20 Comments
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Ernie Brill's avatar

vintage with zounds ending, There are many Pauls in this/these worlds. And chainsaws are no joke.

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

Thanks, Ernie. The third draft is in progress. There’s more to the chainsaw story.

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Ernie Brill's avatar

Are you doing any publishing with Grove or Hanging Loose Press? Or are you, like many others, trying something "new"?

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

The book business is radically changing. Not for the better.

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Ernie Brill's avatar

If so, let me know how I can best support you and your amazing work.

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

You are supporting me by reading my newsletter! And I do have books in the pipeline.

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Ernie Brill's avatar

vintage with zounds ending, There are many Pauls in this/these worlds. And chainsaws are no joke.

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Kathryn Benander's avatar

This is an amazing piece of writing. I love the way it is intensely funny and full of melancholy. I enjoyed hearing it!

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

Thank you, Kathryn!

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Amy B's avatar

I LOVE getting to know the characters this way—can’t wait for more more more.

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

Thank you, Amy.

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Diana Armstrong's avatar

Hi: I don't think Margaret would say, ""It's not your fault." Thanks for giving us the chance to read and respond. Diana

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

Thanks for the comment. I realize it’s the same line from Good Will Hunting. There’s a cliché there. Need to find a more character-driven thing for her to say, especially since she’s a poet.

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Diana Armstrong's avatar

She might say his alcoholism was his own fault.

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Monica Nicolau's avatar

How beautiful! Last time, when you read the earlier draft, I was a little apprehensive about watching the evolution of the story. I worried that by seeing the different stages of writing, some of the magic, some of the poetry, would fade a little. I once heard you say that you are at heart a poet, more than a story teller. Maybe so, but there is poetry everywhere, in all your writing. I am reading now a story about a photographer whose art was infused with "keeping silent", and for whom the best punctuation marks were ellipses. I think in your writing, in those moments of silence in this, as in all your stories, one somehow hears the poetry, discretely silent because you are, after all, writing prose, but everywhere in the air.

Ha! Life can be good even in the middle of pandemics, and climate collapse, and countless impending disasters!

I can't wait to hear the next stage of this story!

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

Thank you for that very kind post!

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Steve Lovelace's avatar

I truly love character depth. Thank yuo

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

Thank you, Steve.

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Apr 28, 2022
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Sherman Alexie's avatar

Yes, I have written various versions of the scene in which their lifelong bond is first established. Haven’t found that magic moment yet.

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Suzanne's avatar

Again— thank you for the time you take by responding to us.

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