Stephanie Gayle

I set my second book in 1978, because of its subject matter. Aside from the blizzard of 1978 that swept New England I don't have many memories of that year. I was three years old.

So I find myself challenged in creating the world in which my characters live. My reporter uses a typewriter, not a word processor or computer. My family's phone is a rotary phone attached to their kitchen wall, not some handheld device. This is easy stuff. Trickier is the details: what things looked like: avocado as a popular fridge choice, say, or how real people dressed (not just kitchy trendy stuff we shudder at) and spoke.

I intend to look through photographs and scan some magazines, though finding copies of 1970s magazines is harder now that libraries microfiche or electronically archive them. I want to see the paper, look at the ads, try to immerse myself in what somebody saw when they looked at the latest Life magazine.

I admit, however, to resisting listening to the music of the 70s. I remember how the Bee Gees sound.

Posted by Stephanie at 08:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I don't know why it took me so long to pick up The Poisonwood Bible. Perhaps it was the size. Even in paperback, the book is hefty, making it an unpopular commuting choice for reading.

Whatever my reasons, I am so glad I read it at last. The story of a missionary family's move to Congo in 1959 and the way that experience shapes their lives is wonderful. By wonderful I mean gut wrenching, provoking, thoughtful, emotional, splendid stuff. This was a book that invaded my dreams. How else to explain that dream of trying to find the True Jesus in a grocery store?

What astounded me most was the leap this represented in its author's style. I have read previous work by Barbara Kingsolver and enjoyed it, but never been wowed. She manages a multi first person narrative with skill, and invests all of her character, no matter how small, with personality. She knocks it out of the ballpark.

And this leap--this grasp to a higher rung on the writing ladder-- inspires me. How wonderful to see a writer get better, become more skilled.

Kudos to Kingsolver. Next time she writes a book, no matter how big and clunky and difficult to fit in my bag, I will read it.

Posted by Stephanie at 07:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

If you live in or around Boston you know about September 1st. It is the date when most leases turn over and hordes of new and returning students come with their UHauls and moving vans to clog the streets. In our house it has also often meant turnover of roomates. This year moving day extended into moving days because the very handsome boyfriend was moving and our princess Sara was leaving for DC but not until today.

So the past few weeks have been chock full of painting supplies, moving boxes and change. It is nice to have the boyfriend mostly settled. Less nice for Sara to be gone, though DC is the place for her international policy job search. And least nice for my shoulders, which, after seven hours of hauling boxes, sort of hate me.

I just hope this is the end of moving days, for now. I am not averse to change, but I prefer it in smaller doses.

Posted by Stephanie at 02:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

So two weeks ago I bought an Ipod. I know, I know, I am just blazing those trendsetting trails. So yes, it's great and wee and holds tons of music but the thing I like best about the Ipod: editing albums. I only upload the songs I love from my various CDs. No longer do I have to listen to the less than stellar tracks, or the songs that were popular for radio but were always my least favorite. Nope, with Ipod by my side we can say, "Cut it!" This has allowed me to preserve the best of Frente's Marvin the Album, the best of the best of David Bowie, and, in the cases of compilation CDs, get the one track I was seeking.

The Ipod as editor. Now if only they could do the same things for films. If I could edit Pirates of the Caribbean Part 2, I would be one happy chica. Because honestly: only one moving-ball-action scene per movie!

Posted by Stephanie at 07:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tomorrow is Labor Day. In honor of this holiday, I need to get to work. Big time. Book #2 has been languishing, and now that book #1 is off to the publishers, post-editing, I have no legitimate excuse not to be writing new stuff. Plenty of illegitimate excuses, heh heh, but none of merit.

I just wish I felt more connected to the story. I was going great blazes and then I had to put it aside and now, it's sort of awkward needling my way back in. Once I'm there it will be fine. (This is what I tell myself). It's just going to take me a few moments to remember my characters and their traits and why I invented them and how best to throw them into a panic.

Posted by Stephanie at 07:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)