If you've been following literary news in the past few years, you'll know that fake memoirs have been making headlines from Oprah's Book Club to the New York Times.
On Wednesday, March 11, 2009 you have a chance to hear a memoirist -- and memoir-writing teacher -- talk about her own book and how such conversations affect people who want to tell authentic stories about their lives.
Join Linda C. Wisniewski and Pearlsong Press founder/editor/publisher Peggy Elam, Ph.D. for a Pearlsong Conversation at noon Eastern (11 a.m. Central) and discussion of Off Kilter: A Woman's Journey to Peace with Scoliosis, Her Mother, & Her Polish Heritage, the memoir-writing process, and the fake memoir controversies. If time and technology permit, you'll be able to ask questions and join in the fun -- err, discussion.
Email pearlsongconversations@pearlsong.com for the details (teleconference phone number & access code) and call the teleconference line at noon Eastern (11 a.m. Central) to listen and/or participate in the hour-long Conversation. (You don't have to talk if you don't want to.)
The line will handle up to 96 participants -- first come, first served. And did we mention that it's FREE? Other than your usual cost, if any, for a long distance call.
Linda C. Wisniewski is a librarian, newspaper feature writer and teacher of adult education memoir classes. Her essay "My Body, My Self" (eventually incorporated into the text of Off Kilter) was nominated for a Pushcart Prize in 2003. She grew up in Amsterdam, NY (where much of Off Kilter is set), and currently lives in Doylestown, PA.
The first Pearlsong Conversation was
on January 14 with FatLand author
Frannie Zellman
as the featured Conversationalist. Pat Ballard,
the Queen of Rubenesque Romances, was the second month's
Conversationalist. Right now our plans are to hold these Conversations on
the second Wednesday of every month.
Charlie Lovett,
author of The Program, will join Dr. Elam in April.
The Conversations are being recorded and are available for listening online after the call. You can find
links to the first two Conversation recordings on the
Pearlsong
Conversations webpage. Dr.Elam has also been playing the recordings on her Health At Every Size radio show.
For more info, see
www.pearlsong.com/pearlsongconversations.htm.
To go ahead and request the call-in number & access code, email
pearlsongconversations@pearlsong.com.
Update March 11, 2009: Click here to listen to the archived mp3 recording of this Conversation with Linda C. Wisniewski.
), Elizabeth Buzzelli (
), Susan R. Gold (
) and others will talk about how they got published.
, which was published by 