Jack,
I can barely express how strongly I feel about your story. I meant what I said after your reading, that the piece was powerful, but I had no idea how powerful until I read it in its entirety this morning at work. Imagine my embarrassment when my co-worker walked in on me bawling my eyes out behind my desk. I'm not kidding.
I mentioned the incident to my students in a later class and they were laughing at me, but when I read it aloud to them, they couldn't even look up from their desks. They were so moved, they couldn't speak. I didn't do it intentionally (wish I had), but we have been working on image-driven narrative poems in this class and your piece was a perfect set up!
STUNNING!
Jacqueline,
I'm honored that you read my story to yourself and to your class.
When writing the story, I never actually believed a young adult audience would read/listen to it.
I have already re-worked the first couple pages of the story, and I am going to continue to work on it.
I would appreciate any other feedback you may have. Also, if you would like to read more of the story in the future, I'd be more than willing to send it to you.
Thanks,
Jack
Posted by: JackHazen | May 12, 2006 at 04:36 PM
Jack,
I want to read it ALL! Send it along and I'd be happy to give you feedback. Also, as I said, my students were very impressed, too. I'm sure they would be happy to send along their ideas. Plus, if you want to be a guest speaker sometime at Evergreen, we would love to have you.
Looking forward to more,
Jacqueline
Posted by: Jacqueline | May 13, 2006 at 02:05 PM
Jacqueline,
I am writing to ask for your e-mail address. And since I dont know how comfortable you are with posting your e-mail on the blog, here is mine:
[email protected]
Just drop me a line, and I will send you some more of the story.
Thanks
Posted by: JackHazen | May 13, 2006 at 02:36 PM
JH:
Just wanted to piggy back on what JD said.
Really wonderful work. I thoroughly enjoyed your memoir from last semester, but this one packs a more immediate, almost visceral punch.
That said, both have moments of linguistic creativity that remind me of Arundhati Roy and Rushdie. Seriously.
ciao
c
Posted by: Chris | May 15, 2006 at 12:20 PM
Hey Jack, that's high praise!!! I love Roy especially. KES
Posted by: Karen | May 21, 2006 at 09:06 AM