I interviewed writers, Mary Yuhas and Barbara Alfaro, about the issue of memoir. Barbara's written an enchanting memoir MIRROR TALK. Mary is working on a book about growing up with a mentally unstable mother.
Some insights:Why the explosion of memoirs? Everyone has a different story to tell..."everyday" people's lives are interesting." Yuhas even feels that reality TV is related to memoir. But the big bang came from the success of ANGELA'S ASHES.
Why do women love memoir? In memoir, the writer "speaks directly to the reader....from the heart." They offer a "warm, conversational tone" that women, in particular, are "comfortable" with. Plus, they often tell stories of family, mothers and fathers and children -- a draw for women, whether in memoir or fiction like Downton Abbey. And they're stories told "from the heart." Alfaro cites Russell Baker's GROWING UP as one of her favorites.
What's the toughest part of writing a memoir? "Opening up" and dealing with the "sad" parts-- and "what to leave in and what to leave out."
Listen to the entire podcast here: http://tinyurl.com/lhcwx4s
Read excerpts from Mary Yuhas on Scribd.
Find Barbara Alfaro's books on her Amazon Page
1 comment:
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