Born Mary Margaret Lauth, she’s “always been called Moni.” At ninety-nine she still cooks her own breakfast and lunch, keeps up with numerous family members and acquaintances, writes letters, discusses politics and social trends, and reads voraciously. The books stacked on the coffee table in her All Seasons apartment are topped by Timothy Snyder’s On Freedom and Barbara McQuade’s Attack From Within.
“Someone should make a movie about Vernon Jensen’s war experiences!” declared Denise Frost after she honored the 99-year-old World War II veteran with a citation on behalf of the Sarah Caswell Angell chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. She had spent weeks researching not only the former B-17 radio operator and his escape from enemy territory, but also the crew members who were shot down with him over Yugoslavia on March 18, 1944.
Socrates was the first writer to advise listeners to “know thyself,” but his advice has echoed through the ages. And good writers not only know themselves, they must know their characters equally well.
Both as readers and writers, we strive to connect to the characters we read about and/or the characters we write about. The success or failure of a book or short story depends on whether the character or narrator is relatable—not necessarily lovable, but at least intriguing, flaws and all. One young writer I mentor has been Continue reading
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