Comments on: My Day at a Writer’s Conference – or – The Benefits of Showing Up

By: Push to Publish report by Jerry Waxler « Philadelphia Stories Weblog

Push to Publish report by Jerry Waxler « Philadelphia Stories Weblog — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 14:48:34 +0000

[...] Visit the Amazon Page for the memoir Pig Candy by Lise Funderburg Lise Funderburg’s Home Page Click here for the essay I wrote about last year’s Philadelphia Stories Conference [...]

By: jerrywaxler

jerrywaxler — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 16:58:19 +0000

Cheryl, Thanks for setting the record straight! I was so shocked that she was bragging about having an affair, and then when I asked her about it, shocked she was 92, I didn’t have the presence of mind to sort out the timeline. Okay, now it makes more sense. It was great meeting you both, and witnessing the pleasure you both found in offering the story of Ethel’s life, so far.

Jerry

By: Cheryl Grady Mercier

Cheryl Grady Mercier — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 15:44:14 +0000

Jerry, I forgot to note: it was loud in the room while we were talking — Ethel’s “affair” with the rabbi wasn’t exactly at the same time…though she has retained feelings for him for her whole life.
C

By: Cheryl Grady Mercier

Cheryl Grady Mercier — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 15:37:09 +0000

Ethel and I had a great day. This is late because I was away for nearly two weeks after the conference and life has gotten in the way of my media consumption.

Jerry, I’m putting your blog on my favorites list, so I can find it again. I’m so glad that Christine mentioned it in her newsletter.

Best regards,
Cheryl

By: Ellen E.M. Roberts

Ellen E.M. Roberts — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 20:01:03 +0000

Jerry,
I agree that the panel discussion works better for aspiring writers. The field is is such disarray these days that having differing viewpoints creates a more useful perspective for the writer trying to get a foothold in the chaos we call publishing.

You also remind me that titles are everything. I gotta read My Lover the Rabbi, My Husband the Doctor. Utterly intriguing.

Wanted to mention to you too that I just saw the show in NYC of Marc Chagall’s drawings for the Hebrew Bible. He called memoir “presence in absence.” Gave me chills.

Ellen

By: jerrywaxler

jerrywaxler — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 15:32:28 +0000

Thanks for the comment Shirley. I love the way blogs can develop into a virtual community. I’m looking forward to seeing you around the blogosphere.

I think at least some of my essays have furthered the mission of the Fetzer Institute: “To foster awareness of the power of love and forgiveness in the emerging global community.” For example, this is one of my favorite, an essay about Greg Mortenson’s Three Cups of Tea:

http://memorywritersnetwork.com/blog/meaning-service-peace-pakistan/

Best wishes,
Jerry Waxler

By: shirley

shirley — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 14:27:32 +0000

Hi Jerry. What an impressive list of vivid impressions, contacts, and links resulting from one conference. I can learn a lot about writing and publishing by putting your blog in my reader. I am writing a post that mentions you right now. Check it out in an hour or so.

By: jerrywaxler

jerrywaxler — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 02:07:38 +0000

Hi Tree,

It’s true I’ve only heard the term chapbook in connection with poetry. I googled the word and it looks like it just means an artistically put together self-published book. I love your suggestion that it is a good concept for memoirs. Sorry I missed your panel. Now that you have me curious, I’ll be on the lookout for more about this idea.

Jerry

By: Tree Riesener

Tree Riesener — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 21:40:02 +0000

Dear Jerry, I agree! Great conference. It was my second year of doing speed dating and this year I also served on the chapbook panel. Great atmosphere, lots of new people. I wish you had had time to check out our chapbook session. People think of chapbooks as mainly for poetry but I think they are an ideal form for memoir. I’d love to see more memoir writers publishing this way!

By: jerrywaxler

jerrywaxler — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 01:37:56 +0000

Ritergal, That’s strange you being envious. I thought Pittsburgh was the in-place for nonfiction writers.

Michelle, it was fun meeting you, after reading your blog. Okay, now that you’ve read my blog, how do my comments compare with the real thing?

Aimee, you were one of the panelists, right? Your name was written on the back of Christine’s badge, and you kept making me laugh about serious subjects.

So here we are back “home” on the internet with the other 100 million, one space more expansive, one more intimate. Which is more comfortable? I’m looking forward to seeing you all around one world or the other.

Jerry