Comments on: Always An Explanation

By: David

David — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 15:23:38 +0000

A good reminder of the dramas that play out around us every day. If one is to perceive them, one must remain alert to one’s surroundings. I have to wonder if this is increasingly a lost art, with the proliferation of iPods and other solopsistic devices.

It does seem that this story could fit rather neatly into a feminist anti-male narrative, but maybe it’s coincidence. In any case, there are a lot of factors at play: romance at a trying age being awakened by the clarion of reality. An apparent blue collar - upper middle class relationship (’college girl’ would be a slur to none but the those on the lower rungs of the socioeconomic ladder), perhaps the jock who never grew out of high school, in a relationship with a girl that is growing out of his league; a sneaky, slimy dishonesty that seems to run deep versus the firm forthrightness of Liz.

I sometimes find myself cringing at Lilith’s opinions, but she certainly does have the music: of writing and of poetically imagining the world. Though I don’t always like where that takes her, it’s what keeps me coming back.

By: Lilith Saintcrow » Blog Archive » The Art Of Observation

Lilith Saintcrow » Blog Archive » The Art Of Observation — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 16:08:35 +0000

[...] Jill Kismet Series « Always An Explanation Sep 17 [...]

By: unicorn1981

unicorn1981 — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 07:31:13 +0000

Oh well… I think it happens to me too… but not so consciously.

It’s more like stories that I heard or seen in my family and friends… and not the entire story… just one thing here, a thought there….

If the scene was in a short story or a novel I would like it, I would like to see her out in the street, taking one deep breath and leaving it all behind her. going back to college and going on with her own life….

Him… I don’t think I would like to know where he will be for a few years… maybe in the reunion of their High school….

thanks for the ideas that entry inspired….

By: darqchild

darqchild — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 00:36:28 +0000

its amazing that you can observe a situation and make it into another story altogether..thank you for another great blog

By: Cat

Cat — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 21:59:18 +0000

What’s the trick to un-obnoxious observation? I’m an aspiring author and it seems to me like a good thing to learn. I live now in a rural area, but I spent the majority of my teens and half my adult years in an urban city environment. The kinda place where a wrong look to the wrong person could get you in big trouble real fast, especially for (at the time) a single, pretty, petite girl like I was. So I’ve cultivated the habit of keeping my eyes down, my thoughts to myself and just going about my business. Even though now I live in a rural area where people are more friendly and open, I find it a hard habit to shake. I’ve even had friends and family feel slighted because I didn’t notice them waving at me in traffic or other places, but the truth is I just didn’t see them because I’ve trained myself not to look around.
This may be part of the reason why as a young author I find it difficult at times with characterization. I feel that un-obnoxious obersavation would help me in this regard. So any advice or little tricks you could give about author observation techniques would be extremely helpful.

By: Rachel

Rachel — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 19:58:53 +0000

Well done.

By: Hope

Hope — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 19:20:51 +0000

I just hope ‘Liz’ gets out now and stays out of his life. This cheating thing happens all the time in relationships and marriages.