I met Debbie about 15 years ago at a class given by Rabbi Bassous at Congregation Etz Ahaim, when my eldest was a baby. You can learn more about Debbie by reading her Bayit and Garden blog, then scroll down to the bottom of any post and read one of her many other blogs. Or visit one of her stores on the right sidebar of her blog. Debbie always has something interesting to say, so I knew she would come up with some great answers to my writing questions. Enjoy.
1) When did you realize that you like to write?
I really don’t know. I do remember writing poetry and Haiku – I still remember a few – when I was 7 I wrote a poem about Helen Keller:
Helen Keller: Blind and Deaf
When 1 ½ years old was sick in bed
Burning with fever
Her mother hoped it would go down
And it did
But poor, young, Helen was left
Blind and Deaf
I also wrote a Limerick about Pesah (Passover):
ערבי פסחים סמיך למנחה (Arvei Pesahim samukh l’minha)
ערבי פסחים you can’t eat before
The Seder
Then Later
You can eat as much as before
But I don’t remember actually writing stories. I would make them up in my head to help me fall asleep, but I rarely wrote them down. I did write for the school newspaper in elementary school and college (not high school, strangely enough) and I even had my own little “newspaper” I did on a pad and called “the Deli News”.
2) When did you realize that you like to read?
I learned to read when I was about 4 (I learned to read Hebrew before I learned how to read English – I learned both from my parents) and I used to like to read signs and Dr. Seuss books. But when reading got harder (no pictures, lots of words per page) I lost interest. Well, I still liked reading biographies and other non-fiction that I DIDN’T have to read for school. I reacquired a love of reading as an adult.
3) Which authors influenced you in your youth? Which authors or writers influence you now?
When I was younger, I loved Dr. Seuss, but I also loved those orange covered biographies – my brother and I read the John Quincy Adams biography over and over again.
I was influenced at one point by Oscar Wilde, but also by Rod Serling and all those books and stories we read in Hebrew classes. I’m not sure who influences me now – I love JK Rowling and Angie Sage, Rochelle Krich, Sharan Newman, Anne George. I also was influenced by articles I have read, my tech writing instructor, and some of my high school teachers.
4) Have you ever taken a creative writing course?
Once, when I was in high school, I took a creative writing class as part of an art and music summer program that the city I lived in offered. I didn’t really learn much; the teacher was really more interested in drama (which she taught for a double period) and for the most part ignored the writing students.
5) Have you ever studied journalism?
I majored in TV/Radio, took some journalism classes, wrote for the newspaper and had a sports program on the radio once a week.
6) Do you find writing or talking an easier way to express yourself, or are both writing and talking similar vehicles of self-expression for you?
I usually find talking easier, but there are times when writing helps me organize my thoughts and points. This is particularly true when I’m writing about politics, religion or emotions.
7) Have you written short stories or poetry (or would you like to do so)?
Yes, I wrote my first picture book “The Princess Who Wanted to be Beautiful” and illustrated it myself. I also printed some copies out on my computer printer. I’m still trying to convert it (and another picture book, “The God Star”) to .pdf format so I can sell it on line. I also wrote a cookbook (that is available on line) and “The Single File” (a collection of singles articles I wrote) and “Zoning Out” (a collection of “Twilight Zone” style stories), which I would also like to find a way to sell on line.
I asked Debbie to provide a favorite quote or poem. Here are her selections:
Eletelephony by Laura Elizabeth Richards
Once there was an elephant,
Who tried to use the telephant—
No! no! I mean an elephone
Who tried to use the telephone—
(Dear me! I am not certain quite
That even now I’ve got it right.)
Howe’er it was, he got his trunk
Entangled in the telephunk;
The more he tried to get it free,
The louder buzzed the telephee—
(I fear I’d better drop the song
Of elephop and telephong!)
And
THE PURPLE COW
by: Gelett Burgess (1866-1951)
NEVER saw a Purple Cow,
I never hope to see one;
But I can tell you, anyhow,
I’d rather see than be one.
I also love “Jabberwocky” “Father William” and the beginning of “The Walrus and Carpenter” (I don’t like the part where they eat the oysters) by Lewis Carroll (I can quote “Jabberwocky” word for word and large portions of the other two – I can also recite the two poems above).
Among my favorite quotes are:
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” George Santayana
“I can resist anything but temptation.” Oscar Wilde
“You no canna fool me, there’s no such thing as a sanity clause.” Chico Marx
Today is Veteran’s Day here in the United States, where we honor those who served in the military. In our little borough of Highland Park, New Jersey there is an annual parade down Raritan Avenue. Before the parade we (eighth grade boys of RPRY, two teachers and some parents) met with the Jewish War Veterans. The veterans told us some tales of their experiences in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. One veteran, a ninety year old man, invited us to join them at a special service tomorrow at 10:30 am at the Menlo Park Veterans Memorial Home (I kept thinking, but all these boys have school tomorrow…). This veteran led the group in saying the Mourner’s Kaddish. I hope to post photos next week.
Momma pride time: Both my boys won their Torah Bowl tournaments. Scores were RPRY 4-0 (middle school) and TABC 5-0 (high school). That means that their teams beat all the other schools. Oh, and I heard from a few birdies that my middle son answered a ton of questions. So proud of them!
Elinka posted the artwork of Jack Levine, who died this past week. We had prints of his paintings in our hallway when I was a child. Was Hezekiah one of them? His painting of Maimonides also looks familiar.
Two of my children have paintings on display at the Highland Park Public Library in November. These are not the ones in this post; my son, who did the paper airplane landscape above, has tall, surrealistic pencils on display.
My daughter has fuchsia flowers painted on a bright blue background at the library. The ice cream painting above may look familiar to loyal blog readers; yes, the students copied were inspired by my painting of ice cream from last spring. Thanks for coming up with that flattering idea, Jill Caporlingua, and for being a devoted, creative and energetic art teacher.
Pajamas, watercolor on paper, 2010 by Leora Wenger
The inspiration for this watercolor was a possible post on networking for my tech biz blog. The idea is many people who work at home would rather spend the whole day in pajamas than attend a networking meeting. I’m not sure this is obviously pajamas; my husband said a blanket? a jacket? before I pointed to the pajamas that were draped over a chair all week in plain sight.
If nothing else, it got me focused on a painting all week. I had been having artist’s block for several months.
It was a beautiful fall day last week when we visited the East Brunswick Butterfly Park. It is off Ryder’s Lane; one can park at the neighboring Oak Tree Park that has a lovely playground for children.
We didn’t see a lot of butterflies, but the autumn foliage was enough to keep our interest.
Yellows and reds are dominant in the landscape at this time of year.
Milkweed! With an aphid. My husband said, look at that bug, and I was proud to be able to identify the milkweed aphid.
Wish I knew the name of this pretty yellow wild flower.
The last two purple blossoms of the year stood out on this butterfly bush.
Sedum turns to such a lovely muted shade of red in autumn.
The path in the butterfly park swings off to a path into the woods. However, one is never far from a busy road or highway when going on hikes in New Jersey. One can hear and see traffic of Ryders Lane.
Can you guess which animal kept our interest for a while in the woods? Can you see him?
If ever you wondered if you can make a friend online, Ilana-Davita is a true friend. I love visiting her little town in France by visiting her blog, where she shares her thoughts on Judaism, her tales of Europe, her photos, cooking and warmth. I am honored to have her answers to my writing interview.
Books, photograph by Ilana-Davita
1) When did you realize that you like to write?
I realized that I liked to write when I started reading whole books. At the time, I also began to write stories that nobody read, except my parents maybe, in a small school notebook.
I was eager to write at school and, at age nine, even asked the teacher when we would start writing short narrative essays (the French term for this school subject is “rédaction”). She acquiesced but obviously was not too happy with what we wrote since she never gave us another writing assignment.
Obviously I then spent years writing essays of all sorts but not always with pleasure. Since I started blogging, however, the pleasure has returned. My blog began as a sort of experiment: I was not quite sure I was doing it and what I was going to write about but it seemed like something I might enjoy. It has brought me more satisfaction and enjoyment that I had anticipated even if writing is a bit tough at the moment.
2) When did you realize that you like to read?
When I turned seven our next door neighbor gave me a Noddy book by Enid Blyton. I was a little awed at the perspective of reading a whole real book by myself but the experience was awesome and I have not stopped reading since.
3) Which authors influenced you in your youth? Which authors or writers influence you now? (influence of style or in life choices or both)
My first influence was Enid Blyton. A year or two after Noddy, I discovered The Secret Seven and above all The Famous Five. I found these series wonderful and read 13 out of the 15 Secret Seven books, all of The Famous Five stories and a lot of other novels she had written. At that time my dream was to become the new Enid Blyton. She has been much criticized for her lack of literary talent but this did not matter to me as a child. I had found an activity I adored, this was enough.
During my adolescence I read extensively but can’t remember being influenced by one author in particular.
After high school graduation, I spent a year in England and discovered English (and American) literature. I then went to college in France where I studied English (language, literature and civilization). I read the Brontes, which I loved, George Eliot and Thomas Hardy. My favorite however was Jane Austen. I thus read Pride and Prejudice overnight. I liked her style and her wit. I still do. Her fine dialogues have few equals in English literature.
At present one of my favorite novelists is Chaim Potok and, as some of my regular readers may know, I have named my blog after one of his characters. I love how he conveys his love of Judaism while presenting his readers with some of the issues observant Jews are confronted with. His characters experience religious dilemmas but, in the end, manage to remain faithful Jews in a manner I find honest and coherent.
As far as life choices are concerned, my main influence is Rabbi Joseph Telushkin and his emphasis on Jewish ethics. To anyone intersted in what he has written on the subject I’d recommend first: The Book of Jewish Values and then A Code of Jewish Ethics, volumes 1 and 2. I also find Rabbi Jonathan Sacks inspiring.
4) Have you ever taken a creative writing course?
No, this existed neither when I was at school nor at college. Unfortunately French education encourages formal learning rather than creativity.
5) Have you ever studied journalism?
No, there again I wished I had. Interestingly enough, my mom studied journalism but never practiced her trade.
6) Do you find writing or talking an easier way to express yourself, or are both writing and talking similar vehicles of self-expression for you?
I suppose it depends on the circumstances and what I have to say. I find talking easy in a meeting when the topics discussed are professional rather than personal. When the issue is closer to home I find it harder and would never share with my colleagues or even acquaintance the thoughts and ideas I share on my blog. Things are of course a bit different with the people that are very close.
7) Have you written short stories or poetry (or would you like to do so)?
Apart from the little stories I wrote when I was 8 or 9 and a few poems when I was in my early twenties, I have not written anything creative. I have some regrets but also believe I am better at expressing thoughts than emotions.
I call this day heaven and earth as my witness: See, I set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Now, choose life so that you and your children may live. -Deuteronomy 30:19 (in memory of RivkA, z”l)
Veggies on Parade, design by Debbie
