Why the Point is Quicker than the Edge
I’ve still got three questions to answer from CWPost. I’ll get to them. I promise.
But a birthday today got in the way, as did a grant proposal that I have to write for my day job in order to stay employed and keep my staff employed. So it’s important. And it takes up all my time for a few days – driving my anxiety up and me near into madness. Well… you get the picture.
So last week I did a fencing workshop/reading/Q&A at the Flushing Library with my friend actor/stage combatant/fencer Dave Brown. Dave’s the best because he does these things for me for no other reason than I ask him (and I take him out ot dinner). He is an extraordinary friend. We get to fence in front of an audience – and he’s the best fencing partner – totally trustworthy and only once in our time as fencing partners has he every hit me by mistake. Hah.
At the reading there were three kids who had read my book and who actually helped me give the synopsis of Open Wounds. That was the first time I’ve had people in the audience who’d read the book. Morya Haughton, the most excellent YA Librarian who invited me and rounded up the kids for the event, told me the library had six copies of my book and it was in constant rotation… and rarely on the shelves. That pretty much made my day.
So there were twenty some odd kids at the event and I didn’t know any of them and that was cool. They liked the swordplay – who wouldn’t and most of them stayed an extra 45 minutes after the event was over to handle the swords and ask questions about writing and fencing. Dave and I had a blast.
One young woman asked a question that really got to me. She was one of the people who had read the book. “Why is someone like Maddie (Cid’s grandmother) who believes in God, so cruel to Cid?” I had to stop a moment just to let that one sink in. My answer was pretty simple. “Because she is. Just because someone believes in God doesn’t mean they can’t also be cruel. It just works that way sometimes. It’s not pleasant but it’s true.” She nodded and looked away. It made me wonder what the question behind the question for her was.
I think human beings are complex and rarely all good or evil – usually a mixture of both to different degrees. Mad Maddie Wymann is like that. You know little of her past but it must have been bitter to turn her into the person she is. And when her son, Cid’s father, disappears, she grieves for him.
When she is lost, Cid grieves for her because she is all he has.
So it goes.
Flushing Library
I’m doing a lecture/reading/Q&A at the Queens Historical Society this Thursday. Let’s see what questions I get there.
Capabilities Wear a Cape
Here is the first of six questions I received at the CW Post LIU reading last week. It’s still strange to me why one year ago nobody would ask me these questions and now I seem to have grown in my knowledge of the publishing world so much that I now both be asked and feel like I can answer. As my wife and son would say, now I am a somebody. Somebody or nobody, here’s my answer to the first question.
Why didn’t I get an English degree? Why did I get a business degree?
I have asked myself this same question many times. I think I would have been happier in school if I had gotten an English degree or a degree in creative writing. It’s a strange thing to say but it’s the truth. I did not like getting a business degree. Two years of business school was more than enough. My honors electives and some good teachers helped me to make the best of my last two years.
I know I thought of getting a degree in English in high school but when I talked to my parents about it, my father, always practical, said, “If you get a degree in English the only thing you’ll be able to do is teach English and there are no jobs out there for English teachers. If you get a business degree you can do anything.”
So it ends up he was both right and wrong at the same time. He meant well and I was not strong enough to disagree.
When I got out of school I got a job in a small medical publisher doing customer service work. I worked next to a bunch of people like me only they had degrees in English and Philosophy and History – degrees they mostly enjoyed getting. I’ve worked many places in a variety of types of jobs since then and my degree has helped in each of them because of its practical nature. Yet, I wish some days I had gone the other route. Perhaps my path to publication would have been faster? Or maybe it was slow because I had lessons to learn about writing and simply needed time to learn them.
It comes down to two things.
One was that I was not confident enough in myself at the age of 17 to be able to say, “I want to get a degree in English because I want to write.” My father would say, “But you can’t make a living writing so make sure you have a degree to get a day job.” By the time I developed enough confidence to say, “But creative writing is what I want to do and I need training in it,” two years had already passed. By then, I figured it was best to just finish the program I’d started. So I used what I had available to me, as Lefty from my novel Open Wounds would say, “I used what I found in the trenches.” With the help of the honors program I used my elective classes to take writing workshops and business classes focused on the publishing industry so all was not lost. I graduated with more credits than I needed but I was out in four years and wrote on my own during the whole time.
The second thing is that I didn’t know enough about life, what I could and could not do, what I could challenge my parents over and what I couldn’t. That was something my brother did very well, but I did not. So using black and white thinking typical of a young adult with a still developing pre-frontal cortex and an executive suite that was just not there yet – I did what I was capable of doing. I went to business school and developed my belief in myself as a writer by writing. I can neither blame myself for my inabilities nor my parents for suggesting what they thought would be best for me.
The moral of the story? Work with what you can and what you are capable of – don’t regret what you didn’t have or were not capable of. And of course, no matter what – if you want to write, write.
Resonate…
… as in evocative of past memories.
CW Post LIU Reading
The reading at CWPost was great. At least I had a good time. I think the students did also. As my friend and professor from undergraduate days, Dr. Joan Digby said, “There were a lot of people asking questions so that’s a good sign that you didn’t scare them away.”
I’ll get to the student’s questions and my answers over the next few day’s posts. Today it’s about the pictures and what resonates for me.
I went to Post as an undergrad and Dr. Digby (who is in charge of the honors program and has been so since I was there) has since invited me back a number of times to read short stories and talk about my various careers to students. It’s great to have a teacher believe in you especially long after your class-taking days are over. I’m taking her to lunch next time we get together. This kind of faith keeps a writer writing.
Art Museum at CW Post
So the reading, in the art museum at Post, as the inaugural event for their newly opened poetry center, was very cool. There was standing room only with over 70 folks in attendance – young adults to older adults pretty much 18 and up. It was something to stand there with my book in front of me and speak to folks who were in my seat thirty years ago.
It resonated like a long, loud, ringing, Om.
Brain Freeze and The Slurpie of Doom
I was interviewed by Johnny Tann yesterday for his talk radio show From My Momma’s Kitchen.
It was an hour-long and I have to say I was nervous about it. I’ve done interviews before and I’m usually nervous about them. That is as it should be. They are anxiety provoking experiences.
Things I worry about include:
- What will I say?
- Will I say too little? Will I say too much? I have an hour to fill…
- Will I embarrass myself? My family? (My wife would tell me before every improv show I did, “don’t embarrass the family,” which, of course, is exactly what you do in improv but…)
- What if I get brain freeze and can’t think of a thing to say? (It’s the slurpie of public speaking and these days I use simple breathing techniques to get through it but it does still happen.)
- What if I say something that doesn’t make sense? (Do I ever make sense?)
- What if I say something that makes sense but is stupid? (That puts me back to embarrassing.)
- What if I say the word ask like ax and my family hears about it (my wife and son have been trying to help me get the New York out of my accent but it’s tough going – it doesn’t seem to want to leave.)
Post Toastie – Reading
I’m off to CWPost tomorrow, my alma matter, to do a reading at the new Poetry Center. The head of the Honors Program, Dr. Joan Digby (I get to call her Joan and not Dr. Digby these days and I still can’t get used to it) has been a supportive presence in my writing life since I was an undergrad with her in her newly started honors program way way back when.
She taught me one of my first and really powerful lessons as a writer. In a tutorial with her on writing we spent a whole semester rewriting and reviewing one short story that I wrote.
I rewrote is 16 times.
I counted.
And I still remember each of the 16 times.
This taught me the importance of rewriting – what it can do and how it can change and improve a manuscript. I’ll have to tell that story at the reading. It runs from 12:30-1:20. Here’s a link to the event at Post on their Greenvale LIU campus: Poetry Center.
From My Mamma’s Kitchen – Talk Radio Interview
I’ll be interviewed tomorrow by Johnny Tan – Tuesday morning 9/20/11 from 11-12noon ET on FMMK Talk Radio on his weekly radio show From My Mamma’s Kitchen. It’s the whole hour and it will be archived on his site afterwards so if you have a chance check in and listen.
Here’s the link for the show:
What will I be talking about? His opening question to all his guests is, “Tell me about yourself from birth to now.” Gulp! How long do we have? Seriously, it’s going to be fun. And he takes questions from the audience so feel free to call in and ask away.
Crack for Writers
Goodreads is like crack for writers.
I’m serious.
It’s not like crack for readers, but it is for writer’s – at least it is for me.
I didn’t do Goodreads until my book was going to be published. Then I got on, got in, and started being a part of the Goodreads world. I smoked the pipe. I joined the YA Historical Novels group. I settled into the background after a short comment or two and didn’t even mention my book. I played by the rules.
Then I got my first review and it showed up on Goodreads. It was five stars.
That’s when I knew I was in trouble. First I only looked at the site a few times a week. But when my book came out and the list of people reading Open Wounds or who put it on their book shelf grew and more reviews came in – I started checking ever y day.
Then it was twice a day – every day.
I started noticing the details about the site. I checked to see who was new on the to be read list. Did I know them? I got an adrenaline surge every time a new person was added to the list. I checked that number first, then checked the date of the most recent addition to the list. And I kept waiting for more reviews.
Five star reviews made me feel euphoric. It would last a few hours. Then I developed some tolerance and it lasted less. Now I needed them just to feel normal.
Four stars send me right into withdrawal.
One reviewer said she wanted to give me four and a half stars but since Goodreads only allowed full stars she gave me four. Why didn’t she just give me five? Why can’t the cup be half full and not half empty? Doesn’t she know that reviews are crack for writers and no matter what anybody says, we live and die by them? Is it just me?
I tried to quit. I tried to stop looking at Goodreads, just for a couple of days. So I turned to Amazon. Amazon was like methadone, only it didn’t work as well because methadone is for opiates and crack is a stimulant. I should have known better. I do drug prevention work in my day job.
Goodreads called to me.
So I went back. But this time I think I have it more under control. I’m taking a harm reduction approach. I took it off my toolbar bookmark. I went on to write reviews of books I’ve read so I keep the site in a positive light. I tell myself the number of stars isn’t important. I keep myself busy. I occupy my mind.
Then I check it… just… one… more… time…
Day 11: Dueling Dragons and Frida Khalo Treasure Hunt
My wife’s family is safely ensconced in our apartment – having to evacuate Rockaway Beach where they live before Irene hits. They have found the inflatable mattresses and as of this moment know how to work the cable remote and therefore the TV. We’ve been watching the weather report here. The sky is dark here also and the threat of thunderstorms – a constant in August anyway in Florida – has shut down the pool. We’re all reading, gaming, blogging in the giant lobby sitting in comfy chairs. Soon I will be drinking tea.
Earlier we made our last visit to Harry Potter-land. We will miss it. Tomorrow we leave. I left my stomach on the dueling dragon ride. Karen and Max watched me disappear into the gated line after viewing all the dozen or so warnings about quick turns, sudden drops, 360′s, and backward somersaults. Unless you are in perfect health and above 5’4″ you are not allowed to pass and ride the beast.
I rode the blue dragon.
It did indeed flip me over, twirl me around, make me go upside down and inside out all at an incredible pace and with centrifugal force keeping me plastered to my suspended seat. Yes, it is a suspended car roller coaster. I love these things. The whole ride lasted less than a minute and I felt mildly ill afterwards, even had some trouble walking straight for a few minutes after landing. But it was cool. Once was enough though, until next time.
Back to the treasure hunt I promised yesterday. So here it is. Frida Khalo is in my book, somewhere. Aldo Nadi is too but he is named and easy to find. Frida had a slightly larger part in an earlier version of the book but was scaled back in the finished version of Open Wounds. Find her. Tell me what page she’s on and what made you think it’s her. Here’s a hint. You can find her with four letter words. Now start the hunt.
Bennet from Bay State Fencers
I sent a copy of Open Wounds to Ann and her son Bennet in Boston. I asked Bennet to write me and let me know what he thinks, when he’d finished. I got a beautiful, handwritten (some folks still write in pencil/pen and I’m a big fan of it) letter by snail mail. Bennet writes:
I loved your book Open Wounds. I liked how you described each fight move by move, and I admit that I probably wouldn’t have been satisfied had you just written ‘they fight’!
Open wounds included fencing terms old and new to me and taught me about how different life was back during the depression. I hope you continue to write fencing-related books.
PS. Pistol grips rule!
Bennet’s mom sent these pictures of him reading Open Wounds under a sequoia at Merced Grove in Yosemite and, of course… fencing. He fences with the Bay State Fencers out of Somerville, MA. And yes, Bennet, I do believe pistol grips are cool, but Italian grip is the real deal. I have used French, Italian, and pistol and each has its plusses and minuses. But for me the Italian grip just speaks to me. And I believe in listening to the blade. One day, Bennet, we’ll have to see which one rules! Thank you (and your mom) for the kind words about my book. I’m glad you enjoyed it. Good luck in your competitions this summer and fall, and remember to have fun because of all the things that fencing is, it is above and beyond all others… simply fun to do.
He's reading Open Wounds!
A Closer Look...
Portrait of an Epee Fencer
On the Grounds going at it!
Book Launch at Seaburn Book Store
"I've waited 33 years for this moment..."
Last week, on Thursday night, we launched Open Wounds. It sounds funny that way but it really felt like a launch. The only thing I didn’t do was break a bottle of champagne across the bow of the book – though that would have been an interesting sight to see. There was wine and pastries from our favorite French Patisserie Canelles. But more than anything there were people. We filled the downstairs room with friends, family, colleagues, writers, and some folks from the neighborhood – Astoria – who saw the advertisement and stopped by. There were over 65 people with many standing in the back. It was hot and thunder-stormy – humid and thick, even with the AC on. The fan had to be turned off so you could hear me read. And I did read. That’s what felt like a launch – the reading, the showing off of my work to others, the revealing of my secret life as a writer.
Before it filled up and overflowed!
And it was fun. And the book store sold 42 copies. The book store owner walked around with a big smile on her face.
My publisher/editor Evelyn Fazio, introduced me to the audience with some kind words and there were two other wonderful WestSide authors in attendance: Karen DelleCava (latest book is A Closer Look) and Selene Castrovilla (latest book is The Girl Next Door and Melt) to help cheer me on.
My father also came and I finally signed a book for him. He still hasn’t read Open Wounds but I’m waiting to hear what he thinks ’cause now it’s on his list. What follows is a picture of the inscription. The ship has launched and the party was a good one to send it on its way. I couldn’t ask for more. I’m only sorry my publicists Marissa, Julie, and Sami from JKS Communications couldn’t be there to celebrate with me – as it would never have happened without them.
Inscription for my father...
DC Fencers
I had no idea where Silver Springs was and how far it was from the conference center I was staying at. But I made it to the evening open épée fencing at the DC Fencer’s Club with a half hour to spare. It always pays to leave early (and take a cab).
The head coach, Janusz Smolenski, sat down with me in between students and let me pitch him the book. He was very
interested in the fencing but even more so in my last name, recognizing both the Lithuanian and Polish influences. Then he invited me to fence. I told him I had not brought my gear and before I could say any more he suited me up with gear from the salle and paired me up with my first opponent. I fenced for two hours with a short break to talk to the whole group that Janusz organized when some twenty students had filled the room. Now I thought the room was filled but he told me their six strips (it is a big salle!) are packed with sixty plus students in the fall when everyone is back from vacation. I had way too much fun fencing – getting beaten by a young man and finding some equal matches against others my age and younger. Soaked from my workout I got a ride to the metro from a fencer named Jay, who also happens to be a journalist and a budding novelist.
I left them two copies of Open Wounds and a lot of perspiration. The only problem was that I had so much fun fencing I forgot to take any photos. I had the camera but it never made it out of the bag. The photos are curtesy of their website!
Thank you Jay and Janusz. I hope to be back in the fall for other events. Only next time I’ll have my own equipment.
Reviews and Interviews
I’ve been busy these last two weeks. Two weeks ago I was in DC and in addition to presenting at a National Association for Drug Court Professionals conference on Teambuilding and LGBT sensitivity issues had the chance to fence with the DC Fencers club (more on that in another entry) and visited a few bookstores to talk about Open Wounds. I’ve also been doing a lot of interviews – each different in its own way and worth checking out to find out how Open Wounds and its cast of characters came about. I’m going to list them below and give you some background on each.
Two local papers start things off:
The Queens Tribune – Jason Cohen did a piece on me titled Renaissance Man (I’m getting a swelled head already) that is only available in print and not on the internet – so no link. But it’s been fun having some neighbors come up to me and tell me, “I didn’t know you wrote a book!” I didn’t know so many people I knew read the Queens Tribune!
The Queens Courier – Salimah Khoj a wrote a nice piece on their online magazine called Jackson Heights Author Finds Inspiration in Childhood. We had to phone interviews and some written responses in order to get this one down and I think she did a great job.
Followed by two blog interviews:
Nikki Meiggs’ Wicked Awesome Books book blog just reviewed Open Wounds and today put out the second of two parts of an interview (part 1 and part 2) we did together. She has a contest open until August 16th – simply comment on part 2 by answering this question: If you could live in any time period or historical event what would it be and why? She’s giving a free signed copy of Open Wounds to the winner! I met Nikki at BEA in the late spring and she has a great blog on YA books and really loves books. I also love the title of her website – who wouldn’t?
Cynthia Leitich Smith blog Cynsations also just put up an interview called New Voice: Joseph Lunievicz on Open Wounds. What’s interesting about Cynthia’s interview were the questions she asked. There were easily thirty different questions from various categories and I was able to choose two, and only two, to respond to. These are different from any other interview questions and I found them challenging and interesting to answer. She also did a wonderful job with pictures to complement the interview of books I mentioned and supplemental posts I have out on other sites.
And one review…
There’s also a short review of Open Wounds by Jodi Reszotaarski on her blog Book Eater – A novel test kitchen. She’s a high school media specialist in Lake County, Ohio. Thanks, Jodi for the great review!
Next up some fencing stories.
Author Interview with Lauren…
… at 365 Days of Reading blog. What a great title for a blog! Lauren reviewed Open Wounds last week and just put up my author interview on her site. She had some different and interesting questions for me to answer so take a look.
Bookarella Review of Open Wounds
Check out this nice review from Jamie Kline at Bookarella of Open Wounds.
Open Wounds Book Launch!
Save the date: Thursday, July 28th, 7-9pm at the Seaburn Bookstore in Astoria, Queens. They will have books for sale. I will be signing. I may read a bit. There will be wine. Keep your eye out for more details as we get closer. Come and bring friends. Let’s celebrate.
Open Wounds Reviewed by Mathew Rush
Mathew Rush has written a wonderful review of Open Wounds at Afterglow Book Reviews. Mathew has an incredible blog on writing and especially on how to write an effective query letter on his aptly named blog The Quintessentially Questionable Query Experiment. He’s also an avid commenter on many other writer’s blogs and is just a nice guy who really loves to write. I met him through Andrew Smith’s Ghost Medicine blog and both of these writer’s blogs have opened up an online community to me that I really had no idea existed before. Thank you Mathew.
Event at The Voracious Reader in Larchmont!
I’ll be doing a little fencing demo at a wonderful kids bookstore called The Voracious Reader in Larchmont, New York, on Friday evening July 29th at 6pm. They will have Open Wounds available to buy so if you’ve been waiting for an opportunity to get your hands on a copy and support an independent book store this is your chance. The Westchester Fencing Academy will be there to do a fencing demo and yours truly will do a little stage combat too with rapiers. It’s easy to get to from metro north – walking distance from the Larchmont train station – and a short 30 minutes driving from Manhattan. Let me know if you can come.
New York Fencers Academy in Brooklyn
Went to speak to the nine members of the New York Fencer’s Academy in Coney Island today during lunch of their summer camp. Taught them some stage fencing, talked about Open Wounds, and read a piece from the book. The kids were great and I had a blast. Special thanks to Coach Misha Mokretsov for inviting me and giving me the time to speak to the kids.
Teaching the duck and hitch!
The Duck!
Engarde!
The whole club!
Engage the blade!
Photo’s from ALA
It took me all this time to download them after I got back late last night. Met some great librarians, great writers and had a blast with Allison, Jonathan, and Irv at the New Orleans Fencer’s Club tournament!
Picture with a Fan at ALA WestSide Books Book Signing
SCARS Author cheryl Rainfield Signing at WestSide Booth with Publisher Evelyn Fazio
Allison from the New Orleans Fencing Club with her copy of Open Wounds
Octavia Books in the Garden District - Wonderful Independant Store
Checked out 4-club competition at New Orleans Fencer's Club
Hanging Our With Ed Yamada from WestSide Sales
Book Signing 101 - Colpire Senza Essere Colpito
Tag-line
Colpira senza essere colpito.
Hit but don’t get hit.
It’s a 16th or 17th century Italian Fencing Master’s motto. Considering it is for duels and not sport it makes sense. It is also Cid Wymann’s (the protagonist of my book Open Wounds) motto. I wrote this on books that I signed yesterday. Selene Castrovilla (Author of Saved by the Music, The Girl Next Door, and Melt) gave me the idea. And I found out it seems most authors have a tagline like this that they sign on their books.
I like the Italian fencing phrase but I have to say when I was signing, I was so nervous I had to write it down and hide it next to me on an index card. Sometimes I spelled it wrong because my hand shook. That could have been the coffee (drinking too much while in NO) or the forgetting to eat lunch (or both). In any case when I told people what it said and meant they seemed to like it. I like it too.
It seems to fit.
Open Wounds has Landed!
Family, Friends, Yogis, Yoginis, Colleagues, Fellow Writers, Ruggers, Fencers, RPCVs:
for a store near you or order direct from one. Amazon numbers make the publishing news so that is always a good place to order as a fallback option.
- Write a review on any or all of the following three sites (I’ve put in the links). Note you can also write one review and cut and paste into all three sites…
- Send me an email about your experience of the book. I love to get mail and will answer any questions/comments sent my way.
- Post a review or comments as you read on your Facebook wall. Write to your friends on Facebook about the book. Your friends have friends and they have friends and you can see where this goes… Click here for my facebook page.
- Tweet about the book as you read it. Start a group. Create a hashtag and go for it. Let me know too and I’ll be happy to comment as you go. My twitter handle is: @lunievicz.
Crystal Book Reviews: Open Wounds
Viviane Crystal at Crystal Book Reviews has posted a nice review of Open Wounds on her blog-site. Take a look at the link: Review. She reviews all genres but has a special place in her heart, I think, for swordplay and historical novels. Thank you, Viviane.
Trainjotting.com Interview
I wrote a column on trainjotting.com for a few years called straphanger joe, and Mike Malone, trainjotting himself, has run an interview we did recently so check it out. Mike was around when Cid was just beginning to emerge as a character and has probably read Open Wounds more times than anyone I know. He’s a fine writer himself and I expect to see his name on a book’s binding some time soon.
In the Half-Light Essay in Hunger Mountain
Hunger Mountain is a wonderful online magazine (and print in the fall), whose editor, Bethany Hegedus (who wrote the wonderful Between Us Baxters), asked me to write an essay for them on the development of Cid Wymann, the protagonist of Open Wounds, and a secondary character named Winston Arnolf Leftingsham (aka: Lefty). Hunger Mountain is both a print and online journal of the arts that publishes fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, visual art, young adult and children’s writing, writing for stage and screen, interviews, reviews, and craft essays and I’m honored to have been selected by them to write this piece.
After a difficult birth (on my part) Bethany pulled my piece together with some great suggestions and trimming, and I have to say I’m pleased with the way it came out. The essay is called “In the Half-Light” and is in the current online edition which has just gone live. The first chapter of Open Wounds is also included in the issue. If you’d like some insight into the creation of these two characters, and my own creative process (yes, I do have one), then take a look.
Check out what Andrew Smith has been writing about how he develops characters in his blog Ghostmedicine.com for a look at how another author, and the writer’s who comment on his blog, look at the subject.
