tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post5425720867014206207..comments2024-03-28T17:06:34.405-04:00Comments on Jungle Red Writers: "You Can't Make this Stuff Up!" Lourdes Venard & Characters Inspired by ObitsJungle Red Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16646429819267618412noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-15820832633085499272015-02-28T21:54:42.030-05:002015-02-28T21:54:42.030-05:00I may have picked up the obit reading habit from m...I may have picked up the obit reading habit from my grandmother, but now it's fully my own activity. I read them as some kind of "honor reading"--as though doing so will confirm that these people's lives matter, or, mattered. Then too, I pick up some of the BEST character names. I especially love the obits with pictures of the dearly departed, although a few years ago, I admit to being stopped in my tracks when I saw one picture. The obit was basically to formula (newspaper formula) with no errant sons, daughters or other relatives promising to meet in the afterlife to play bridge or go fishing. But the photo? The man was in full Nazi officer uniform, and the photo was clearly his military one. It said everything--except which family member chose it to accompany his obit. Or did he choose it? T.T. Thomashttp://www.ttthomas.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-15490972473360719032015-02-28T18:42:58.889-05:002015-02-28T18:42:58.889-05:00Checking in late (busy day, shipping The Girl off ...Checking in late (busy day, shipping The Girl off to a dance, first time she got a corsage).<br /><br />I admit to to being an obit skimmer. If something grabs my attention, I'll read the whole thing. I guess maybe I'll pay more attention next time.Liz Millironhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04919409969263609919noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-85787217284216406012015-02-28T18:16:11.949-05:002015-02-28T18:16:11.949-05:00Thank you, Hallie! Rosemarie, yes, writing your ow...Thank you, Hallie! Rosemarie, yes, writing your own obit would be a good exercise. Our book group, just this afternoon, was discussing what to write in letters we leave behind to family. We just read a book in which the husband was going to leave behind a devastating secret in a letter. We all decided if we find any letters lying around from our husbands, we just might open them before they die!Lourdes Venardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16895832860480097297noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-26140144310873847042015-02-28T16:25:35.633-05:002015-02-28T16:25:35.633-05:00Lourdes, about your Facebook picture?!?
You have...Lourdes, about your Facebook picture?!? <br /><br />You have the perfect background to write a crime novel, and also VOICE! So keep at it!!<br /><br />I do read obits. Just finished reading about Leonard Nimoy. Fascinating ;-) And i of course look for people my age who are dying. <br /><br />Jill, i LOVE your mom saying GIVE ME THE DEADS. She must be a character. And I know several writers who would love to steal her dialogue.Hallie Ephronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04759439029582054503noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-17495036014376584512015-02-28T15:57:08.329-05:002015-02-28T15:57:08.329-05:00My husband loves his subscription to the local new...My husband loves his subscription to the local newspaper and the first thing he reads is the obits. Of course that is because he has lived in the small town for all his life and knows everyone. Me? Not so much an obit reader. However, I believe that everyone should write their own obit at least once in their lifetime. It is a great exercise in truly focusing on where you've been and where you are going and what you want to leave behind as a memory for others. Rosemarienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-75111423036997343592015-02-28T14:28:58.031-05:002015-02-28T14:28:58.031-05:00Our local newspaper prints up obits that people pa...Our local newspaper prints up obits that people pay for so they say whatever they want. Sometimes a person writes their own obituary at some point before their death, especially if they have no younger relatives. We've known of a few who did that. One man who was very active, extremely funny, and quite outgoing, but the last of his family---when he suffered a debilitating illness, just a day before he was to go to a permanent bedded facility, "accidently" fell out of a 4th floor window, but not before he wrote a great obit. (I guess that's not really the kind of comment you want to hear, but he definitely left the world laughing.)Norma Husshttp://www.normahuss.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-15881685587891719932015-02-28T13:20:56.426-05:002015-02-28T13:20:56.426-05:00I'm not sure when I started reading obits, but...I'm not sure when I started reading obits, but I live in a smallish town and I definitely read them in the local paper. You can often tell what the person died from based on the charity of choice. My husband thinks I'm morbid! I tell him I'm a mystery writer...great post Lourdes! Will share on Pinterest on my Blog Posts for Writers and Readers board, plus FB and Twitter.Judy Penz Shelukhttp://www.judypenzsheluk.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-89184002675544288472015-02-28T13:02:15.864-05:002015-02-28T13:02:15.864-05:00I confess I love reading obit columns, although I ...I confess I love reading obit columns, although I have never thought about using some of the stories to help create characters' backgrounds. It's a brilliant suggestion, though, and I'll be looking at obituaries with a new eye from now on. Thanks, Lourdes!Juliahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09553268569509053159noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-61353238852822233362015-02-28T12:56:50.660-05:002015-02-28T12:56:50.660-05:00I really enjoyed this post!
Llyn K.I really enjoyed this post!<br />Llyn K.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-49756219756712706372015-02-28T12:07:30.860-05:002015-02-28T12:07:30.860-05:00I never thought of reading the obits for character...I never thought of reading the obits for character ideas, but I guess it's just like everything else - keep an open mind and who knows where it'll take you. Nice post.Sandy Codyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02824301408180614516noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-63093683331808531212015-02-28T11:47:17.810-05:002015-02-28T11:47:17.810-05:00Great post, Lourdes. I do read the obits (used to ...Great post, Lourdes. I do read the obits (used to write them occasionally as well) and loved finding out those small facts that made the person human.Michele Drierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06944263184981732147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-714008857901661582015-02-28T11:24:38.788-05:002015-02-28T11:24:38.788-05:00Welcome, Lourdes! So lovely to have you here today...Welcome, Lourdes! So lovely to have you here today! And happy Saturday, everyone!Susan Elia MacNealhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00349842866995778987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-22497155605643149062015-02-28T11:23:28.816-05:002015-02-28T11:23:28.816-05:00Thanks for the comments. Glad to see so many still...Thanks for the comments. Glad to see so many still reading the obits! And Margaret, yes, it is much tougher to write about someone you know.Lourdes Venardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16895832860480097297noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-89887157003943858342015-02-28T11:07:23.529-05:002015-02-28T11:07:23.529-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.PK the Bookeemonsterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03478996122841311684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-18516655618103629882015-02-28T10:23:16.507-05:002015-02-28T10:23:16.507-05:00This is a wonderful post, Lourdes. Your own experi...This is a wonderful post, Lourdes. Your own experience in editing newspapers brings out such a rich source of ideas for characterization. After all, the books we write are about just that: humanity in all its conflict, joys, and sorrows.Susanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14080938779828043023noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-44605993463677823592015-02-28T10:11:44.392-05:002015-02-28T10:11:44.392-05:00Great post, Lourdes. Interesting and helpful. I sk...Great post, Lourdes. Interesting and helpful. I skim the obits, but after reading this, I may read more carefully.judyalterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13767466505891813090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-28120679778395537132015-02-28T09:50:03.815-05:002015-02-28T09:50:03.815-05:00This is fascinating. I read the obits in the NYT s...This is fascinating. I read the obits in the NYT sometimes - but now you've opened a whole new world of potential characters for me. Thank you! Thelma Straw in polygot upper east side Manhattan... as I watch the street on Lexington and 92nd St,,, it looks like the center of the globe now, a crossroads of humanity! Every color and language passes by!!! Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-87057298640613340502015-02-28T09:07:00.045-05:002015-02-28T09:07:00.045-05:00Thank you, Lourdes - what food for thought. I don&...Thank you, Lourdes - what food for thought. I don't read the obituaries but your descriptions here of how important it is to seek out the richness in every life hits home with me as I struggle with some of my characters. This was the perfect thing to read before I start writing this morning.Kimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15354719566758459929noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-6220264154076494842015-02-28T08:56:11.513-05:002015-02-28T08:56:11.513-05:00As Oprah used to say, everyone has a story, right?...As Oprah used to say, everyone has a story, right? <br /><br />For years I've started my day reading the obituaries, and now that they are online it's easier. I also read the death notices for my hometown, since my mother so often forgets to tell me when people we know in common--or classmates--have passed away. <br /><br />This was a recent one that struck me: "born February 28, 1933 died on February 21, 2015 at the age of 81. Father of 5 papa of 8. Teller of jokes; Giver of sarcasm; protector of many; blessing counter; hero; liver of life. Doer of crosswords. Keeper of secrets. Owner of memories; King of storytelling. Award winning compliment giver and one of the best human beings we've ever come across. He lived his life for the good of his family and for that, we will be forever grateful."<br /><br />And a friend's mother was just "beamed up", according to her obituary, which sounds exactly as if her daughter, a cleverly amusing person, wrote it for her. <br /><br />Karen in Ohionoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-61024348904405874042015-02-28T08:09:29.573-05:002015-02-28T08:09:29.573-05:00I wrote the obits for my parents. It was a tough a...I wrote the obits for my parents. It was a tough assignment. Because they loved to travel, I mentioned their favorite places, as well as the city of their courtship.Margaret S. Hamiltonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07979191318652199350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-31624616418868681022015-02-28T08:06:04.280-05:002015-02-28T08:06:04.280-05:00My Aunt Bette worked for the Herald for many years...My Aunt Bette worked for the Herald for many years and had many stories to tell.Gramhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01027824918114690029noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-89946586305449260982015-02-28T07:57:38.969-05:002015-02-28T07:57:38.969-05:00This was just fascinating and wonderful - thank yo...This was just fascinating and wonderful - thank you.<br /><br />I do not read the obits, but may just have to be a bit more diligent about doing that. <br /><br />Was it Margaret Atwood who said, "In the end, we'll all become stories?"Kaye Wilkinson Barley - Meanderings and Museshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07486129009717476920noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-27333242496389819242015-02-28T07:22:22.785-05:002015-02-28T07:22:22.785-05:00My mother loves the obits! "The Deads" ...My mother loves the obits! "The Deads" she calls them. As in, "give me the Deads, your dad's reading the front page. " :-)Jillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15364220221782320521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-47757739035776112292015-02-28T07:22:17.294-05:002015-02-28T07:22:17.294-05:00My mother loves the obits! "The Deads" ...My mother loves the obits! "The Deads" she calls them. As in, "give me the Deads, your dad's reading the front page. " :-)Jillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15364220221782320521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-966243449546259532015-02-28T07:18:27.841-05:002015-02-28T07:18:27.841-05:00Lourdes, it's so nice to see you here! You had...Lourdes, it's so nice to see you here! You had a wonderful background for writing mysteries--and what a lovely essay. <br /><br />I do read the obits in the New York Times--they are so interesting and well-written. The local papers too, though that's less for the writing and story and more for the real people.<br /><br />Hopefully we'll see this in a novel one day:)Lucy Burdette aka Roberta Isleibhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04660402177299546055noreply@blogger.com