Blog #10; current projects; a continuation of the discussion of the Russian fiction writers and their hearts

 The Russian writers of the 19th century showed a particular capacity for sensitivity and sympathy with their characters.  Tolstoy, Chekhov, Turgenev, and others had an almost inordinate capacity for heart.   Two friends in publishing once told me that as a writer, you are given gifts which you are obligated to share with your readers.   These gifts are then "gifted" to your readers at a value far beyond the mere cover price of a book.  I don't know what exactly the value of my books are to others.   I'll leave readers to make that distinction.  My job is to write as well as I can, and that I pledge to do for you.

Tolstoy I find not only the overall author of that period, but also the one with the most tenderness, and sensitivity to the human condition.   War and Peace contains a wealth of human moments, and gifts us as readers abundantly.  Chekhov works on a smaller pallet, but reaches depths nearly as profound as Tolstoy. His sympathy for the serf class is heart-crushing and he moves us with the ease of a true artist.  A master of the short form.   I must admit I am so impressed with Chekhov that I have yet to read any of his drama.  I am afraid it wouldn't measure up to his short fiction.   Turgenev is also a great master of the short form.  If we have nothing else to thank Hemingway for, and we have so much to be grateful for, bringing Turgenev's work to the attention of the 20th C. Americans is surely one accomplishment to be thankful for.  Two blogs back I was going through a long dark period in my outlook on the vista of my writing.  No longer.  I am at once invigorated and inspired.

Current projects include: The ever growing A Contrite Spirit, which is growing both more metaphysical and supernatural as I write more on it, is my main concern.  Also a fiction nonfiction hybrid that promises to be both my most personal work and my most anonymous one.   Various short stories, etc.