Alex Kudera’s award-winning novel, Fight for Your Long Day (Atticus Books), was drafted in a walk-in closet during a summer in Seoul, South Korea. Auggie’s Revenge (Beating Windward Press) is his second novel. His numerous short stories include “Frade Killed Ellen” (Dutch Kills Press), “Bombing from Above” (Heavy Feather Review), and “A Thanksgiving” (Eclectica Magazine).
Showing posts sorted by date for query haiti. Sort by relevance Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by date for query haiti. Sort by relevance Show all posts
Friday, March 29, 2024
Thursday, August 3, 2023
Monday, October 8, 2018
Haiti
An earthquake in Haiti has killed at least twelve people. The subsequent aftershocks have lead to various tremors and disturbances not at all limited to one wandering soul finding my blog on Haitians in Philadelphia and my childhood home posted around the time a far more devastating earthquake struck.
Sunday, April 15, 2012
April 15 (mentors)
Michael Leone's creative nonfiction went live at Connotation Press (An Online Artifact); he tackles the tricky topic of literary mentorship in Worcester, Massachusetts.This one has it all, from Christmas Eve surprises to flights to Prague to one-word dismissals of all the great contemporary writers.
On the topic of mentoring, I learned that Professor Joan Mellen, my faculty advisor within Temple University's creative writing program, will have a book on Haiti arriving this fall, and then two more due for publication within the following year. Her pace and endurance amazes me, and these publications push her past twenty for a remarkable literary career which has included film criticism, biography, and JFK scholarship.
On the topic of mentoring, I learned that Professor Joan Mellen, my faculty advisor within Temple University's creative writing program, will have a book on Haiti arriving this fall, and then two more due for publication within the following year. Her pace and endurance amazes me, and these publications push her past twenty for a remarkable literary career which has included film criticism, biography, and JFK scholarship.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
to help haiti
I'm sure you can find these on your own, but here is an article with many different links to aid agencies:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/huffpost/20100113/cm_huffpost/421014
http://news.yahoo.com/s/huffpost/20100113/cm_huffpost/421014
haiti
So what else is new?
I heard about the tragedy in Haiti last night and after the usual lament for the already so poor and disenfranchised islanders, my disorganized, tired mind thought about Samuel Dalembert (the much maligned Haitian-Canadian center for the Philly 76ers) before I thought about my singer-writer friend Cassendre Xavier, who had been kind enough to show me her cover art for a recent book she is completing. If you follow this blog, you might recall USK's interview with her in March, 2009.
Anyway, it seems to be more of the same, the poor getting dumped on in the worst ways imaginable while the rest of us try to save or protect or build upon our own little lot in life. Roberto Bolano's "Maurico (The Eye) Silva" is on my mind when I think about the futility of the situation, but I think about Voltaire's Candide and its "philosopher" Pangloss too.
Many Haitians live in the larger Philadelphia region, and I was fortunate enough to know a married Haitian couple who lived in my father's third floor at 44th and Pine for a couple years of my childhood. The husband's name was Antoine Astache (spelling is probably off), and he had been on the radio in Haiti, speaking against whatever government was spoken against in the 1970s. He was a very warm person, and I remember running into him years later in a movie theater and being greeted again with his kind smile.
I believe that my 8th grade French teacher, Mr. Bien-Amie (yes, "Mr. Good Friend") was also from Haiti, and I remember a classmate's tape-recorded rap that included the refrain of "Fermez La Bouche," followed by "You shut up!" in the way that this kind teacher would repeat in English when the message warranted it.
I also know that Philly, poor in its own way, couldn't find anyone to pay to accept a huge ship full of its garbage that for this reason wound up floating around the ocean for months and months (years if I'm not mistaken, years during our John-Street years if I recall correctly). In the end, as I remember it, Philadelphia paid Haiti to accept this malodorous bounty; we paid their government to leave our trash on their beach. (In fact, this Steven Hayward article says, "Even Haiti wouldn't take it," and in fact, I am mistaken about the dates too... if this is the same ship, then its travels began in 1982.)
If you would like to donate to Haiti, here is one URL that can help.
I heard about the tragedy in Haiti last night and after the usual lament for the already so poor and disenfranchised islanders, my disorganized, tired mind thought about Samuel Dalembert (the much maligned Haitian-Canadian center for the Philly 76ers) before I thought about my singer-writer friend Cassendre Xavier, who had been kind enough to show me her cover art for a recent book she is completing. If you follow this blog, you might recall USK's interview with her in March, 2009.
Anyway, it seems to be more of the same, the poor getting dumped on in the worst ways imaginable while the rest of us try to save or protect or build upon our own little lot in life. Roberto Bolano's "Maurico (The Eye) Silva" is on my mind when I think about the futility of the situation, but I think about Voltaire's Candide and its "philosopher" Pangloss too.
Many Haitians live in the larger Philadelphia region, and I was fortunate enough to know a married Haitian couple who lived in my father's third floor at 44th and Pine for a couple years of my childhood. The husband's name was Antoine Astache (spelling is probably off), and he had been on the radio in Haiti, speaking against whatever government was spoken against in the 1970s. He was a very warm person, and I remember running into him years later in a movie theater and being greeted again with his kind smile.
I believe that my 8th grade French teacher, Mr. Bien-Amie (yes, "Mr. Good Friend") was also from Haiti, and I remember a classmate's tape-recorded rap that included the refrain of "Fermez La Bouche," followed by "You shut up!" in the way that this kind teacher would repeat in English when the message warranted it.
I also know that Philly, poor in its own way, couldn't find anyone to pay to accept a huge ship full of its garbage that for this reason wound up floating around the ocean for months and months (years if I'm not mistaken, years during our John-Street years if I recall correctly). In the end, as I remember it, Philadelphia paid Haiti to accept this malodorous bounty; we paid their government to leave our trash on their beach. (In fact, this Steven Hayward article says, "Even Haiti wouldn't take it," and in fact, I am mistaken about the dates too... if this is the same ship, then its travels began in 1982.)
If you would like to donate to Haiti, here is one URL that can help.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
An Interview with Cassendre Xavier
Cassendre Xavier does it all in locations ranging from Kalamazoo, Michigan to Philly to New York City. Her words are found in stories, poems, blogs, and songs; you can access Ms. Xavier online or look for her live at a performance near you.
USK: When did you first know you wanted to be a writer?
CX: I’ve written since age 4. (In Haiti, school starts when you can talk, so at age 3 I was taught to read and write). At 4 I was writing love letters, at 8 I wrote my first song, around 13 I was writing erotica (Nancy Friday’s “My Secret Garden” was very inspiring!). Around 16 I was writing music reviews for my high school paper, took a journalism class, and wanted to write for Rolling Stone. At around 22 I started writing for publication in periodicals and anthologies. Then around 26 I officially started wanting to write my own books and be a full-time multi-media artist.
USK: When did you first identify as a writer?
CX: Intellectually I called myself a writer in my early 20s when I was in writers’ groups and submitting my work, but it was really brought home to me when I got paid to do a reading and then when I saw my work in print, I mean, actually holding a paper product in my hands that had my name and writing on it made me feel like a writer. Every time I’m paid for my writing I feel like a writer. The rest of the time, I just feel crazy to have all this creative energy and so urgently need to write it down all the time! But that’s my own story, style, or supposed hang-up – to only feel my work is valid when I’m properly compensated or given praise for it. The good news is that I’m not trying to fix that. I’ve embraced it. Show me the money!
USK: How do you balance your working life and your writing life?
CX: I don’t, because I don’t separate the two. I consider myself a working artist, therefore the work I do is make art. That’s what I came to do this time around – make stuff that talks about my story, make stuff that entertains, hopefully enlightens a little bit, but mostly to inspire people to live juicier – more passionately. Some time ago, I realized that using the term “day job” for anything other than my art/work was doing a disservice to me as an artist – it was seriously blocking my progress in obtaining regular gainful employment in my chosen fields of music, writing, acting, and visual art. I no longer use the term “gig.” When I’ve been commissioned to do art for money – I now call it a “job." That’s my work.
So, how I grow as a working writer – to answer what I think you’re asking – how I become more efficient, is to create assignments for myself, and to always have projects going. I also now have a mentor who encourages and works with me several times a week – a writer I’ve admired for years and whose work I’ve carried with me in the same folder as my own work, inspiring me to someday be just like her in many ways. In that time, I’ve watched myself make progress – to the point where my collection of work looks more like hers, and to the point where I finally mustered up the gumption to ask her to mentor me. She was thrilled and honored. Not only is she encouraging me as a writer, but as a recording artist, and as a visual artist as well. (She’s a writer, recording artist, and potential visual artist.) Another thrill is seeing how I’m helping her to grow, just by being her mentee. Those are some ways I improve as a working writer – always working on a project, having and reaching goals, and I think a mentor is very, very important – someone who has what you want and is willing to show you how they did it and help you get it, too. It should be a pairing and mentorship that ends up making you both look great and be proud of each other.
USK: What is your advice to fledgling writers?
CX: Find out what you like and why. I prefer mediocre writing by people leading interesting lives (I’m not a fiction person, and I’m barely a poetry person). I really like what Anais Nin, Maya Angelou, and Cookie Mueller did – they lived amazing lives and wrote about it. I’ve learned that what’s important to me is living an interesting life, then writing about and sharing my experiences. That along with building community among co-creators and making things that hopefully inspire and make people feel good is what I like. Find out what you like and do it. 2) If you’re a natural writer, you probably read and write a lot anyway. As a kid I was such a writerly nerd. I read everything. I even loved the no-frills cornflakes box because it had 21 ways you could use the stuff in a recipe – as breading for fried chicken, you name it. That was fun to me. I wrote a diary, I made up interviews with George Michael - I was unstoppable. If you’re a writer, you’re probably that way, too, so start telling yourself that you’re a writer. 3) Send your stuff out for publication a lot if getting published is important to you. It will prepare you for rejection, which is a big part of the game. 4) Seriously consider self-publishing. Not only is it an excellent way to get your work out there, but if it sells well or creates a buzz, it could be a fast track to finding a publisher. It worked for lots of people, including one of my Philly faves, Lord Whimsy – another person living an interesting life and writing about it. 5) Don’t listen to a word I’ve said. Be your own guru. Follow your heart and what makes you happy, trying anything you would regret having missed if you died tomorrow. Do it all, do it imperfectly, and die happy.
USK: How can we access your art and/or writing?
CX: Send a blank email to http://us.mc513.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=cxwriting@gmail.com with “Subscribe” in the subject. I’ll send you my free e-newsletter “the renaissance negresse museletter: art inspiration community,” which, in addition to being a great place to post your event, announcement or classified in the “Community Bulletin Board,” will include all my currently available recordings and publications. Of course you could also Google me, but it wouldn’t be nearly as fun! So as not to be a complete tease, in the meantime, you can read my blogs at http://cassendre.livejournal.com/
USK: When did you first know you wanted to be a writer?
CX: I’ve written since age 4. (In Haiti, school starts when you can talk, so at age 3 I was taught to read and write). At 4 I was writing love letters, at 8 I wrote my first song, around 13 I was writing erotica (Nancy Friday’s “My Secret Garden” was very inspiring!). Around 16 I was writing music reviews for my high school paper, took a journalism class, and wanted to write for Rolling Stone. At around 22 I started writing for publication in periodicals and anthologies. Then around 26 I officially started wanting to write my own books and be a full-time multi-media artist.
USK: When did you first identify as a writer?
CX: Intellectually I called myself a writer in my early 20s when I was in writers’ groups and submitting my work, but it was really brought home to me when I got paid to do a reading and then when I saw my work in print, I mean, actually holding a paper product in my hands that had my name and writing on it made me feel like a writer. Every time I’m paid for my writing I feel like a writer. The rest of the time, I just feel crazy to have all this creative energy and so urgently need to write it down all the time! But that’s my own story, style, or supposed hang-up – to only feel my work is valid when I’m properly compensated or given praise for it. The good news is that I’m not trying to fix that. I’ve embraced it. Show me the money!
USK: How do you balance your working life and your writing life?
CX: I don’t, because I don’t separate the two. I consider myself a working artist, therefore the work I do is make art. That’s what I came to do this time around – make stuff that talks about my story, make stuff that entertains, hopefully enlightens a little bit, but mostly to inspire people to live juicier – more passionately. Some time ago, I realized that using the term “day job” for anything other than my art/work was doing a disservice to me as an artist – it was seriously blocking my progress in obtaining regular gainful employment in my chosen fields of music, writing, acting, and visual art. I no longer use the term “gig.” When I’ve been commissioned to do art for money – I now call it a “job." That’s my work.
So, how I grow as a working writer – to answer what I think you’re asking – how I become more efficient, is to create assignments for myself, and to always have projects going. I also now have a mentor who encourages and works with me several times a week – a writer I’ve admired for years and whose work I’ve carried with me in the same folder as my own work, inspiring me to someday be just like her in many ways. In that time, I’ve watched myself make progress – to the point where my collection of work looks more like hers, and to the point where I finally mustered up the gumption to ask her to mentor me. She was thrilled and honored. Not only is she encouraging me as a writer, but as a recording artist, and as a visual artist as well. (She’s a writer, recording artist, and potential visual artist.) Another thrill is seeing how I’m helping her to grow, just by being her mentee. Those are some ways I improve as a working writer – always working on a project, having and reaching goals, and I think a mentor is very, very important – someone who has what you want and is willing to show you how they did it and help you get it, too. It should be a pairing and mentorship that ends up making you both look great and be proud of each other.
USK: What is your advice to fledgling writers?
CX: Find out what you like and why. I prefer mediocre writing by people leading interesting lives (I’m not a fiction person, and I’m barely a poetry person). I really like what Anais Nin, Maya Angelou, and Cookie Mueller did – they lived amazing lives and wrote about it. I’ve learned that what’s important to me is living an interesting life, then writing about and sharing my experiences. That along with building community among co-creators and making things that hopefully inspire and make people feel good is what I like. Find out what you like and do it. 2) If you’re a natural writer, you probably read and write a lot anyway. As a kid I was such a writerly nerd. I read everything. I even loved the no-frills cornflakes box because it had 21 ways you could use the stuff in a recipe – as breading for fried chicken, you name it. That was fun to me. I wrote a diary, I made up interviews with George Michael - I was unstoppable. If you’re a writer, you’re probably that way, too, so start telling yourself that you’re a writer. 3) Send your stuff out for publication a lot if getting published is important to you. It will prepare you for rejection, which is a big part of the game. 4) Seriously consider self-publishing. Not only is it an excellent way to get your work out there, but if it sells well or creates a buzz, it could be a fast track to finding a publisher. It worked for lots of people, including one of my Philly faves, Lord Whimsy – another person living an interesting life and writing about it. 5) Don’t listen to a word I’ve said. Be your own guru. Follow your heart and what makes you happy, trying anything you would regret having missed if you died tomorrow. Do it all, do it imperfectly, and die happy.
USK: How can we access your art and/or writing?
CX: Send a blank email to http://us.mc513.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=cxwriting@gmail.com with “Subscribe” in the subject. I’ll send you my free e-newsletter “the renaissance negresse museletter: art inspiration community,” which, in addition to being a great place to post your event, announcement or classified in the “Community Bulletin Board,” will include all my currently available recordings and publications. Of course you could also Google me, but it wouldn’t be nearly as fun! So as not to be a complete tease, in the meantime, you can read my blogs at http://cassendre.livejournal.com/
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