Comments on: The Blood that Haunts http://www.commonties.com/blog/2007/05/07/the-blood-that-haunts/ Listen to stories on anything from honeymoons to WWII, from award-winning journalists to first-time writers alike, from anywhere in the world. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:47:20 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.4 by: GMAZEL http://www.commonties.com/blog/2007/05/07/the-blood-that-haunts/#comment-21228 Sun, 17 Jun 2007 00:06:46 +0000 http://www.commonties.com/blog/2007/05/07/the-blood-that-haunts/#comment-21228 i mean, one of my favorite characters that heather would do was the twitchy and hoarse 'michigan lady'...to do this character well, required: 1. understanding of the personality 2. the desire to mock/make fun 3. skilled observation and ability to hone in on 2 or 3 specific traits to magnify 4. ability to recognize the flaws/quirks 5. ability to love the thing that is being made fun of... she wouldn't have been funny if heather didnt actually love her... couldn't this basic process be the same in writing as acting??? hi carrie! i mean, one of my favorite characters that heather would do was the twitchy and hoarse ‘michigan lady’…to do this character well, required:
1. understanding of the personality
2. the desire to mock/make fun
3. skilled observation and ability to hone in on 2 or 3 specific traits to magnify
4. ability to recognize the flaws/quirks
5. ability to love the thing that is being made fun of…

she wouldn’t have been funny if heather didnt actually love her…

couldn’t this basic process be the same in writing as acting???

hi carrie!

]]> by: GMAZEL http://www.commonties.com/blog/2007/05/07/the-blood-that-haunts/#comment-19672 Fri, 08 Jun 2007 00:21:34 +0000 http://www.commonties.com/blog/2007/05/07/the-blood-that-haunts/#comment-19672 Brutal honesty...this moment was certainly a turning point, and the way it is consolidated into the conciousness depends upon the individual's psyche and possibly the amount of time and more importantly the richness of the life lived since the event...often pain is the root of humor, passion, and the relentless pursuit of perfection...But will revealing this painful episode result in just a little more 'grist for the mill' or will it in fact liberate the author, and motivate the author to drive beyond the past, accepting the present, and on forward into the future? The author's courage, intensity, and passion are already proven. This is a vivid, harrowing story, and quite relentless in construction. i suspect it could become a sort of template for future works, fictional or autobiographic. I now anticipate even more technical improvement and more passion and honesty in future writings, and i look forward to reading more and more...but i can't help but hope for something funny from someone whom i know to be a comic genius...a simple request-"Show me the Funny!"...comedy is always harder, isn't it? (is this a challenge or a distraction?) my fear is that the writer may be giving up one vocation for another, when one really needs give up nothing...you can have it all! greetings to miss elizabeth b and elif, long time gone but never forgotten...and i wonder about mr cliffy...hope all is well for all Brutal honesty…this moment was certainly a turning point, and the way it is consolidated into the conciousness depends upon the individual’s psyche and possibly the amount of time and more importantly the richness of the life lived since the event…often pain is the root of humor, passion, and the relentless pursuit of perfection…But will revealing this painful episode result in just a little more ‘grist for the mill’ or will it in fact liberate the author, and motivate the author to drive beyond the past, accepting the present, and on forward into the future?

The author’s courage, intensity, and passion are already proven. This is a vivid, harrowing story, and quite relentless in construction. i suspect it could become a sort of template for future works, fictional or autobiographic. I now anticipate even more technical improvement and more passion and honesty in future writings, and i look forward to reading more and more…but i can’t help but hope for something funny from someone whom i know to be a comic genius…a simple request-”Show me the Funny!”…comedy is always harder, isn’t it? (is this a challenge or a distraction?)

my fear is that the writer may be giving up one vocation for another, when one really needs give up nothing…you can have it all!

greetings to miss elizabeth b and elif, long time gone but never forgotten…and i wonder about mr cliffy…hope all is well for all

]]> by: Carrie Keranen http://www.commonties.com/blog/2007/05/07/the-blood-that-haunts/#comment-17094 Fri, 18 May 2007 21:09:51 +0000 http://www.commonties.com/blog/2007/05/07/the-blood-that-haunts/#comment-17094 Touching, very touching. It always amazes me how easily our young minds can be wounded. How situations can haunt us well into our adult lives. And the guilt we can feel for situations we did not create. It is always so refeshing to hear a story that is looking at the complexity of these scenarios. I think you really captured the mix of fear, pity, shame, guilt, compassion and confusion a chid feels in these strange moments. And then, afterwards, what we do to try to make lemonade out of them. Our silence at the time and our silence when after years of gorwth we look back and still have nothing to say. Thank you for sharing. It is this collection of little moments that become our life's paradigm. Touching, very touching. It always amazes me how easily our young minds can be wounded. How situations can haunt us well into our adult lives. And the guilt we can feel for situations we did not create. It is always so refeshing to hear a story that is looking at the complexity of these scenarios. I think you really captured the mix of fear, pity, shame, guilt, compassion and confusion a chid feels in these strange moments. And then, afterwards, what we do to try to make lemonade out of them. Our silence at the time and our silence when after years of gorwth we look back and still have nothing to say. Thank you for sharing. It is this collection of little moments that become our life’s paradigm.

]]> by: Matt http://www.commonties.com/blog/2007/05/07/the-blood-that-haunts/#comment-16846 Mon, 14 May 2007 01:15:29 +0000 http://www.commonties.com/blog/2007/05/07/the-blood-that-haunts/#comment-16846 Heather- A powerful example of the extent to which substance abuse can turn our loved ones into threatening strangers. This straight-forward, yet exceedingly thoughtful narrative shows us how certain choices made while in a stupor can reverberate throughout the lives of those that care about us. A reminder to all addicts, that its not just yourself you're destroying. Heather-
A powerful example of the extent to which substance abuse can turn our loved ones into threatening strangers. This straight-forward, yet exceedingly thoughtful narrative shows us how certain choices made while in a stupor can reverberate throughout the lives of those that care about us. A reminder to all addicts, that its not just yourself you’re destroying.

]]> by: Fletcher http://www.commonties.com/blog/2007/05/07/the-blood-that-haunts/#comment-16721 Fri, 11 May 2007 17:54:35 +0000 http://www.commonties.com/blog/2007/05/07/the-blood-that-haunts/#comment-16721 Wow - I think this is your most powerful piece yet. You've really grown leaps and bounds as a writer! Wow - I think this is your most powerful piece yet. You’ve really grown leaps and bounds as a writer!

]]> by: bbJ http://www.commonties.com/blog/2007/05/07/the-blood-that-haunts/#comment-16486 Wed, 09 May 2007 05:59:26 +0000 http://www.commonties.com/blog/2007/05/07/the-blood-that-haunts/#comment-16486 Your writing is visceral & real. The co-habitation of love & loathing in our hearts for those close to us who have acted inappropriately is a delicate matter to capture. I think you have done so with honesty, humility, grace & forthrightness. Your writing is visceral & real. The co-habitation of love & loathing in our hearts for those close to us who have acted inappropriately is a delicate matter to capture. I think you have done so with honesty, humility, grace & forthrightness.

]]> by: JW http://www.commonties.com/blog/2007/05/07/the-blood-that-haunts/#comment-16464 Wed, 09 May 2007 01:36:15 +0000 http://www.commonties.com/blog/2007/05/07/the-blood-that-haunts/#comment-16464 Beautiful. Brave. Touching. Full of insight. Your short stories arrest the reader from the very first word. I would love read either more stories or longer ones from this unique voice. Beautiful. Brave. Touching. Full of insight. Your short stories arrest the reader from the very first word. I would love read either more stories or longer ones from this unique voice.

]]> by: Bob Giovanelli http://www.commonties.com/blog/2007/05/07/the-blood-that-haunts/#comment-16460 Wed, 09 May 2007 01:09:38 +0000 http://www.commonties.com/blog/2007/05/07/the-blood-that-haunts/#comment-16460 Great writing there, Heather! I'm assuming this is a true story (is everything on this site non-fiction?), but whether or not it's true or made-up, it's powerful and poignant at the same time. Quite a literary tightrope you walked there, and makes the reader walk with you at the same time. Great writing there, Heather! I’m assuming this is a true story (is everything on this site non-fiction?), but whether or not it’s true or made-up, it’s powerful and poignant at the same time. Quite a literary tightrope you walked there, and makes the reader walk with you at the same time.

]]> by: Elif http://www.commonties.com/blog/2007/05/07/the-blood-that-haunts/#comment-16442 Tue, 08 May 2007 21:17:26 +0000 http://www.commonties.com/blog/2007/05/07/the-blood-that-haunts/#comment-16442 This story is indeed haunting. I am so sad that you had to watch the train of your cousin's life veer off the tracks... and from such a close perspective, being hit yourself as he derailed. Thank you for sharing. This story is indeed haunting. I am so sad that you had to watch the train of your cousin’s life veer off the tracks… and from such a close perspective, being hit yourself as he derailed. Thank you for sharing.

]]> by: Beth http://www.commonties.com/blog/2007/05/07/the-blood-that-haunts/#comment-16357 Tue, 08 May 2007 01:10:59 +0000 http://www.commonties.com/blog/2007/05/07/the-blood-that-haunts/#comment-16357 Heather- Wow, I thought I was the only one with a doozy of a guilt/death story...you spoke to me in ways I thought noone else could understand, and you reminded me that my emotions about those sad events in my past are, in the end, beautifully human...thanks for giving me a wonderful outlet for my emotions and my humanity as I read. I'm so sorry for your loss... Wait, the 2nd aspect, your writing... because writing is judged by both its content (commented on above) AND its eloquence...I'm a stickler, I'm an editor and alas when I read, as when I watch a film as an actor, I see ways things could be better...but in this article and your last, not even a itty bitty twinge in my editor radar...I've just thoroughly enjoyed reading your stuff and seeing what's next in the story...what a gift-you are incredibly talented in both prose and connection to your audience! Heather-
Wow, I thought I was the only one with a doozy of a guilt/death story…you spoke to me in ways I thought noone else could understand, and you reminded me that my emotions about those sad events in my past are, in the end, beautifully human…thanks for giving me a wonderful outlet for my emotions and my humanity as I read. I’m so sorry for your loss…
Wait, the 2nd aspect, your writing… because writing is judged by both its content (commented on above) AND its eloquence…I’m a stickler, I’m an editor and alas when I read, as when I watch a film as an actor, I see ways things could be better…but in this article and your last, not even a itty bitty twinge in my editor radar…I’ve just thoroughly enjoyed reading your stuff and seeing what’s next in the story…what a gift-you are incredibly talented in both prose and connection to your audience!

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