Category: Friends

events, family, Friends, Slipper Camp, Writers, Writing

Slipper Camp: Home

Linda

Slipper Camp: Home

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Dear Writers,

Welcome to the first Slipper Camp on the subject of HOME. I have been contemplating this subject for months as I searched through 100’s of possible prompts to find 30 that spoke to me. And, hopefully, to you. 

HOME.

As the daughter of European refugees who fled the Nazis in Vienna for America in 1938, leaving their families and their whole lives behind to start anew, the concept of home is actually one I’ve always pondered. Now, for the next twenty days, we will explore the notion of home together. 

The idea of home is basic and a breathtakingly universal need.  After her great adventure, Dorothy realized, “There’s no place like home.”

Robert Frost said, “Home is the place where, when you have to go there, they have to take you in.” Home is supposed to be where the heart is. Home can be a person or a pet or a place or…. you name it.

Whatever your experience, the prompts in this Slipper Camp are designed to guide you through writing 10,000 words about HOME in your own unique way.

Note – I want you to write specifically about the way you feel about home, not about HOME in general. Slipper Camp is not designed for writing impersonal essays. It’s designed for you to write your own story (or to write fiction about characters who are as real to you as the person sitting next to you.)

In all prompts you will be prompted to write one moment at a time. To use original detail in your writing. To be as specific as you can about whatever you write.

I hope you will be 1 of 5 writers who will receive 3 illustrated prompts about HOME every OTHER morning for 20 days along with daily writing tips and coaching suggestions. You will be writing 1,000 words (2 pages) on 1 of the 3 daily prompts and sending it to me by midnight every OTHER day. I will read them each day and we will talk about your writing at the end of Slipper Camp.

Starts September 15th, Ends October 3rd. Over 400 writers/non-writers have taken this structured online writing class since 2011.

Please email me at lspravina21@gmail.com me for further details or sign up on Facebook.

Can’t wait to read your writings.
xoxo
Linda

family, Friends, Memories

Labor Day Memories

Linda

One year ago I spent Labor Day weekend proofreading Jeanne Goen’s manuscript. It was published two weeks before she died, feeling complete that her book, priceless stories of her life, was out in the world. Today I’m remembering fearless and effervescent Jeanne with love and the fondest of memories. We are with you.

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events, Friends, Writers, Writing

Upcoming- HerShop

Linda

What a gorgeous day to announce this wonderful news. Amy Ferris, writer extraordinaire, author, editor, screenwriter, memoirist is coming to LA in June to do a one-day Writing HerShop with Jody Kobak Feagan and Katie Rountree. I went to one of Amy’s HerShops last year and her extraordinary gifts deepened and changed my writing. If you have a story to tell (don’t we all) run, don’t walk to be with Amy Ferris. She is a rare teacher. And…. I’m thrilled to announce I’ll be teaching a HerShop in June myself – Screenwriting RX – for aspiring screenwriters who want to work on their scripts or want to adapt their books for TV/film. Please see the website for more info. NOTE: These will fill up quickly.

Read more here. 

 

Art, family, Friends, love, Memories, Tibor Gergely and Me

Geri

Linda

I was twelve when legendary Little Golden Books illustrator Tibor Gergely (Scuffy the Tugboat, Tootle the Engine, etc.) drew me, in his studio on Lexington Avenue in NYC, lost in my favorite activity. Now, decades later, today, I got to stand next to my likeness in the Platt/Bornstein Gallery at American Jewish University. Only this time I’m only pretending to read. smile emoticonThese days, all my extra time is spent on rewriting my family story (which many of you know as The Goldsmith’s Daughter.) As I excavate the past I’m struck by the extraordinary artists who peopled my life as a child. Tibor Gergely, my surrogate uncle (whom we called ‘Geri’) was my very favorite person. Thank you for then and now, Geri. Then and now. So very grateful

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Classes, family, Friends, love, Motivation

Pam

Linda

I started my morning reading this beautiful post from friend Pam L. Houston. As I create the Slipper Camp 2016 – about LOVE – I was struck by Pam’s words: May we all engage with the things that allow us to face the world with love instead of fear, as this ship we are all on together swings its big bow today, back toward the sun. Thank you, Pam Houston for this. I needed it today.

The longest night of the year has passed. And these last weeks have seemed particularly dark, filled with, to borrow a phrase from a friend, empty militancy and compassionless ideology. It’s been harder than ever to have faith in America. Harder than ever to have faith in a lot of things. My solstice prayer this year is that the return of the light will indeed be the return of the light. A long time ago I met Carlos Casteneda in an airport–I was not particularly a fan–but he told me many things I have never forgotten, including how important it is to face the changes in my life with love instead of fear. I don’t always succeed at this of course, but I do try. Dogs help, and music, and great literature, and maybe most of all the natural world. May we all engage with the things that allow us to face the world with love instead of fear, as this ship we are all on together swings its big bow today, back toward the sun.

Friends

#MustListen

Linda

Author, speaker, muse Amy Ferris talks with Marilu Henner about Amy’s groundbreaking new book, “Shades of Blue.” Gorgeous, honest discussion about depression in all its shades and suicide. Amy decided this was a subject that needed to come out of the darkness into the light after Robin Williams’ suicide. A must-listen!

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events, family, Friends

Hotel Antumalal

Linda

We are at the most beautiful hotel I’ve ever seen – the Antumalal in Pucon, Chile, built on a cliff overlooking Lake Villarica, 500 miles south of Santiago. I’m writing an article about the story behind the founding of this hotel – by two visionary Czech refugees who escaped Hitler in 1938, the same year my parents escaped from Vienna to New York. The more I learn about the couple who dreamed this astonishing place into existence the more fascinated I become. Finding ‘family’ here in Chile. Feeling so inspired… (http://www.antumalal.com/)