Creativity Friday: Inspiring a Novel*

As I work on The Novel these days (which is just about up to 71,000 words, hooray!), I’m finding inspiration in more places than I can keep track of. I know I’ve mentioned my semi-recent trip to Montreal to view the Waterhouse exhibit, which has several paintings that figure prominently within it. While art seems an obvious inspiration to someone such as myself, I’ve also been finding inspiration in music. In particular, Schubert’s last string quintet, D. 956.

Never heard of it? Even for hard core classical music fans, it’s wouldn’t be surprising if you hadn’t. It’s not one of the composer’s heavy hitters, like his oft-performed Trout quintet or Death and the Maiden quartet (which also makes a cameo appearance in the novel). But there’s something so transcendent about this quintet that I decided that it had to play a part during an important scene for my main character, which takes place at a concert.

Aside from the gorgeous music, the history of this quintet is touching. First off, it was one of the last compositions Franz Schubert wrote before he died in 1828 at the age of 31. Maybe I’m reading into it, but while listening to this quintet I get a sense of the composer railing against the limitations of life, especially in the exquisite second movement adagio — there’s a slightly schizophrenic quality in the way the music ricochets between sweet melody and over-the-top all hell breaking loose. Another interesting fact about this quintet: Instead of the usual two violas and one cello, this string quintet features one viola and two cellos, which gives the music a dark verocity. Also, the quintet wasn’t performed in public until 1884 — just three years before when my novel is placed. This made me consider how my fictional characters might respond to hearing it for the first time.

The quintet is such an intense piece of music that it reminds me of a scene from E. M. Foster’s ROOM WITH A VIEW (the book, though it’s also referenced in the Helena Bonham Carter movie). I’m paraphrasing here, but someone comments that playing Beethoven stirs the heroine Lucy Honeychurch up too much — ie: bad Victorian lady.

You can listen to a recording of Schubert’s string quintet, D. 956 here, courtesy of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (another radiant place of inspiration). Warning: the quintet is a good 45 minutes long, but you download it to listen at your convenience.

Here’s an excerpt describing it from The Novel:

The quintet began with several chords which promised tranquility. Alas, this was not to be — the instruments lurched into a passionate declaration of purpose that took my breath away. The double cellos offered a primal roughness. As soon as I’d girded myself for more of the same, the violins emerged from this chaos with a Viennese waltz-like song that suggested pure water burbling along a twisting stream. This theme continued for some time, interrupted periodically by chords that teased with the intensity of the opening, before dissolving back into a sharp fugue…. The fugue now built to such a climax of such intensity and speed that I could hardly stand it….

Next up was a plaintively slow adagio, to contrast against the previous movement. This music spoke of regret, of lost opportunities. Yet there was acceptance within it; as if it affirmed, Yes, life is finite. But it is worthy. This musical theme was reinforced by slow pizzacato plucking against long, low somber tones. It sounded like someone being comforted as they wept.”

I hope this music carries you away, dear reader!

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* This is part of an ongoing occasional series of posts about inspiration for the two books I’m working on right now. The first is a novel set in Victorian during the Aesthetics Movement. The second book is a follow up to DOOMED QUEENS.

• Filed under The Novel, be-mused, creativity, events, new projects | 3 Responses

Round and about: a very utilitarian round up

For the past ten days, I’ve been sick in a very Victorian invalid sort of way. Meaning that if I had a fainting couch, I’d be lolling about on it (preferably in a velvet day gown while clutching a bottle of laudanum). I’ve even been without a voice for four days. The good news is that, while I don’t have access to nineteenth century opiates, I do have a prescription for antibiotics. I’m definitely on the mend.

So, as a means of playing catch up, here’s a round up of what’s been going on in Art and Words land.

1. Last Friday was the second gathering of the Creative Women’s Networking Salon at the studio-gallery. It was a resounding success — so much so that the Salon will now become a regularly scheduled monthly event, like our Tarot Salon. I’m thinking first or second Friday of each month.

At our last salon, I was joined by a wide variety of women photographers, editors, writers, bloggers, artists, and crafters — an amazing array of talent. After the event, I noticed that some of the women “friended” each other on Facebook and beyond. That made me very happy, since one of my goals with my studio-gallery is to foster creative community in my Brooklyn neighborhood of Ditmas Park.

2. The Paul Taylor Dance Company is now at City Center in Manhattan through mid-March. I’m fortunate to know Annmaria Mazzini, one of the intensely gifted dancers who perform in the company. (She’s also a talented jewelry designer — I have several of her magical pieces.)

Seeing Annmaria dance has become a special ritual for me, marking the end of winter and start of spring. This year was extraordinary because Thea was old enough to attend with us for the first time! Annmaria even gave Thea a tour backstage at City Center, which thrilled my daughter immensely.

Thea and Annmaria, still in costume from dancing the 1960’s-themed Changes.

Imagine being (almost) five years old and looking out at this vista. In the words of Thea, “really cool.”

3. One of the things I love most about Brooklyn is the community (see item #1 above). One of Thea’s friends is a little girl named Theodora, who lives around the corner from us. Theodora’s mom is Jenny Offill, the author of several books including the novel LAST THINGS, which was a New York Times Notable Book of the Year. Jenny has a short story in Electric Literature from which she will be doing a reading of on March 14 at 7pm at KGB Bar and Lit Review. More info here.

Another neighbor mother and friend is journalist Sharon Lerner. Her first book THE WAR ON MOMS is being published by Wiley next month. It’s battlefield reporting on the widespread realities facing most American women today: the lack of paid maternity leave, the dearth of decent part-time work options, and the shortage of good, affordable childcare options. It tells the truth that overworked, stressed-out American moms need to hear: that they’re not alone — and they’re not to blame. Read excerpts here.

4. Related reading news: We’ll be having author Mary Sharratt visit the gallery all the way from England on March 15 at 7pm to present and sign her new novel, DAUGHTERS OF THE WITCHING HILL. I’m very excited — this is an exclusive for us, since the book won’t be released until early April.  DAUGHTERS OF THE WITCHING HILL is garnering some extraordinary praise and received a starred review in Publisher’s Weekly. Learn more about this event.

5. I’ve decided to start offering semi-regular blog posts about my inspirations for The Novel, which is set amidst Victorian England’s deliciously decadent Aesthetic movement. For example, I wrote last month about my trip to Montreal to view the Waterhouse exhibit. The next one will go up later this week as part of my ongoing Creativity Friday series. It’s about my obsession with a Schubert string quintet. (Listen to it here.)

6. Finally, several people have yet to claim their prizes from our Valentine’s Week giveaways. Please send me your info so I can get your goodies on the way. (Or, if you e-mailed me and have yet to receive a prize, please send it to me again — your e-mail did not make it through.)

And with that, I hope you all are having a great week!

• Filed under The Novel, art and words, creativity, events, friends and colleagues, giveaways and raffles, studio and gallery, the art world, the world around me | 2 Responses

Fun writerly advice

I am here wrangling with the Novel*, which now feels especially real since I’ve confided in my literary agent about it.** So it seems especially timely that these two articles have just appeared online to offer advice to struggling novelists everywhere.

~ The UK Guardian asked a number of novelists to give their top tips for writing fiction. I especially agree with one of the points Sarah Waters (Tipping the Velvet) makes:

Writing fiction is not “self-­expression” or “therapy”. Novels are for readers, and writing them means the crafty, patient, selfless construction of effects. I think of my novels as being something like fairground rides: my job is to strap the reader into their car at the start of chapter one, then trundle and whizz them through scenes and surprises, on a carefully planned route, and at a finely engineered pace.”

~ In response, Laura Miller at Salon.com  posted a list of what readers require of a novel.

Since we’re on the subject, here’s a quick Novel update: I’m up to 67,000 words, with an intended goal of about 100,000. Of those, I’d say about half of them are close to what I intend. Meaning that when I reread them I’m not tempted to scream with embarrassment or hit the “delete” button. I’m in that state where I’m caught between intense excitement and insecurity. Meaning, business as usual.

On the plus side, I am completely enthralled with my characters and my novel’s subject matter (Victorian England’s Aesthetic movement). Which is a good thing, since I’m spending lots of time there. Even when I’m not actively writing, I’m thinking about my character’s motivations, their histories, and what their final fates will be. Which sounds more ominous than I intend, though you never know. If one of the characters start to annoy me, I can always write them out.

This is probably the first book I’ve worked on that isn’t intended to be illustrated or elaborately designed. That alone is sure to provoke insecurities within my book arts-obsessed self. But this has also given me a lot of freedom to write whenever and wherever — no thoughts about production considerations, or needing to paint, just get down the words, the sentences, the scenes. To trust myself as a writer, rather than a a book-maker.

On the software side, I’m using the Mac-only Scrivener program, which I like a lot, now that I’ve gotten used to it. It allows me to save scenes as individual documents within a master document, then move them about as I see fit. I discovered Scrivener when I participated in National Novel Writing Month, which gave me that push to get the first 50,000 words out.

But still the doubts remain: Can I really write a “real” novel?

I hope so!

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* The above photo gives you a sense of my process. Each post it note has a scene, story thread, or theme written on it. And yes, they’re color-coordinated. I move them around to get a sense of what should happen when, and why. It’s like playing with fate, but in a good way.

**She’s even asked me that age-honored question: “When can I expect a finished first draft from you?” Yikes.

• Filed under The Novel, be-mused, creativity | 3 Responses

Most Romantic Week on the Blogosphere: raffle winners! and Valentines! and cute kids!

Thanks so much to everyone who participated during last week’s “Most Romantic Week on the Blogosphere”, which was held to mark the relaunch of the Love Tarot app. I had a truly wonderful time reading all of your comments, stories, opinions, and thoughts. I loved having the opportunity to get to know you, my blog readers, better.

As a side note, your tales of dating woe made me shiver with horror as well as laugh in astonishment. I sincerely hope that things have improved considerably on your collective romantic fronts since then!

Special thanks to Sandra Gulland, Holly Tucker, Donna Henes, and Ruth Ann Amberstone for their wonderful guest posts. Much appreciation to Diane Saarinen for helping me organize this week of Valentine-themed love.

Yesterday was Valentine’s Day. And today is (drumroll please!) the day in which I announce the winners of our daily giveaways from last week. Congratulations to:

Audra: You’ve won Mistress of the Sun by Sandra Gulland.

Leslie: You’ve won The Lover’s Path by me.

Fran: You’ve won The Queen of My Self by Donna Henes.

Joy Lerner: You’ve won the Goddess Tarot deck and MP3 of The Tarot School’s teleclass for The High Priestess from Ruth Ann Amberstone.

Silverlotus: You’ve won the Amor and Beatrice print.

If you could e-mail me your mailing addresses to kris at kriswaldherr dot com, I’ll arrange to get your prizes off to you pronto.

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In closing, here are some images from the children’s Valentine making workshop we held at the gallery this weekend. For a period of about three hours, my workspace was taken over by about fifteen kids wielding glitter glue and sequins. At one point, a group of them commandoed my work table, transforming it into a private club house. There was even a “No! Grow Ups – Only Kids” sign.

It was overwhelmingly cute.

However you spent your Valentine’s Day (or “Love Day” as one child called it), I hope it was fulfilling and fun!

• Filed under be-mused, creativity, events, giveaways and raffles, iPhone apps, studio and gallery | 2 Responses

Mama Donna Henes guest post: Have a Love Affair with Yourself

Next up for my “Most Romantic Week on the Blogosphere” featuring the Love Tarot app, is Mama Donna Henes, an urban shaman and folklorist supreme. Someone commented earlier wondering what an urban shaman does. In Mama Donna’s case, she works with individuals, groups of all kinds, companies, and municipalities to create meaningful, non-denominational rituals for every conceivable occasion. For example, she performs solstice and equinox rituals for New York City; she also presides over the opening of the Village Halloween Parade. She also regularly reads tarot at my gallery’s popular Tarot Salon.

Mama Donna is also the author of several books, including the wonderfully empowering and award-winning The Queen of My Self: Stepping Into Sovereignty in Midlife.* Her blog entry here is adapted from The Queen of My Self — I think it offers a necessary corrective to so much media out there which suggests that a person can’t be complete unless they’re in a romantic relationship. Mais non, ma cherie! After all, our most important relationship with with ourselves.

Today we’re giving away a copy of Mama Donna’s book The Queen of Myself to one blog commenter. Details at the end of this post.

Tomorrow’s post: I conclude the week with a post about what I think is the most inspiring love story. Ever.

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TODAY’S GIVEAWAY: We have a copy of The Queen of My Self! To enter, simply leave a comment for this post. For a double entry, tell us about a an experience where you treated yourself like royalty. (For myself, it was during my recent trip to Montreal. I stayed at a nice hotel, ate at a famed restaurant, and saw intensely beautiful art.

The small print: You have until midnight EST on February 14 to leave your comment. Winner will be chosen at random and announced on this blog Monday, February 15, 2010. Sorry, but the giveaway is limited to U.S. and Canada only.

*If you enjoyed this entry, I hope you’ll become a fan of The Queen of My Self on Facebook. You can also follow The Queen of My Self on Twitter at http://twitter.com/thequeenbook.

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Top art: Isis and Osiris art from the Love Tarot app by Kris Waldherr.

More about the Love Tarot app: Considered to be the most romantic app in the App Store, the Love Tarot app offers gorgeous tarot readings inspired by famous love stories, such as Tristan and Isolde and Cupid and Psyche. This five star-rated app was recently relaunched to include a tarot journal for users to save their readings and other inspirations.

Available in Lite and Full versions, learn more here. Or download the Full version on iTunes now.

• Filed under creativity, friends and colleagues, giveaways and raffles, iPhone apps, lover's path, queens, studio and gallery, tarot and oracles | 10 Responses