Local Writers Speak Up about Speaking of Stories
Melinda Palacio -- August 9, 2005
On Sunday, July 24 three local female writers discussed their work and the process of writing with moderator David Starkey, host of the tv show The Creative Community. Local writers gleaned new insights on the craft from Catherine Ryan Hyde, Fran Davis and Susan Chiavelli.
The three discussed their writing careers and the experience of hearing actors read their work on stage for a Speaking of Stories performance. Catherine Ryan Hyde read the opening chapter of her novel, Walter's Purple Heart. Fran Davis read an excerpt from "Rest Stop," a short story that appeared in Calyx. And Susan Chiavelli read an excerpt from "Maybe It Happened This Way," a short story that appeared in Other Voices.
Speaking of Stories is Santa Barbara's reader's theater and one of Santa Barbara's cultural treasures. Actors "perform" short stories with dramatic readings, usually at the Lobero Theatre. The non-profit group has been bringing great literature to the stage for ten years, since its humble beginnings in 1995. Smaller shows at the more intimate Center Stage Theatre, such as Sus Narrativas and the new Sunday Summer Series, help raise money for SoS'sWord Up! program, an educational outreach program geared to at-risk youth. Here's what Santa Barbara's own had to say about the afternoon with three local writers.
Susan Chiavelli
Ernie Witham, humor columnist for the Montecito
Journal
I liked Susan's comment in regard to mentoring. "If you
want
to write literature, you need to read literature. Pick up the literary
journals, read literary novels. She discovered the
journal, Other Voices which published her, while attending the Napa
Valley Writers Conference. She also advises sharing your work with
others. That eventually someone is going to read it, so you might as
well not write in a vacuum and join a writers group and/or attend
conferences. Finally, she said she writes first of all for herself,
exploring issues she wants to better understand.
Jocelyn Kramer, technical writer
I bought a series pass to support Word Up!--the educational
outreach program that Speaking of Stories runs, and as a bonus I've
been entertained and inspired by the speakers. Thomas Steinbeck, Susan
Chiavelli, Fran Davis, and Catherine Ryan Hyde all generously shared
their time and insights on the mysteries and craft of fiction writing
with interesting stories and encouraging examples. They each mentioned
how poetry informs fiction. Susan said it's good practice for choosing
the right words, the economy of words. Fran thinks she needs to move
some of the poetic, lyrical passages back to poetry. Catherine does
write poetry, but we'll never see it because it so much more personal
than fiction. Writing is a solitary act, and the road to publication
can be paved with rejection, but their honesty and accessibility
underscored the supportive community that writers can forge, and for
that they have my thanks!"
Fran Davis
Jim Alexander, Humor Columnist for the Montecito
Journal
It was a wonderful afternoon with three distinct authors. What
struck me most concerning Susan Chiavelli was when she said that
fiction is truth. Only three words, but no truer words were ever
spoken. And she also confided in us, the audience, a little trick for
writers. She told us that when you do get published in literary
journals, to include in your bio that you are writing, or have written,
a novel. She told us that agents read those journals and are looking
for authors with novels.
Catherine Ryan Hyde told us that writers should change their mentors
every six months. The more I thought about this the more sense it made,
though I'm not sure there's enough good mentors out there. Listening to
her, it became obvious that she would be a mentor to covet.
Fran Davis told us that she looks for question and tries
to answer them with her fiction. She relayed a story about finding a
cardboard sign at a rest stop on the road. Written on the sign was a
plea for help, stating that she was a women with a small child and that
her car had broken down. First Fran tried to find the lady to help her.
When the lady was nowhere to be found, Fran did the next best thing.
She wrote a great short story about the incident.
I went to this function to support three friends, and ended up not only
being entertained, but learning much along the way. All three ladies
were brilliant.
Catherine Ryan Hyde
Karin Finell, local writer
Catherine Ryan Hyde was quite erudite and she alone would have
been worth the 20 bucks. She spoke that fiction for her was to tell the
truth, but also to explore lives in our "throw away society." She
showed a clear social conscience. I find it evident in her fiction, in
her characters. She said she is often asked how she could get into the
mind of a male character, even a child molester, and she said the
characters materialize and take on a life of their own. She had a
little cough-smile around her lips when she said that maybe the male
part of her psyche is as developed as her female side. I wanted to tell
her that a Japanese writer, Yukio Michima wrote from the female p.o.v.
as convincingly as he did from the male p.o.v I came away from the
afternoon convinced that Catherine is a valuable writer showing our
society's ills.
How did they look? Susan was glamorous in a dark pant suit and a light aqua Chinese blouse, her hair glossy in the stage lights. Fran looked electric on stage in a bright red Chinese jacket and black crop pants. Catherine wore a brown suit, very lady-writerly, with an absolutely great necklace of dark amber flashing like light from a star.
Speaking of Stories concludes its Summer Sunday Series with Beverlye Hyman Fead, author of I Can Do This at the Center Stage Theatre, August 28, 2005 at 4pm, www.speakingofstories.org. SoS returns to Center Stage September 16 and 17 for the second annual Speaking of Sci-Fi, featuring an evening of classic radio plays.
These are only a few excerpts of the overwhelming response to this Speaking of Stories evening. Inkbyte wants more of your reviews of local book and author events. Use the Inkbyte Forum to add your experiences on writing, or drop a line to editors@inkbyte.com if you're interesting in writing an article.