Magical Memoir Moments
Richard Gilbert's Blog: A Memoir Treasure Trove
Please say hello to Richard Stuart Gilbert, someone I’ve never met in person but feel I’ve known a long time. His words have often left me pondering days or weeks later. He’s a blogger, journalist, memoir writer, professor and more. Some years ago he owned a sheep farm. Sound interesting? He is! Richard seems to…
The Truthiness of Fiction: A Review of Lunch Bucket Paradise: A True-Life Novel
Do you remember your father’s workbench? I can still smell the oil, paint, tools, and see the big black vise at the end of the bench. Guest blogger Lanie Tankard was moved by her own memories as she read about the father’s workbench in Fred Setterberg’s new book. Other times, she was more perplexed than…
Ubuntu: A Philosophy of Memoir Writing
Welcome to the new look for 100memoirs.com! The old site still exists and has migrated to the new location, shirleyshowalter.com. I have now met the original goal of reading 100 memoirs! I discovered over the last three years and 315 posts that readers love lists of top memoirs for their own reading selection. So you…
An Exclusive Love: Author Interview
Here’s another memoir author interview of a memoir that’s been translated into 15 languages and is soon coming out in paper after a successful hardcover run. Learn from the author directly! 1. Please describe the plot of your memoir briefly. It’s the story of my grandparents, who commited suicide together hand in hand in their…
An Inside Look into Finding an Agent and Publisher: Terry Helwig's Story
Remember the wonderful interview with Terry Helwig in which she shared her book marketing strategies? Well, thanks to the gentle nudging of one of that post’s most engaged readers, Linda Gartz, Terry is back. Here’s how she found her agent and publisher, in her own words. I suggest you go to her site to learn…
Contests for Memoir Writers — And Resources to Help You Prepare
It’s the season to be jolly and give shout outs to other bloggers and teachers. First, let me tell you about a contest from one of my “oldest” online writing buddies, Sonia Marsh. She and I met at the Santa Barbara Writer’s Conference in 2008 — or was it 2009? At any rate, we’ve both…
A Walker in the City: Inspiring and Daunting
November 20, 2011. Brooklyn, New York It’s nearly midnight. I’ve just closed the book A Walker in the City by Alfred Kazin. Outside Flatbush Ave. pulses with movement and light in the rain. The wet streets glisten and double the images of white headlights approaching, red taillights receding, and green traffic light swaying above. The…
Going Grey Caused Me a Problem: Did I Do the Right Thing?
I like to think that I’m not vain about my looks. My make-up case is a sandwich bag, and I use its contents rarely. For my lips my favorite brand is Chapstick. But fifteen years ago, I did dye my hair and kept on doing it. Over time, I began to be curious about what…
Chinaberry Sidewalks: Another Excellent Crazy Childhood Memoir by Rodney Crowell
Welcome new guest blogger, Richard Potter. Below you can learn more about him and more about an excellent memoir from singer/song writer Rodney Crowell. If you love memoirists Mary Karr, Rosanne Cash, and Jeanette Walls, you will love this one also. By Richard Potter Chinaberry Sidewalks is my first direct exposure to a great American…
Marla Likes It! A Query Critique Lesson
Remember the old Life cereal commercial? “Mikey likes it!”? Here it is again. If Mikey likes it, it’s got to be good. Well, in memoir query critique, if Marla Miller likes it, the same is true. She’s a tough critic, but kind. And she’s seen a lot of query letters in her role as columnist…