Meredith Sue Willis's Blog

Now Available: 

Meredith Sue Willis's Books for Readers #241 

10-4-25 

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Reviews of books by Kelly Watt. E. Jean Carroll, Frances Burney, Penelope Fitzgerald, Denton Loving, Patrick Gale, Nicole Krauss, Elmore Leonard, Joanna Miller, and more. Reviews by Diane Simmons and Christine Willis.

 

Writing Your Novel
With Meredith Sue Willis

Online with Zoom
8 SessionsStarts 9-24-25Registration closes Sept. 19, 2025.
There are still two places left, but
the class will close sooner if it fills! Click here for full information. 8 Wednesdays 9-24-25 through 11-19-25
No class October 1, 2025.
6:30 p.m.- 8:45 p.m. Eastern
$500 fee includes response from the teacher of up to 50 pages.

This class is strictly limited in size, and it follows closely the novel writing class created by MSW at New York University's School of Professional Studies.

 

 Next Class with Meredith Sue Willis
Starts Wednesday, September 10, 2025,
Novel Writing by Zoom at NYU(NYU recommends signing up at least 3 weeks in advance.)

 

New Issue!Meredith Sue Willis's
Books for Readers #240July 24, 2025To Read this Newsletter,
please click here.

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Reviews of books by Frances Burney, Elmore Leonard, Mishima, Proulx,, Hardy, Michelle Tea, David Prather, Haruki Murakami, S.A. Cosby, Robin Hobb, Angie Kim, Scott Turow, and many more. Reviews by Joe Chuman, Kathie Giorgio, Edwina Pendarvis, Diane Smmons, and Danny Williams.

 

Scott Turow, Frances Burney, Thomas Hardy, Angie Kim, Min Jin Lee, S.A. Cosby

To Read this Newsletter,
please click here.

 

7-14-25 

Bastille Day!

The National Day of France
Monet's painting

It is Bastille Day--the national festival of France.

Thinking about the fascinating history of 18th-19th century France:
Overthrowing the old Regime; the Revolution (inspired by the American one); the Terror; Rise of Napoleon, first admired as a self-made hero; Napoleon becomes emperor; return of the Bourbon Kings; brief return of the Republic; return of Napoleon's family; another king (I think); another republic that lasted till the Nazis invaded Paris. And since World War II, a republic again.

And since World War II, a republic again. Now that's a history!

 Some of you have asked about my son and his family who live in Los Angeles maybe 5 miles west of the demonstrations.  They have been focused on their usual lives-especially Shira's school play, Alice in Wonderland.  She was the Seven of Diamonds. The mayor of Los Angeles said the police were handling the demonstrations just fine.  The governor of California strongly opposes sending in the National Guard and the Marines.  It is my opinion that we are once again witnessing Mr. Trump trying to accumulate more power--and get dramatic headlines in the news.  I plan to be demonstrating a little myself this week-end at the Flag Day/No Kings events taking place in every state of the Union.

New at  The Practical Writer  and Adventures in the Written Word with Danny WilliamsPoetry month for this year is over, but you can still get wonderful poems
delivered to your inbox. Sign up for Poem-a-Day here.
Here's a family poem I like a lot by Edward Hirsch.Latest  Issue of Books for Readers #239 

New Issue!Meredith Sue Willis's
Books for Readers #239May 1, 2025To Read this Newsletter,
please click here.

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Reviews of books by Jane Austen, Octavia Butler, Charles W. Chestnutt, Emma Cline, J.M. Coetzee, Melody Gee, Nnedi Okorafor, Stephen Spotswoord, Bryan Stevenson, Laura Tillman, Amor Towels, Mark Twain, Yu Miri. Reviews by Edwina Pendrvis, Elena L. Perez, , Diane Simmons and Christine Willis.

 
Octavia Butler, Yu Miri, Laura Tillman, Amor Towles

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please click here.

 

RESPONSES TO THIS NEWSLETTERPlease send responses to this newsletter directly to Meredith Sue Willis . Unless you say otherwise, your letter may be edited for length and published in this newsletter.  

 

I have a new short-short story called Recessional just up online at The Raven's Perch:

https://theravensperch.com/recessional-by-meredith-sue-willis/

Books for Readers #238Click here

Reviews of books by Percival Everett, Diane Simmons, Alice McDermott, Cherrie Moraga, Anne McCaffrey, Tui Sutherland, Edith Wharton, James M. Cain, Margaret Atwood, Albert Camu, Caleb Carr, Tony Hillerman, Shirley Jackson. Elaine Pagels. Reviews by Joe Chuman and Fay Martin.