I have finished my rough draft of this year's NaNoWriMo novel, and I started with the first three chapters and notes my mother wrote before she died. The story is about a relationship she had. A couple years ago I made contact with this man from her past and he wrote me a letter about …
A Letter from the Death Man
A lot of time here has been spent on letters from my mother. Well, here is a portion of a letter to her from her ex-boyfriend, the fellow her novel, The Death Man, is based on (and the novel I am trying to finish). I wish I could have been around for your graduation. I …
Is it only time travel if you go with your body?
So, I'm participating in NaNoWriMo again--to write a novel and to see writing friends. But mostly to write a novel. And this novel is the one my mother started before she passed away. The novel is autobiographical, and to continue the story, I've read her letters and spent time thinking about a particular time in …
Continue reading Is it only time travel if you go with your body?
Dippy is as dippy does.
On May 6, 1988, my mother wrote this. [My professor] gave me an A, but he said although I was sometimes brilliant, and never bad, I was often dippy. But he gave me the A for my brilliance. It is hard for me to imagine my mother ever being dippy. She was silly from time …
Mind Your Manners
When I was 15, my mother wrote me this. You're approaching adulthood. Neither boys nor girls automatically know how to behave. Manners will get you through. That's what social manners are for. The other night a young woman sharing a table with me burped loudly. She didn't say excuse me or look around as if …
dress the part
I was in high school in the 80s when my mother wrote this. This money order is not just a Christmas present. People your age need to dress appropriately. As your mother, I'm going to add some advice about spending this money--you're probably going to get a lot of advice. Ignore everybody. Make yourself happy. …
A Writing Individual
I love NaNoWriMo and people who do things like this.
things of the future
My mother write this on October 11, 1989, three days before my birthday and thirty-five days before she passed away. You may be 21 now, but don't forget the things of your childhood--they keep you young forever. ... The other things are just stuff, some old, some new, you might be able to use. ... …
ideal mother
On December 28, 1984, my mother wrote: I love you very much, Marta. It's probably hard to believe sometimes--I know I'm difficult as a person, and nobody's idea of "Mother", but I never learned how to be anything but myself. I wish for you the same. What is everyone's idea of "Mother"?
leave home
A few days after I left for my freshman year of college, my mother wrote me this story. When I left home for the first time, I was 20, and it was 1964. The first Beatles record had come out that summer, and I took the Silver Meteor with my sister Susan up to D.C. …
Marta Bacon 