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Is telling the truth in a memoir essential? In this post, I am sending a link to a thought-provoking memoir review which was published recently in the Buffalo, NY, News. The review questions the veracity of Coming Ashore, a new memoir by Catherine McClure Gildiner. I quote briefly to whet your appetite. “I think a reader and a writer enter into almost a kind of a contractual understanding, and it starts with the genre,” said Mick Cochrane, a professor of English and director of the creative writing program at Canisius College. “If you call a book a memoir, the understanding (more…)
I have to admit that I felt the book launch  jitters as my book Don’t Let Writer’s Block Stop You went out into the world in 2014. On Kindle Select Don’t Let Writer’s Block Stop You was in December of that year available as a free download as part of Amazon’s Kindle Select outreach. (It is still there and I would love it if you wrote a review of it. If you would like to do so, drop me a line and I will send you a review copy.) As a book coach and editor who has worked with writers (more…)
We’d like to offer our congratulations to Libby Atwater whose memoir What Lies Within recently placed first in the Royal Dragonfly Book Awards in their Biography/Memoir category. Due to our interest in Libby, we are including here her publisher’s release. Well done, Libby! Interviews with Libby ran earlier. Click here for the first and here for the second. What Lies Within Wins Royal Dragonfly Book Award CHANDLER, AZ (November 2014)—The judges of the Royal Dragonfly Book Awards contest, which recognizes excellence in literature, have spoken. What Lies Within by Libby J. Atwater won First Place in the Biography/Memoir category. “Winning (more…)
Here’s a recent discussion we had with Libby Atwater who began telling people’s stories professionally after a career in education. As a writer and editor, she has worked for individuals, families, businesses, nonprofits, universities, and community newspapers. Tales from her life have been published in several anthologies. Her memoir What Lies Within covers her first twenty-one years. We asked her about her story and about learning how to write a memoir Denis Ledoux: How and why did you choose to write this memoir?Libby Atwater: I wanted to tell the story of my early years for a long time to show (more…)
Here’s the second half of my recent discussion with Libby Atwater who began telling people’s stories professionally after a career in education. As a writer and editor, she has worked for individuals, families, businesses, nonprofits, universities, and community newspapers. Tales from her life have been published in several anthologies. Her memoir What Lies Within covers her first twenty-one years. Click here for Part 1 of this interview. Denis Ledoux: Will you write another memoir? Why or why not? If so, what is your book’s topic? Libby Atwater: I have three sequels in progress: Out Into the World, which covers my (more…)

Collect memories at my fiftieth class reunion

Last weekend—and a warm sunny three days it turned out to be—I spent, as I had written that I would in the last newsletter, with those of my high school classmates who could attend our fiftieth high-school reunion. Some of us had not seen each other in 30 years—not since our 20th class reunion—while one had not been with us in 50 years. Needless to say…

We had changed. The skinny boys we had been had become older white-haired men—except for on man who was mysteriously still dark-haired. Through the wrinkles and the few extra pounds (we were actually quite a fit group), it was uncanny how it seemed to me we had kept some essence of identity intact. The boys I had spent so many years with were there once again with me. I recognize the boys I had known transformed into thoughtful and kind men that I felt so much affection for. We spoke about our years in the seminary high school, our now-grown-up children, our life’s work which had occupied the middle decades of our lives, our goals and aspirations for the years that remained. (more…)

This weekend of September 26-28, 2014, I am reuniting with my high school classmates. We have not seen each other in  30 years—not since our 20th class reunion. I am excited about being with those of my classmates who are able to attend. First, because, as boys, we lived 24/7 together: classes, meals, sports, dormitory. We were a small group (15 graduates), and speaking for myself (but perhaps this is true for everyone), we developed an intimacy and an affection for each other that someone attending a regular high school cannot have experienced with classmates they saw for 5-6 hours (more…)

[DL.: Many readers of this blog are writing memoir as a possible entry into fiction writing. The following is a reprint of an article that appeared in the fictorians.com blog that explores the relationship between the two genres. The Fictorian blog is an extensive one and many readers of The Memoir Network blog will enjoy perusing its archives—and becoming members. Kristen Luna, its author, has graciously given me permission to reprint her post here. While I am not in total agreement with the fluidity between memoir and friction as depicted in this post, I believe the post is a stimulating one. I have written about this topic of memoir and realistic fiction elsewhere. Please post your feedback below.]

imgres-3In the summer, my brother and I would walk to our small town library. Sometimes, we’d cross paths with a man walking his mountain lion on the sidewalk. One time, the mountain lion bit my arm, and I needed fourteen stitches.

It’s crazy, but it’s actually mostly true. I was afraid for my life when I saw the mountain lion, but it never actually bit my arm. But it’s plausible, and who’s to say I’m wrong? It’s my memory, after all.

I technically could sell this story as a memoir. But when someone starts digging into my history and finds that, although there was a man in my hometown that had a pet mountain lion, there are no hospital records of me getting stitches. (more…)

We Prepare for Our World War 2 Wedding

On Saturday evening, Mr. and Mrs. Ledoux threw us a pre-nuptial party at their home. I had known them for a long time already so they were not strangers to me. Our friends and relatives dropped by to wish us well. Mrs. Ledoux had prepared finger foods and served soft drinks and beer. I supposed Rhéa [Lavigne, Albert’s sister] had helped her.

Sunday called for all the food to be ready as well as for my suitcase to be packed and ready for our trip to Syracuse, NY, the next day after the wedding ceremony because Albert would have to report to base Monday night. That trip would be the only honeymoon we would have because we were having a World War 2 wedding! (more…)

publish a book

Telling The Truth In A Memoir

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“If you call a book a memoir, the understanding is that to the best of your knowledge the facts, and what can be verifiable, are the truth. …” (more…)

book launch jitters

Jitters Over Don’t Let Writer’s Block Stop You Launch

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I have felt the book jitters as my new book Don’t Let Writer’s Block Stop You has gone out into the world. My anxiety is under control, but it remains a low-level anxiety. Were I to give in to it, I would be succumbing to a version of the writer’s block—the one that postpones publication—and […]

The Memoir Network

Congratulations to Libby Atwater

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What Lies Within by Libby Atwater won First Place in the Biography/Memoir category.What Lies Within is a tale of adoption, love, loss, hope, and resilience set in the 1950s and 1960s. (more…)

The Memoir Network

How to Write a Memoir – An Interview with Libby Atwater, Part 1

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Here’s a recent discussion we had with Libby Atwater who began telling people’s stories professionally after a career in education. As a writer and editor, she has worked for individuals, families, businesses, nonprofits, universities, and community newspapers. Tales from her life have been published in several anthologies. Her memoir What Lies Within covers her first […]

The Memoir Network

How to Write a Memoir – An Interview with Libby Atwater, Part 2

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Here’s the second half of my recent discussion with Libby Atwater who began telling people’s stories professionally after a career in education. As a writer and editor, she has worked for individuals, families, businesses, nonprofits, universities, and community newspapers. Tales from her life have been published in several anthologies. Her memoir What Lies Within covers […]

Point of View in a Memoir

Feedback on “Collect Memories at My Fiftieth Class Reunion”

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Collect memories at my fiftieth class reunion Last weekend—and a warm sunny three days it turned out to be—I spent, as I had written that I would in the last newsletter, with those of my my high school classmates who could attend our fiftieth high-school reunion. Some of us had not seen each other in […]

Point of View in a Memoir

Collecting Memories at My Class Reunion

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This weekend of September 26-28, 2014, I am reuniting with my high school classmates. We have not seen each other in 30 years—not since our 20th class reunion. Back then, we developed an intimacy and an affection for each other that someone attending a regular high school cannot have experienced with classmates they saw for […]

Franco-American wedding

Our World War 2 Wedding in Maine

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My suitcase was packed and ready for our trip to Syracuse, NY, the day after the wedding ceremony because Albert would have to report to base Monday night. That trip would be the only honeymoon we would have because we were having a World War 2 wedding! (more…)