A Writer's Moment
A look at writing and writers who inspire us.
Popular Posts
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“One of the great joys of life is creativity. Information goes in, gets shuffled about, and comes out in new and intere...
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A Writer's Moment: 'Information In; Creative Responses Out' : “One of the great joys of life is creativity....
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A Writer's Moment: 'Story ideas surround you' : “I always tell my students, 'If you walk around with your eyes and ears...
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“There was never yet an uninteresting life. Such a thing is an impossibility. Inside of the dullest exterior there is a drama, a comedy, ...
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“Librarians and romance writers accomplish one mission better than anyone, including English teachers: we create readers for life - and w...
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A Writer's Moment: 'Property of the imagination' : “The English language is nobody's special property. ...
Friday, April 4, 2025
A Writer's Moment: Creating 'a unique bond of trust'
Creating 'a unique bond of trust'
“There's
a unique bond of trust between readers and authors that I don't believe exists
in any other art form. As a reader, I trust a novelist to give me
his or her best effort, however flawed.” – Dan Simmons
Born
in Peoria, IL on this date in 1948, Simmons is an award-winning author of
science fiction, horror and fantasy, sometimes all within the same novel. A
typical example of Simmons' intermingling of genres is his World Fantasy Award
winner Song of Kali, a tale surrounding a mysterious cult that
worships the Indian god Kali.
After
a number of modest successes, Simmons became internationally renowned for Hyperion,
which won both the Hugo and Locus Awards for the best science fiction
novel. He followed that book’s success with 3 more books
and several short stories in a series that concluded with another award
winner, The Rise of Endymion, also winner of the Locus and a
finalist for the Hugo.
Simmons
also writes mysteries and thrillers and said he enjoys moving among genres. His
latest novel is the just-released (2025) historical thriller Omega Canyon.
“I
think it's one of the strangest attributes of this profession,” he said, “that
when we writers get exhausted writing one thing we relax by writing another.”
Thursday, April 3, 2025
A Writer's Moment: 'A fountain of gladness'
'A fountain of gladness'
“The land of literature is a fairy
land to those who view it at a distance, but, like all other landscapes, the
charm fades on a nearer approach, and the thorns and briars become visible.” –
Washington Irving
Born in New York City on this date
in 1783, Irving is one of America’s earliest and most beloved storytellers,
best known for his tales about "Rip Van Winkle” and "The Legend of
Sleepy Hollow.” His book of short
stories, simply known as The Sketch Book, was the first widely read
work of American literature, helping advance the international reputation of
American writers.
Also a noted essayist, biographer
and historian, he also was one of the leading diplomats of his time,
serving as U.S. Ambassador to Spain in the 1840s – a time when relations
between our young nation and the well-established European nation were
crucial.
Among Irving’s historical writings
were bestselling biographies of George Washington, Oliver Goldsmith, and
Muhammad, and histories of 15th-century Spain on subjects such as Christopher
Columbus, the Moors and The Alhambra.
Irving was a tireless advocate for
stronger copyright laws to protect the young American writing community at a
time when their works often were pirated, and he was instrumental in helping
create international copyright laws.
Noted for his kindness and support
of others, he said, “A kind heart is a fountain of gladness, making everything
in its vicinity freshen into smiles.”
Wednesday, April 2, 2025
A Writer's Moment: 'Every life . . .is a fairy tale'
'Every life . . .is a fairy tale'
“Every man’s life is a fairy tale written by God’s fingers.” – Hans Christian Andersen