Laurel Zuckerman's Paris Weblog

Paris Writers News Update February 2010

Laurel Zuckerman — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:01:55 +0100

This month, news from Marie de Prémonville, Wendell Steavenson , Frances Gendlin, Dr. Monique Wells, Michael Schuermann, Janet Skeslien Charles, IVY Writers, David Barnes, Harriet Lye, Geoffrey Gilbert, Jeffrey Greene, Geneva Writers Conference, Paris Writers Workshop and Shakespeare and Co’s Literary Festival !

28 writers from Paris attended the Geneva Writers Conference. A grand thank you to Susan Tibergian and the Geneva Writers Group for the excellent welcome and fine workshops.

As time permits I am adding more Paris writers to the Directory. New additions include: Faith Mclellan, Debra Mervant, Anca Metiu, Leslye Morgan Schneier, Rachel Nisbit, Kjersti Overland, Beth Peoc'h, Anna Pook, Melissa Prideaux, Sara Rahman, Paula Read, Dorothy Renn, Deidre Roberts, Sara Rose-Carswell, Mary Scheurer, Pamela Shandel, , Sue Souchard, Lisa Storm Olsen, Slavko Tcholak, Trendell Thompson, Shizue Tomoda, Emma Vandore, Vivienne. Vermes, Mayanne Wright, and Juliet Young ( If you would like me to add a website or blog for you, please contact me.)

Mark your calendars for Shakespeare and Co’s literary festival from the 18th to 20th June and the Paris Writers Workshop organized by WICE on June 22 to July 2 ! More on both of these excellent events later!

Paris Writers News is also on FACEBOOK!! Become a fan!

New books !

Marie de Prémonville : Les Matins Courts. This first novel has already been nominated for several prizes. Marie has brilliantly translated many books into French (including by Stephen King and myself). We wish her every success in her debut as novelist!

Here is a rave review in French.

Wendell Steavenson, The Weight of a Mustard Seed This book tells the story of Iraq from the inside out, giving a portrait of the Iraqis behind the headlines ‘a masterly and elegantly told story that weaves together the Iraqi past and present.’ – The New York Times. Steavenson is the author of the acclaimed Stories I Stole (shortlisted for the Guardian First Book Award) and has worked for Time and written for a variety of publications, including the Telegraph, Granta, The New Yorker and Prospect. See an interview in The New Yorker

Michael Schuermann Paris Movie Walks,10 February 19h30 Evenings with an Author: Journalist Michael Schuermann presents his book, ‘Paris Movie Walks,’ and discusses the role of Paris as a film location throughout the decades. AT: The American Library in Paris, 10, rue du Général Camou, 75007 Paris RER Alma Marceau or M° Ecole Militaire.

Frances Gendlin Paris, Moi and the Gang This witty fictionalized memoir romps through the streets of the most beautiful city in the world weaving personal adventure and Franco-American history to reveal a Paris that most tourists never see on their own.

Events !

For a complete list of literary events in Paris, consult Jen Dick's event blog.

9 February 19h30 Dr. Monique Wells discusses ‘Black Paris and the Myth of a Colorblind France’ and presents an overview of 200 years of African-American history in Paris. AT: The American Library in Paris, 10, rue du Général Camou, 75007 Paris RER Alma Marceau or M° Ecole Militaire.http://www.americanlibraryinparis.org/

15 February 7pm - Janet Skeslien Charles, Moonlight in Odessa (fiction) chosen by Publishers Weekly as one of their top ten debut novels this autumn. Her book will also be read on ‘Book at Bedtime’ on Radio 4 – the first reading starts on 15th February. ‘Charles paints a tender, bittersweet portrait of Ukraine and Odessa. … A lively, entertaining debut…’ –Kirkus Review AT: Shakespeare & Co., 37rue de la Bûcherie, Paris 5ème. M° St Michel. http://www.shakespeareandcompany.com/

19 February - Harriet Lye, Geoffrey Gilbert, Jeffrey Greene for “Her Royal Majesty” (online magazine launch) Join us for readings and festivities for the release party of the seventh issue of Her Royal Majesty (ww.herroyalmajesty.ca), an independent literary magazine founded in Halifax and now based in Paris. AT: Shakespeare & Co., 37rue de la Bûcherie, Paris 5ème. M° St Michel. http://www.shakespeareandcompany.com/

23 Feb at 19h30 : IVY Writers Paris bilingual reading with PASCAL POYET & Guest American author tbc this week (so check back). Poyet’s BIOS online at http://www.cipmarseille.com/auteur_fiche.php?id=1060 or soon up with full details at the Ivy blog: http://ivywritersparis.blogspot.com/(full details up soon !) At: The Next, downstairs, 17 rue Tiquetonne 75002. M° Etienne Marcel / RER Les Halles.

8, 15 and 22 Feb from 8:30pm to LATE: SpokenWord Share your work on any theme or work on the theme of the night! See their blog and Join SpokenWord Paris’ meetup group via their blog at : http://spokenwordparis.blogspot.com/ to receive emails with each week’s theme! An exciting, dynamic venue. You can read in French, too!!! Topic tonight: MIRROR. AT: Cabaret Populaire/Culture Rapide, 103 rue Julien Lacroix Metro Belleville/Pyrénées 75020 Paris

The Other Writers' Group! David Barnes' drop in writers' workshop (just turn up!) every Saturday 5pm till 7pm. Bring 8 copies of your prose or poetry for instant feedback and discussion. Length should be up to about 3 pages (prose) or 2 poems. Suggested donation 5 euros. Upstairs in the library at Shakespeare & Company, 37 rue de la Bûcherie, 75005 http://www.meetup.com/The-Other-Writers-Group/

Interesting book promotion idea :

"set up a lending library allowing anyone to receive a free review copy on the condition they forward it within a week to the next reader, at their own expense." -- STEPHEN ELLIOTT in the NYT

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12-year-old Saudi girl in divorce battle with 80-year-old husband - Times Online

Laurel Zuckerman — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 07:12:26 +0100

A 12-year-old girl fighting to divorce her 80-year-old husband in Saudi Arabia is to receive legal assistance from the Government in what could become a test case for banning child marriage in the kingdom.

via www.timesonline.co.uk

Oink oink bonus update AIG

Laurel Zuckerman — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 22:51:00 +0100

“A.I.G. has taxpayers over a barrel,” said Senator Charles E. Grassley, an Iowa Republican, in a statement on Tuesday night. “The Obama administration has been outmaneuvered. And the closed-door negotiations just add to the skepticism that the taxpayers will ever get the upper hand.”

via www.nytimes.com

JOBS FOR ENGLISH TEACHERS IN FRANCE

Laurel Zuckerman — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 19:50:10 +0100

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

March 8-26 : apply for a job teaching English in collèges and lycées during the school vacation

From the website of the FRENCH MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

Les inscriptions sur la plateforme Recrutlangues sont maintenant closes depuis le vendredi 29 janvier 2010 à minuit . Les candidatures électroniques sont actuellement étudiées par les académies. Si votre candidature est retenue, vous recevrez un courrier électronique de confirmation vers le milieu du mois de décembre. Il vous appartiendra, par la suite, de confirmer votre engagement sur l'affectation qui vous sera éventuellement proposée, pour la période indiquée. La prochaine période d'inscription se déroulera du 8 au 26 mars 2010. Rappel : Circulaire du Ministre de l'Education Nationale relative au renforcement de l'apprentissage de l'anglais oral au collège et au lycée.

via www.recrutlangues.education.fr

Oink Oink Bankers' Bonuses - Goldman CEO May Get $100 Million Bonus: Report - CNBC

Laurel Zuckerman — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 16:09:00 +0100

The CEO of Goldman Sachs could get a bumper bonus of up to $100 million for 2009, London newspaper The Times reported Monday, quoting bankers in Davos, Switzerland. Lloyd Blankfein and other top Goldman Sachs bankers were set to receive the biggest ever bonuses awarded at the world's richest investment bank, according to the bankers.

via www.cnbc.com

The D.I.Y. Book Tour - book promotion ideas from Stephen Elliot NYTimes.com

Laurel Zuckerman — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 10:38:51 +0100

Writers! Here are two interesting ideas on how to promote your books from Stephen Elliot in a thoughful NYT essay entitled THE DIY BOOKTOUR.

For review copies, Elliot suggests setting up your own lending library:

Before my book came out, I had set up a lending library allowing anyone to receive a free review copy on the condition they forward it within a week to the next reader, at their own expense.

And for that long haul booktour that your publisher won't pay for, he experimented with literary couch surfing:

I asked if people wanted to hold an event in their homes. They had to promise 20 attendees. I would sleep on their couch. My publisher would pay for some of the airfare, and I would fund the rest by selling the books myself.

Elliot sold 1100 books at 73 events. And while it can be stressfull staying in someone's home and meeting their friends, he concludes:

I thought to myself that they weren’t a standard literary audience: they were better.

Thank you Mr. Elliot, for this interesting essay.

Request to become French citizen rejected after man forces wife to wear burqa Le Figaro - France

Laurel Zuckerman — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 09:28:00 +0100

He separated sisters and brothers in the home, refused to shake women's hands and forced his wife to wear a burqa. Should France grant him citizenship?

Minister Eric Besson said no. The Conseil d'Etat upheld the decision, saying "The way of life he chose, though based on his religious beliefs, is incompatible with the values of the Republic, in particular the principle of equality of the sexes...He does not meet the condition of assimilation defined in article 21-4 of the Civil Code."

For full article in Le Figaro Imposé la burqa à sa femme le prive de naturalization, click here.

Fashion to die for

Laurel Zuckerman — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 11:31:29 +0100

While France debates the burqa, calls for the death penalty greet Qatari girls who wear shorts.

Young Qataris are infuriating their elders by "cross dressing"--that is, dressing in shorts and shirts like American girls. According to The Economist, "manly women" (as these girls are called) are being condemned as part of a "foreign trend" brought into the Gulf by the evils of Globalisation. When asked on a Qatari talk show, how to deal with these girls, some members of the studio audience called for the DEATH SENTENCE.

On a related topic in the eternal women's fashion debate, see remarkably superficial NYT Editorial The Tabliban Would Applaud on France's efforts to respond to the challenge of the burqa. The NYT blithely states "People must be free to make these decisions for themselves" while forgetting how much pressure -- and violence--is applied to young girls and women who have no choice whatsoever.

For earlier blog post: Islam in France

FLASH: Heather Hartley at Shakespeare and Company tonight !

Laurel Zuckerman — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 09:59:22 +0100

Join us to celebrate the launch of Heather Hartley’s brilliant new book of poetry, Knock Knock, published by Carnegie Mellon University Press. ‘Heather Hartley writes the kind of poetry many of us are starved for, a poetry without borders, passionate about what we savor the most on our tongues—languages, foods, lovers.’ This event will also feature music, wine and general festivities.

via www.shakespeareandcompany.com

Burqa humor fashion show

Laurel Zuckerman — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 18:03:32 +0100

Bill Mahler's addition to the burqa debate