Comments on: Old Homes

By: knightofswords

knightofswords — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 01:11:41 +0000

Silken,

I’m not surprised at the idea that memories become engraved in stone the more we replay them. If only we could play a Star Trek-like tape of things from years ago–how surprised we might be!

If I still lived near old houses where I used to live, I would probably drive past them, too, from time to time. Curiosity, maybe.

Malcolm

By: silken

silken — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 20:22:30 +0000

interesting! I have heard that the more we replay our memories, that is the way we remember them, as opposed to how things really happened. I guess that is how it would be for a writer using these things as a springboard!

I do drive by my old houses from time to time…I am not exactly sure why. One, I know, is because I want my kids to see where they used to live and it’s interesting to see how their perception of the place changes as they grow, as you allude to in this post.

this was an interesting post.

By: knightofswords

knightofswords — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 17:13:24 +0000

Brent, I think the notion that writers don’t control their characters is a difficult one for those who read our work. By the time we’re talking about fictionalized versions of past experiences, past addresses and former jobs that are NOT the same as “what really happened,” we probably look like we’re into the smoke-and-mirrors zone. You were probably wise to warn your family that once the story is underway, it’s not a diary or a photograph.

Malcolm

By: Brent Robison

Brent Robison — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 16:42:12 +0000

Yes — “We start with what we know and build it into something quite different in our stories.” I suspect non-writers don’t really understand how this works, and if they share our pasts, may feel that we’ve lied or distorted or somehow done a disservice to their own memories. At least, I feel at risk of this in my new collection of stories, so I’ve given family members a little speech about how, as events/memories get fictionalized, they are no longer “mine” but belong to the characters… but I doubt my warning will carry much weight as they read. The consequences have yet to be revealed….

By: knightofswords

knightofswords — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 12:31:05 +0000

You’re doing a good job of visualizing, Montucky. Those trips to Missoula give you a chance to see how the house and neighborhood have changed–perhaps, too, a school and a burger joint.

Malcolm

By: montucky

montucky — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 03:52:34 +0000

I was astounded by that photo because that’s almost exactly how I pictured the home of Robert Adams and the image I had of it was quite distinct and detailed. Incredible!

By coincidence, a week ago when I visited Missoula with my oldest daughter, I drove by the house in which I grew up. It has changed only slightly since those days (except that it seems so much smaller now).

By: knightofswords

knightofswords — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 02:29:06 +0000

So many bits and pieces of my life end up in my stories, usually well disguised and often in very different contexts than actually happened.

I know what you mean exactly when you said “Keechie is buried right down there.” Perhaps, in another reality, that fact is exactly true. But putting aside such notions, it’s very true in your fictional world, a world that draws energy from your life, your experiences, and the places you love.

Great story, Phil!

Malcolm

By: Phil Whitley

Phil Whitley — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 02:09:11 +0000

Malcolm, you captured the essence of what character development is all about. They are not just our creations, but a part of us. Or more likely, we are them.

I took my daughter to the mountain where my book, Keechie, was set. The rock I was sitting on was in reality an old Indian ceremonial ground and beneath it was where I fictionalized their burial ground.

Without thinking, I said to her, “And you know… Keechie is buried right down there.”

“Oh, Dad, it’s just a story.”

But to me it is real. I loved that old woman that I wish I had met in real life. Keechie (and a part of me) is buried with her ancestors in that very spot for I put her there, along with her drum, her pipe and the golden corn pollen that she honored.

By: knightofswords

knightofswords — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 02:05:45 +0000

Yes, there is a “danger” when it comes to tinkering with old memories. Suddenly, you’re talking about stuff that didn’t happen in “real life” as though it did. My family also lived in Paxton and Champagne and other places around the state. Goodness knows how I’ve altered those towns as well.

Malcolm

By: Kathleen Maher

Kathleen Maher — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 01:44:01 +0000

My fictional memories are more real and immediate, too. More than once they’ve made a liar of me.
My sister lives in Champagne, IL and your house would fit right in with hers.