Comments for the writings of: annam manthiram http://annammanthiram.com/blog a debut novelist Wed, 22 May 2013 16:58:15 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.1 Comment on No, No, and No… and a Decision by swneyes http://annammanthiram.com/blog/2013/05/13/no-no-and-no-and-a-decision/#comment-15235 swneyes Wed, 22 May 2013 16:58:15 +0000 http://annammanthiram.com/blog/?p=370#comment-15235 Wow, your son is moving back home... I hope all is okay there. Rejection is part of the game, but it is hard when they all come at once. Sometimes I feel as though I am making good headway, but then when I venture out again (to apply for grants, publication, etc.) I realize how far away I really am. And then not to mention how many writers are out there that we are competing against... yikes. I really appreciate your encouragement, and you know me too well... I can't stop! I've invested too much in this. Just had to get that bit of pessimism out (it's still lingering, but I am working through it). Here's hoping we both have better news in the coming weeks... months...years... :-) Wow, your son is moving back home… I hope all is okay there.

Rejection is part of the game, but it is hard when they all come at once. Sometimes I feel as though I am making good headway, but then when I venture out again (to apply for grants, publication, etc.) I realize how far away I really am. And then not to mention how many writers are out there that we are competing against… yikes.

I really appreciate your encouragement, and you know me too well… I can’t stop! I’ve invested too much in this. Just had to get that bit of pessimism out (it’s still lingering, but I am working through it). Here’s hoping we both have better news in the coming weeks… months…years… :-)

]]> Comment on No, No, and No… and a Decision by Paul Lamble http://annammanthiram.com/blog/2013/05/13/no-no-and-no-and-a-decision/#comment-15227 Paul Lamble Tue, 21 May 2013 23:58:03 +0000 http://annammanthiram.com/blog/?p=370#comment-15227 Annam, I meant to respond sooner, but life intervened. (My oldest son just moved back home -- 31 years old -- and we had to drive 800 miles to load a truck to bring him back.) Anyway, I remember you saying you did NOT wear your lucky boots to the readings/presentations you gave, and yet look how well they went! You were meant for this life, woman! I get the discouragement. You've had far more success than I have, so I know what feeling low is like. (I got two rejections this week already.) But, really, you know that this is an elemental part of you, right? You won't really ever give it up. You can't. C'mon. I've read your novel! You were meant for this! Isolation and solitude and, as you said, postponed gratification, is our thing. I know we've never met, but I encourage you with all of my writerly affection and admiration and respect to find your strong heart and dauntless motivation and keep on keeping on. Annam,

I meant to respond sooner, but life intervened. (My oldest son just moved back home — 31 years old — and we had to drive 800 miles to load a truck to bring him back.) Anyway, I remember you saying you did NOT wear your lucky boots to the readings/presentations you gave, and yet look how well they went! You were meant for this life, woman!

I get the discouragement. You’ve had far more success than I have, so I know what feeling low is like. (I got two rejections this week already.) But, really, you know that this is an elemental part of you, right? You won’t really ever give it up. You can’t. C’mon. I’ve read your novel! You were meant for this! Isolation and solitude and, as you said, postponed gratification, is our thing. I know we’ve never met, but I encourage you with all of my writerly affection and admiration and respect to find your strong heart and dauntless motivation and keep on keeping on.

]]> Comment on The Nose by Annam http://annammanthiram.com/blog/2013/03/08/the-nose/#comment-14168 Annam Wed, 20 Mar 2013 01:34:42 +0000 http://annammanthiram.com/blog/?p=368#comment-14168 Really? Had no idea... Really? Had no idea…

]]> Comment on The Nose by Paul Lamble http://annammanthiram.com/blog/2013/03/08/the-nose/#comment-14069 Paul Lamble Tue, 19 Mar 2013 00:52:23 +0000 http://annammanthiram.com/blog/?p=368#comment-14069 My book group meets tomorrow night to discuss The Nose and The Overcoat. I'd never read the former before. (Shhhh! It's supposed to be about castration anxiety.) My book group meets tomorrow night to discuss The Nose and The Overcoat. I’d never read the former before. (Shhhh! It’s supposed to be about castration anxiety.)

]]> Comment on Another Migraine… by Michael Crossan http://annammanthiram.com/blog/2012/03/01/another-migraine/#comment-13835 Michael Crossan Fri, 15 Mar 2013 03:49:56 +0000 http://annammanthiram.com/blog/?p=292#comment-13835 Keep writing. Keep submitting. After reading this piece, it is apparent to me that you are a writer. A gifted writer. Best of luck. Michael Crossan Twitter: @michaelcrossann Keep writing. Keep submitting. After reading this piece, it is apparent to me that you are a writer. A gifted writer.

Best of luck.

Michael Crossan

Twitter: @michaelcrossann

]]> Comment on The Nose by swneyes http://annammanthiram.com/blog/2013/03/08/the-nose/#comment-13337 swneyes Sat, 09 Mar 2013 20:08:31 +0000 http://annammanthiram.com/blog/?p=368#comment-13337 OH thanks for the recommendation. I may check that out myself. I would like to do a reading there. We will see. OH thanks for the recommendation. I may check that out myself.

I would like to do a reading there. We will see.

]]> Comment on The Nose by Paul Lamble http://annammanthiram.com/blog/2013/03/08/the-nose/#comment-13223 Paul Lamble Fri, 08 Mar 2013 21:51:09 +0000 http://annammanthiram.com/blog/?p=368#comment-13223 When Sathya gets a little older, give him the Philip Roth novel The Breast, which is based in part on The Nose. Good news about the boots connection. When will you be doing a reading in KC/ When Sathya gets a little older, give him the Philip Roth novel The Breast, which is based in part on The Nose.

Good news about the boots connection. When will you be doing a reading in KC/

]]> Comment on The clock is ticking… by swneyes http://annammanthiram.com/blog/2013/02/20/the-clock-is-ticking/#comment-12356 swneyes Sun, 24 Feb 2013 17:55:05 +0000 http://annammanthiram.com/blog/?p=365#comment-12356 Ha. Like you with running it's always the same nervous excitement. I still have my lucky boots, but I think there may be a hole in one of them. I know that with my kids this is just the beginning of the horror... a horror that I cannot even imagine! Ha. Like you with running it’s always the same nervous excitement. I still have my lucky boots, but I think there may be a hole in one of them. I know that with my kids this is just the beginning of the horror… a horror that I cannot even imagine!

]]> Comment on The clock is ticking… by Paul Lamble http://annammanthiram.com/blog/2013/02/20/the-clock-is-ticking/#comment-12328 Paul Lamble Sat, 23 Feb 2013 22:58:08 +0000 http://annammanthiram.com/blog/?p=365#comment-12328 I don't see why you're nervous about doing a reading. You've done dozens, haven't you? Have you misplaced your lucky boots? Actually, I pretty much run the same 6 miles three times a week, and I'm nearly always nervous before I go out and run it again. Never sure why. I've poked around Goodreads a few times, but I've generally been dissatisfied with the recommended books I have read. Never sure why that is either. I'm glad the boys are progressing, but let me tell you, when they get to be adults, their problems are much more difficult to deal with. (Even as a bystander.) I don’t see why you’re nervous about doing a reading. You’ve done dozens, haven’t you? Have you misplaced your lucky boots? Actually, I pretty much run the same 6 miles three times a week, and I’m nearly always nervous before I go out and run it again. Never sure why.

I’ve poked around Goodreads a few times, but I’ve generally been dissatisfied with the recommended books I have read. Never sure why that is either.

I’m glad the boys are progressing, but let me tell you, when they get to be adults, their problems are much more difficult to deal with. (Even as a bystander.)

]]> Comment on The clock is ticking… by swneyes http://annammanthiram.com/blog/2013/02/20/the-clock-is-ticking/#comment-12228 swneyes Wed, 20 Feb 2013 22:47:03 +0000 http://annammanthiram.com/blog/?p=365#comment-12228 Ooh. I bet you do have one. Don't make me send Sathya to pry it out of you. Ooh. I bet you do have one. Don’t make me send Sathya to pry it out of you.

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