Thanks George. Story Club is at the top of my list of things to be thankful for. As you say, "it's a community that assumes the full humanity of the other parties in the discussion." That's a rare thing lately. Thanks for all you do to lead it and keep it together.
Happy Thanksgiving, George! Sending love to all my fellow Story Clubbers! Huge gratitude to all of you for the discussions, the camaraderie, the kindnesses, the openness, the fearlessness, the optimism! And my thanks to George, the most. xoxo
My day has been great, so far, quiet & perfect, and thanks to your lovely note, it just got a little greater, George. Happy Thanksgiving to you & your family as well, and to all Story Clubbers everywhere, no matter if you celebrate the holiday or not. Cheers to all!
I'm so grateful to have recently discovered this page/community. And George, I am a huge fan of your writing. I'm a little late to the party and not entirely sure where to start (right now I'm reading all the stories that have been posted in chronological order, along with the analysis/comments). If there any other helpful introductory posts for me to look at, please let me know! For context, I am a novelist considering branching out into short stories and seeking craft tips for either/both.
Hey Bonnie! Like you, I'd come to the party late. I dove into the archives, started from the bottom and worked my way up. For a less deep dive, like @Cluyken said, "ESSAYS ON CRAFT AND WRITING" is a great place to start--as is "OFFICE HOURS"! Happy belated thanksgiving! Glad you're with us!
And I have a deep appreciation for you, George, and this Story Club group. Happy Thanksgiving to my America friends. How marvelous that we can feel so connected across so many miles. Sarah from Saskatchewan
Happy thanksgiving George and to everyone here at Story Club. Story Club helps shape my world view daily in such a kind, humane, and caring way. It’s the soothing balm I didn’t know I was missing for so last years. You all are incredibly special to me. And I look forward to more amazing Story Club posts in the future! All the best!
Lee, as we went around the table this year and listed off our gratefuls, Storyclub came to mind. But nobody in my family's a member, so I kept my mouth shut :)
Some people seem to intuitively know that generosity isn’t a passing feeling but a way of being in the world. Story Clubbers seem to me to be such people.
Happy Thanksgiving American writer-friends. Here's hoping that today is a day of very little story material (is family drama) for you, but if it isn't, I hope it's at least something you can make funny.
All my guests today are chosen friends, but I'm interested in family dysfunction. I like reading about it, listening to people tell wacky stories about their own dinners when family gatherings fly off the rails...I guess I'm nosey. If that was a podcast, just listening to people vent about family drama, I'd be a subscriber.
I also love hearing about family drama. The only drama I get with my family is when politics enter the conversation. But even then, we all end up laughing and moving on. And my husband’s folks are divorced, but the only drama there is in my stomach eating back to back thanksgiving meals.
We had a little drama this morning with my step-father-in-law. He lectured me last night because our dog did a runner when my mother-in-law let her out (which we hadn’t asked her to do, but we don’t blame her for doing it. She was trying to be helpful). But I told him it was inappropriate how he spoke to me (he blamed me for the ordeal) and then he sent me an apology text and now all is water under the bridge. We are too damn healthy and emotionally mature! Where am I gonna get my story fodder?!?
(Note: they got my pup back. She hadn’t gone far and was fine. Just in case other dog lovers here were worried).
I like this story, too! The writer who has a family that is so emotionally mature that there's nothing to write about. Perhaps she is so desperate (not you, Lanie, the character we're creating) to compete with her friends who write about their own crazy families that she begins to pick fights and create drama within her own. It's a comedy, right? Or? We see inside the brain of the frustrated writer with the "normal" family. Maybe some of the family members are onto her, and steal her journal and read it, confronting her about making trouble so she'll have something to write about.
I haven’t dared proclaim a no cellphone rule at the table After all my kids are all in their thirties. But being videotaped while chewing would not appeal to me!
God! I love podcasts! What about listening to books on audio? I'm listening to one now, "The Friend." The reader is excellent...but I know some people don't like listening, they'd rather read.
I see. When I drift away (I'm often cleaning the house while I listen) I just hit rewind. But I get it! I can't listen unless the reader's voice is exactly right.
Thanks to everyone for your comments, your likes and replies, your have-you-read-this suggestions, your compassion, and a wealth of other good stuff. Thanks especially to George, for posting on this holiday, and for starting this place called Story Club, where we are not just subscribers but also participants.
Plenty to be thankful for today. The sun is shining on Thanksgiving Day in the Pacific Northwest - a miracle, of sorts! And family, and friends, gathering together. Food on the table. How lucky we are. Fingers crossed you are all feeling the same.
It's been so gorgeous here, much appreciated. I can take the cold, but the gray skies here...you'd think I'd be used to it after all these years, but no.
Thanks George. Story Club is at the top of my list of things to be thankful for. As you say, "it's a community that assumes the full humanity of the other parties in the discussion." That's a rare thing lately. Thanks for all you do to lead it and keep it together.
Happy Thanksgiving, George! Sending love to all my fellow Story Clubbers! Huge gratitude to all of you for the discussions, the camaraderie, the kindnesses, the openness, the fearlessness, the optimism! And my thanks to George, the most. xoxo
First-time poster here to say that I'm really looking forward to enjoying this place with everyone! It seems wonderful.
Welcome aboard!
Thank you!
Welcome Rube! And a happy (belated) Thanksgiving!
Welcome!
Hi, Rube. Welcome! John
Thank you for including us in your writer’s life.
Happy Thanksgiving, George and Story Clubbers!
My day has been great, so far, quiet & perfect, and thanks to your lovely note, it just got a little greater, George. Happy Thanksgiving to you & your family as well, and to all Story Clubbers everywhere, no matter if you celebrate the holiday or not. Cheers to all!
I'm so grateful to have recently discovered this page/community. And George, I am a huge fan of your writing. I'm a little late to the party and not entirely sure where to start (right now I'm reading all the stories that have been posted in chronological order, along with the analysis/comments). If there any other helpful introductory posts for me to look at, please let me know! For context, I am a novelist considering branching out into short stories and seeking craft tips for either/both.
Hey Bonnie! Like you, I'd come to the party late. I dove into the archives, started from the bottom and worked my way up. For a less deep dive, like @Cluyken said, "ESSAYS ON CRAFT AND WRITING" is a great place to start--as is "OFFICE HOURS"! Happy belated thanksgiving! Glad you're with us!
Thank you! Very helpful.
George’s posts on the writing process (different from the story discussions) are not to be missed!!
There really is a lot to dig into in the archives. But better late than never:)
And I have a deep appreciation for you, George, and this Story Club group. Happy Thanksgiving to my America friends. How marvelous that we can feel so connected across so many miles. Sarah from Saskatchewan
Happy thanksgiving George and to everyone here at Story Club. Story Club helps shape my world view daily in such a kind, humane, and caring way. It’s the soothing balm I didn’t know I was missing for so last years. You all are incredibly special to me. And I look forward to more amazing Story Club posts in the future! All the best!
Soothing balm! Love this description! Am a member, well, for 10 minutes!
Welcome Marybeth! Happy to have you aboard! :)
Welcome!
Lee, as we went around the table this year and listed off our gratefuls, Storyclub came to mind. But nobody in my family's a member, so I kept my mouth shut :)
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone. Thankful for Story Club and all the good will and good feeling found here week after week.
Some people seem to intuitively know that generosity isn’t a passing feeling but a way of being in the world. Story Clubbers seem to me to be such people.
Love this - and so happy to be a part of this club :)
Happy Thanksgiving American writer-friends. Here's hoping that today is a day of very little story material (is family drama) for you, but if it isn't, I hope it's at least something you can make funny.
All my guests today are chosen friends, but I'm interested in family dysfunction. I like reading about it, listening to people tell wacky stories about their own dinners when family gatherings fly off the rails...I guess I'm nosey. If that was a podcast, just listening to people vent about family drama, I'd be a subscriber.
Ain’t no love like family love. 😅
It’s the truth.
I also love hearing about family drama. The only drama I get with my family is when politics enter the conversation. But even then, we all end up laughing and moving on. And my husband’s folks are divorced, but the only drama there is in my stomach eating back to back thanksgiving meals.
We had a little drama this morning with my step-father-in-law. He lectured me last night because our dog did a runner when my mother-in-law let her out (which we hadn’t asked her to do, but we don’t blame her for doing it. She was trying to be helpful). But I told him it was inappropriate how he spoke to me (he blamed me for the ordeal) and then he sent me an apology text and now all is water under the bridge. We are too damn healthy and emotionally mature! Where am I gonna get my story fodder?!?
(Note: they got my pup back. She hadn’t gone far and was fine. Just in case other dog lovers here were worried).
I like this story, too! The writer who has a family that is so emotionally mature that there's nothing to write about. Perhaps she is so desperate (not you, Lanie, the character we're creating) to compete with her friends who write about their own crazy families that she begins to pick fights and create drama within her own. It's a comedy, right? Or? We see inside the brain of the frustrated writer with the "normal" family. Maybe some of the family members are onto her, and steal her journal and read it, confronting her about making trouble so she'll have something to write about.
We had the usual crazy time here tonight… love the podcast idea!.
I noticed my daughter taking videos during parts of the evening
I tried to act natural while noticing I was being watched by her phone.. lol
I shudder to think she could post any of it and then I think it was probably funny!
I haven’t dared proclaim a no cellphone rule at the table After all my kids are all in their thirties. But being videotaped while chewing would not appeal to me!
I would so listen to that podcast and I don't even like podcasts!
God! I love podcasts! What about listening to books on audio? I'm listening to one now, "The Friend." The reader is excellent...but I know some people don't like listening, they'd rather read.
I have a hard time with listening to audio books. It's the ADHD, my attention drifts away.
I see. When I drift away (I'm often cleaning the house while I listen) I just hit rewind. But I get it! I can't listen unless the reader's voice is exactly right.
Thanks to everyone for your comments, your likes and replies, your have-you-read-this suggestions, your compassion, and a wealth of other good stuff. Thanks especially to George, for posting on this holiday, and for starting this place called Story Club, where we are not just subscribers but also participants.
Here, here!!
Thank you, George, for launching this magical tour that is Story Club, and happy landing with your family (and pets).
And to my fellow Story Clubbers, you are the abracadabra. Love and gratitude, galore.
Plenty to be thankful for today. The sun is shining on Thanksgiving Day in the Pacific Northwest - a miracle, of sorts! And family, and friends, gathering together. Food on the table. How lucky we are. Fingers crossed you are all feeling the same.
I love a good sunny fall day in the Pacific Northwest!
It's been so gorgeous here, much appreciated. I can take the cold, but the gray skies here...you'd think I'd be used to it after all these years, but no.
Story Club is a wondrous gift week after week. Thanks to all who make it so.