Great Online Reads for the Week
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| Writer, Paul Pekin. |
Happy New Year to you. I am glad to bring you some of the best writing on the net. I hope you enjoy reading
1) To The Party by Paul Pekin: Everything was captivating about this story. At least, I couldn’t find anything wrong with it. But what I loved most was the narrator’s voice. Monsieur Paul “served as a full time writing workshop director at Columbia College of Chicago, directed Freshmen English courses at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and participated in programs for the Illinois Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities.” It is easy to see why he has this unique and confident style that makes me envious. Please don’t judge me. Here’s an excerpt from the Apple Valley Review:
” It was not safe for a woman to travel at night, certainly not on the bus where anyone might sit down beside her. The trains were every bit as bad, and on one occasion, not on the train itself but on the platform, a big black man had walked straight toward her and she had given him such a look as to make him think twice about what he was about to do. This she told her daughter, but not Sam, who would have said enough was enough, there was no reason for an old woman to go running back and forth just to attend a party.”
2) Games by Silvia Villalobos: I read this short story and understood why redfez.net selected it for story of the week. I have read many stories by Silvia Villalobos. She is a maestro of the short story form, and in Games, she delivers this story with the poignancy it requires. Games shows a married woman in a quiet battle with another lady over a man. Games grabs the reader’s attention with its intrigue and suspense, before it takes an unexpected turn.
Here’s an excerpt:
“A hint of awkwardness passes between them, as if they just met. Of course, she’s the kind some men look to encounter in bars. The perfect tart. The man seems pleased, a smile easing onto his face, although a bit distant. Still unsure, exploring the scene for better possibilities. Our eyes meet, but only for a second. The woman pulls her chair closer and leans in cat-like, purring her way through the seduction game. Her arm snakes around him. She reaches up and whispers into his ear, moving her lips in the shape of words that can only be dirty—slowly, sensuously.”
Read Games by Silvia Villalobos HERE.
3) Margaret Atwood’s 10 Rules of Writing It is one every writer should read. It’s witty and funny and practical. I loved number 6 best. It says
” · Hold the reader’s attention. (This is likely to work better if you can hold your own.) But you don’t know who the reader is, so it’s like shooting fish with a slingshot in the dark. What fascinates A will bore the pants off B.”
4) On Rewrites and Polishing Stories: Charles Opara argues that rewrites make for great writing. Read Part 1 and Part 2 of His Tips for Making Your Writing Perfect.
5) ChimamandaNgozi Adichie On HardTalk: The award-winning writer was invited to a BBC Interview to talk about her work and politics. Hear what she she thinks of the missing Chibok girls. She also discusses the movie, Half Of A Yellow Sun. Her novel, Half of a Yellow Sun was recently declared best of the best by the Bailey Prize for women’s fiction. Listen to the HardTalk Interview HERE
6) Binyavanga Wanaina: This Kenyan author shot into fame in 2002 when he won the Caine Prize. He has been ill for some time, and a fundraising was organized on his behalf. Go to the BINYAVANGA WAINANA MEDICAL FUND for more information on how you can help save his life. Not too long ago, he did an interview on BBC’s HardTalk. Those who have heard him speak know he’s a good talker.
I hope he gets well soon.
May all your writing dreams come true this year.
Photo Credit http://449.patstoll.org/nonfiction/bio.html
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