Some Annotated Reading January 18

In addition to Ms. Demeanor, I also read Murder in Old Bombay by Nev March during my retreat week. This is not the first historical mystery set in India that I've read. Apparently, I'm drawn to them. I also read some short stories by Kelly Link in her book, Get in Trouble. I have enjoyed Kelly Link's short stories in the past, but after reading three or four of these I felt they might be enjoyed better one at a time, now and then.

While I'm on retreat, I often research and read about people I hear about in newspapers or magazines there. Last year, for instance, I read some rather grim, but fascinating, things about mid-century Stowe. This year I read about the Lepine Sisters, who developed some national fame in their day. Also, I saw something about pirates on Lake Champlain, so I had to read about that.

More recently I read A Wicked Stepmother With Empty Nest Syndrome Is Left Wondering, Now What? | by Danielle Martinetti | Slackjaw | Medium

The Birth of My Daughter, The Death of My Marriage by Leslie Jamison in The New Yorker was an odd thing for me to read, because I don't lean toward what you might call depressing memoir. But, man, the title was such a hook. I couldn't look away.

Julia Child Was a Champion for Reproductive Rights, Carrie Mullins interviewing Helen Rosner at Electric Lit was one of three articles I read about Julia Child this past week. It appears that I have developed a mild obsession with her. Yes, I recently finished the second and final season of Julia on Max.

Redefining What Makes a 'Relationship' in Our 70s by Elinor Lipman at AARP. Yes, I am someone who goes 'eh, AARP.' But this is an absolutely charming piece, and it appears that I'm also developing an obsession with Elinor Lipman.

Getting Serious About Humor: A Thurber Nominated Romcom

I read Ms. Demeanor by Elinor Lipman while on retreat. I'd picked it up, because it's a semi-finalist for the Thurber Prize and I'm an Elinor Lipman fan. Though I've only read three of her books. Perhaps I should make reading Elinor Lipman a thing for this year. Not a goal, because I've already set my goals. Too late for that. I know! I have a Goodreads reading goal. (I surpassed last year's by the way. I didn't mention it here out of modesty and general lack of staying on blog-writing task.) 

What I've liked about the three Lipman books I've read is that she's both light and sophisticated and her basic storylines are unique. And often speak to me, since I was sure that The Inn at Lake Devine was set on a lake near where I grew up. Ms. Demeanor involves food. I like food.

The unique storyline for Ms. Demeanor? The main character is caught having sex in a semi-public place, probably more public than semi, and the legal consequences involve house arrest for multiple months. Things go on from there.

I enjoyed reading the book, but at various points I thought, aren't a number of different things going on here? What's the focus? Then I got to the end and went, Oh! This is a romantic comedy! Now I get it!

I'm not big on reading contemporary romance. Historical is another thing. Historical with mystery even better. Just last month I had to stop reading a perfectly fine contemporary romance, because people finding love all by itself isn't enough for me. Nonetheless, I would definitely recommend Ms. Demeanor to all kinds of readers. 

What About The Comedy Aspect, Gail?

I'm finding humorous fiction (remember this is a semi-finalist for the Thurber Prize for American Humor) different from humorous nonfiction. Humorous essays or memoirs will sometimes have humor on every page or sometimes most paragraphs. The humorous fiction I've read so far hasn't. That doesn't make humorous fiction worse or better than humorous nonfiction, particularly since trying for humor in nonfiction can sometimes be jokie or contrived. It just makes it different. 

That being said, the Polish siblings in Ms. Demeanor? Absolutely funny. The interaction between the main couple, lovely and light-hearted. The main character's sister's realtor boyfriend? Funny. The dentist has her moments, as does the nanny who started this whole mess. Hmm. There is quite a bit of humor here. 

Though I have written humorous middle grade novels and a YA, I need to read a great deal more adult humorous fiction to get a feel for how that works differently or if it does.

As a nod to the cooking in Ms. Demeanor, I am going to mention here that I plan to make two pots of soup this afternoon. 

The Weekend Writer: "My goal is to do well enough that my publisher wants to publish my next book."

I've been saving this interview with Elinor Lipman at Jane Friedman's website, because I think she says  some good things about writing humor and dialogue. 

I realized just a few days ago that I really don't enjoy reading interviews with, and writing articles by, authors I'm not familiar with. So I should probably say here that I've read a couple of Lipman's books and particularly liked The Inn at Lake Devine, which for some reason I thought must have been set on a lake near where I grew up. 

Something that struck me in this interview was what Lipman said about her publishing goal. "My goal is to do well enough that my publisher wants to publish my next book." That was my publishing goal, too! I really didn't care about how much money I made. I cared about a publisher for the next book.

One of the things you have to accept about goals is that you're not going to meet all of them.