What is Magical Realism?

It’s recently come to my attention that the genre I’d been referring to as magical realism is not, in fact, actually magical realism. So I did some more digging and the results aren’t as clear-cut as I supposed. I mean, no one argues about what constitutes a murder mystery, but apparently what makes it “real” magical realism is a hot button issue within the literary community.

Magical realism, according to Writing-World.com and Wikipedia (as well as the Encyclopedia Britannica and Princeton University, among others), is a much narrower genre that one might suppose, mostly referring to the South American writers who incorporate magical or fantastical elements into otherwise realistic fiction. (Think Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Alejo Carpentier, and Jorge Luis Borges.) There’s many theories on why this style is characterized by Latin American writers, including postulations about post-colonial theory and reconciling alternate histories, but that is really beyond the scope of this post.

A recent article in Writer’s Digest delves into magical realism a little further, coining the origins of magical realism in Latin America, but saying “while magical realism may (or may not) have been birthed in Latin America, is has evolved and migrated.” And that really seems to be the crux of this debate: not what constitutes magical realism, but who is allowed to write it.

The purists, on one end, say that the Latin American authors write this genre in the pure form, while others say it’s about the characteristicsof the story and instead of about geography. (Side note: Amazon apparently sides with the purists, since several books I selected as my favorite books in the magical realism genre are classified as sci-fi/ fantasy.)

The key item that identifies magical realism is that things just are; they are not explained, they simply exist. (Think The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger.) Another key feature is that the story takes place in the real world but that has magical things happen that aren’t explained. (e.g. Of course the cat is talking, why wouldn’t the cat being talking? Kind of scenarios.) So I would still like to know, are these novels that I love considered magical realism or are they sci-fi/ fantasy?

My impulse is to say yes. Because although the art of play writing originated with the Greeks, we don’t go around saying that only Greek people can write plays. Although Thomas Mallory wrote what is considered the first novel in English with The Morte d’ Arthur, we don’t say only English people can write novels. The same with various poetic forms—the sestina, the ghazal, the haiku. So, at least in my mind, as long as you follow the proscriptions of the genre, it doesn’t matter where you hail from. Besides, magical realism is a kickass name for a genre and everybody should have access to that.

It seems that I’ve gone on long enough with this that rather than launch into a book review, I’d like to leave you with a list of my recommendations for further reading in the genre. Apologies right now to the Latin American authors: I’ve never been able to make it through any of those novels.

Recommended Books:

• The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaimon
• Lexicon by Max Barry
• The Magicians Series by Lev Grossman
• The Time-Traveler’s Wife by Audry Niffenegger
• Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman (this one is debatable, but thought I’d include it anyway)
• Eleanor by Jason Gurley

Resources for Further Reading:

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_realism
• http://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/Magic_realism.html
• http://www.writing-world.com/sf/realism.shtml
• http://postcolonialstudies.emory.edu/magical-realism/

And in a side note, check out this latest release from Kristina Wright! http://www.amazon.com/Best-Erotic-Romance-Kristina-Wright/dp/1627781137 So excited to be included in the lineup with some superstar writers in the genre. Keep writing, ladies!

Bad Writing, Fast Writing, and Why I Do Insanity-Style Workouts

(Was tempted to title this post “Yey, this post doesn’t suck!” but decided to go with something slightly more accurate. :-p And now on to business…) 


A lot of times writers hear writing discussed with exercise phrasing: gotta work it every day, have to build up stamina, don’t use it you lose it. Okay, maybe not the latter, but still, the practice of writing is a lot like working out.

1. You should do it every day. Or at least on a schedule. To get good, or at least better than when you began, you have to put the time in. Even scheduling in days off. If you’re a workaholic writer like me, that can be especially hard to do, but the facts are that tremendous word counts (like over 2,000 words per day) take a toll on the mind and body, and you have to pace yourself to avoid hitting a wall.

2. Don’t expect to be good right out of the box. It takes years to build muscle, to increase stamina, to finally fit in those jeans you always wanted to. No one goes to the gym for a week, or a month, even a year, and becomes an Olympic athlete. Writing and exercise are less goals than they are lifestyle choices. You have to work to be good at them, to master your form, to gain speed and agility.

3. Challenge yourself. A phrase I heard the other day that resonated with me was “if you don’t fail, you’re not pushing yourself.” We all fail. Sometimes we need to do things we know we’re going to fail at. At first. (One-arm pushups anyone?) But if you keep pushing that challenge, keep learning your weaknesses, build that muscle, and practice, eventually you’ll realize things you never thought your body or your writing could do.

I do High-Intensity Interval Training or Insanity style workouts on an almost daily basis and did for years before I got pregnant with twins, carried on through the pregnancy, and continued as soon as my body allowed following the C-Section. I was weak. I (naively) didn’t know childbirth would be that big of a setback. I built myself back slowly, getting back to my original weight within months of giving birth. I also started writing again, on a consistent basis, every day while I bonded with my breast pump. Eventually those twenty minute writing sessions have turned into an hour+ and the workouts have gone from Insanity-inspired to straight up Insanity. I’m writing more on a regular basis than I ever dreamed possible and am in better shape physically (and mentally most of my family argues!) than ever. I feel great (most days, though as moms with toddlers will attest, this is relative), and couldn’t be happier with the way one exercise feeds the other.

A Few Pitfalls to Consider...

Fast writing might be a sloppy first draft, but should not mean a poor quality finished product. When people hear write fast, I think they interpret that as not writing well. These two are not mutually exclusive. First, define what good writing means for you. Some people like pulp sci-fi or trashy romance. And that’s fine. If that’s what you like and what you want to write, go for it! Some people might prefer something higher brow, more literary in bent, and that’s fine too. The point is to define what is appealing and what is possible for where you are and where you want to be as a writer, and to go with it.

Build from where you are, not where you think you should be. Have to admit that I shamelessly stole this phrase from my Spousal-Type Creature. He says this all the time, how people need to be evaluated on where they are, not where you think they should be. We’re all at different levels, and the level we see ourselves at may or may not be accurate. So the key here is being realistic, seeing what’s really there, and making decisions based off real data, not the stuff we imagine about ourselves.

Have fun! It’s easy to get lost in the goal—write a book, make a daily word count, build a six-pack, what have you—and forget that the process by which we get there, writing daily, eating well, making that commitment to work your body forty minutes a day, is the part we should be enjoying. Life can happen while we’re not looking; kids will grow up regardless of how your abs look and that ultimate daily word count will continue to avoid us. But if we’re present, live in the moment, enjoy the process of getting from one place to another and really experience what’s going on along the way, then those word counts and six-packs don’t matter as much, because we’re sure having a kick ass time getting there!

Thoughts? Questions? I’d love to hear from readers! So if you have any thoughts, please drop a line in the comments. Thanks! And have a wonderful day :-)

WTF Wednesday

WTF Tuesday has become WTF Wednesday. So what was supposed to be a day to share some work in progress (making it WIP Wednesday) has become a day in the life. Enjoy!



“What can I get you?”

The dark-haired woman wiped the counter with a bartender’s towel and braced her hands on the counter.

Alessandra’s wide-eyed gaze flicked to the blackboard hung on the wall behind the counter, traveling over the choices with a frantic terror



“I said no!” I hear my Spousal-Type Creature (STC) say over the Tom Petty playing in my earbuds.

It’s 9:30 P.M., the toddler is still awake, and the STC is attempting to put together some prefab furniture pieces for our kitchen storage project. I’m not sure who designed our old cabinets, but they are from a time period that apparently did not believe in storing cereal boxes in an upright orientation.

Stopping mid-sentence, I went to his aid. My STC is a terrific dad, rarely losing his patience, but the Offspring is at that stage where he doesn’t understand we tell him no to ensure his safety, not out of meanness.

The Offspring and I went outside to take a turn around the porch and cool off, literally since it’s probably the coolest August on record, while the STC located the screws our sweet little miracle hid in the chair.


Again, Alessandra felt that weight between her hip bones, as if something had settled there, constricting the air from her lungs at the same time to make her feel lightheaded.

“Thank you,” she said to the proprietress. Their fingers brushed as Alessandra took her drink, the cup rattling discordantly against the saucer beneath, causing Nicholas to wince. His tinnitus, from years spent hunting with the baying of dogs and bugles.

[Vienne is extremely flirtacious and the



76 words in this time before I heard a loud, familiar thump of a diapered bottom hurling itself onto the floor and a frustrated child start to cry. Again, mommy flies to the rescue, to a very hot child and a patient looking daddy.

“Buddy, sometimes in life we just can’t use the edge of the couch as a tightrope,” the STC explained.

After some teamwork, we did get the kid to bed, and all was forgiven. I even made my word count, finished the laundry, cleaned off the counter, cleaned out the refridge, took a shower… who says the life of a writer isn’t glamorous? ;-p

Five-thirty came way too early, and so did tremendous amounts of unexpected road construction on the mail route, a couple of detours, road closed signs, an irritated customer who keeps calling to complain about his mail, a certain co-worker who’s feet need to run as fast as her mouth, a child flipping himself upside down in the car seat… but it’s lunchtime now, on WTF Wednesday, and round 2 will commence post-naptime. I leave you all with one last snippet, from this morning’s writing session. Enjoy!



Vienne closed the space between them, coming to stand an arm’s reach away. She took Alessandra’s hand, turned the unresisting palm up to inspect the lines.

“You know what I saw here, earlier?”

Alessandra shook her head.

“Want. Need. Desire. You are so aware of everything, so keen to use all your senses. Yet you stay with that old man.”

“He’s kind to me.”

“I’m sure.”

“He gave me permission to be here.” Alessandra wished the words back in mouth as soon as they escaped, but she persisted. “I won’t leave him, I can’t, but…”

“But you want something else as well?”

Alessandra nodded.

Vienne trailed her fingers over Alessandra’s palm and wrist, eliciting the most delicious thrills over the younger woman’s flesh.

“Come with me then. I want to show you something.”

Writing Snippet

Every story has to start with something. Not sure what this one will evolve into yet, but I like it. Happy Monday, everyone!!

 

The true intimacy comes when his mouth devours mine while he’s balls-deep in her. And I know that all his thoughts aren’t on her, but on how much he loves us, him and me, together, and that we can share another woman like this. And afterwards, when she leaves, and my ass is cradled against his spent cock, his arms wrapped around my body, when I can say that I miss our daughter in this moment, that’s true intimacy.

Dirty Relationship Reflection #2

In //Pursuing the Good Life: 100 Reflections on Positive Psychology//, the late Christopher Peterson talks about how work, love, and play are fundamental to human happiness. He adds service also, in an addendum, because service offers a connection beyond the more intimate conception of love, which usually refers to spouse, kids, loved ones, and neighbors, to a larger, less integrated community.

I’m not here to recap Peterson’s book, though I am reading as I write these posts.

When considering play, I think of writing. It’s still a hobby for me—at best part-time work (which I seem to specialize at—part-time job, part-time farmer, part-time writer, part-time stay-at-home-mom). But a hobby is, by nature, play. Play, Peterson points out, is essential in the animal world, and people who pursue leisure time activities are happier than those who do not.

So, Ax, you might be asking, WTF does this have to do with romance and relationships?

Well, ever play make-believe with your partner?

No, no, you dirty-minded fellow perverts, not that kind of make-believe. I have never been a serving wench and he has never been pirate. (Though that does give me a story idea…) I’m not talking bondage or pony-play or even a sexy plumber scene.

As a writer, my job is to basically sit down and play make-believe with myself. And when I love writing the most is when it feels like play, like I’m sitting down at my desk and playing in my imagination for two hours during the kiddo’s naptime. But sometimes, like all writers, I get stuck.

I’m a talker; it’s how I work through sticky plots, character motivations, grocery lists, you name it. Luckily my partner doesn’t mind this. I often wander into our living room, tell him about whatever writing thing I’m having a problem with, he talks to me until we figure it out, I go back and write it down. Recently, we’ve started collaborating on a non-erotic project (sorry, kids), and it’s been a blast. Basically, I get to sit and play make-believe with my partner as we construct a novel together. 

The take-away from this?

For that, I’d like to quote Christopher Peterson.

“In play we find and pursue our passions.”

Writing is one of my passions. My partner is another. Put them together, and the end result gains far, far more worth than the sum of its parts. What do you two (or three or four...) enjoy for leisure, and how can you use that to strengthen your own relationship?

Why I Write (Erotica)

I think I’ve been writing sex scenes since I was twelve. Granted, they’ve gotten a bit better since then (I hope). I don’t admit to a lot of people that I write erotica. And when I do, it generally surprises them. As my boss’s son put it, “she’s too cute to write that stuff.” Instead, I say I write fiction or that I write about relationships, because it seems like a lot of people who don’t read erotica think it’s all about getting off.

Erotica is about sooooooooooo much more than that.

My son is nine months old as of this writing and my significant other and I talk a lot about how we want to deal with various issues as they arise, such as discipline, diet and exercise, etc. This includes sex. During one of these casual conversations, he mentioned that when our boy starts asking about sex that we should tell him that it’s about a very close connection to another human being and should be respected as such.

Revelation: me.

I’d never thought about it quite that way, but that’s why I love reading and writing erotica. It’s all about connection and feeling connected, or not. That’s what sex is. And that relationship, that connection, in all its forms, functions, reasons, motivations, manifestations, and feelings fascinates me.

Too bad it took me until my late twenties to realize that sex is about connection, but that’s a whole personal life issue. :)

I still probably won’t tell many people that I write erotica. But I will probably change that awkward “Oh, ummmmm I write… er, about relationships,” to “I write fiction about relationships and human connection. Usually with a cowboy hat and a saddle involved.” (Unfortunately, I’m so vanilla the saddle really is for the horse.)

So happy reading, happy writing, and remember, keep smiling—it makes people wonder what you've been up to. ~Author Unknown~

From: Dreamstime

Coffitivity

Coffitivity provides a low-volume background noise of a coffee shop... right in your office! The claim is that the volume level of a coffee shop is the perfect mix to promote creativity. I've done quite a bit of writing to it in the mornings and while I don't know if I was more or less productive, I liked the noise and got into a nice flow. Best of all, its free.

Coffitivity

Enough noise to work.