Monthly Archives: February 2011

The Wrong Protagonist, Part 2

Posted on February 28, 2011 by Laura Stanfill

My protagonist’s little brother Henri was supposed to die in Paris. His demise, I admit, was quite vague. First I intended it to occur during the June Days Uprising of 1848. Possibly death by trampling. But the timing didn’t work … Continue reading →

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Instant Gratification

Posted on February 25, 2011 by Laura Stanfill

Well, not instant gratification, exactly… but this shawl took a little over two weeks, including running out of yarn on the bind-off and having to try again. As a fiction writer, one of the things I love about knitting is … Continue reading →

Posted in Knitting, Revision, Writing | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

The Wrong Protagonist

Posted on February 21, 2011 by Laura Stanfill

I started my new novel this past August, and instead of moving from the 1970s to the present, as I had intended, the story did a backflip of its own accord (I swear!) and plunged itself into the mid-19th century. … Continue reading →

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Weather Drama

Posted on February 19, 2011 by Laura Stanfill

The weather changed throughout the day on Wednesday, starting with enormous wet snowflakes, then a thaw, then alternating rain and sun and the usual gray, and finally a spectacular late-afternoon hailstorm. It’s rare that weather offers so much drama in … Continue reading →

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WIPs (Works-in-Progress)

Posted on February 16, 2011 by Laura Stanfill

I want my new novel to be like my latest shawl. The pattern, Pogona, by Stephen West, features long, clean lines and elegant triangles surrounded by fields of purl bumps. I love the easy flow of the pattern. Knitting something … Continue reading →

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Sharing Some Handmade Love

Posted on February 14, 2011 by Laura Stanfill

These class valentines took a few weeks to complete, mostly because my daughter kept giving the finished ones away at playdates. She cut, glued, stickered, glittered, watercolored, markered and occasionally asked me for help. They’re not slick, or even uniform … Continue reading →

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Reading 7,069 Pages: A Love Story

Posted on February 10, 2011 by Laura Stanfill

I’m a compulsive before-bed reader. When I finish a book, I love to think about it and reread a few pages, so I leave it on my bedside table. Other books get stationed there to be read next. And very … Continue reading →

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Creativity and Motherhood

Posted on February 8, 2011 by Laura Stanfill

Often when I’m working on a project, my 3-year-old interrupts. This results in haphazardly finished sentences, dropped stitches and lost thoughts. I’m trying to embrace this interference, though, thanks to a sun-filled afternoon here in Oregon. As I was taking … Continue reading →

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Tapping into the Language of a Story World

Posted on February 7, 2011 by Laura Stanfill

During intermission at a theater performance this weekend, a woman asked me about my handmade vest. It was the Back to School pattern by Stephanie Japel, and I used a Yarnia blend of wool and a strand of rayon. Our … Continue reading →

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Author Interview: Sarah Cypher

Posted on February 2, 2011 by Laura Stanfill

Sarah Cypher is a talented literary fiction writer, an articulate spokesperson about the finer points of the craft and an especially insightful manuscript editor. Honestly, she’s dazzling—on the page and in person. Ever since we met in 2008, Sarah’s wisdom about … Continue reading →

Posted in Seven Questions, Writing | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments