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Writer, Paul Pekin. | |
Happy New Year to you. I am glad to bring you some of the best writing on the net. I hope you enjoy reading
1)
To The Party by Paul Pekin: Everything was captivating
about this story. At least, I couldn’t find anything wrong with it. But what I
loved most was the narrator’s voice. Monsieur Paul
“served
as a full time writing workshop director at Columbia College of Chicago,
directed Freshmen English courses at the School of the Art Institute of
Chicago, and participated in programs for the Illinois Arts Council and the
National Endowment for the Humanities.” It is easy to see why he has
this unique and confident style that makes me envious. Please don’t judge me. Here’s
an excerpt from the
Apple Valley Review:
” It was not safe for a woman to travel at
night, certainly not on the bus where anyone might sit down beside her.
The trains were every bit as bad, and on one occasion, not on the train
itself but on the platform, a big black man had walked straight toward her and
she had given him such a look as to make him think twice about what he was
about to do. This she told her daughter, but not Sam, who would have said
enough was enough, there was no reason for an old woman to go running back and
forth just to attend a party.”
2)
Games by Silvia Villalobos: I read this short
story and understood why
redfez.net selected it for story of the week. I have
read many stories by Silvia Villalobos. She is a maestro of the short story
form, and in Games, she delivers this story with the poignancy it requires.
Games shows a married woman in a quiet battle with another lady over a man.
Games grabs the reader’s attention with its intrigue and suspense, before it takes
an unexpected turn.
Here’s an excerpt:
“A hint of awkwardness passes
between them, as if they just met. Of course, she’s the kind some men look to
encounter in bars. The perfect tart. The man seems pleased, a smile easing onto
his face, although a bit distant. Still unsure, exploring the scene for better
possibilities. Our eyes meet, but only for a second. The woman pulls her chair
closer and leans in cat-like, purring her way through the seduction game. Her
arm snakes around him. She reaches up and whispers into his ear, moving her
lips in the shape of words that can only be dirty—slowly, sensuously.”
” · Hold
the reader’s attention. (This is likely to work better if you can hold your
own.) But you don’t know who the reader is, so it’s like shooting fish with a
slingshot in the dark. What fascinates A will bore the pants off B.”
5)
ChimamandaNgozi Adichie On HardTalk: The award-winning writer was invited to a BBC
Interview to talk about her work and politics. Hear what she she thinks of the missing Chibok girls. She also discusses the movie,
Half Of A Yellow Sun. Her novel, Half of a Yellow Sun was recently declared best of the best by the Bailey Prize for women's fiction.
Listen to the HardTalk Interview HERE
6)
Binyavanga Wanaina: This Kenyan author
shot into fame in 2002 when he won the Caine Prize. He has been ill for some
time, and a fundraising was organized on his behalf. Go to the BINYAVANGA WAINANA MEDICAL FUND for more information on how you can help save his life. Not too long ago, he
did an interview on BBC’s HardTalk. Those who have heard him speak know he's a good talker.
I hope he gets well soon.
May all your writing dreams come true this year.
Photo Credit http://449.patstoll.org/nonfiction/bio.html