Sunday, March 14, 2010

Men's literature?

My husband read over something I'm currently working on and said, "This reads quite male."

The water from the tap had run over my glass before I knew how to respond.  "Male?  And how would a female story play out?"  I didn't say it with criticism, just curious, and also tickled as somewhere in there, I believe there was a compliment -- I think, maybe...

Hard hitting, short sentences, action packed versus copius description and flowery dialogue?  Hemingway versus Austen?  Rock and rollers versus nannies?  But didn't The Hurt Locker walk away with the Oscars?  What constitues female and male writing?  And can it be defined?

I finished Possession the other night -- I had tried to make it last as long as possible, like some piece of chocolate stashed in your night stand that you bit off inch by inch.  Books alter you -- or at least the truly fine ones do, and I love the imprints they leave behind.  This one did, so much so that I gasped at the end, gasped -- like some Victorian lady corseted into suffocation.  Now I am bookless, homeless, drifting -- suggestions -- please.

A full week of writing ahead.  Rejoicing at the prospect.   Also having my picture taken in a cemetary.  I will leave that to your imagination.

6 comments:

  1. One of my favorite books is Animal Dreams by Barbara Kingsolver if you're looking for a good read.

    I'm attending a wedding in a cemetery in 11 days.

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  2. OMG! You are constantly surprising me with where I will find you! I can't believe you're hiding over here now. Where in the Web is Sarah? :-)

    Still have not had time to read Lost Boys. Two Master's classes are killing me. Thank goodness I'm not working full time...

    Liz

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  3. Ohai Sarah! Liz linked me in last night, and there's not exactly an introductory thread over here. Unless I missed something *peers around*

    Just thought I'd say hello again. I've got your site bookmarked in my feed reader, so I'll see if you post something new. No need for email updates (or heaven forbid, Twitter).

    ~rj

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  4. Oh my lord!!!!! Hello!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is great to hear from you, how the hell have you been? My, it's like old home week here. I saw it was your birthday -- thought my LJ was dead, go figure!
    How's the house? The exercise? The classes. I've thought of you often -- a huge hug to you.

    S.

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  5. Been doing ok. Was super-busy with classes the last 3 semesters. But now down to 1 course, and hopefully done soon. With all the classes, I had to drop off the exercise. Getting back into that. I just got back from an 18-miler. Would have been a 22-miler, but I cut it short because my chain kept dropping every time I'd crank up the torque.

    House is fine - has furniture in every room now. =) Missing the "finishing touches" and still have projects to do, though. Those will come in time.

    LJ is generally a ghost town these days. Sean rarely posts (not like he did much anyways, lol), Liz is limited too. Asli (beautifulfic) has left to dreamwidth. T doesn't post much either. I've got my own blog at the-gatekeeper.net (moving into web design). I check LJ every few days anymore. Since HPDH, the community's kinda gone south. Still gems around, but not much. I've semi-gotten into Twi-fic, but I'm *really* picky about what I read there.

    Hugs out to you too. =) Has the re-fitting of the house fiinished yet? What's new with you?!

    OH! My lil bro's now working at Edwards, so I have another reason to make my way to Cali in the future (if only funds were available!)
    ~rj

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  6. Thank you for the kind words re: my last post. I am going to find myself. Tis' strange that I am on this journey now. Twilight is one powerful catalyst.
    Read on Twarded "The 100 things that I learned from Twilight". Some funny, some poignant, all true.

    Re: What to read. Stephen King wrote a little book called "On Writing". It is a fascinating read on what all fiction writers should know. Very funny, too.

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