from Bread Loaf

2006-08-26T08:15:00.000-04:00

Want to know about the 2006 Bread Loaf Writers' Conference? Then go to www.poetryfoundation.org and check out the Bread Loaf blog.

When I return from Bread Loaf (I'm leaving for Philadelphia tomorrow) I'll blog about some of my experiences in Vermont.

We are still children

2006-08-14T20:45:00.000-04:00

Lately I've been in contact with many friends I haven't had the opportunity to speak to in a while. These are friends from every corner of my life. Some are from childhood, others from my teens, still others stem from the beginnings of my corporate career.

Yesterday, I chatted with a friend I've had since I was two. Neither of us remembers this. It's one of those fairy tales that parents tell. "You gals first met when you were two and she was six months old. You played like you were sisters."

We both remember the first time we saw each other six years later - in a MacDonalds in opposite lines. Our fathers just happened to treat us to a Happy Meal in the same restaurant, on the same day, exact same hour, different line. We were inseparable for 10 years.

As I talked on the cell phone, I admired the architecture around me, the people who walked by, the college students gathering in nearby pubs. Then I realized that my childhood friend and I were talking just as we did when we were little. Those girls who hid in the nooks of an old Victorian, who giggled at the dumbest jokes, who passed notes through the hallways even when it was forbidden by our parents. Those little girls who, no matter what, stood by each other and made sure that the other one was safe and sound and protected even when our own parents couldn't save us. Those girls were on the phone, their voices elevated in laughter, the tone flippant and valley.

For a second I wondered where those girls had gone. Were they hiding within us, waiting for the opportunity to come out and tickle each other's hearts once more? Had they been hiding underneath the exterior of a soulful singer and a corporate career woman? Even though our lives have branched into different worlds, ones that I'm not sure even we understand, those little girls still remain intact, waiting for the next chance to be released from their hiding places.

A Gift - Sorta

2006-08-14T20:13:00.000-04:00

Recently I moved into Center City Philadelphia and have been honored and privileged to become reacquainted with the practice of washing my clothing at a laundromat. Luckily, the closest one is literally a half block from my apartment.

I forgot about one of the joys of washing clothes in a community atmosphere. Unexpected guests.

Today, when I pulled my wash out of the dryer I was surprised to find a well-worn white t-shirt. No joke. I don't know how it got there or who it belongs to but I'm assuming the shirt liked my wash better and wanted to come home with me, so I'm keeping it.

Heck it's clean.

Can she make it through the door?

2006-08-04T07:52:00.000-04:00

I think her ear caught on the doorjam.

That's what the neighbors said after John Baker asked me to be a part of a five question series. Not that my ego needed any assistance, as demonstrated by me being stuck in my apartment until I realized that if I stuck myself with a pin it would reduce the swelling.

Check out my answers to the five questions at John's blog.

August Issue of Picolata

2006-08-02T10:32:00.000-04:00

The August Issue of the Picolata Review is now available.

Look for my interview with Charles Baxter.

Bread Loaf Writers' Conference

2006-07-11T13:27:00.000-04:00

Sorry for the lack of posts lately. As usual, life has taken itself over.

I will be attending this year's Bread Loaf Writers' Conference in Vermont from August 16 through August 27.

Look for posts about the experience when I return.

In the meantime, check out Picolata Review and look for the second edition, coming out soon.