I am a bookworm. Big surprise.
I moved to Wyoming in 1997 for a "summer job." When I decided spontaneously to stay, I asked my mother to ship some necessary items to me. I met her in Omaha, Nebraska with a Uhaul full of boxes full of, not clothes, gifts, trinkets or other items, but mostly books.
"Books?" she asked me over a telephone wire that stretched 2,000 miles. "Don't you want other things, like your bed sheets, sofa or something?"
Nope. I wanted my books.
All my life, I've had a love affair with books. The feel of them, the smell of them, the excitement of opening one for the first time and anticipating what's to come. I have the same thrill when I get a new notebook and open it to a clean, blue-lined page for the first time: anticipation of what I will write, what the pages will reveal. I guess I am a natural writer.
The best thing is combining my two obsessions: books on writing.
Everything's an Argument by Andrea A. Lunsford and John J. Ruszkiewicz
Two of the best books on writing ever written, in my opinion: Writing Down the Bones and An Old Friend From Far Away by Natalie Goldberg
On Writing by Stephen King
Favorite author, Milan Kundera's, The Art of the Novel
The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron
William Zinsser, Anne Lamott...countless books on the craft of writing. Countless books, period.
In fact, many of the boxes finding their way over to the new ranch are full of books. People have asked me why I need so many books, suggested I "pare down" my personal library,
Sadly, though, despite all the books and eight years of school to hone my craft, this is the most consistent place I write. I wonder who, if anyone, reads.
I am honored, also, to have accepted two job offers to teach writing again at the University of Akron and Brown Mackie College.
Preparing for reentering the world of academia has me giddy with excitement. I had a meeting yesterday which lasted several hours, and chatting with other like-minded people about authors, writing process, etc left me salivating for more.
It also enabled me to meet a very beautiful person.
Say hello to Auburn and her amazing husband, Chuck by visiting her page, Chuck's Circle of Love.
Auburn had my attention during introductions when she said she finished a Master of Fine Arts in Writing from the University of Michigan. Writing? Michigan? Two of my favorite things!
I believe this is the beginning of a great year.
I hope it is for you too. Namaste.
Showing posts with label University of Akron English Department. Show all posts
Showing posts with label University of Akron English Department. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Friday, March 6, 2009
Good friends of days past
When I was in graduate school, I met someone who would become a close friend, John Bullock.
We were both completing our Master of Arts degrees in the English department under Bob Pope at the University of Akron. We had similar tastes in literature so, ended up in many of the same classes together, becoming quite close over those years of reading James Joyce, Willa Cather, and Chaucer. Our friendship evolved to many an afternoon spent between classes in the student center, he, rolling his own cigarettes (smoking was allowed indoors everywhere back then) and I nursing a beer over good conversation. His thick English accent was home to me, as my grandfather was English.
"Perhaps I am your grandfather," he quipped one day sarcastically. Even his subtle sense of humor and use of sarcasm was familiar.
Then, in 1998, I strayed from my graduate program, taking a summer job with the National Audubon Society in Dubois, Wyoming that ended up leading to a two-year long detour to handle for Frank Teasley in Jackson Hole. I fell in love with the landscape and the easy pace of life in the west, and of course, the dogs. John and I fell out of touch. He moved to the University of Virginia to complete a Master of Fine Arts degree. We rarely spoke, except for an occasional phone call. Yet, he was still familiar.
Eventually I came back to Ohio, and recently, have started to reconnect with good friends of days past - especially Bob Pope, my former thesis advisor. And I learned last spring that John had published his first novel, Making Faces. He and I spoke on the phone for the first time in years last June.
I was slightly nervous talking to him again that first time. But after one or two minutes listening to his quick English accent, I fell at ease and smiled silently on the phone. Though we've both had our trials and hardships in life, he was still the same John, the cadence of his voice still light and soft spoken, with his subtle humor and quick laugh.
John paid the University of Akron a visit this week - the first time in 10 years - to promote his novel.
Entertaining questions after the reading
He is still the same, still familiar. Seeing him behind the podium reading from his novel, I felt proud of him, and so happy for his successes. He is now part-time faculty in the English department at Ohio University and managing editor for the New Ohio Review.
Our paths digressed and took totally different routes, but the people and the places of those years formed a solid foundation to help me become who I am. And I am so grateful for those people.
Here are more photos from the reading and visit with John:
Our thesis advisor, Bob Pope, listens intently as John reads from his novel, Making Faces
After the reading, some current (and former, myself) English department folks headed out for some drinks and catching up
John talks shop, English department style: pensively, over a pint of Bass
Congratulations, John!
We were both completing our Master of Arts degrees in the English department under Bob Pope at the University of Akron. We had similar tastes in literature so, ended up in many of the same classes together, becoming quite close over those years of reading James Joyce, Willa Cather, and Chaucer. Our friendship evolved to many an afternoon spent between classes in the student center, he, rolling his own cigarettes (smoking was allowed indoors everywhere back then) and I nursing a beer over good conversation. His thick English accent was home to me, as my grandfather was English.
"Perhaps I am your grandfather," he quipped one day sarcastically. Even his subtle sense of humor and use of sarcasm was familiar.
Then, in 1998, I strayed from my graduate program, taking a summer job with the National Audubon Society in Dubois, Wyoming that ended up leading to a two-year long detour to handle for Frank Teasley in Jackson Hole. I fell in love with the landscape and the easy pace of life in the west, and of course, the dogs. John and I fell out of touch. He moved to the University of Virginia to complete a Master of Fine Arts degree. We rarely spoke, except for an occasional phone call. Yet, he was still familiar.
Eventually I came back to Ohio, and recently, have started to reconnect with good friends of days past - especially Bob Pope, my former thesis advisor. And I learned last spring that John had published his first novel, Making Faces. He and I spoke on the phone for the first time in years last June.
I was slightly nervous talking to him again that first time. But after one or two minutes listening to his quick English accent, I fell at ease and smiled silently on the phone. Though we've both had our trials and hardships in life, he was still the same John, the cadence of his voice still light and soft spoken, with his subtle humor and quick laugh.
John paid the University of Akron a visit this week - the first time in 10 years - to promote his novel.
Entertaining questions after the reading
He is still the same, still familiar. Seeing him behind the podium reading from his novel, I felt proud of him, and so happy for his successes. He is now part-time faculty in the English department at Ohio University and managing editor for the New Ohio Review.
Our paths digressed and took totally different routes, but the people and the places of those years formed a solid foundation to help me become who I am. And I am so grateful for those people.
Here are more photos from the reading and visit with John:
Our thesis advisor, Bob Pope, listens intently as John reads from his novel, Making Faces
After the reading, some current (and former, myself) English department folks headed out for some drinks and catching up
John talks shop, English department style: pensively, over a pint of Bass
Congratulations, John!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)