Debra Spark,
Author

Books

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Curious Attractions: Essays on Writing

Nonfiction. MI: University of Michigan, 2005

In nine entertaining and instructive essays, novelist and master teacher Debra Spark pursues key questions that face both aspiring and accomplished writers, including: How does a writer find inspiration? What makes a story’s closing line resonate? How can a writer “get” style? Where should an author “stand” in relation to his or her characters?

While the book will have immediate appeal for students of writing, it will also be of interest to general readers for its in-depth reading of contemporary fiction and for its take on important issues of the day: Should writers try to be more uplifting? How is emotion best conveyed in fiction? Why are serious writers in North America wedded to the realist tradition?

A collection of essays in the belles-lettres tradition, Curious Attractions offers lively and instructive discussions of craft, flavored with autobiographical reflections and commentary on world events. Throughout, Spark’s voice is warm, articulate, and engaging as it provides valuable insights to readers and writers alike.

Praise

“Spark is so adept at avoiding the typical pitfalls of this genre, she could write a book about writing a book on fiction writing.”
Time Out Chicago

“Readers may ask, how much fun can a book about writing fiction be?  The answer:  a whole lot with Spark as your guide.  An adventurous novelist and an experienced teacher, she takes a personal, anecdotal approach to the challenge of creating fiction, lacing her illuminating essays with provocative quotes from writers as varied as Raymond Carver and Gabriel Garcia Marquez (….) Spark’s lines of inquiry are significant.  Her observations about craft are fluent.  And her ability to both analyze fiction and respect its mystery makes for a suitably frank and bemused perspective backed by unabashed wonder at the workings of the imagination and the undeniable power of literature.  Spark’s canny essays are a pleasure for readers and writers alike.”
Donna Seaman, Booklist

“ .. erudite and entertaining…”
ForeWord