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Joanne Denning's avatar

Maybe Rawlings changed in her own lifetime. Here’s something that seems to indicate that.

https://www.nastywomenwriters.com/marjorie-kinnan-rawlings-and-zora-neale-hurston-nasty-women-writers-who-were-good-friends/

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Janisse Ray's avatar

Yes! Great find! And you have reminded me that I HAVE NOT YET purchased my friend Ann McCutchan's book about Rawlings. I am going to do that now. It has been on my mind for over a year. It will shed so much light on this topic. Thank you, thank you for the reminder.

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Yasmin Chopin's avatar

This was so nice to read. I named my daughter Jessamine some forty years ago and she is a ray of sunshine.

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Jeanne Malmgren's avatar

Love the story of the copy of "Cross Creek" that you probably/maybe checked out of the Baxley library as a girl. So sweet that it came back to you!

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Karen Davis's avatar

And also, I think it’s so hard to judge people in the past by today’s standards. I’m sure if we are judged in the future by future standards we will also fall short.

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Janisse Ray's avatar

Weirdly, I was reading Dr. King's speeches today and got concerned about his use of the word "man" and "men." Women were invisible. And that just doesn't make sense, because they were everywhere in the movement. And yes, I hope the judgement against me is not too harsh. I have definitely made changes during the years I've been writing.

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Jeanne Malmgren's avatar

Yes, that jumped out at me today when you were reading the "I Have a Dream" speech ... no women to be found.

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Karen Davis's avatar

Well, I hope that explains all of the conflict last week. Good grief. And I hope that means it’s going to pass soon too! Thank you for telling me about jessamine, I had never heard of it.

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Katie Weinberger's avatar

“I believe that the purpose of story is to serve the evolution of human consciousness.” Wow- thank you for this. It brings great purpose. Thank you also for your thoughtful insight on Rawlings’ work. I haven’t read Cross Creek, but will with a Both/And perspective.

In addition to Mercury in retrograde, the sun has thrown off some major solar flares this week, affecting our planet’s weather and (I believe) our own internal weather. Stay strong!

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Janisse Ray's avatar

Let's hope both the sun & Mercury get straightened out soon.

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Julie's avatar

I believe you should edit/rewrite Cross Creek (I haven’t read it), for the intellectual exercise of doing it, to align w Rawlings and get ‘inside’ her writing process, and to suit your contemporary sensibilities. What the heck-- you don’t need to publish it but maybe you will create something that enlightens new readers. Or, write Part II and redress whatever needs redressing. Not too long ago I reformatted/rewrote Wm Cullen Bryant’s 19th century Thanatopsis, in order to recite it meaningfully for today’s listener and to fully embody his words. What an intimate exercise w a bygone era... there is precedent everywhere if you’re moved to do it, giving credit where it’s due.

I’m a bit envious of your writers group!

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Janisse Ray's avatar

A revision of Thanatopsis is such a wild idea. Good on you!

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4Freedom's avatar

Will you require your daughter and friend repay the difference between the agreed upon pizza order and the $77.50?

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Janisse Ray's avatar

I was so mad. I told her she'd have to work 8 hours for me at $10/hour.

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Renna's avatar

"Hawthorne or Bronte never mentioned anoles. Anoles were my world." Me, too, in Effingham. ❤️

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Janisse Ray's avatar

Yep, we're The Anole Society.

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Misti Little's avatar

Hah I was wondering if Mercury was in retrograde because suddenly everything felt hard.

And thanks for talking about Cross Creek. I tried reading it a few years ago and got maybe a quarter of a way through and couldn’t handle the racism to continue. Maybe I will pick my way through and search out the good. I was disappointed because it’s such a classic Florida book and I wanted to immerse myself in some Florida. I’m currently thumbing through Palmetto Leaves by Harriet Beecher Stowe and it so far delights where Marjorie left gaps.

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Pamela Jackson's avatar

“I’m more of a banana split than a trampoline!”

I love this SO much as I’ve been both at times. What a perfect and giving description.

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Mary Alice's avatar

I’m with Raven, maybe there is something to do all the mercurial woo woo. 😳

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Chris La Tray's avatar

"so fragrant that the initiate all but swoons."

This all but made me swoon.

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Janisse Ray's avatar

LOL, Chris. I'm sorry to post photos of wildflowers down here when you're still mired in ice and snow. Also, someday you should come visit me. Do you ever get to Georgia/Florida?

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Chris La Tray's avatar

No apologies necessary! I love the winter and I'm having one of the best ones that I can remember as far as getting out into it is concerned.

I think in the next year or two I will definitely make an excuse to get down there. Maybe we can scheme something up, eh?

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Janisse Ray's avatar

That would be so much fun. Maybe a southern book tour for you. I have the bookstore connections. But we'll also have to do something that pays!!!

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Chris La Tray's avatar

I'm thinking of a multi-day workshop, perhaps river-based. If you're game, I'll talk to Chandra at Freeflow and see how we might make that happen. If not, we could do something on our own....

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Janisse Ray's avatar

H to the yes.

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