In advance of this weekend’s virtual Tupelo Press Poetry Manuscript Conference, publisher Jeffrey Levine has given me feedback on the first twelve pages. Mic drop! His comments help me see the potential in these poems and where I need to take them.
The Jewish Book Council announced the winners of the National Jewish Book Award today. Mazel tov to the award recipients!
There’s still time to register for the January 26 event commemorating International Holocaust Remembrance Day. The Mercer County Holocaust, Genocide & Human Rights Education Center, together with William Paterson University, Saint Elizabeth University, and Bergen County Community College, presents Dr. Barry Trachtenberg of Wake Forest University about “The United States and the Holocaust: Old Debates, New Approaches.”
Interested in publishing a poetry collection? Here’s an interview with poet and poetry publisher Diane Lockwood that’s helpful.
A wonderful review ofEthel’s Song: Ethel Rosenberg’s Life in Poems (Calkins Creek, 2022) appears in the latest issue of AJL News and Reviews: “This gem of a historical fiction novel is a rarity in so many ways…Through her brilliantly crafted poems, Krasner employs accessible format and does a fine job in relaying one of the most complicated and heart-wrenching episodes in American history.”
Save the date, January 26, for International Holocaust Remembrance Day commemoration (which is actually January 27). The Mercer County Holocaust, Genocide & Human Rights Education Center, together with William Paterson University, Saint Elizabeth University, and Bergen County Community College, presents Dr. Barry Trachtenberg of Wake Forest University about “The United States and the Holocaust: Old Debates, New Approaches.”
What 2023 writing goals have you set for yourself?
Jacqueline Jules, My Name Is Hamburger. Kar-Ben, 2022, 240 pp.
The Whole Megillah (TWM): What motivated you to write this story? Why verse? Jacqueline Jules (JJ): I love writing in verse. Before I ever wrote anything in prose, I wrote poems. I am the author of three poetry chapbooks and a full-length collection for adults. My poetry has appeared in well over one hundred journals. I am also the author of Tag Your Dreams: Poems of Play and Persistence, a collection of sports-themed poems for children. So I am very comfortable with the format. My Name Is Hamburger did not begin as a verse novel. I decided to write the story in verse when other prose versions failed. Once I began the story as a series of poems, the character’s true voice emerged. Before My Name Is Hamburger, I had separated my poetry from my prose. Merging the two forms felt so natural and right for this novel. Looking back, I am surprised it took me so long to figure that out.
Author Jacqueline Jules
My Name Is Hamburger was inspired by my own childhood growing up in a small southern Virginia town as the daughter of a Jewish German-speaking immigrant. It is the most autobiographical book I have written even though many of the events in the story are fictionalized. When I write, I strive for emotional truth rather than literal truth. Trudie’s emotions in My Name Is Hamburger were mine growing up. Writing this story was a reflective journey into my past.
TWM: What were the challenges? Satisfactions? JJ:My Name Is Hamburger includes a pivotal scene in which the main character Trudie and her father visit the famed Japanese cherry trees in Washington, DC. This recalled my own fond childhood memories of viewing the cherry trees at the Tidal Basin with my family. The first versions of this novel began with a trip to Washington, DC to see the beautiful blooms. This scene now occurs on page 61 of the book in a poem titled “Daddy and Daughter Day.”
The cherry blossoms are waiting for us. I can already see how pretty they will be in my father’s smile as he backs the van down the driveway. “We’re off,” he says, reminding me of the song in Wizard of Oz.
My Name is Hamburger began as a slim chapter book which I abandoned and picked back up over a fifteen-year period. I expanded the story and changed the plot multiple times but a Japanese cherry tree always played an essential role. Seeing My Name Is Hamburger finally in print after literally hundreds of revisions is very satisfying—a dream come true. It is my first book for middle grade readers.
TWM: Did you work from a plot outline? JJ: When I write a new adventure in my chapter book series, Zapato Power, I start with an outline because the pacing of each book in the series needs to be similar. However, I don’t use an outline for my other writing. Instead, I write notes in which I brainstorm possible directions for the story. Every time I am stuck I stop and write notes, asking myself questions like: Could the character do this? Is this plausible? What should happen next? These notes guide me through each section of the book I am writing.
TWM: Why is this story important for kids today, Jewish and non-Jewish? JJ: Trudie’s story is one of resilience. During the course of the novel, she learns that her perceptions of others and how they see her are not always correct. She becomes more comfortable with her place in her community as a Jewish minority and the child of an immigrant. She discovers the strength to say her name with pride: “My name is Hamburger. An all-American food.”
Young readers of all faiths struggle with self-acceptance. When Trudie accepts that she is “different, but not in every way,” I hope young readers will be prompted to embrace their own differences, to see their family traditions and background as sources of joy.
TWM: Which authors/poets inspire you? JJ: I am an avid reader. I read two or three middle grade novels a month. It is always hard for me to choose a favorite author because I may encounter a new author in the next book I pick up. Looking over my GoodReads list from the last few months, I can say I especially enjoyed Splendors and Glooms by Amy Laura Schlitz, Cursed by Karol Ruth Silverstein, and No Vacancy by Tziporah Cohen.
TWM: What’s your next project (if you can talk about it)? JJ: I am excited about Moses and the Runaway Lamb which will be released by Kar-Ben in May 2023. This picture book recalls the midrash of the little lamb who ran away during Moses’s days as a shepherd. Moses searched for the lost lamb and tenderly brought her home in his arms. The midrash says this is the moment when God chose Moses to be a leader of the Jewish people. According to the rabbis, this act of compassion for the smallest in his flock demonstrated that Moses would be the kind of leader who would take care of everyone.
For more about Jacqueline Jules, please visit her website.
I go through a detailed process to assess the previous year’s accomplishments that include what worked, what didn’t work, what should I stop, what should I start, and what should I improve. Then I use those reflections to generate a set of goals for the next year. So here are my writing goals for 2023:
Complete works in progress–These include literary writing (poetry, memoir, short story, novella) for the adult market and revisions of contracted books and drafts for the YA market. I suspect I’m overly ambitious here, so I’m focusing on the contracted YA novel in verse and my first full-length poetry book, oh, and a new short story to eventually go into a collection.
Continue to lean into Amherst Writers & Artists–I have been writing with this method for maybe ten years or more. I became a certified facilitator in 2013. Last year I launched Writing Family History, Writing the Past, and Using Photographs to Craft Story workshops. I’ll continue to do some of that and I’ll offer new workshops like Short Shrift: Writing the Short Story. At the same time, I’ll continue to write with groups I’m already a part of (novel, poetry) and I’m going to participate in a beta test of a novel writing group (that I hope will help me with both fiction and memoir). I’ll also be serving as editor-in-chief of an anthology of craft essays and readings.
Become a well-rounded literary citizen–I want to continue to attend and participate in literary journal and other readings plus read a poetry book a month and a novel in verse every other month. I also enjoy reading memoir (reading Stanley Tucci’s Taste: My Life Through Food right now on my Kindle). This goal also cements my commitment to send out my work twice a month.
Expand my academic CV–Because this also involves writing, I’m stating it here. I will most likely be working on proposals to turn my doctoral dissertation into a book for three potential academic publishers and want to see a couple of papers I wrote about Yizkor books get published. I also have a new article idea that I want to explore.
Enhance my genealogical skills–I include this one here, because my family history often fuels my literary writing. I’m taking a course that will give me a certificate in Advanced Skills with the National Genealogical Society. I also plan to continue teaching Family History at the university level.
In December, I held a workshop through AWA about goal-setting. I’m going to set up a quarterly goal review and accountability group. If you’re interested in joining, please comment below. There is no fee.
What 2023 writing goals have you set for yourself?
The final prompt of this blog series asks us to write about famous residents, ghosts, and/or legends from our hometown or current town.
I actually wrote a book about this, Legendary Locals of Kearny, New Jersey (Arcadia, 2015). I wrote about the Civil War general after whom the town was named, Phil Kearny, sports heroes, teachers, doctors, military leaders and soldiers, business and civic leaders, and neighbors. It was probably my least successful book about my hometown, but then it was also my fourth book about my hometown. Still, it was fun to research and write to recognize local legends.
In many forms I’ve written about Sanford L. Kahn (“Sandy”), who was the town’s first Jewish World War II casualty. He was only nineteen when killed in action and became the namesake for the town’s post 538 of the Jewish War Veterans. In Legendary Locals, I wrote this:
“Sandy Kahn of Chestnut Street enlisted in the U.S. Army in June 1943 at age 19. In February 1944, he wrote his family in Kearny, “Don’t worry about me. I still have a long time before I hit combat. For all anyone knows, I may miss it.” Six months later, his parents received a telegram stating their son was missing in action. Later they learned a German sniper’s bullet instantly killed him during the battle of St. Lo in northern France. Sandy became the first Jewish soldier from town to be killed in World War II. The local post of the Jewish War Veterans bears his name—Sanford L. Kahn Post 538.”
Sanford “Sandy” L. Kahn, Courtesy Kahn Family
But lately, I’ve been thinking of Father Washington, priest of St. Stephen’s Church on Kearny Avenue, who was one of the four chaplains who went down with the USAT Dorchester in 1943. I wrote the following for his entry:
“On December 7, 1941 Father John P. Washington was on his way back from treating his mother to the movies when he heard the devastating news on his car radio that the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. Born in Newark in 1908, Father Washington served as associate pastor at St. Stephen’s Church. When he arrived home, he notified the church pastor, Father George Murphy, of his desire to enlist. Father Murphy, a World War I veteran, was sure to approve. Despite eye damage sustained in a street fight years before in Newark, Father Washington was accepted into the U.S. Army. He waited impatiently for his overseas duty request to be granted while at Fort George G. Meade in Maryland.
Father John Washington (Courtesy St. Stephen’s Church)
“Father Washington joined three other chaplains at Fort Miles Standish in November 1942: Reverend Clark Poling (Dutch Reformed), Reverend George Lansing Fox (Methodist), and Rabbi Alex Goode (Jewish). On January 3, 1943, the four boarded the USAT Dorchester, a troopship with 900 passengers and crew, leaving New York harbor as ship 23 in a 64-ship convoy headed toward a destination only known to a few—Greenland.
“To get to Greenland, the ship needed to move through U-boat-infested waters. The chaplains sought to calm the nerves of the newly drafted and enlisted men. Father Washington’s amiable personality made him popular with the men. But when a German torpedo hit the ship on February 3, all four chaplains sprang into action. Each gave up his life vest to a passenger or crew member. Linked in prayer and hymns, they went down with the ship into the icy depths of the Atlantic. A stained-glass window at St. Stephen’s commemorates the beloved pastor. Washington Avenue, previously Eilshemius Avenue, memorializes the brave and selfless chaplain. He received several posthumous awards, including the Distinguished Service Cross for extraordinary heroism, the Purple Heart, and a Special Medal for Heroism, authorized by Congress.”
Who would you write about from your hometown or current town?
This is the final #52 snapshot for 2022. I did it! I wrote 52 snapshots following Sonja Livingston’s Fifty-two Snapshots: A Memoir Starter Kit. I hope this blog series inspired you to write some memoir pieces of your own.
Want to write memoir? Check out my workshops starting January 8 for Writing Family History and January 10 for Writing the Past.
I am slogging through revisions on two poetry books. I hope it’s true that when the revision process brings you to a total mess, a breakthrough is imminent.
I’ve examined my 2022 accomplishments and decided what I should start doing, stop doing, and improve doing. I’ve set up my 2023 goals, which I’ll post next week. One goal is to improve my literary citizenship. For me, this means attending more readings, sending out my work twice a month, and reading at least one memoir and one poetry book per month. Anyone have suggestions for reading? Have you set your writing goals for 2023?
The January issue of my free monthly newsletter, Writing the Past, will be issued on Sunday, January 1. To sign up, click here. The featured interview is with Sharon DeBartolo Carmack, author of Midlife Medium: A Genealogist’s Quest to Converse with the Dead (2022).
Check out my January workshops! These include Writing Family History, Writing the Past, and Writing the Short Story.
Happy New Year! Here’s to a great 2023 for writing!
The prompt this week asks us to focus on colors: Choose a color, make a list of objects with that color, choose one object to write about. I choose green–and blue–and wrote a poem that involved another person who shares these colors as favorites and I put us into tension with one another. When he was blue, I was green, and vice versa. I am incredibly drawn to an olive green, which was the color of his car, either Sherwood or April Green.
What this prompt forced me to do was to open up my imaginary box of Crayola or Venus Paradise coloring set of pencils and see the differences in hue, shade, and light. I wish I hadn’t tossed out my color wheel of Benjamin Moore paint choices, because those names are so distinctive. Central Park Green, for instance (which is the color of the room I’m writing in).
I am just returned from my first Association for Jewish Studies conference in Boston. I presented “Family, Survival, and Hope: The Persistence of Resistance and Rescue in North American Holocaust Books for Children and Teens, 1940-2020.” The gist: A third of these books deal with resistance and rescue and only 15 percent deal with death camp experiences. My database contains 800 books.
The conference gave me some ideas for future articles, and I met with two publishers who might be interested in my dissertation as a book. Goals for 2023: Generate the book proposal according to the publishers’ specifications. Draft articles for possible journal publication.
Grading the seven courses I taught this semester is just about completed!
I plan to get back to my novel in verse and just immerse myself in it, maybe even starting today!
I signed up for an Advanced Skills in Genealogy course with the National Genealogical Society. It starts in January. Two reasons for the sign-up: To hone my skills and to get the certificate so I have some cred to teach.
This week we’re asked to write about the events that shaped our lives, the external events that made headlines. Several come to mind, including the assassinations of President Kennedy, Robert Kennedy, and Martin Luther King, Jr. But I also think about man walking on the moon, Vietnam, the gas shortage of the early 1970s.
I ended up writing a poem, “You Say You Want a Revolution,” that combined the moon walk in 1969 with the Beatles song, “Revolution,” and the transformation of my New Jersey “Y” camp, Nah-Jee-Wah from all girls to co-ed, which I did not appreciate.
Camp Nah-Jee-Wah, Milford, PA, Google Maps, Dan Lazar. This is where we danced on Friday nights right in front of Lakeside Division’s bunks. The white buildings in the back were the theater where we put on productions and the Arts & Crafts building.
I wrote a poem years ago about JFK’s assassination. I was so concerned about an older sister’s reaction at the time, because she made it clear how much she adored President Kennedy. She was in fifth grade then.
My chapter, “Beyond the Ovens: The Changing Nature of Children’s Holocaust Literature,” appears in Representing Childhood and Atrocity, edited by Victoria Nesfield and Philip Smith, published last month by SUNY Press. This is my first scholarly book chapter!
I’m hoping over my winter break to carve out serious time to revise, write, and send my work out into the world! Hope you plan to do the same.
Honor Book in Middle-Grade Category: Honey and Me by Meira Drazin (Scholastic, 2022, 304 pp.) The Whole Megillah (TWM): Mazel tov on your award! I’m so delighted to get to know you better.Meira Drazin (MD): Hi Barbara, thanks so much … Continue reading →
Zeldis, Kitty. The Dressmakers of Prospect Heights. New York: HarperCollins, 2022. 345 pages. Writing the Past (WTP): What motivated you to write Dressmakers of Prospect Heights?Kitty Zeldis (KZ): I had long been interested in New Orleans, a place that figures importantly in … Continue reading →
The Whole Megillah 