Monday, October 5, 2009

What weekend?

Another unproductive writing weekend. I am used to them. I have managed to submit two pieces this morning (one magazine folded, the other rejected) and continue work on my untitled work from my Wednesday post this morning. I think it is taking a dark turn for the worse for my main character. :)

I can do all of this because the boy is still asleep from last night (going on almost 14 hours of sleep now) so I thought I should be as productive as possible.

Anyway, I was told that my old heating and cooling guy in my hometown has published a book. I haven't been able to find it on Amazon or Barnes and Noble, yet, so I am assuming he had it self published. All of the proceeds go to a veterans fund and I have been told that it is actually quite good (he was a pretty good storyteller and often did more talking than working) If I ever find a link to it I will post it, but that isn't the reason for my post. I found out that my hometown (not the town I was born in with the ax massacre but the one I was actually raised in for 16 years) was the inspiration for the 2005 Pulitzer prize winning book Gilead by Marilynne Robinson. I had no idea. I still haven't read the book either, but I am planning on finding a copy now. You can read more about it HERE.

So, what are your hometown's literary backgrounds (other than you)? The world wants to know (and I am curious as well).

15 comments:

Unknown said...

apparently the town of Durham NC has no writers from it that I can find... according to Wikipedia :^)

but Thomas Wolfe was born over in Asheville, and Orson Scott Card and that guy who wrote The Notebook both live here somewhere....

Jamie Eyberg said...

Samantha- keep looking, I am sure you can find literary roots in your hometown. I stumbled on mine.

Davin Malasarn said...

I'm not sure that my hometown has many literary backgrounds. But, one year I was surprised to find out that the city as a whole put out an anthology of family stories to celebrate their 100th anniversary.

I read Gilead a few months ago. It's a lovely book.

Jamie Eyberg said...

Davin- What town was that? And may I say, what a fantastic idea for a small or medium sized community. Or a large city too.

Katey said...

So far as I know, Wellsburg, WV has no literary background. But we do have the Applefest, which I just attended this weekend since I went to visit my parents, and that was amusing.

I love to set stories there, though, so I think the idea of a whole anthology of stories for a centennial or bicentennial Davin talked about up there is rad.

Aaron Polson said...

Clay Center, KS has a player in the WNBA, but that's just about it.

Okay, a historian named Tenny Frank that wrote a few books about Ancient Rome.

Gonna have to put Claydale on the map.

Jamie Eyberg said...

Katey- my new town (only lived their 8 years) has a best selling romance writer and was the sight of the historic Krustev picture holding an ear of corn.

Aaron- The pulitzer winner wasn't from Tabor, she just liked its history. Still, we will take it.

Cate Gardner said...

Ha! Ha! Ha! *Evil Laugh* My home town boasts Clive Barker, Ramsey Campbell, Peter Atkins, Beryl Bainbridge (Booker nominee), Brian Jacques, and a few songwriters you may have heard of. ;)

Fox Lee said...

Good question. Now I want to research my hometown. Though I am braced to be disappointed/bored ; )

Jamie Eyberg said...

Cate- they are in good company with you. ;)

Nat- I had no idea mine had any culture at all, I even helped tear down the old opera house ten years ago.

Anonymous said...

My old English teacher published a book, but he died. There are also a few books about the miners that were trapped and didn't make it out, but I don't think they're written by locals. Ah, my hometown! What a delightful, despairing place! :)

-Mercedes

Jameson T. Caine said...

I grew up in a small town called Hercules. Nothing. Happened. There. Ever.

Carrie Harris said...

I got nothing too. Man, I've got to move near Cate.

K.C. Shaw said...

Axe murderers and Pulitzer prizes. No wonder you're such a great horror writer! :)

My hometown of Norris, TN was built by TVA in the 1930s to house workers building the nearby dam. Instead of the usual square grid American town, though, for some reason Norris was laid out to mimic an English village. That's why we have a big field we call the Commons in the center of town, and why all the roads sort of curve around instead of heading straight where you're going. It's a great place to live, although it doesn't seem to have any literary connections at all. We do have a tiny library, though. One up for Norris!

Jamie Eyberg said...

Mercedes- that counts!

Jameson- Maybe not, but what a great name.

Carrie- you are going to put Luverne on the map. People will flock to see where you were raised in hopes of getting some of that sparkly goodness.

K.C.- Now I want to visit Norris, TN. That sounds fantastic. Do they have a restaurant-diner that serves good pie?