Book Research with a Side of City Life
And so I did... Let's back up. I've been cataloging the contents of J's main scrapbook for nearly a month. It's slow going and hard on the eyes, so it's not an everyday thing. Far from it, actually. There are plenty of other related tasks to do, meaning I'm almost always busy. New things crop … Continue reading Begin Anywhere
Recently on my main site, A Small Press Life, my blogger friend Ruth (of Silver Screenings) asked a few excellent questions regarding my feelings about J. The helpful exchange got me thinking about the relationship between biographers and their subjects, especially when those subjects are long-dead. (For context, I was born four years after J's … Continue reading Three Questions: January 2021
Stop the presses! Earlier this week, I read a book for pleasure for the first time since I started my research. For those of you not keeping track, I've been working on my bio of J for around three and a half months. After reading three books in just over 24 hours, I got on … Continue reading Reading for Pleasure?
Two weeks ago, I decided it was time to catalog the contents of J's main scrapbook. This is the perfect mini-project for cold winter evenings. I actually really enjoy the work, as I'm the sort of person who finds comfort in the tedious. Aside from to-be-expected hand-cramping and a bit of eye strain, I look … Continue reading Research: January 2021
*Unless explicitly stated otherwise, all book reviews on Alternative Muses are for volumes I’ve read as part of my J biography research. I hesitated to use the word review, as this series heavily focuses on WHY I chose to read a book and what I got out of it research-wise. As a compromise, I’ll end each post … Continue reading [Book Review] A Square Meal: A Culinary History of the Great Depression
Why am I writing a book about an obscure musical theater performer whose career started approximately a century ago? The genuine answer is long and complex. I'll dig deeper into that conversation in the future. Today, I'm talking about the idea of distilling my motivation into an easily digestible statement--the kind that I can repeat … Continue reading Why I’m Writing This Book…
When I started my research back on 9 October, I maintained office hours...same time, same place every day. This made sense, as the work I initially did was computer-based and very intensive. I tried to sit down at my desk, a mug of hot tea in hand, by 9:30 AM. After the first month, my … Continue reading Making My Studio Spiffy for the New Year
One of the many hardships of being a touring performer is spending holidays away from your loved ones. J faced this challenge more than once. She was close to her mother and stepfather; spending Christmas across the country from them in California couldn't have been easy. In this telegram, J's vivacious personality and laid-back wit … Continue reading December 25th, 1921: A Holiday Greeting from J
*Unless explicitly stated otherwise, all book reviews on Alternative Muses are for volumes I’ve read as part of my J biography research. I hesitated to use the word review, as this series heavily focuses on WHY I chose to read a book and what I got out of it research-wise. As a compromise, I’ll end each post … Continue reading [Book Review] Frommer’s Nashville & Memphis
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