In this very special program we had the opportunity to hear from a published memoirist while she's crafting the story for her next book. Explore the recording, and the many resources she shared.
Mar 22·edited Mar 22Liked by Projectkin Ringleader
@kathryngraven - I thoroughly enjoyed hearing about your current project and the process in which you are approaching it. It's going to be quite an adventure!! I just recently rewatched "Julie & Julia", so when you mentioned that I could definitely see the idea here as well. But listening to your ideas also seems reminiscent of a book I recently read called "We Share the Same Sky" by Rachel Cerrotti (@AlongtheSeam). It is the story of how Rachel (literally) retraces the path of her Holocaust survivor grandmother's escape from Praque to Denmark. through her journal entries and letters, etc. During her travels, she also manages to connect with and develop relationships with a few of the actual people and their descendants who helped her grandmother. And, there's also a love story that ends tragically. I (partially) purchased it as my maternal grandmother was also a Holocaust refugee who emigrated to the United States shortly after Kristallnacht in Vienna. And, I've been contemplating an idea for a memoir . Hope that Barbara will encourage you to keep us updated on how the project is going. I'm sure the research and writing process itself is going to be filled with many of it's own stories. :) Best wishes~
I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Stacey. I absolutely know the book, "We Share the Same Sky," though I know it from Rachel Cerrotti's podcast of the same name. Now I know she's here on Substack too, rachaelcerrotti.substack.com. Thanks for the tip.
Thanks for joining and for your thoughtful response, Stacey. I will check out the book you mentioned. I do plan to continue re tracing my grandmother’s steps - but unsure how much will be part of the book or wind up as just research .
Thanks so much Kathryn and Barb for this fantastic discussion. I've found this to be extremely helpful with my own memoir writing process. I've a personal story to tell, but the problem for me is that far too many of the individuals in the story are still living. Therefore, I've decided to spin more fiction into it. I found a comfortable lane to be in. I'm sticking to the basic premise of the story, but now adding to the characters and surroundings.
Great interview. It's given me a lot of food for thought. I have my mother's diary from her high school days in the early 30s and there are so many stories. I struggled first with who would care but just like our lives during these times, that diary is a window to what was going on in the 30s here in my hometown. I am lucky that in that diary she talks about trips her friends take, and I have the pictures to go with several of those trips. She, like me, was an avid photographer. I learned through her diary how much we were alike and where many of my interests came from. She died when I was 21 so we didn't get a chance to really get to know each other as people and not parent/child. It's hard to get my head around the project. One fellow writer friend suggested I pull out her love story with dad to start with. Anyway, you've got me thinking about this project again since I've put it on the back burner. Thanks. Looking forward to reading your story. Sounds facinating!
Hi Lynda: Thanks for your comments. Sorry you lost your mother so young. I lost mine when I was five. I write about some of the ways I connected to her through her scrapbooks in my first book, Memoirs of a Mask Maker. The book just might resonate with you on various levels. The 1930's were so interesting - so I am sure you can find lots to work with from your mother's diaries. Happy hunting..
@kathryngraven - I thoroughly enjoyed hearing about your current project and the process in which you are approaching it. It's going to be quite an adventure!! I just recently rewatched "Julie & Julia", so when you mentioned that I could definitely see the idea here as well. But listening to your ideas also seems reminiscent of a book I recently read called "We Share the Same Sky" by Rachel Cerrotti (@AlongtheSeam). It is the story of how Rachel (literally) retraces the path of her Holocaust survivor grandmother's escape from Praque to Denmark. through her journal entries and letters, etc. During her travels, she also manages to connect with and develop relationships with a few of the actual people and their descendants who helped her grandmother. And, there's also a love story that ends tragically. I (partially) purchased it as my maternal grandmother was also a Holocaust refugee who emigrated to the United States shortly after Kristallnacht in Vienna. And, I've been contemplating an idea for a memoir . Hope that Barbara will encourage you to keep us updated on how the project is going. I'm sure the research and writing process itself is going to be filled with many of it's own stories. :) Best wishes~
I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Stacey. I absolutely know the book, "We Share the Same Sky," though I know it from Rachel Cerrotti's podcast of the same name. Now I know she's here on Substack too, rachaelcerrotti.substack.com. Thanks for the tip.
Thanks for joining and for your thoughtful response, Stacey. I will check out the book you mentioned. I do plan to continue re tracing my grandmother’s steps - but unsure how much will be part of the book or wind up as just research .
Thanks so much Kathryn and Barb for this fantastic discussion. I've found this to be extremely helpful with my own memoir writing process. I've a personal story to tell, but the problem for me is that far too many of the individuals in the story are still living. Therefore, I've decided to spin more fiction into it. I found a comfortable lane to be in. I'm sticking to the basic premise of the story, but now adding to the characters and surroundings.
Thanks so much for your advice and experience.
Cheers
It's been an honor to ride along with you, Vicki. I can't wait to see it come out.
Good luck with your memoir, Vicki! It is tricky to navigate the living characters, so sounds like you found a good path.
Great interview. It's given me a lot of food for thought. I have my mother's diary from her high school days in the early 30s and there are so many stories. I struggled first with who would care but just like our lives during these times, that diary is a window to what was going on in the 30s here in my hometown. I am lucky that in that diary she talks about trips her friends take, and I have the pictures to go with several of those trips. She, like me, was an avid photographer. I learned through her diary how much we were alike and where many of my interests came from. She died when I was 21 so we didn't get a chance to really get to know each other as people and not parent/child. It's hard to get my head around the project. One fellow writer friend suggested I pull out her love story with dad to start with. Anyway, you've got me thinking about this project again since I've put it on the back burner. Thanks. Looking forward to reading your story. Sounds facinating!
Hi Lynda: Thanks for your comments. Sorry you lost your mother so young. I lost mine when I was five. I write about some of the ways I connected to her through her scrapbooks in my first book, Memoirs of a Mask Maker. The book just might resonate with you on various levels. The 1930's were so interesting - so I am sure you can find lots to work with from your mother's diaries. Happy hunting..
Kathryn, I'll check it out. I also made masks during COVID.