Literary agents endlessly seek original voices, those rare writers who can capture life through an idiosyncratic tone. Some projects stand apart from the crowd with the musicality of the language and the freshness of their perspective. You could argue that most acclaimed authors are distinctive. Even pulp fiction has its quirks. But a few timesContinue reading “Voice Lessons”
Author Archives: Xandra
Say What?
If you read enough, you will undoubtedly come across some peculiar details. Sometimes they are meant to shock the reader, a confession that is unsettling in its singularity. Other times they reveal cultural differences, saying as much about social location as anything objective. For the most part, though, strange tidbits are part of the idiosyncrasiesContinue reading “Say What?”
Reading Around the Map: Bay Area
Setting is often secondary in novels. Characters might live in anonymous suburbs and towns, indistinguishable by region, lacking particular detail about the history and customs of the area. In other books, the location is as detailed as a character, full of quirks and recognizable traits. San Francisco has been my home for twenty-six years. AsContinue reading “Reading Around the Map: Bay Area”
Mansplaining G-d
Atheism is nothing new, but in the years since 9/11 a plethora of new writers have occupied best-seller lists with polemics about the dangers of theism. Although the real concern may be irrational fears about Islamic terrorism, often these books take aim at Christianity much more fiercely than other Abrahamic faiths. Publishing is nothing ifContinue reading “Mansplaining G-d”
Tools of the Trade
If you are a fiction writer, chances are you have read a few books about writing. The ability to put words together to form a story is both a talent and a learned skill. Fortunately, help is available in honing your craft. There are good sources on everything from inspiration to publication. Here are fiveContinue reading “Tools of the Trade”
The Dying of the Light
When it comes to spiritual matters, I am reasonably open-minded. I lack the scientific and medical training to dismiss supernatural claims with confidence. I am at the same time not a conventional believer. The New Age field is a publishing phenomenon, with trade shows and houses that focus exclusively on related topics. Arguably the mostContinue reading “The Dying of the Light”
The Lost Parent
Unlike the autobiography, which tells a chronological life story, a memoir is a nonfiction book in which the author writes about a particular time or experience in their life. There are many subgenres in this category, including parenting, travel, reading, and various time-restricted projects, like hiking a famous trail or cooking every recipe in MasteringContinue reading “The Lost Parent”
Holding Back The Years
Publishing is nothing if not an industry of trends. Vampires, wizards, and mainstream S & M have all had their days, with subsequent years of knockoffs and copycats. There are also downtrends: successful streaks that decline into middling sales. One popular concept that is disappearing is the “my year of” projects. In these memoirs, authorsContinue reading “Holding Back The Years”
Celebrity Cringe
Celebrity memoirs tend to sell well, briefly occupying best-seller lists, despite the fact that they are disavowed by real readers, seen as indulgent exercises in public curation. The memoirist is the ultimate unreliable narrator, spinning tales with an eye on legacy and future career opportunities. There is definite truth to this stereotype, as well asContinue reading “Celebrity Cringe”
Books About Books
My love of reading came a little late. Raised in a family of bibliophiles, I admired cover art and read flap copy until finally, at sixteen, I found a book that enthralled me enough to turn the pages until the end. I have missed out on the experience of lounging around an endless summer readingContinue reading “Books About Books”
Books Smitten 