Open Creative Nonfiction

Sounds good! Do we need to read "The Bishop's Daughter" and A Match the Heart? I can't seem to find the text for the Match to the Heart from the links posted.

Hi, guys.

Unfortunately, I will not be able to make it to the chat tonight. There's an event at my daughter's school that I must attend, and I won't be back until well after 8. Please send me notes of what was discussed, and I will be back for next week's meeting, I promise. It seems like it's gotten down to just the three of us, and I don't want you to think I'm bailing out.

And now, for my comments on the stories...

Jeremy: I really enjoyed this piece. I grew up in New Jersey, where there was a 7-11 or Wawa (another chain of convenience stores) seemingly every thirty feet or so. They are the great equalizer, everybody needs to go into a 7-11 for something every now and then, and everyone craves 7-11's not entirely healthy food from time to time. There are only a couple in New York City, none of them near me, and I find myself missing them.

I loved the comparison between the stores and the temples, and the suggestion that, even though you may stick out in the crowd in Taiwan, inside a 7-11 you feel normal, part of everything. The descriptive detail was great, I liked how you gave examples of the differences of products sold there as opposed to what would be found in a 7-11 here. And man, I love Pocky. I can't wait to read more.

Vanessa: Having moved six times in the past fourteen years, between four states, I really got into your post. Your details about leaving things that are familiar to you behind, the difficulty of making room for someone else both in your home and in your life, these are themes that are obviously often found in stories about moving and creating your own space, but yours seems to have a more deeply personal, uncliched tone that is quite good. I also like how the ending is somewhat ambiguous: you're very anxious about how you and your girlfriend are going to manage living together in the long run, but at that moment, you feel hopeful. It's realistic without being either idealistic or cynical.

I also liked the colorful descriptions of the furniture in your house. We have plenty of possessions, many of which we carry along with us from one place to the next, but we don't actually really *look* at them and notice what makes them unique or what gives them character.

You guys, I'm humbled, these are both excellent pieces, I look forward to seeing more. Talk to you soon!

::GENA::

Hey guys,

Yes, I am able to see the notes in the documents. I left notes on both pieces, hopefully they are visible. It was great reading them and I'm interested to see where all of us go with our places.

I was going to mention in discussion how both of you chose your homes (or just on the other side of the door) and how you are negotiating something emotional with the space. An interesting commonality.

I will respond more about the Bishop's Daughter later, but yes, the Ehrlich chapter was very striking. I love when prose can be so image heavy without stalling story movement. Also, the first person tone is really effective. She is outside and inside at the same time. Reminds of me of Annie Dillard.

(FYI: As I discovered trying to read this... Google books doesn't allow access to the preview pages outside of North America for books still in copyright. I had a friend send me screencaps.)

Thanks for both of your comments. I will respond to yours, Vanessa, in the document.

I posted something about 7-11 on my facebook to see if I could use some of my friend's feelings/experineces somewhere and I was surprised that the only responses I got were from friends in North America.

I wasn't expecting that, but I think I really need to look at how, like you said, Gena, it an equalizer in America, too.

I am pushing myself to see exactly what I have to say and this is a useful new direction.