Susan Henderson's LitPark - Latest Comments

Re: Question of the Month: Voice

SusanHenderson — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 20:22:00 -0000

I'm so glad you're here, Mary!

Is that a Virginia thing? Maybe it is, because the musical flow of a piece is even more important to me than character and plot.

I still read to my kids, and plan to when they grow mustaches. My heart will break if they tell me to stop.

Re: Monthly Wrap: Sore Throat

SusanHenderson — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 20:10:53 -0000

Hope this link works: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=68051649...

That's where Lance Reynald will be reading on Tuesday, and Kimberly Wetherell and I will be escorting him there. No guarantees that we'll get him there sober, but one way or another, it will be a fantastic evening. Hope to see many of you there!

Re: Question of the Month: Voice

Mary Akers — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 09:59:43 -0000

Well, I'm even later, so there! I hate my own voice on things like answering machines and voice mail, although I do think I'm a good reader, and people have told me that independent of my own thoughts. I love to inhabit the voices--both of the narrator and the characters. I've read too many books aloud (to my kids) to count. About a year ago, my youngest (who is now 13) finally told me, "I can do it faster, Mom." It broke my heart a little, but I know he's right. It's time for him to hear the voices in his books without my interpretation of them.

And Sue, did I know you were from Virginia?? How did I miss that? I'm a Virginia gal, too. I can slip back into the cadence of it in a heartbeat. The musical flow of a piece of writing is very important to me. I know it's from my Virginia roots. (Pronounced "ruuts.")

Re: Monthly Wrap: Sore Throat

SusanHenderson — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 11:28:44 -0000

Ha! I feel like I've lived this very conversation so many times!

Re: Attica Locke

SusanHenderson — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 11:27:15 -0000

I love the title, too. And I'm so grateful for both you and Attica for reminding me (and all of us here) that it's our unique voices that made us want to be writers and artists. It's so easy to get pulled away from that either for money or just out of rejection.

Re: Question of the Month: Voice

5speener0 — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 17:36:36 -0000

Andrea! Your accent in more confusing than mine! :)

Re: Monthly Wrap: Sore Throat

Amy Wallen — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 17:47:51 -0000

I love your voice, Susan. I had my annual bout of laryngitis the other day and answered the phone to a woman who I thought had the same Rhodesian Boar flu that I was trying to survive, so I said, "Oh, sounds like you got what's going around." There was a long pause, and I said, "It sounds like you got that awful virus." "No," she said, sounding a little insulted. Then I had to quickly recover when I realized it was her real voice. If she only knew that I actually envied her raspiness. Instead, I'm sure I was written off as some insensitive bufoon, which I often am, but wasn't at that particular moment.

Anyway, loved hearing/reading the discussion.

Re: Attica Locke

jessicaK — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 12:10:13 -0000

Attica,
I wrote something to you yesterday but it seems to have disappeared so I'll try again. I wanted to say how much I love your title. Absolutely beautiful, and also to applaud you for seizing your voice and allowing yourself to rise to the surface and be heard. You must feel a certain calm writing the "other" stuff now knowing that you've finally spoken and carved a place for your unique sound. Congratulations. Jessica Keener

Re: Attica Locke

SusanHenderson — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 21:22:30 -0000

Well, that's an awfully reassuring idea. In fact, that comforts and lifts me more than you could possibly know.

Re: Attica Locke

jessicaK — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 17:41:07 -0000

That "thing" is the soul--sounds apolcalyptic but that's what I believe. Jessica

Re: Monthly Wrap: Sore Throat

SusanHenderson — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 16:21:22 -0000

Hey guys, I'm going to post a note from the remarkable Jeff Lependorf, a past guest of LitPark and probably THE biggest champion of indie publishing. Feel free to post his note wherever you can to help him keep the indies afloat during these tough economic times. Thanks so much.

I am writing to you from the Council of Literary Magazines and
Presses http://www.clmp.org, the country's only nonprofit organization devoted to helping the
community of independent literary publishers. CLMP’s small presses
and literary magazines represent the voices left out of the mainstream
and document the literature of entire communities. They are motivated
by their passion for literature, not the bottom line. However, passion
alone cannot sustain a publisher. We help our publishers run better as
businesses and help them reach new readers. We make it possible for
them to keep publishing despite shrinking resources. We rely on
readers like you to do this essential work.

This is a particularly challenging time for CLMP and I hope we can
count on your help. Please consider becoming a Friend of CLMP today.
We help more than 500 independent publishers with support from Friends
of CLMP! Despite the economy, we continue to serve our community and
even launch new programs—we ask for your help now as we enter the
cash-poor days of summer.

You can become an active member of this community by making a fully
tax-deductible contribution to CLMP. Click here to donate: http://www.clmp.org/support

Please keep America a country where literature matters by making a
contribution to CLMP today. Our publishers need your help—and we
will provide that help thanks to your support.

Wishing you a spectacular summer!

Warmest regards,

Jeffrey

P.S. Those able to give $100 or more will be thanked with a very
special, limited edition, signed letterpress broadside printed by our
friends at Coffee House Press!

Re: Question of the Month: Voice

SusanHenderson — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 14:07:15 -0000

How fun to hear about your hybrid accent! I'm a dirt-under-the-fingernails-from-working-in-the-yard type, too. :)

Re: Question of the Month: Voice

5speener0 — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 09:22:57 -0000

Late, AGAIN! I just have a hard time with time.

My voice is a little strange.

--I've been told it sounds sexy, as if I'm reclined on a chaise, eating bon-bons, clad only in a skimpy lingerie thingy. I don't think it sounds that way AT ALL, and, no, that bon-bon eating activity is not me. I'm more the dirt under my fingernails from working in the yard type.

--I do have a bit of an unusual accent. I was born in Greece and lived there until age 8. I lived in Australia from age 8-21, have lived in the U.S. for 30 years and I'v ebeen exposed to a bona-fide southern boy for 16+ of those years. My Australian relatives say I sound like an American, Americans aren't at all sure about my origin and accent and a Canadian I was on the phone with recently said he loved my southern accent!

--When I hear my recorded voice, I think it sounds schizophrenic, which make sense when you know how many auditory influences have entered my brain through those ears on each side of my head. When I hear AND see myself, I can add to that description that 'my mouth looks like a serpent trying to decide which direction to go in'!!! If I can get to it, I'll post a link to a youtube video...then you can see if I've described all of this accurately.

Re: Question of the Month: Voice

5speener0 — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 09:10:21 -0000

I agree, Susan. I love that description. It's as original as apple pie.

Oh, that internal seething--bad for ya. Of course, I should know, I do it too.

Re: Question of the Month: Voice

SusanHenderson — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 08:02:36 -0000

So glad you're writing!

Re: Monthly Wrap: Sore Throat

SusanHenderson — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 07:59:23 -0000

My pleasure. Just tweeted your news, too.

Re: Monthly Wrap: Sore Throat

Brad Listi — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 01:48:05 -0000

Thanks so much, Sue!!!

Re: Question of the Month: Voice

eileen_rita — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 18:51:32 -0000

haha yes forget Hobbits, The Conchords are our claim to fame at the moment. I do worry how the world must picture the average New Zealander?

I did spend a lot of yesterday thinking about my old school days after visiting here. It would be nice to write something fresh, and for myself. We will see where the thoughts go.

Re: Monthly Wrap: Sore Throat

SusanHenderson — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 18:03:37 -0000

Not easy stuff you're dealing with. I'm glad you had a visit out there.

I'm going to check out the link in a minute. Next weekend we're going to what (with funding) might become the first math museum in the US. They're doing an exhibit as part of the World Science Fair.

Off in a bit to the Hamptons. The boys were just asked if they'd play out there for $, so we're heading out in about a half an hour...

Re: Monthly Wrap: Sore Throat

Aurelio — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 11:55:50 -0000

We went up to the Bay Area to see my dad. He's in assisted living - he'll be 90 in January - and we've been having some family issues regarding his care that I needed to at least try to solve.

For some reason, the potential for insanity peaks when dealing with declining parents, and some of my sibs are losing it. It's basically them wanting to be in charge, not being able to handle it, but not wanting to admit that or let anyone else take over. And Dad simply becomes a pawn in the chess-match that is my family.

We did take an extra day to go to San Francisco and see the new California Academy of Sciences - WOW! That is absolutely the best science museum I've ever seen. Here's a link (and I hope I can get it to work):

California Academy of Sciences

Re: Question of the Month: Voice

SusanHenderson — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 22:10:47 -0000

My kids' favorite band is from New Zealand, so we hear the accent A LOT around here. http://www.myspace.com/conchords

I'm so intrigued by your story of the mask and the silly voices and the mean girls. I hope you write a story about it.

Re: Question of the Month: Voice

SusanHenderson — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 22:05:58 -0000

Ha! That's funny about the TV accent!

Re: Attica Locke

SusanHenderson — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 22:04:59 -0000

Rejections. No pay. Ruthless editors. And still we keep at it. I wonder why that is? I wonder what that thing is inside all of us that's stronger than all of the bad?

Re: Monthly Wrap: Sore Throat

SusanHenderson — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 21:59:29 -0000

You don't have a high voice, not at all.

Where did you go on your trip?

Re: Monthly Wrap: Sore Throat

SusanHenderson — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 21:57:41 -0000

Yes on limoncello in Central Park!

(Any word on the boy with the large musical instrument??)