Karen Comer

Collecting Stories

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Cate Kennedy – workshop

March 5, 2021 by Karen Comer 2 Comments

During Melbourne’s last lockdown of five days, I was supposed to attend a writing workshop with Australian short story writer and poet Cate Kennedy at the Wheeler Centre in the city. She kindly offered to run the workshop online. So that Saturday I spent the day in my study looking at a screen of the unknown faces of my fellow participants as well as Cate’s fabulously detailed slides.

I have long been a fan of Cate’s short stories and poems. Her poems about the miscarriage of her son and the birth of her daughter are heartbreaking. Her two short story collections, Dark Roots and Like a house on fire, have stayed with me long after I finished reading them. Cate focuses on ordinary people, and she shines a light on them to show both their vulnerability and strength.

Her characters are us – a woman organising herself and her family before she goes to a doctor’s appointment to have a lump checked, a man making poor decisions after his partner has left him, a woman struggling at work on her first day back after maternity leave, a young girl rebelling against her mother’s family Christmas photo, a young cleaner befriending an elderly man in hospital. But it’s never about just these events – there’s a subtext of anger or loss or relationship concerns which adds a quiet background hum that sometimes rises to a roar of frustration or despair. Cate discussed the idea that conflict, even though small, brings the inner life of characters to the surface.

Cate was generous with sharing her knowledge and experience with a set of slides which whizzed us through the different elements of creating stories. ‘Emerging writers always have wonderful ideas,’ she told us, ‘it’s about the execution.’ Too true.

Cate’s latest short story collection, Like a house on fire, is on the Yr 12 VCE English curriculum. My Yr 12 son’s first SAC (School Assessed Coursework) was to write an addition or adaption of one of Cate’s stories. It’s such a wonderful opportunity for students to try to understand another human being, through reading about ordinary people’s circumstances and choices and then writing a response. Cate’s stories can be so subtle, that students are encouraged to look at her characters and empathise with them while they imagine different possibilities for them.

What does that elderly man need at the end of his life? What sort of person will that young girl, rebelling against her mother, grow up to be? Cate told us,

The story is the transformation of the narrator.”

So how does that elderly man change the young cleaner’s life? How will that young girl grow up to parent her own children?

Writing is about imagining different scenarios, putting ourselves in someone else’s shoes, daydreaming about different possibilities for ourselves, reinventing ourselves as characters. Cate urged us to go into the ‘vortex of doom’, to face any resistance we have on the page, to allow the secrets of our characters and their inner worlds to float up to the surface, to be examined in the light. Therein lies transformation.

The wonderful thing about students studying these short stories is that hopefully, hopefully, hopefully, they gain insight into their own lives. That in writing their additions or adaptions, they look beneath the surface of Cate’s characters and see what they really want, how they strive to reach it, and how they transform when often they don’t get what they want but instead what they need. In fiction – and life.


Thank you very much for your kind comments last week – I’m glad to be back too in such wonderful company!

Filed Under: Adult Fiction, Poetry, Reading, Short stories, Workshops

Dear readers, it’s been a while

February 26, 2021 by Karen Comer 9 Comments

Dear readers, it’s been a while since I last posted. My website updated itself in December and there were problems that seemed insurmountable because it was December and there were work deadlines and Christmas deadlines and general December busyness.

Thank you to the lovely Nic from Planning with Kids who helped me with the technical side of my blog as well as giving me a big pep talk for continuing on!

There is news to catch up on!

Reading

I’ve been reading a lovely pile of books – my usual mix of fiction, non-fiction, children, young adult and poetry. Standout books include Seth Godin’s The practice (non-fiction), Cate Kennedy’s The taste of river water (poetry), The forty rules of love by Elif Shafak (novel) and The girl who became a tree by Joseph Coelho (young adult). Reviews for some of these books coming!

Editing

I have a mix of projects at the moment which makes my editing life varied and exciting. I’ve almost finished editing a fabulously detailed family history of six generations dating back to Scotland in the 1850s, I’ve proofread a book about wills which has prompted me to have conversations with family members, I’m about to start reading an exciting crime novel for a general reader’s report and I edited a wonderfully lyrical essay on nature.

Writing

My first middle-grade verse novel is under submission so I’ve been researching for my young adult verse novel. I’ve almost finished this now, so I’m ready to look at the structure of the first draft. Are my key scenes in the right places? Do they match up with my research? Do my two main characters meet up at the right moment?

Facilitating

I’m now the facilitator for the online Springfield writers’ group. This is a talented, oh so talented group of women who are writing poems, essays, novels, short stories, memoirs, non-fiction. We meet once a week to discuss two writers’ work and the creative collaboration in this group is a tangible thing.

Creating

Apart from creating a weekly menu of lunches and dinners and snacks which lately have NOT been as creative as my other pursuits, I’ve been teaching myself to weave. Last year during the lockdowns, I found quilting and sewing to be an antidote to the news cycle. I have a beautiful weaving kit and I am making a random, unplanned small weaving in soft dusky pinks, creams and burgundies.

Tutoring

I am constantly telling my children how lucky they are to have me as a mother but it’s only when I cook their favourite meal or help them with an English essay that they truly appreciate me! Mr 17 is in year 12 this year and we have already spent some time together talking through his first SAC. I also read through a few of his mates’ pieces – one of them named a character Karen. I am not sure whether to take it as a compliment or an insult – the character was rather annoying!

Your news …

Please tell me what you have been reading, writing or creating – I’d love to know.

Filed Under: Adult Fiction, Adult Non-Fiction, Art, Editing, Poetry, Reading, Writing, Young adult

Springfield writing retreat

February 28, 2020 by Karen Comer 14 Comments

Dear blog readers,

It’s been a while! I intended to take a three-week blogging break after Christmas. Then four of the five of us came down with the flu, then I caught up on my missed editing work, and then I went away for a week. So it’s been a while.

I want to tell you about the amazing week I experienced at a writer’s retreat at Springfield Farm, outside of Bowral, New South Wales. Imagine idyllic green paddocks, a couple of dams, a long, tree-lined driveway leading to a beautiful farmhouse with comfortable, spacious rooms. Gorgeous textiles, furniture with character. Views from every room. Verandahs to lounge in. Plus a writing studio, a yoga studio and accommodation in separate buildings.

There was the soul-nourishing vegan food – home-grown with care, cooked with passion, shared with love. Yoga was optional every morning but why miss out on gentle stretches, loose dancing and mindful movements, taught with lots of heart?

Sarah Selecky, a Canadian writer best known for her latest book, Radiant shimmering light, taught us every day. (You can read my review of Sarah’s book in an earlier post here.) Sarah focuses on using ‘deep noticing’ in nature as a way of connecting to our writing practice. She led us through free-writing exercises, gave us readings for discussion, and walked with each of us to discuss our writing. Sarah gave me tips to make my writing more concrete – I can be a little abstract, too feely-feely, not grounded enough.

The most compelling thing she told us was that our story is wiser than we are, and with a balance of deep noticing and imaginative, creative writing, we can find our way. To trust the space between the concrete words on the page and the reader’s experience of those words because it’s in the space that the magic happens.

There was such a wonderful sense of connection between the nine writers and the amazing support crew at Springfield. (Kinchem, Peter, Eilish, Michaela and Ryan – I can’t imagine how well-fed and well-nurtured I’d feel if you’d move to Melbourne!) Being part of a creative community for a week was an amazing experience – there’s nothing like feeling supported, validated and understood from a creative tribe. I loved hearing the other talented writers’ stories, both about themselves and in their readings on our last night.

While there was much on offer – yoga, foliage creations, bush walks, massages, gardening – there was so much spaciousness to write. I wrote about fifteen poems for my new book and discovered the themes and motifs through writing small pieces.

Springfield, I’ll be back!

Filed Under: Poetry, Uncategorised, Workshops, Writing Tagged With: Sarah Selecky, springfield retreat, writing retreat, writing workshops

Voice and power in poetry

September 13, 2019 by Karen Comer 1 Comment

Another brilliant Melbourne Writers Festival session, this time with Aboriginal poet Ali Cobby Eckermann (middle) and Pacific Island poet Selina Tusitala Marsh (left).

The best panels feel more like a conversation, and this one was wonderfully facilitated by Eleanor Jackson (right), who created space for each poet to respond to her questions.

Some of my favourite lines from the panel –

Selina – To have power, you have to have true humbleness. You can’t have one without the other.

Selina – There’s a responsibility to find your own voice. Read a lot. Try on the voice of a respected poet. Always push to hone your unique voice.

Ali – Talking to the sky helped to heal the little girl who loved stories but was told she was wrong.

I bought a book each from both Ali and Selina – both signed. Ali wrote that ‘our stories live in our land’. Selina wrote – may your tightrope be forever taut.

Ruby Moonlight is a verse novel by Ali about a young Aboriginal girl who witnesses the massacre of her mob, and finds a new way to live. With lyrical language that just sings, Ali draws readers into Ruby’s world. It would make a wonderful addition to anyone studying Australian history.

Birds

senses shattered by loss
she staggers to follow bird song
trust nature

chirping red-browed finches lead to water
ringneck parrots place berries in her path
trust nature

honeyeaters flit the route to sweet grevillea
owls nest in her eyes
trust nature

Tightrope is a collection of poems, about the theme of walking a tightrope over an abyss. I particularly liked the Queens section, with tributes and observations to Queen Elizabeth II (who Selina performed for), Oprah, Alice Walker and Dr Ngahuia. Tightrope also includes some black-out poems – where poems have been created, often less than ten words, from blacking out words from an article or novel page, creating a poem from the remaining words.

The working mother’s guide to reading seventy books a year

Don’t have the babies

Don’t have a full-time job

Don’t be working class

Don’t be time poor and extended family rich

If you did have the babies, don’t let them play sports
Definitely don’t let them play an instrument
(extramural activities increase peak-hour traffic commuting time)

 

Strong voices, authentic power.

 

Filed Under: Poetry, Uncategorised Tagged With: Melbourne Writers Festival, Poetry

Five poems which made my heart sing!

October 19, 2018 by Karen Comer 10 Comments

Word poem made with block wooden letters next to a pile of other letters over the wooden board surface composition

 

I’ve had a busy week doing ‘all the things’ – you know, from work to parenting to writing to life admin to volunteering … And as I couldn’t fit in one more of the ‘things’, I decided to repost this blog post about poems from a couple of years ago. Because even with all the ‘things’, there is still room for  a little poetry.

———————————–

I’ve recently had a few conversations about poems with strangers in public places – not something I usually do!

A couple of weeks ago, I had two meetings in the city to discuss corporate storytelling workshops, where I mentioned that I often use poetry as examples for rhythm, alliteration, metaphor and similes. On the way home, I hopped on and off a tram, and as I was waiting at a stop for the next tram, an older lady sitting on the tram bench started chatting to me. At first, I was a little non-committal but then I remembered my manners and turned to her to engage in the conversation properly. We discussed tram timetables, wearing heels and the weather before she asked me what I did. When I replied that I was an editor and writer, she almost jumped out of her seat and hugged me – ‘So am I!’ she said. So Jean (because we were on a first name basis pretty quickly!) told me how she edited and wrote small books on Christian poetry. And they had just organised a second print run for their latest collection.

This week, I was reading a book in a waiting room while filling in time for an appointment when the receptionist and another patient started discussing this patient’s wife’s book. I did eavesdrop for a little while – and then joined in the conversation and found out that the book in question was a book of poetry.

So, for anyone who has ever doubted that poetry was not relevant or commercial to Australians today – they are wrong, because I have two random conversations to prove it!

I have always enjoyed reading poetry and regret that I don’t read enough of it now. My cousin Cath lent me a book of poetry as a kid, and I loved it so much, I bought my own copy which I still have. There are certain poems which have stayed with me, and I thought I’d share them here.

Cinderella by Roald Dahl – I learnt this funny poem off by heart as a kid and my kids think it’s hilarious today.

The highway man by Alfred Noyes – this poem was in my cousin’s book and it is still a favourite. You have probably heard or read this one. I doubly loved it when Anne in the mini-series, Anne of Green Gables, recited it at a Prince Edward Island competition. I recently used it as an example in a grade 4 writing workshop.

Ulysses by Alfred Lord Tennyson – I studied this poem in VCE Literature. My teacher was a fabulous poetry teacher and really helped us to understand the significance of each line. I still have his handout with faded type, and my pencil notes written in the margins. Think I will have this tattooed on my forehead when I’m older.

How do I love thee? by Elizabeth Barrett Browning – I chose to have a few lines from this poem printed on our wedding booklets – which as of last week, was nineteen years ago!

The journey by Mary Oliver – once I had kids, I really appreciated this poem. It is relevant to everyone, no matter what stage of your journey.

Anyone else have a favourite poem to share? Or tell me about the ‘things’ you are doing?

 

Filed Under: Poetry, Uncategorised

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