This was such a great interview! I’m hobbled after knees surgery and sore song time with both of you felt like visiting with good friends. Good friends who are lovely kind and whip smart 😊
Thanks for posting! I liked both Courtney’s comparison of graphing a paragraph like sheet music and Marie's comment that taking notes and observing counts as writing. I will be sharing those ideas with my high school student-writers.
This interview was worth staying up past my bedtime! Thank you for posting it, conducting it, and as you noted - keeping it short and digestible so we can all get back to writing our weird stories. I ordered up Beautyland and Parakeet before the interview and I’m congratulating myself on this stroke of genius. I know I’m in for a treat.
Also, as someone in a mild panic about how to have a sufficient, non embarrassing, website, Marie-Helene’s is just a soothing delight. Until I read her long bio there, I thought long bios were 0% useful. Now that I’ve read hers, I’m even more excited that her books are coming my way. It’s hilarious. http://www.mariehelenebertino.com/marie-helene/
Best wishes for smooth recovery. I had sinus surgery almost 4 years ago. Major quality of life improvement.
Wonderful & affirming interview. Later I found a long-forgotten gem on my bookshelf: in faux silver, it reads, "Be a Voice, not an Echo." Some things need to be heard and seen to finally "get."
What a lovely interview! The idea of observing how you observe the world to help develop voice --!!! Thank you, Courtney, for your time and energy and finding such a stella guest. Reading Beautyland now and sending you healing vibes.
OK, there were so many great pull quotes from Marie-Helene, but the one that jumped out and stuck was around reading or hearing feedback on your writing. "Put on your Superwoman reflective bracelets..." I'm going to carry this image with me for more than just criticism of writing! "Shazam!!"(as I throw my Superwoman arms across my chest to ward off the any evil juju!)
Having ventured into video and interviews and being tech challenged myself, Courtney, I was laughing along with you as you were trying to be "profesh" with your signs. Keep it real is what I say!! And your interview from the couch was definitely that. I look forward to more.
I'm in Canada, so I know I don't qualify for the give away, but thank-you for introducing me to Marie-Helene. I'm looking forward to reading her work. Also, as I'm in my own writing bootcamp at the moment I appreciate her reading recommendations at the end. More to add to my growing list.
I hope your recovery goes well. Have been thinking about you this week!
Thank you so much for this, Courtney and Marie. Courtney, you have such a gift of distilling and magnifying meaning from what you read, and your sheet music analogy really resonated. It made me realize something about myself that I'd never before considered. I was a trained opera singer (in my 20s) who never learned to read music. Instead, I sang by ear, by recording, by imitation. I realized today that I write and read the same way. I regret now (in my 50s) that I never learned to read music--it would have made my vocal experiences and performances so much richer. So, I'm committing to read and write with more examination, thoughtfulness, and inspection. I trust that it will open up new worlds for my voice and my writing in general. I'm getting my colored pencils ready, and I've already ordered Beautyland, The Best American Short Stories (2023), and the The Best American Essays (2023) to begin.
P.S. I loved you keeping your inaugural "Craft from the Couch" 100% profesh. Hope you're healing well. :)
I really enjoyed your inaugural backwards interview! 😄 I’m too late for the win but I will eagerly buy Beautyland. I enjoyed hearing both of your perspectives on voice and I have my colored pencils at the ready. I hope you keep yours backwards signs. It was fun to start the morning with a smile 😁
This was such a great interview! I’m hobbled after knees surgery and sore song time with both of you felt like visiting with good friends. Good friends who are lovely kind and whip smart 😊
Thanks for posting! I liked both Courtney’s comparison of graphing a paragraph like sheet music and Marie's comment that taking notes and observing counts as writing. I will be sharing those ideas with my high school student-writers.
This interview was worth staying up past my bedtime! Thank you for posting it, conducting it, and as you noted - keeping it short and digestible so we can all get back to writing our weird stories. I ordered up Beautyland and Parakeet before the interview and I’m congratulating myself on this stroke of genius. I know I’m in for a treat.
Also, as someone in a mild panic about how to have a sufficient, non embarrassing, website, Marie-Helene’s is just a soothing delight. Until I read her long bio there, I thought long bios were 0% useful. Now that I’ve read hers, I’m even more excited that her books are coming my way. It’s hilarious. http://www.mariehelenebertino.com/marie-helene/
Best wishes for smooth recovery. I had sinus surgery almost 4 years ago. Major quality of life improvement.
Wonderful & affirming interview. Later I found a long-forgotten gem on my bookshelf: in faux silver, it reads, "Be a Voice, not an Echo." Some things need to be heard and seen to finally "get."
Great interview! Loved Marie's insights on voice, and I love how you keep it real and relatable, Courtney. A wonderful inaugural episode!
Everyone is horny that it’s spring.
What a lovely interview! The idea of observing how you observe the world to help develop voice --!!! Thank you, Courtney, for your time and energy and finding such a stella guest. Reading Beautyland now and sending you healing vibes.
Courtney, I feel seen- I looked at the sun too much too!
OK, there were so many great pull quotes from Marie-Helene, but the one that jumped out and stuck was around reading or hearing feedback on your writing. "Put on your Superwoman reflective bracelets..." I'm going to carry this image with me for more than just criticism of writing! "Shazam!!"(as I throw my Superwoman arms across my chest to ward off the any evil juju!)
Having ventured into video and interviews and being tech challenged myself, Courtney, I was laughing along with you as you were trying to be "profesh" with your signs. Keep it real is what I say!! And your interview from the couch was definitely that. I look forward to more.
I'm in Canada, so I know I don't qualify for the give away, but thank-you for introducing me to Marie-Helene. I'm looking forward to reading her work. Also, as I'm in my own writing bootcamp at the moment I appreciate her reading recommendations at the end. More to add to my growing list.
I hope your recovery goes well. Have been thinking about you this week!
"Everyone IS horny for spring." :)
Thank you so much for this, Courtney and Marie. Courtney, you have such a gift of distilling and magnifying meaning from what you read, and your sheet music analogy really resonated. It made me realize something about myself that I'd never before considered. I was a trained opera singer (in my 20s) who never learned to read music. Instead, I sang by ear, by recording, by imitation. I realized today that I write and read the same way. I regret now (in my 50s) that I never learned to read music--it would have made my vocal experiences and performances so much richer. So, I'm committing to read and write with more examination, thoughtfulness, and inspection. I trust that it will open up new worlds for my voice and my writing in general. I'm getting my colored pencils ready, and I've already ordered Beautyland, The Best American Short Stories (2023), and the The Best American Essays (2023) to begin.
P.S. I loved you keeping your inaugural "Craft from the Couch" 100% profesh. Hope you're healing well. :)
Everyone is horney that it’s spring
I really enjoyed your inaugural backwards interview! 😄 I’m too late for the win but I will eagerly buy Beautyland. I enjoyed hearing both of your perspectives on voice and I have my colored pencils at the ready. I hope you keep yours backwards signs. It was fun to start the morning with a smile 😁
MHB is a phenom. Thanks for this interview!
Oy. Spell check is not so smart. ! Should be spending time - not sore song ??!!