Author Archives: first person productions

About first person productions

My blog "True Stories Well Told" is a place for people who read and write about real life. I’ve been leading life writing groups since 2004. I teach, coach memoir writers 1:1, and help people publish and share their life stories.

Grandpa

Posted on January 13, 2021 by first person productions

By Patricia LaPointe My Grandpa Pasquale was my best friend when I was four-years-old. He had to be. I was given the American female version of his name. He understood more English than he could speak so I needed to … Continue reading →

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Bring a little light to your winter with a writing workshop

Posted on January 6, 2021 by first person productions

If I’d known earlier how much joy teaching brings into my life, my career trajectory might have been something quite different. But I didn’t want to be the apple that falls not far from the tree–many of my mother’s people … Continue reading →

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Unspoken Questions

Posted on December 30, 2020 by first person productions

By Patricia LaPointe Nick hears her in the kitchen. He worries she’ll not come to him by seven o’clock. He’ll ask her about the time. He never stays in bed after seven. As he waits, he wonders who is that … Continue reading →

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“Over the River and Through the Woods…”

Posted on December 23, 2020 by first person productions

By Suzy Beal We headed for Grandma and Grandpa’s house in Forest Grove. As a kid stuffed in the family station wagon with six other siblings and my parents, it was a long, boring ride. It took three hours to … Continue reading →

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Old Tom Turkey

Posted on December 16, 2020 by first person productions

By Faith Ellestad Every year, I look forward to the Thanksgiving holiday, because it heralds the emergence of Old Tom Turkey. And I don’t refer here to meat. You know that thing you wanted so much as a child but … Continue reading →

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November 2020: My COVID19 Flu-cation

Posted on December 9, 2020 by first person productions

By Sarah White In the last week of October, I was exposed to COVID19 through my visits to my mother in a congregate living facility. She tested positive just before she passed from this life, but what took her down … Continue reading →

Posted in Sarah's memoir | 6 Comments

“Freckled” by Toby Wilson Neal

Posted on December 2, 2020 by first person productions

I asked Jeremiah to review this book, realizing that since he grew up in Hawaii, he would offer a more informed perspective than I could. I enjoyed the book and highly recommend it. As an entrant in the “awful childhood … Continue reading →

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Home

Posted on November 25, 2020 by first person productions

By Ellen Magee In September 2019, we first heard about F-35 military jets coming to the Air National Guard at the Dane County Airport, a half mile from our Northside home.  There had been a gathering, sponsored by the Air … Continue reading →

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The Numbers

Posted on November 18, 2020 by first person productions

This post resumes a now-occasional series on our experiences under COVID-19, inspired by the realization that “we are all field collectors” in the effort to someday tell the story of what happened in 2020. I welcome your submissions: find guidelines for guest writers here.   By … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 4 Comments

Hungry?

Posted on November 11, 2020 by first person productions

By Patricia LaPointe Way back when I was married to my first husband and had four kids under the age of six, we would occasionally be invited to my in-laws for dinner. This was not my favorite thing to do, … Continue reading →

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