Oct. 25, 2012 ARS Poetica

This ARS Poetica also took place in Pierce Library’s Reference Room. More people attended this time around then at the Reyes/Axelrod event. I recognized many students, a lot of them from my class, and faculty that I knew. Molly Gloss, author of Hearts of Horses read for twenty minutes from an upcoming companion novel that is presently unfinished, but close to completion. Many descriptive words used during her introduction were, “compelling”, “true”, änd “well-researched”. Her characters are described to be “authentic” “[they] feel like people we might know”. Some of Molly Gloss’ awards include the Pacific Northwest Award and the Oregon Book Award.
Where Hearts of Horses takes place in a fictional Oregon county south of Pendleton and north of John Day, the new novel with a working title Rough Cut has portions where the setting takes place in Hollywood, California. However, this was not the focus of her reading. Her selection comes from the middle about Martha Lesson (in the 1930 era), a character from Hearts of Horses, and the mustang she loves and loses. Gloss carefully worded a strong characterization for the horse, named Sugarfoot. We, the reader/audience, did not regard this horse as just another horse. He feels like a definite character whose essence is intertwined with the heart of his rider, Martha Lesson.
I was very engaged with the work, though it wasn’t my cup of tea. I am not naturally drawn to this sort of genre. However, I very much enjoyed listening to her and paying attention to the rhythm of the words and the depth of her characters. Though initially, I would have preferred her reading to have taken place from a segment in Hollywood, I was glad she chose the part she did. It stood well enough on its own but also did its work to interest the listener into trying it out.
In the Q&A after, people asked a wide variety of questions ranging from writing advice to her views on how the publishing industry intends to adapt to the switch from physical books to the e-readers. Her sensibilities on writing advice were quite insightful. Most writers suffer from doubt and worry that their “book will suck”. Though she doesn’t outline it out and is a slow, careful writer and rewrites as she goes, she illustrated that every sensible author has their own style of how to being a piece and that no way is wrong or right. I personally identify with her style, where my husband definitely prefers outlining. Her last three bits of advice that I took in were, “the only way to write is to keep writing” (which can be said for any skill), “peer critique is the best thing for writers” and “to be a writer, one must first be a reader.” All of these things, I have heard before. I enjoy fiction writing, though I won’t pretend I am any good at it. And I know why: I need to read more. As a child, I enjoyed television’s instant gratification and was bored by reading. I am grateful my son is growing to be the very capable reader I wish I had the time to be.