Author Archives: first person productions
Memoir Writers’ Story Night in Madison this Thursday!
A “Story Night” featuring readings by the South Madison Memoir Writing Workshop will take place Thursday May 19, 6:30 pm, at the Goodman South Madison Branch Library, 2222 South Park Street. For six weeks these fearless, peerless writers laughed, cried, and wrote together. Now we’d like … Continue reading
A writing exercise for “Meeting your Characters”
Last summer I had my first experience teaching writing without the focus on memoir, when I taught a class for Story Circle Network titled, “Summer Fun and Games for Writers.” Here is an excerpt from a lesson, followed by a … Continue reading
All in a Day’s Work or My Life with the Italian Rotary Club
By Sarah White * * * I am taking a break from posting my childhood memoir essays to bring you this postcard from Italy, in recognition of the 20th anniversary of my travel with Rotary International’s Group Study Exchange program. … Continue reading
Halloween
By Kathryn Bush click to listen to Kathryn Bush reading “Halloween” at a South Madison Story Night: Halloween was often a warm night in the Ozarks, with a touch of wind. When I was older and saw “To Kill a … Continue reading
Book Review: Blood, Bones & Butter
I have just finished reading the best memoir I’ve read in a long time. It’s not often I finish a book and want to start right over on Page 1. Rarer still to purchase the book before I’ve even returned … Continue reading
So you want to publish your book…
I hear from people frequently who start by saying, “I have written a book and I want to get it published.” I’m always excited to hear that someone has WRITTEN their book–as opposed to thinking about it–but I sigh. So many … Continue reading
A guest post from writer, blogger, and personal historian Hawley Roddick
I recently came across my colleague Hawley Roddick blogging on TalkingWriting.com. I asked her if she would be willing to share some of her thoughts on True Stories Well Told. She agreed–and what follows is my prompting question, and her … Continue reading
My Last Fight
By Sarah White (One thing you need to know–My parents called me Betsy, a nickname for my middle name Elisabeth, when I was growing up. I didn’t become Sarah White until I left for college.) In the fall of 1968 … Continue reading
Three Cups of Tea (and truth in memoir)
A fight has broken out over whether mountaineer Greg Mortenson made up portions of Three Cups of Tea, his memoir about building schools in Pakistan that he leveraged into major public donations. If this is news to you, catch up … Continue reading
The Big Depression in Bits and Bubbles
by Florence Rosner It’s like the people who can never forget the day President Kennedy was shot, or the day Honolulu was bombed and we declared war on Japan, or who 50 or more years from now will still remember 9/11. … Continue reading
True Stories Well Told 