Yesterday, I reviewed a wonderful short story collection by Midge Raymond. Forgetting English features 10 stories with characters who are far from home and navigating an unfamiliar environment as they deal with crises and struggle to find themselves. Raymond’s ability to develop characters in just a handful of pages and to put readers right in the scene just blew me away. Seriously, before any of you tell me you don’t like short stories, I urge you to give this collection a try!
I invited Midge to Diary of an Eccentric to give me and my readers a glimpse of her writing space. I don’t know about you, but I love seeing where writers do their creating. I want to thank her for taking time out of her busy schedule to be here today. Please give a warm welcome to Midge Raymond.
A Space of One’s Own
I feel very fortunate to have a space of my own in which to write—mostly because this hasn’t always been the case. Over the years, my writing space has been both a corner of the living room and a corner of the bedroom. It was once a doorless room in a New York City railroad flat (more like a hallway, really, as it was the only way to get to both the kitchen and the bathroom). My writing space has also been, more recently, an actual room, with a door and windows. Always filled with books, it has also often been filled with office supplies, storage containers, and furniture that doesn’t fit anywhere else—but I have absolutely no complaints about that.
Of course, all writers who have partners, pets, and/or children, know that having a space of her own is never precisely that. Here’s a recent photo of my writing space, which represents a nearly everyday battle over the desk.
Moving around a lot and working in all sorts of odd places has taught me that I can write anywhere. And what it’s also taught me is that, although I now have a lovely writing studio to call my own, I actually still enjoy writing elsewhere. (I feel this way most often around the cat’s mealtime, when he parks himself on my papers or my keyboard.) There’s something about getting out of my usual space that helps me see a story a different way, and I find it so invigorating to get this new point of view. Whether it’s the library or a café or a park bench, the little things I see and the little bits of conversations I overhear often spark a new idea, or help me complete a thought.
And still, every time I return to my own space, I’m grateful. After the cat is fed and peace is restored, I feel lucky to be back in a room of my own. Yet I still find myself welcoming the interruptions. This is partly my tendency to procrastinate, I’ll admit; but it’s mostly because these little intrusions remind me that, like any good story, nothing in life should be too predictable.
Thanks, Midge! It certainly looks like your cat owns the desk at the moment!
Midge has graciously offered a copy of Forgetting English to one of my readers. To enter, please leave a comment with your e-mail address and name the best short story or short story collection you’ve read so far. This giveaway is open to readers with U.S. addresses only and will close Sunday, July 10, 2011, at 11:59 pm EST. Good luck!
**Please note that this giveaway has ended**
Disclosure: I am an IndieBound affiliate and an Amazon associate.
© 2011 Anna Horner of Diary of an Eccentric. All Rights Reserved. Please do not reproduce or republish content without permission.
I’d love to be entered in the giveaway. I unfortunately passed on this collection given the new baby and other obligations I had, but after your review, I am kicking myself. If I don’t win, well I’ll just have to borrow your copy or maybe buy my own. 🙂
I would love to get my own writing space up and running, but with a baby, I just haven’t had the time!
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I can’t say I’ve ever read a whole collection of short stories. Perhaps this one will change me!
: ) The review sounds great as do your brushstroke descriptions of some of the stories.
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alice Munros stories.lomazowr@gmail.com
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I’m laughing at the “everyday battle over the desk.” I have that with paper clutter, not a cat 🙂
I recently read Edith Pearlman’s BINOCULAR VISION; absolutely wonderful!
Thanks for the chance, Anna dawn [at] sheistoofondofbooks [dot] com
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I luv Sherwood Anderson’s Winesburg, Ohio. I also have enjoyed a short story collection titled Home Again. This book is published by Tywebbin Pub. I always luv the short stories of Alice Munro. I think she is a master short story teller. Thank you for entering me in the contest.
teakettle58@yahoo.com
Luv your kitty and writing space.
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Thanks, Anna, for the guest spot here on Diary of an Eccentric — and thanks to all for your comments and interest in Forgetting English! –Midge
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You’re very welcome, Midge!
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[…] I am honored to have a guest post on the fabulous Diary of an Eccentric book blog, in which I talk about my writing space (as […]
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As a write, I love to see where other writers do their work. I love the the two windows and the wood frames. So grounding. No need to enter me. I’m in Canada.
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I’d say my most recent favorite collection is Wells Towers’ Everything Ravaged, Everything Burned. Some of the stories are comic, some wistful, some tragic, but the collection works both on an individual story level and as a thematic story arc, even though characters do not inhabit the same world(s) at the same point in time.
I love short story collections. I like to be able to pick up a book, read a story, let it simmer in my imagination for a while, and then a few days or weeks later, pick up the same book and be surprised all over again.
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While the desk and computer are supposed to be mine, they are shared daily with four kids. So in reality my “writing space” is my notebook and pen. As for the latest collection of short stories read: Laurie Colwin’s “Passion and Affect.” So good!
levyrachael (at) gmail (dot) com
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thanks for the chance to read this novel…i enjoyed ‘the christmas shoes’ by donna van liere…one of my favourite novellas 🙂
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What a gorgeous writing space! I’ve been a fan of Midge Raymond’s work for a long time and have Forgetting English, but would be happy to win and pass a copy to a friend.
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I think that would be a great space to write!
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A memorable short story collection that I enjoyed was Saints and Sinners by Edna O’Brien. They were human and realistic.
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I’d like to read this!
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Pets do have a way of interrupting writing, but in the pleasantest way possible. I read so many short stories, I can’t name a favorite, although I do like Ethal Rohan a lot. 🙂
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This giveaway is now closed. Thanks to all who entered or just stopped by to read the guest post. The winner will be chosen via Randomizer.org, e-mailed, and announced shortly.
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