Writers: Follow That Scent!

Posted on by Ashley Harris


100_3967Today the Triangle Chapter of Sisters in Crime welcomed author and canine expert Sheila Boneham. She’s the author of 17 nonfiction books, six of which have won major awards from the Dog Writers Association of America and the Cat Writers Association. Her most recent book is Drop Dead on Recall, which is a novel based on her experiences in the canine sporting world and is already receiving rave reviews.

She’s also mom to “Lily,” who is a champion AKC Tracking Dog renowned for her superior “sleuthing” ability. Today we had the privilege of watching Lily track and find a fellow mystery club member by scent. In this picture, Lily has just achieved her goal, to much acclaim by our club. While garlic-flavored roast beef is a favorite reward, she seemed quite satisfied with the praise and affection bestowed by our grateful club.

We learned a lot today from Sheila and Lily that will enhance mysteries  featuring canine search and rescue. Once Sheila strapped on Lily’s harness and let her sniff the “article” (our writer’s sock), Lily “kicked in” and put her nose to the ground. She was relentless in her pursuit and was not unduly distracted by the abundance of equally aromatic goose pellets around the lake. Indeed, said Sheila, the best tracking dogs exhibit the ability to work around such problems and also demonstrate an insatiable interest in finding their targets. If I am ever lost, I just hope I would be found by such an amazing creature!

All writers can take a lesson from Lily’s extraordinary work ethic and her love of humans. We, too, track clues and scents to build believable characters and compelling stories. We’re also driven by our compassion for and interest in our fellow humans. So, take a lesson from Lily! Lock in and put your nose to the grindstone.

More Musings From Flannery on Writing…and Softball!

Posted on by Ashley Harris

Lately, due in part to the amazing short story class I’m currently taking led by my friend and teacher Ruth Moose, I’ve spent a lot of time wondering about the responsibility of the writer. Is the writer supposed to merely entertain? Or is she supposed to teach the reader something as well?

The reason I’m pondering is because I’m in the middle of writing a short story about a middle-aged man who is the self-appointed captain of a city softball team.  Entertaining the reader is easy enough as humor abounds in the circumstances. But the teaching part is a little daunting because if true, it implies that the writer should have a little wisdom of her own to share. Shouldn’t entertaining be enough?

As I mentioned earlier, I’ve embarked on an independent study of Flannery O’Connor, one of my most favorite authors. She died at the too-young age of 39 which makes her musings on the subject of writing all too brief. However, those that exist are all the more poignant because of their paucity. So, when I need a little help, I turn to Mystery and Manners, a collection of prose cobbled from Flannery’s lectures and the like.

The book is chock-full of wisdom but today I’m drawn to this statement in an essay titled The Nature and Aim of Fiction.”If a writer is any good, what he makes will have its source in a realm much larger than that which his conscious mind can encompass and will always be a greater surprise to him than can ever be to his reader.”

What I take from this pithy sentence is that yes, the writer may start with an aim to entertain, but the story that emerges may end up instructing the writer. In the same essay she writes: “It’s well to remember that the serious fiction writer always writes about the whole world, no matter how limited his particular scene. For him, the bomb dropped on Hiroshoma affects life on the Oconee River, and there’s not anything he can do about it.”

As I ponder further, Flannery’s comments strike at the heart of what it is like to be writer. It explains a lot about why we do what we do. Sure, we wish to record our impressions of a softball-obsessed control freak, but we also long to write stories that give meaning to such impressions and in our own way, make sense of the world. This is why, as Flannery also concludes, that writing is so difficult to teach; it’s constantly evolving, even in the best of writers. It’s not easy work but the pay-off is every bit as rewarding as hitting that elusive grand slam!

 

New review of Naked and Hungry

Posted on by Ashley Harris

Just found out that a review of Naked and Hungry appeared in the Southern Pines Pilot this weekend.  Not only am I honored that such an esteemed author as Ruth Moose would review my book, I’m loving her vivid descriptions and razor-sharp wit. She says: “Read “Naked and Hungry, and if you don’t laugh out loud at least a hundred times, have somebody call the nearest undertaker!”

Read “Laugh Out Loud Funny” by Ruth Moose.

Interview by Creativity Expert Michele Berger

Posted on by Ashley Harris

I recently had the pleasure of being interviewed by new friend, creativity muse, and fellow writer Michele Berger on her blog, The Practice of Creativity. Her thought-provoking questions inspired me to think more deeply about the journey of writing. And her generous praise (although undeserved!) reinforced yet another joy of the writing life—the wonderful people you meet along the way.

I just hope she takes me up on my offer to make her crepes one day! For more, read For the Love of Crepes and Crime.

This week will be a busy but good one. Tomorrow, I’ll wake up early with a panel discussion on website creation at the N.C. Writers’ Network Fall Conference and on Thursday, I’ll speak to the High Country Writers at their monthly meeting.

Somehow, I hope to sneak in two more indulgences: Mystery and Manners, a book of essays by Flannery and the latest Southern Living, which features one of the best collections of Thanksgiving recipes I’ve ever seen. Food and books, what could be better than that?

Here’s to the weekend; hope yours is a good one!

Inspiration from Flannery

Posted on by Ashley Harris

I’m sorry for the long hiatus from the blogosphere but it’s been a busy few months with a lot of change! First, the publication of Born Again, Dead Again, has been put on hiatus. My previous publisher has decided to scale back the number of novels they release next year, and unfortunately, my second book was one of those casualties.

However, in my typical glass-half full approach, I decided retreat into the best refuge known to writers — the refuge of the mind. After a busy year filled with marketing and promoting Naked and Hungry, I’ve enjoyed the opportunity to focus solely on my writing and the joys that the act itself brings to my life. With the help of a wonderful group of Pittsboro writer friends, I’m rediscovering my love of short stories, which, ironically, is what led me to write a novel in the first place. I’ve also enrolled in a class taught by celebrated local author Ruth Moose and am having a blast.

In between penning new stories, I’ve also embarked on an independent study of the works and philosophy of Flannery O’Connor, one of the icons of Southern literature. She is also the author of “A Good Man is Hard to Find,” one of the greatest short works ever penned.

Yesterday, I came across a great quote from her. Drawing upon the wisdom of the French philosopher Jacques Maritain, she writes that “fiction writing is something in which the whole personality takes part — the conscious as well as the unconscious mind. Art is the habit of the artist; and habits have to be rooted in the whole personality.”

I discovered this gem last night when trying to explain to my son where writers find their inspiration. As for me, my ideas come from real life but they only sprout into stories once that idea has lain semi-dormant in the unconscious mind. I say semi-dormant because as I discovered in Imagine, the right hemisphere is never really dormant. The habit of writing is also important, as Lehrer would certainly concur, because true creativity occurs at the end of hard work.

So what’s next for me? In between my writing pursuits, I’m planning a journey to Andalusia in Milledgeville, Ga., Flannery’s homesite in the not-so-distant future. l’ll also be speaking at the N.C. Writers’ Network Fall Conference on November 3 in Cary on a more practical topic, writing for the internet. In the meantime, because many of you write, I welcome your thoughts on the joys of the writing life.

 

 

What’s On My Bookshelf: Part 2

Posted on by Ashley Harris

As promised, I’m following up with the final great book on my summer reading list.

Ever wondered what goes on in the right side of your brain? If so, you must read Imagine by Rhodes Scholar Jonah Lehrer. If you’ve ever thought that creativity was held hostage by the gods, this book is for you. By breaking down the long-held mystery of creativity, Lehrer shows us that this power is within the reach of everyone.

He also shows that cultivating creativity takes work (and frequently, collaboration), but the examples he provides (from the invention of the Swiffer Wetjet to the songs of Bob Dylan) are compelling and inspirational.

Stumped? Take a warm shower or take your dog for a walk. Lehrer convincingly argues that taking a break from the issues that are puzzling you gives you the opportunity to let your right hemisphere do the heavy lifting, and presto, you may just hit upon a solution.

This book was a gift from Tonya, my childhood friend-muse-fellow artist. It was so good that she didn’t just pass along her own book; she saved her own copy for herself and bought me my own (bless her.) Although this book is filled with literary examples, this book isn’t just for writers. It’s for anyone who needs a fresh look at life. And the great news is that the secrets to life and the dilemmas that puzzle us all might just be in our heads!

What’s On My Bookshelf: Part 1

Posted on by Ashley Harris

I’ve been indulging myself lately with two new books. Because I’m just beginning to work on my third novel, I’ve been trying to focus more on writing than reading, but wouldn’t you know that life has other distractions in mind? But because these books are so unforgettable, I must share them with you. I’ll share one today and the other one in a follow-up post.

If you like Greek mythology and you can’t get enough of The Iliad, you must read Song of Achilles by first-time novelist Madeline Miller. No doubt, she makes creative use of her education (degrees in Latin and Greek from Brown University) but her imagination is the true vehicle for this book. You’ll be swept away.

I simply loved Miller’s portrayal of all the major characters — not just Achilles but others such as egotistical Agamemnon and Thetis, the smothering mother-goddess figure. This is a love story but it’s not between Paris and the abducted Helen; it’s between Achilles and his boyhood friend Patroclus, who lends his point of view to the novel. Completing the triangle is the endearing character of Briseis, Achilles’ war trophy. The climax of the book occurs when Agamemnon demands her for himself.

You know how the story ends so I won’t recap The Iliad, but the vivid characters and emotions make this book as enjoyable as any modern novel. And the subject of hubris will never go out of vogue; perhaps the time is right to take a new look at the consequences of excessive pride.

This book was recommended by my neurologist, a brilliant man who finds the art of reading literature oddly complementary to his day job. Perhaps he enjoys letting the right side of his brain take the wheel for a while? And on that subject, stay tuned for Part 2 of “What’s On My Bookshelf.”

So…what’s on your bookshelf?

 

 

Happy Mutts Day!

Posted on by Ashley Harris

Today, in honor of Shorty McMullen, the irascible mutt who helps save the day in Naked and Hungry and Born Again, Dead Again, we celebrate a day just for the non-pedigreed dogs of the world. And it’s about time. July 31 is NOT the day for your impeccable pekingese or Maltese. It’s not a day for your regal Afghan hound  or even the Presidential pooch, Bo the Portuguese water dog. It is not a day for dogs named Fifi or Duke.

Today is a day for all those dogs named Lucky, Sooner, or Bubba. It’s for those dogs with a DNA profile as random as the seashells that wash up on the beach. No one know for sure, but Shorty may have some German Shepherd, a splash of Dalmatian and even a smattering of Chihuahua in his genetic profile. Regardless, he’s undeniably a special dog. At times, he’s grumpy and willful. He’s also naughty and prone to outright disobedience. But he seems to have a sixth sense for when his “owner” (and I use this term most loosely) needs him the most. So we have to ask…are our mutts as random as we think?

There’s plenty of mayhem ahead in Born Again, Dead Again and to be sure, Shorty will be right back in the thick of things. He’s also up to plenty of mischief himself, involving the nice girl next door, a beautiful poodle named Miss Angelique!

If you have a mutt or know a mutt, take a few moments to scratch his ears or to toss him a treat. Tell her how grateful you are that she is in the world. And remind yourself that what makes all dogs so special is the fact that they don’t care where we came from; they just love us for who we are.

Knaked and Hungry Goes to Knoxville!

Posted on by Ashley Harris

In celebration of our upcoming (Saturday, July 28) visit to Union Avenue Books in Knoxville, Tenn., we’re changing up the spelling of Knaked and Hungry in homage to this friendly and literary city.

I’m looking forward to a return visit to Knoxville and the charming Union Avenue Books, an independent bookstore located downtown. Is Knoxville ready for an invasion by H.T. and gang? I sure hope so. Knoxville, named for Revolutionary War general Henry Knox, is associated with many writers, including James Agee and Cormac McCarthy.

Read more.