Many of you have known or worked with editor Deborah Brodie. She passed away on June 27 after a battle with cancer.
Read the Publisher’s Weekly obituary>>>
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The Whole Megillah- Poet’s Notebook | Because I Cannot Leave This Body by Carol V. DavisThe Whole Megillah (TWM): What inspired this collection? Carol Davis (CD): I don’t ever think in terms of a collection before I put it together so I can’t say there was a specific inspiration for the collection as a whole, … Continue reading →Barbara Krasner
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- Author’s Notebook | Irving Berlin by Nancy ChurninIrving Berlin: The Immigrant Boy Who Made America Sing by Nancy Churnin, illustrated by James Rey Sanchez (Creston Books, 2018) The Whole Megillah (TWM): What prompted you to write about Irving Berlin? Nancy Churnin (NC): I love Irving Berlin’s music … Continue reading →Barbara Krasner
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- Author’s Notebook | When We Were Shadows by Janet WeesThe Whole Megillah (TWM): What prompted you to write this book? Janet Wees (JW): When I visited the memorial site of The Hidden Village in the mid-2000s, it affected me more than other sites I’d seen; it gave me a … Continue reading →Barbara Krasner
- On My Night Stand | The Seven by Ellen FriedmanI attended a session at the Princeton Public Library three weeks ago about writing the memories of others. The speaker, professor and memoirist Ellen G. Friedman, shared her family’s story: seven of her family members escaped east into the Soviet … Continue reading →Barbara Krasner
- Literary Offerings into the World | March 2018 ReportPoetry: 8 submissions (American Poetry Review, Redivider, Bodega, Bateau, Comstock Review, Agni, Salt Hill Journal, Lunch Ticket). 0 acceptances. 1 rejection (Rappahannock Review). I gave two poetry readings from Chicken Fat this month: Somerset Poetry Group at the Bridgewater Library … Continue reading →Barbara Krasner
- Two Seats Left! Mining Your Memories on the PageTwo seats remain in the April online memoir class. Claim your place now! In November 2011, I drafted a genealogical memoir, piecing together 20 years of research conducted in cramped libraries, intimidating archives, and through the efforts of hired researchers … Continue reading →Barbara Krasner
- Poet’s Notebook | Because I Cannot Leave This Body by Carol V. Davis
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I cannot express how kind Deborah was to me. She reached out and expected nothing in return. She sent me writing exercises, asked me what I really wanted to do in my work (she was sure I could write a novel, and was determined to help me figure out what it was)…she was just so all-around encouraging and supportive and funny. At shiva people laughed about her sharp tongue, but I only got it once — when I accidentally called her Deb.
Hamakom Yinachem.
Deborah was the first professional editor to pull me out of a slush pile and declare I had a voice, and from that day on, became a person I could count on for a clean response, with honest encouragement. Her course at the New School, which I took early in my career, relieved us all of our self-consciousness. In her classroom, contrary to her editorial reputation, we all could fall flat on our faces, and pierce the boundaries which had held us back.
What a loss to the children’s book world, especially at a time when a voice for quality and authenticy is so sorely needed. I didn’t know Deborah well but thought of her as a kindred soul. Baruch dayan ha emet.