Comments on: Author, Author: Alice Mattison

By: Joel

Joel — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 01:44:08 +0000

Nice interview. I find this so true “A novel won’t work if it doesn’t matter intensely to the author.” It happens to me too, about writing fiction:
http://wulfstein.wordpress.com/

By: Janice

Janice — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 19:39:08 +0000

Hello Alice:

It has been a long time since I took your writing class with James.(may give you a hint) I have been following your work. You are an inspiration to me and writers around the world. I have started back writing and one day I hope you get to see my work out there.

a friend,
Janice

By: bloglily

bloglily — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 17:58:34 +0000

Dear Ms. OP — You’re welcome. I can’t begin to say how grateful I am to the writers and artists who answer these questions. It’s so interesting to see what they have to say — and how kind it is that they take the time to say it!

Lokesh — Yes, I also liked hearing about the way one’s experience feeds fiction.

Hello Debbie, One thing that interests me is where the imagination goes — or, to put it another way, at what point do we stop trusting it?

By: openpalm

openpalm — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 16:16:50 +0000

thanks to you both for this!

By: Lokesh

Lokesh — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 16:09:50 +0000

Yes, another great interview. I particularly liked her thoughts on autobiography too: the indirect and mysterious ways it feeds into one’s choice of story. I was also struck by her comments about poetry and how it keeps the ear in tune, as it were.

Nice line about ‘Shakespeare’s Kitchen’ – and I’m a big fan of Howard’s End as well, so that was nice to hear too (‘to hear’ or ‘to see’? – which sensory modality to choose? but I digress …)

Anyways, thanks again BL and I look forward to th e next one.

By: Debbie

Debbie — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 21:39:38 +0000

Terrific! BL, I reacted most to her thoughts about imagination too – along with those about autobiography. I’ve never really understood why so many people resist believing that writers just make stuff up, and hadn’t thought about it this way…

By: bloglily

bloglily — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 17:21:01 +0000

Hello dear litlove, I love what she says about the imagination, about how unsettling the whole idea of fiction is. “We traffic in what’s unearthly and unsettling, at least when our books are any good. Maybe when people ask ‘Where do you get your ideas?’ they mean ‘Is there really such a thing as the imagination?’ And ‘Are you sure making things up and making them seem real is legal? Did you sell your soul to the devil?’”

I also think her observation that you don’t see a lot of fiction written about friendships and relationships that cross racial lines is very important.

Dear Pete, You’re welcome! I’m glad you enjoyed this. I found it inspiring too.

By: Pete

Pete — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 11:13:10 +0000

I loved reading about the process of writing, and the resonance in the life of a writer, the love of teaching etc. Definitely inspirational. What a great choice. Thanks to you both.

By: litlove

litlove — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 08:45:54 +0000

What a great interview! I can’t pick out any particular point as there were so many I enjoyed. Alice Mattison is most definitely an author I want to read in 2009.