More Than Words: A Memoir of a Writing Life

by Jerold W Apps

In this combination memoir and craft book, award-winning author Jerry Apps shares the next phase in his life story begun in Limping through Life and Once a Professor. Beginning with a boyhood surrounded by storytellers, Jerry takes readers along on his path to becoming one of the Midwest’s best-known and most revered writers. In characteristic no-nonsense style, he shares the joys, disappointments, and frustrations of the writing life and describes the genesis and creation of many of his best-known books. In recounting his nearly six-decade writing career, Jerry provides an insider’s view into the creative process, delving into sources for ideas, research strategies, and guidelines and essential tools for writing. Along the way he recalls his relationships with publishers, editors, TV producers, librarians, booksellers, and others and shares a scrapbook’s worth of stories—some funny, some heartwarming, a few of them harrowing—from the road. A book for book lovers!
 

Genres: Nonfiction

205 pages, Hardcover

Published November 22, 2022

Reviews

[Sara Tiede · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a small town, farming community librarian, I was raised on a (non working) farm, I'm squarely in the Jerry Apps demographic. He's certainly always been on my To Be Read list. So I feel a little heretical here, but I'll say it - I was not really impressed.
This title felt like just a list of events and accomplishments, without much substance. There were occasional comments about how these events might have made him a better writer, but mostly it felt like just a long list of when he published things, with occasional comments on the weather, and whether his first attempt to sell a book was rejected or not. Every. Single. Time. he mentioned a new publication, he expressed renewed shock that people seemed to like it, and half the time his publishing or production staff also seemed to be surprised it was such a success. He's GOTTA be better in other books than this one, then!
There were hints of a better author voice, one that sounded, maybe not completely professional, but more like listening to your grandfather reminiscing about his life: comforting, easy to listen/read, nostalgic. Hopefully that's his regular voice, and this particular title just ended up being overwhelming, as it was about the job he still does, rather than looking back on the past. But I don't know, since this was my introduction to Apps as an author.
Based on those glimpses, and how beloved he generally is, I'll be willing to give something more nostalgic a try, or maybe a children's title. But this was certainly a less than stellar first meeting.