The Civil War in Missouri

I’ve been reading the Autobiography of Samuel S.Hildebrand in its newly edited, annotated version from the University of Arkansas Press, edited by Kirby Ross. I’ve read it before in its raw 1870 form, but Mr. Ross’s annotations provide a terrific addition.

Want to know what the war in Missouri was like? Here’s a random quote: “I found Mr. Miller in his field, and shot him. After night I found Mr. Johnson at home, took him out of his house, and cut off his head with my bowie knife.”

Not so much war as terrorism, practiced every day by both sides. War up close and personal.

Favorite Ozarks Places – 4

Mina Sauk Falls

When I first started visiting Mina Sauk Falls as a teenager, the way to get to it was this: Park at the fire tower on Taum Sauk Mountain. Go through the Boy Scout primitive camping area. Find the semblance of a path on the other side. Realize after a quarter mile or so that it’s the wrong path. Backtrack and find the right one. Work your way downhill as the path becomes a well-worn trail. As the trail enters a glade, the collared lizards will get out of your way but the rattlesnakes won’t, so keep an eye out. Pretty soon you’ll hear the falls–follow your ears.

Nowadays it’s easier. The falls are part of the Missouri state park system, and the trail is well maintained. But I do miss the rough romance of the older days a little.

Pitching

I’ve been invited to sit on a panel at the next month’s meeting of the St. Louis Writers’ Guild to talk about pitching to agents, editors, and publishers.Not to brag, but I’ve had good luck at pitch sessions. The last time I pitched at the Historical Novel Society (2009), I had two requests for more material out of three pitches. When I pitched at Missouri Writers’ Guild last year I was three for three.

Also on the panel will be Margo Dill, a multi-talented writer, editor, and coach, and Peter Green, vice president of programs for the St. Louis guild. We’ll also be talking about the upcoming Missouri Writer’s Guild conference.

Check the St. Louis Writers’ Guild webpage for specifics of time and place….the date is Saturday, March 3.

Closing In

The advance reader copy of Slant of Light came in the mail today from Blank Slate Press! Not to be immodest, but it’s beautifully produced. The cover is artfully done, with a nice match of the feel of paper and the era of the book.

Working through it looking for typos and design issues….but more than anything, just enjoying the heft of it in my hands.

Origins – 4

I don’t think it’s absurd to identify dreams as one of my great sources of inspiration. The underlying idea of Slant of Light had its origin in a dream (I won’t say “came to me in a dream,” because that sound a little too woo-woo.) I’ve had entire short stories show up as dreams.

At the same time, I’ve always been dubious of people who try to use dreams systematically in their creative work. It’s always seemed to me that dreams are way too messy for that–they are our neurons firing off in semi-random ways, and while the images and associations they create are often striking, they are also often only personal in their significance. I think of the work Yeats created during his “automatic writing” phase….the interest value of those poems comes from Yeats’ poetic skill, not from his being in touch with some deeper level of consciousness that was otherwise inaccessible to him.

I’d be interested to hear what others think of the subject–whether they use dreams, and if so, how.

 

Libraries

What’s the greatest American invention of all time? You’ll get a lot of debate over this question, but for me, the free public library has to be up there in the top five.

My mom was a librarian . . . she started by working as a clerk in the Fredericktown Branch of the Ozarks Regional Library, then when we moved to Annapolis she was determined that it needed a library too. Her determination paid off when the city officials set aside space in the “old Bolch chickenhouse” where the Annapolis Branch began.

How many afternoons I spent in the library in both towns! And the patrons–what a marvelous assortment of people. Elderly folks who used the library as an opportunity for a conversation outing, school children needing help on a project, voracious readers of “great books” and addicts of escapist novels. Everyone came to the library, and all you needed to access the knowledge of the world was the little card in your wallet.

Librarians out there, if you ever want me to make an appearance or give a talk, say the word. I owe you.

 

Vote on cover art

Blank Slate Press has posted some versions of cover art on its blog, so stop by and cast your vote! I have my personal favorites but will not reveal them.

As of this morning, the thumbnail images were not showing up when I tried to view the page in Internet Explorer, so use Firefox or Safari to view. BSP is working on the issue.

Closing in on a publication date

Well, I’m getting more excited…the book is moving ever closer to publication.

Advance reader copies are starting to go out, and Blank Slate Press is taking pre-orders. Plus they’ve posted a little more sneak preview material….http://blankslatepress.com/authors/steve-wiegenstein/

Take a look!

New Title

Because there are other books already in the marketplace under the title “Daybreak,” we’ve decided to retitle my novel. After weeks of back-and-forthing and probably two dozen candidates, we are going with “Slant of Light.” It has taken me a while, but I’m starting to like it.
It’s taken from the Emily Dickinson poem, which has always struck me as one of her most mysterious and evocative poems. The meaning of the poem seems close at hand, but never quite within one’s grasp…what is that certain slant of light, anyway? And why does it oppress? And why does it oppress like cathedral tunes? The questions go on and on.

Favorite Ozarks Images – 5

Farm pond in winter, Reynolds County, Missouri.