01/22/2008
High Hopes
I so remember the high hopes I had when I first went to NYC almost 12 years ago! I can feel again the excitement, the happiness of finally being in that great big city, the mother of all cities. There was so much to look forward to then! The summer of 1996 was a magical time for me. Walking up and down Manhattan, having breakfast at the Stanhope Hotel, right across from the Metropolitan Museum and Central Park--all that meant so much. I thought I belonged. And I am so thankful that I was able to be there and pretend that I would one day have NYC at my feet. The reason I had gone was Different Flags. I had written that novel from my heart because it was part of me, the best I had to offer. I wanted the whole world to read it and the only place to help me achieve that goal was The Big Apple. But after knocking on all sorts of doors, I realized that I would not get a big time publisher like Simon and Schuster or Harper and Collins. The literary agents I queried said I had talent, but the novel didn't have this, didn't have that. What they probably meant was no sex. A story about a young woman falling in love with a priest in South America had to have spice. Different Flags didn't--not enough, anyway. Ani and Luis never slept together. How naive and unwordly can you get? Sex, as everyone knows, sells.
Then why did I write the book? The story was burning inside of me. It had to come out. Yes, sex was a big element, but it was not the only one. There were others that sometimes overshadowed it. DF was an emotional tale, an obsession that had to have a house of its own.
It is very hard to be a Spanish teacher, an English teacher and/or a translator when what you really want to do is sell your writing. You wear a brave little smile and you say: No matter. I like to do this. I enjoy teaching. Besides, I have faith. My ship will come.
Now I am frustrated. When will I get my big break? I don't want it to be when I'm dead. No use. Because I won't be around to enjoy anything.
03:49 Posted in Books | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
09/23/2007
Disappointed
Sunday, September 23, 2007: I am taking a writing class here in BA. Last Monday, the teacher invited one of his former students to come give us a talk. This man has recently published a book of short stories. After he read one of them, the class asked him questions like What inspires you? What is your writing discipline? Who are your favorite authors? When two of my classmates wanted to know if he had submitted his work to editors of well known publishing houses and what had these editors said, the teacher cut off the answers. Then another student asked a question about money. How much had being published cost him? Again, the teacher said no. We will not touch that subject.
This surprised me because who wants to write for free? Being published is hard enough and we, who have that luck, should do everything within our power to make our work known. One of the rewards we need to seek is sales. If someone pays for our book, it means validation. It means that our efforts to reach that reader have not been in vain.
The teacher is very good and knowledgeable and the story read by the guest student was interesting and well written.
19:06 Posted in Books | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
08/29/2007
Ejercicio de Literatura: La Deuda La Deuda Ejercicio de literatura: La Deuda
La Deuda
Por Eugenia M. Renskoff
27 de Agosto 2007
Relato de una mujer que, por primera vez en su vida se encuentra sola y con una deuda importantísima.
--Ana, por favor, decime la verdad. Sabes exactamente cuanto es que debo?
--Realmente no sé, pero pienso que es mucho. Ayer llamaron acá, y sinceramente, no me gusto el tono de la voz del tipo.
--Ya les di tanto! Gracias. Después te llamo. Voy a ver como soluciono esto.
¿Ahora que iba a hacer? ¿Que podía vender pronto? Cuando había comprado su auto, el primer auto, andaba bien en el trabajo. Todos le pagaban a tiempo y nadie llamaba para cancelar a ultimo momento. Pero desde hace unos 2 meses, muchos daban cualquier excusa para no darle lo que cobraba por hora. Le costaba mucho pagar sus cuentas y comer se estaba convirtiendo en un lujo. Estos hombres eran peligrosos. Vera sabia que no la iban a esperar. Querían su plata ya.
Se levanto de la silla y fue a su dormitorio. Busco largo rato hasta que encontró un cofre en el estante de arriba. Ahí estaban la cadena y la pulsera de oro que le regalo su Mama hace ya tantos años. La idea de deshacerse de estas cosas no le gustaba para nada. Cerro sus ojos y vio a su madre tal como era ese día. Su sonrisa le iluminaba la cara y la abrazo bien fuerte. Había hecho un sacrificio enorme para juntar la plata, pero era el cumpleaños de su hija, y su hija merecía lo mejor.
Vera sacudió la cabeza, y secándose la cara con su mano derecha, se puso el tapado.
En pocas horas, obtuvo lo que esa gente querría. Necesitaba pensar que su madre, si estuviera viva, no le guardaría rencor.
Mejor voy ahora, antes de que pierda el valor, se dijo. Cuando llego al lugar de autos usados, el vendedor se mostró sorprendido.
--No señora, nosotros no la llamamos. No se acuerda de nuestra conversación? Podemos llegar a un arreglo, siempre que usted este dispuesta a pagar algo por mes.
--Si, por supuesto que me acuerdo. Pero, mi amiga me dijo que alguien le hablo con muy mal tono.
--Le repito. Nosotros no fuimos. No tenemos porque llamar a su casa y hablar mal con nadie. No nos manejamos así.
Vera le dio las gracias. Si Ana le mintió, cual era el motivo? A veces se llevaban bien, a veces no. Ahora no podía volver al local donde le habían comprado las joyas. Estaban perdidas para siempre y la plata que había recibido por ellas le molestaba. Parecia estar envenenada.
03:25 Posted in Books | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
04/29/2007
Noise
Sunday, April 29, 2007: The City of Buenos Aires gave its residents a free Book Fair Entrance Evening. It was crowded and noisy and there were books from all the provinces in the country. There were even books in English. And Internet from Microsoft. A very nice gift lasting till 2 A.M.
04:10 Posted in Books | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
04/26/2007
Book Fair
Thursday, April 26, 2007: Buenos Aires is hosting its yearly Book Fair. Every year writers from all over the world come here to give tals, promote their books and meet their readers. The Book Fair is held at The Rural by Plaza Italia, near the American Embassy, in the barrio of Palermo. The Rural is an old and atmospheric building in one of the trendiest neighborhoods of Buenos Aires.
19:05 Posted in Books | Permalink | Comments (1) | Email this
02/03/2006
Frey
Friday. February 3, 2006: They have just found out about James Frey and his fall from Oprah grace. Somebody made a comment on the radio yesterday morning. It is no big deal (about his fabrications) the reporter said,if it helped people get out of the drug scene. It doesn´t have to be true to be good: that was her take on the literary scandal.
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