Book Review: The Sleeping Car Porter by Suzette Mayr, published by Coach House Books

 What Esi Eugen did for jazz and the 1940s in Half Blood Blues Suzette Mayr does for train porters and the 1920s in The Sleeping Car Porter. She offers a thorough examination of the life of a train porter--what are their tasks, what must they tolerate, what regulations must they adhere to, what are the consequences of not adhering to them, where do they live, eat, entertain?

The Sleeping Car Porter

Suzette Mayr

Coach House Books

2022

Winner of the Scotiabank Giller Prize

Twenty-nine-year-old R T Baxter was born in the tropics. He immigrated to Canada because he dreamed of becoming someone. He trained to be a porter under the supervision of Edwin Drew in Union Station in Toronto but being a porter isn't his destiny. Being a porter is exhausting, demanding, and at times demeaning work. Porters are excepted to toe a fine line and if they cross the line they receive demerits--receipt of 60 demerits is grounds for dismissal. 

To help him cope with job stress, Baxter reads science fiction novels like The Scarab from Jupiter.

His book 'glows at the bottom of his bag, waiting for him to run his fingers through its pages.' (p. 32)

To cope, Baxter reads and slowly builds his future.

'He found an abandoned dentisty textbook on a train eight years ago...and even before  he reached the end of the first chapter...a bonfire blazed inside him.' (p. 26)

He has set his sights on attending McGill Dental School.

'He's been saving for eight yars and in only two more years, in 1931, if he stays on track, he will have $1,068 saved, enough for four years of denistry school.' (p. 26)

But... But Baxter has a secret. Baxter has a terrible secret. A secret that if discovered would land him in jail--in jail, he fears, for the rest of his life.

Baxter is a memorable, sympathetic character in a difficult situation. His back is against the wall and all he can do is hold tight to his dream. All I could do was root for him and read on.

photo by ldyck

Next Sunday...

Sunday, July 30

Dog or Wolf (short story) by Leanne Dyck

a fable

A memory...

In the early 1970s, when I was eleven going on twelve, my parents and I took a train trip 

Book Review: The Wife by Meg Wolitzer

A novel about being an award-winning author and the family's price told from the spouse's point of view.

In 1956, twenty-something Joe teaches English 202 - Elements of Creative Writing at Smith College and dreams of becoming a successful author, but he has no natural talent.

Of his own writing, Joe says, '"I'm certainly not one of the naturals... I'm the type that sits there slaving away all day and thinking someone will give me credit for effort."' (p. 48)

Nineteen-year-old Joan--Joe's best student--is a natural writer in a male-dominated world. 

Elain Mozell, a novelist who had just released a new book, told Joan, '"Don't think you can get their attention... The men who write the reviews, who run the publishing houses, who edit the papers, the magazines, who decide who gets to be taken seriously, who gets put on a pedestal for the rest of their lives... [Y]ou could call it a conspiracy to keep the women's voices hushed and tiny and men's voices loud."' (p. 53)

Can these two dreamers...? Can these two wannabe authors...? Can Joe and Joan help each other achieve their goals.

Buy this book

Published by Scribner

an imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

Published in 2003

Joan narrates the tale that explores her 45-year relationship with Joe. I found her a difficult narrator to like. She's coarse, demanding, and critical. I wondered why she was so deeply unhappy. Despite these character traits, Joan captivated me until the surprising, satisfying end.

What kept me glued to the page?

Perhaps it was the intriguing questions The Wife explored, such as...

-What does it take to be a successful author?

-What is it like to be the spouse or child of a successful author?

-What obstacles did and do women authors face?

Or maybe it was simply that The Wife was about an author and the writing life.

'I made myself begin to write something. Without censoring it or condemning it for being trivial or narrow or simply poorly constructed.' (p. 46)

Some readers aren't intimidated by the number of pages in a book or chapter length. (And if this is you, read Henry Eliot's How to navigate your way through the longest classic books.) I am. I'm most comfortable reading books with around 250 pages and chapters of about 10 pages.

The chapters in this book averaged about 30 pages. If The Wife hadn't been such an engaging read I would have abandoned this book for another. But I needed to learn more about Joe's life. I needed a strategy.

Meg Wolitzer wouldn't give me short chapters. So I made them myself. When I needed a break I looked for a transition in the story and marked the spot with a small arrow. I normally don't like to deface books but made an exception in this case.

Are you guilty of any of these 'crimes against books'? 
Matt Blake

Next Sunday evening...

Book Review

I celebrate Canada Reads by reviewing the book I chose.




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Book Review: Independent People (an Icelandic classic) by Halldor Laxness

Knowing that my mom's people came from Iceland, a friend lent me her copy of...

"an Icelandic classic" ldyck

Buy this book

first published (in two volumes) in 1934-1935

first published in Great Britain in 1945

paperback published in 2001 

by The Harvill Press an imprint of Random House

Set in rural Iceland before, during, and after World War I, Independent People follows Bjartur of Summerhouses', a sheep farmer, struggle for independence.

Bjartur of Summerhouses:  ' "People who aren't independent aren't people. A man who isn't his own master is as bad as man without a dog." ' (p. 41)

Fell King:  ' "The love of freedom and independence has always been a characteristic of the Icelandic people. Iceland was originally colonised by freeborn chieftains who would rather live and die in isolation than serve a foreign king." ' (p. 79)

This epic tale transcends the written word. Told in the old way, at night, around a campfire, you carefully listen to the storyteller. The story demands your attention.

'Poetry...shows us the lot of man so truthfully and so sympathecially and with so much love for that which is good that we ourselves become better persons and understand life more fully than before, and hope and trust that good may always prevail in the life of man.' (p. 244)

Bjartur fails to achieve his goal of financial independence, but, in the final pages, he learns that there's something more important--being connected to family.

 More...

'If you look at novels from a couple of centuries back, they are full of description, because novel writing evolved from storytelling. Modern readers consider that sort of lengthy description an intrusion by the author and an impediment to the flow of the story.' 

Gordon Long, 6 Key Differences Between Storytelling and Writing

"writers at the workshop" ldyck

Next post:  Sunday, June 24 (approximately 5 PM PST)

On June 8, Author Susin Neilsen visited the Mayne Island library and she... Well, you'll read all about her writers' workshop and author talk next Sunday.

"Abby at one of her favourite places" ldyck

Sharing my author journey...

Canadian Literary Prizes: write and read

Update:  Each year I wait with eager anticipation for CBC TV to air the Scotiabank Giller gala. I love to listen to authors discuss writing. This year I heard...

'[W]hen I sit down to write I can do anything. It's incredibly empowering.' -Michelle Winter (I Am A Truck)

'[T]o be part of an imaginary world for a time is very enlivening.'

-Michael Redhill (Bellevue Square)

'I think you have to daydream a lot when you are a writer. I think that's one of the job descriptions.' 

-Ed O'Loughlin (Minds of Winter)

"a spark of inspiration" 

photo by LDyck

Write:

Sharpen that pencil, click that pen, punch those keys, there's still time to enter these short story contests...


Freefall:  Annual Prose & Poetry Contest
Deadline:  December 31, 2017

PRISM International:  Jacob Zilber Prize
Deadline:  January 15, 2018

The Mayne Island library

One of the places you might be able to get one of these books

photo by LDyck

Read:

Reading prize-winning novels and short story collections is an excellent way to study the writing craft.

Governor General's Literary Award

G.G.

winner...

We'll All Be Burnt In Our Beds Some Night 

by Joel Thomas Hynes (HarperCollins Publishers)

Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize

'For over 20 years the Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize has recognized the best Canadian novel or short story collection.' --from the website

Winner...

Brother by David Chariandy
McClelland & Stewart
novel

'supremely moving and exquisitley crafted portrait of [Scarborough, Ontario]' -Mark Medley

Watch the video featuring the finalists. Here's the link

Scotiabank Giller Prize 

 Scotiabank Giller

'In a statement, the jury categorized 2017 as "a year of outliers, of books that were eccentric, challenging or thrilling strange, books that took us to amusing or disturbing places. In fact, you could say that the exceptional was one of 2017's trends. It gave the impression of a world in transition:  searching inward as much as outward, wary but engaged." ' -Sue Carter

Winner...

Bellevue Square by Michael Redhill
Doubleday Canada
novel

November 20
Winner announced at a gala--aired on CBC (the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)



Next post:  Year 7:  Why keep writing?
A post that recaps the 7th year anniversary of this blog. Oh, yes, and tells you where I'm at as a writer.
Published on Sunday, October 8th (at approximately 5 PM)

Guest Post Author Cathy Cruise

Cathy Cruise is the host of the popular blog Write Despite

How/why did you start to write?

I’ve been writing since a poem I wrote about a fish in first grade got pinned up on the bulletin board. In fifth grade I wrote a book of poems, in sixth grade I started the first of many novels that I never finished (a pattern that has endured, sadly). In ninth grade I started keeping a journal under my mattress and HAD to write in it nearly every night until I was almost 30. It was the only time I felt like I’d explode if I didn’t get all my thoughts down on paper. Then I met my husband and stopped writing in it. Maybe I just told him all those thoughts instead and no longer needed the journal? Or maybe he’s just helped kill my creativity. (I need someone to blame.)

What was your first published piece?

My first published piece was a story called “Number Three Thousand and Six” in New Virginia Review. My professor at the time, Richard Bausch, was a guest editor for that issue and was kind enough to take my work. This was in 1994. A lifetime ago.

What did you do before embarking on your writing career? Was it an asset to your writing? How?

Well I guess the writing career I’ve had would be the freelance writing business I ran for eight years, and the wildly varied jobs as an editor/writer at different organizations. Prior to that, I was working on a bachelor’s in English and a master’s in creative writing. And yes, both degrees helped me enormously.

What inspires you?

Reading. And not just great literature, but anything that gives me ideas, or resonates, or reminds me of something I’m working on. I’m often inspired by reading something horrible too, just because I feel like, well hell, even I could do better than that.

Please share one of your successful author platform building techniques

Not sure how successful our platform is. We have nearly 400 followers now, so that’s encouraging, I guess…? Others have far more, of course. To start, I read many of the internet hints that tell you how to build a platform—start a blog, post regularly, respond to comments, put the word out on Facebook and Twitter, etc. I know we could be doing LOTS more to promote our platform though. And we welcome all ideas!!!

Parting words

Thank you for the opportunity to share my thoughts here. I love your blog and have learned so much from postings like yours. The sense of community we’ve managed to nourish and enjoy has been the best part of this whole experience. Write well, everyone!

Guest Post Author Karen Guzman

Karen Guzman is the host of the popular blog Write to Despite

How/why did you start to write?

I started writing stories in fifth grade, which resulted that year in two production of two little “books,” one about a pony and one about a dog. Surprising, right?

What was your first published piece?

A short story titled “Get On With It.”

Where was it published?

In a very tiny literary magazine out of the midwest. Believe it or not, I’ve actually forgotten the magazine’s name. At the time it was such a major thing to me, and now I can’t remember the publication’s name. I remember the story because it was so incredibly sophomoric. Yeech.

How long ago?

1990

What did you do before embarking on your writing career? Was it an asset to your writing? How?

I worked as a newspaper journalist right after college, stopped briefly while I earned an MFA, and then went back to newsrooms for another 13 years. The benefits of my time as a reporter and feature writer are just too numerous to mention. Working in daily journalism gives you a front-row seat on the world, the communities, issues, and people that you write about, and it’s an absolutely fantastic education. It helped me grow up, a lot.

What inspires you?

Nature, the Divine, deeply felt and beautifully written literature.

Please share one of your successful author platform building technique

I wish I had more to share. Our blog www.WriteDespite.org

is my first platform. It’s doing well, but to grow, we need to get the word out more broadly and provide more varied and compelling content.

Parting words

Our blog www.WriteDespite.org

 is about writers helping writers. Send us your thoughts. Share your successes and frustrations. We’d love to hear from you.

Karen Guzman writing samples...


Feature story that appeared in Chicago Tribune

Book Review: Death's Last Run by Robin Spano

I was in the middle of reading an award winner. When...

a friend of this blog Author Robin Spano sent me an advance copy of her new book--Death's Last Run.

I was itching to start reading Robin's book but I was committed to finishing the other book. So, I told myself, Just one page.

Little did I know reading Death's Last Run would be like eating chocolates--one page led to another which led to another which led to a new chapter. Love those short chapters.

Death's Last Run is written in a warm, friendly, uplifting style. I laughed out loud at page 64. 'Flopface'. Love  it!

This book is peopled with good characters who truly care about one another. I especially enjoyed the Richie character. Richie often quotes the business advice he had gleamed from reading The Religion of Success--for example:  'If you know where you're going, you're far more likely to get there.' [An opportunity to visualize future success... An invitation I've accepted.]

Many may poop-poop the power of the mighty blog. But chapter twenty-one reveals the foolishness in such an attitude.

In this chapter, US senator, Martha Westlake is interview by a blogger. When he asks if she'd like to retract a statement, she replies, ' "I don't care... Does anyone even read your blog?" '

Later we learn the answer:  ' "135 people. The post has only been live for an hour." '

Those quotes warm this blogger's heart.

In Death's Last Run Robin Spano explores the topic of charity--who receives it; who offers it; why and the feelings involved.

' "And if a little rich girl had come along and tried to rescue me from my so-called poverty, pretty sure I would have punched her in the mouth before I took her charity." ' (Clare, p. 242)

' "I came to America to get my revenge. I planned to become so wealthy in the Land of Opportunity that I could squish Sacha Westlake with my power, then give her a helping hand. Show her how that felt.

But when I arrived in New York, she was dead.

I instantly hated myself for all those years of rage. Sacha had been kind to me, and I was so self-obsessed I could not see it. 

I wanted to turn back time, to write back even in imperfect English, to say thank you to this sweet girl who shared her allowance, and her world with me in letters." ' (Lorenzo Barilla, p. 247)

' "People like Sacha think they can fix the world's problems by patting their heads and throwing money at them. They consider themselves the ruling class. Like we commoners couldn't possibly know what's good for us." ' (Norris, p. 248)

Blurb:  Clare Vengel hits the slopes in this sassy, sexy, fast-paced mystery.

A young snowboarder is found dead on the Blackcomb Glacier, and Whistler police want to close the case as suicide. The victim's mother, a U.S. senator, says her daughter would not, and did not, kill herself. At her request, the FBI sends in an undercover agent--Clare Vengel--to find out who might have killed Sacha and why. Dropped into a world of partying with ski bums and snow bunnies, Clare soon discovers that Sacha was involved in an LSD smuggling ring. Worse:  the top cop in Whistler is in cahoots with the smugglers, and Clare's cover is too precarious for comfort. As suspicion snowballs, can Clare solve the case before she's buried alive?

For more information about Death's Last Run by Robin Spano, please click this link.

Meet the Author...

Robin and I will be sitting on the same panel at 

the Crime Writers of Canada

free

Mini Conference

***

Sharing my author journey...

A few months ago, I entered WOW Women on Writing's Winter Flash Fiction Contest. This week I received the results...

(Brief summary)

A man doesn't want to leave, but knows he has to

(Overview)

I like this story a lot! It hits home for me because my parents' families were interned in the camps in Poston, Arizona. Such a crazy point in history, and we all hope history never repeats itself. I love his inner conflict and his anxiety, especially when he sees the lights. You did a nice job of showing his dignity--he packed his suitcase, opened the door, and followed them when they arrived on his porch. I also like his patriotism in light of what the country was doing to him. Nice work!

Book Review: Leaving Now by Arleen Pare

Allow me to begin with a little bit of self-talk. "Leanne, this is an example of why it's important to leave room for a book to find you. Listen up." Okay, I feel better. Thanks. Now...

Background:  The night before finding Leaving Now I'd actually started reading... Well, the name of the book isn't important. By... Well, the name of the author isn't important either.... It's enough to say that I'd read another books by the author. Other books that I'd enjoyed. So, I began reading that book with hope in my heart. I'll enjoy this, I told myself. Half-way through the first chapter, I kept reminding myself, any time now I'll begin to enjoy this. 

The problem was the author. I could compare him to a bully. He was holding the story over my head. I could see it danging there in front of me. But when I reached out to grab it he pulled it away. 

Finally, I told him. "Fine. If you don't want me to have it, I don't need it." And I left the author with his story. 

But that left me with a new problem:  what do I read now? 

The problem was that I had too many books to choose from and none of them called to me. 

That evening I went to Arleen Pare's book reading. 

Leaving Now jumped right up, waved at me and said, "Yeah, I'll be happy to entertain you. Just bring me home."

So I did and Leaving Now didn't disappoint. In fact, it charmed me from page one, with turns of phrases such as 'An ordinary day--but with a suitcase in it." (p. 9)

The cover is a well-executed work of art--weaving pink and blue. 
It speaks of times long past--1952. 

Buy Link

Please visit the book cover artist, Arleigh Wood

Arleen Pare's writing is emotionally deep with a poetic style. Reading her words inspired me to try my hand...

Satisfaction comes from developing your craft.
Ink on paper...capturing...emotion...writing deeply...capture the minute, the essence.

Satisfaction is achieved by sitting with your pen.
Exercise your brain...focus...execute...breathe life into word.
Build a world...watch your characters come to life...
Stand for something...make a point....

Don't worry who will care. You will.

Yes, Leaving Now captured me--right up and including the very last page.
'That's what happens in a fairy tale. That's the way the endings work. Perfectly. That's the law. I close the book.' (p. 162)

So, wanting more, but knowing the story was complete, I, indeed, closed the book.



***
Next post:
After all that, would you like to meet the author of Leaving Now? I knew you would. Arleen Pare will be here tomorrow. 
Can't wait?
Neither can I. : )
***
Work in progress
Word count:  64,638 words
Just two scenes left. I'm so close I can taste it--and it's so sweet. Then I let it rest for a few days (as many as I can stand). After a through editing and polish, it's submission time. If all goes well this progress should start in December or January. After the holidays or before... Huh? I've worried over this dilemma more than once.

This week I finished Room by Emma Donoghue. I thought I'd leave it at that. But as with so many books it seems I have something to say. So, please, watch for this review.
***
News:
I will be attending two writer workshops this Saturday...
Write with Geist
Fall Workshop series
Getting It Into Print 
(Billeh Nickerson reveals the secrets of how to get published in literary journals.)
Art of the Sentence
(Stephen Osborne explains how to identify strong sentences and how to write them)
I've been fortunate to be published in some literary journals. But I want to do more. And my sentences are strong but they could be stronger. (couldn't everyone's?)

Oh, yes, and this coming Tuesday at 9 pm my favourite TV show returns.
Scotiabank Giller Prize (link)