Remember, if you're out there writing, don't give up. I had to post this cartoon; it's just too funny. It's funny because the satisfaction is in the writing, not in being "rich and famous." Charles Schultz knew that, too, of course.First, for interested readers, I will soon (probably in early September) post another interview as part of my Ask the Writer series. This installment will feature a longer, more informal talk with Brian Shawver, author of Aftermath and The Cuban Prospect.
In other news, I will send off the final re-writes for The Memory of Liars: An Evening with Grigori Efimovich Rasputin to Boston this week. Andrew Paul Jackson, who has been setting the text to music, tells me the opera will premiere in Boston (at the Conservatory) next April. His talented girlfriend Erica Spyres will be directing the show.
If you're not familiar with the history, the story takes place on the night Grigori Rasputin was murdered. The history is mixed up in mythology, so this opera will tell the true story of what happened -- and reveal the nature of the men involved. I'm really excited about the final product, because I know the extent of Andrew's and Erica's talent.
Also -- this is very exciting -- for those interested in writing and therapy, I am pleased to announce the launch of a national program, Read My Story, brought to you by the good people at the Mental Health Center of Crawford County, Kansas.
The idea is simple: People dealing with mental illness, alcohol and drug addiction, and other behavioral challenges can give each other hope.
One of the most valuable things we can do to help one another is to listen to each other's stories. --Rebecca Falls
The CMH has asked me to coordinate the web design and posting of submissions for Read My Story. If you or someone you know has an experience to share with readers, please, send in your narrative. Contact me at ReadMyStory.CMH@gmail.com.
