Literary Mama: A Model of Grassroots Literary Community Building. (Caroline Grant, Amy Hudock, Susan Ito, Rebecca Kaminsky, Kristina Riggle, Shari MacDonald Strong) Literary Mama evolved from a mothers’ writing group into an online literary journal featuring a variety of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. One of Writers’ Digest’s 101 Best Web Sites for Writers and a Forbes Best of the Web pick, Literary Mama’s diverse editors work from four nations and reach 40,000 readers monthly, offering a model for building a vibrant grassroots literary community. Our panel offers readings from contributing editors, followed by discussion of literary community-building.
On Friday night, February 13th, we’re also doing a public reading at Women & Children First bookstore in Chicago, and I’m planning to read one of my Life in the Sandwich columns, or an excerpt of one. I can’t decide which one, though.
The one about my mother’s weekly breakfasts at McDonald’s?
The one where I nearly burst an aneurysm trying to buy bathing suits for all of us?
My daughter’s last birthday party at home?
Please help me decide. Let me know which one you might enjoy hearing out loud. Please go back to the Archives and browse a little. What do you think??
February 5, 2009 at 5:36 am
ooooooooh! what an exciting event! i wish i could be there. now, to choose…
February 5, 2009 at 6:14 am
back to say, it was tough! they’re all wonderful. but i put my money on Packing. so beautiful. i read it hopefully, wistfully, imagining our version of that in 9 years to come…
February 5, 2009 at 11:21 am
I’m a big fan of the bathing suit post…
February 5, 2009 at 12:36 pm
I voted for the swimsuit one because I think it will read aloud well, and you’ll get laughs, but it was hard! Packing, yes, is the wistful favorite, and I also loved redefining home…can you read them all?
February 5, 2009 at 6:02 pm
My choice is “Packing” which resonates for me even though I have boys and my oldest is 3 years away from college.
Have a great time in Chicago, a fabulous reading, etc.
So jealous I’m not going to AWP. Enjoy!
February 7, 2009 at 1:45 pm
I vote swimsuits for general crowd pleaser, even though the ones about me growing up and moving away and finding a new “home” are great, I think swimsuits will be appreciated by the widest range of listeners.
February 7, 2009 at 10:07 pm
The thing I love about your columns is that they are so moving (no pun intended.) So, I vote for the one about redefining home or packing over the (I see) more popular swimsuit column, if you can read one of those without crying.
February 8, 2009 at 3:12 pm
I vote for your Mom’s breakfasts at McDonald’s. I hadn’t read this one before. Reading or re-reading your stories brought smiles and tears. As an avid reader, I was especially moved by “Mustard.” You are fortunate in your life partner! The sports fan part of me cheered at your stories about family times with the A’s and Warriors. As a mother, I read your parenting stories and look forward to my own future transitions. I’m hopeful my eldest will start college in 2013. Thank you for letting us glimpse the power of words and family.
February 8, 2009 at 9:39 pm
Susan– I vote either Swimsuits or Packing, both wonderful. Somehow the slight overlap continues– Chicago is my hometown, I know Women & Children First well– you’ll love it and they’ll love you. Enjoy my wonderful town (and Obama’s!). Just be sure to check the weather and bring warm enough clothes.
Laura
February 13, 2009 at 5:45 am
I hope it’s either McMemories or Packing, but you could read any one of your columns and you’ll be fabulous! Enjoy!!
February 19, 2009 at 1:35 pm
Hi Susan,
It was great hearing you read at the Women and Children First bookstore. I wrote an entry about the event for a group blog I belong to http://www.creativeconstruction.wordpress.com and my personal blog is http://www.georgiageis.wordpress.com. Thank you and your fellow writers for a great evening.
Georgia
February 24, 2009 at 2:32 pm
Wow, Georgia, it was so great to meet you. Thanks so much for the shout-out on your blog; that is wonderful!