It was magnificent! She's a terrific writer, and she's on Substack, too. Her name is @kathleenmckittyharris and she's not spending as much time here as I'd like. And the dry poo poo poo is quite effective! xo
That's very kind. You should have seen Kathleen's piece. I have no argument with her winning first place. Winning is great, but doing it is the best part. xo
Your screen presence is as inviting, interesting, and captivating as your essays, Nan. I was completely drawn in by your story of Aunt Paulie; I would love to have known her. I'm especially drawn in by your snippets of Jewish culture and spirituality, which I've recently begun to study; however, I appreciate Aunt Paulie's simple (a good 👍 thing) and direct expression: Evil and goodness are as inevitable as sunrise and sunset. Puh, puh, puh!
How fun to hear your voice and see your face as you tell the story about Aunt Paulie. What a character! All that spitting. Gosh, what more is there to say? lol
Enjoy your week at the writing workshop. I hope you get time to work on your memoir, too. I look foward to reading it some day. I'm interested in your presenter's book now, too. I think I've mentioned before that memoir is my favorite genre. Permission we need to give ourselves to tell the “non-secret secrets,” that is an intriguing way to put it.
Great Aunt Paulie is on to something, spit and all! I think I'd take the shower to ensure the evil cleansing worked. Congrats on the 2nd place win! I can't wait to hear more about your memoir, and what the writing retreat did (or did not) unlock in you.
Awesome delivery Nan! I love that story, and Great Aunt Polly, with all her contradictions. She really did know about evil. Such fun. You inspire me to get back on the search for a small live story place here in LA. We’re not talking: The Moth. A starter slam. Something for newbies. Brava!
Thanks, Susan! I hope you do find a starter slam. They are so much fun! I know, The Moth. I don't think that's in my future...I'm not a great memorizer. xo
I've keep thinking of scenes, with snippets of dialogue. Spending a lot of time getting things down in my notebook. I think a character may be trying to introduce herself to me.
Very colorful, Nan! You are not from a boring clan! Your story showed me that it's not always the story so much as the way it's told. And you're a great storyteller.
Have fun on the Cape. My old stomping ground in the summer. Learn all about memoir-writing cuz I can't wait to read yours when it's done. xoxo
Your Great Aunt Paulie sounds wonderful. And, as a Jewish person from the Bronx, I know all about the spitting three times to effectively ward off evil. My mom is totally into warding off the evil eye; she even has an evil eye bracelet.
Keep writing. I am so happy you have been attending a retreat about memoir writing. Your words are needed in the world.
Thanks, Beth! You're so kind. Great Aunt Paulie was very nice, but wonderful? Maybe. Her love for kaluki and banishing evil were the only things she was really interested in. And she was a terrific helper to her little sister, my grandmother Clara, in preparation for my family's Passover seders. She wasn't terribly interesting, but she loved us, and I loved her. My other story that includes a little big about her is called Not a Peep Out of You! loved writing it, and it's recorded too, if you want to listen. https://nantepper.com/p/not-a-peep-out-of-you-bec
I love this story. My dear departed mother-in-law did the dry poo poo poo version. My toddler mimicked it perfectly.
And now I MUST read the first place winner's story. It has to be magnificent.
It was magnificent! She's a terrific writer, and she's on Substack, too. Her name is @kathleenmckittyharris and she's not spending as much time here as I'd like. And the dry poo poo poo is quite effective! xo
✌️
So great! Without earbuds, I can still hear you. Thanks for this.
Thanks, Bar! xo
P.S. You should have, IMHO, won first place in this writing contest and congratulations 🥳, my friend 🧡 !!
That's very kind. You should have seen Kathleen's piece. I have no argument with her winning first place. Winning is great, but doing it is the best part. xo
Your screen presence is as inviting, interesting, and captivating as your essays, Nan. I was completely drawn in by your story of Aunt Paulie; I would love to have known her. I'm especially drawn in by your snippets of Jewish culture and spirituality, which I've recently begun to study; however, I appreciate Aunt Paulie's simple (a good 👍 thing) and direct expression: Evil and goodness are as inevitable as sunrise and sunset. Puh, puh, puh!
Thanks, Christina! Puh, Puh, Puh! Love the reference to Fiddler, intentional or not! xo
Thanks! Xo 🤗
Hi Nan,
How fun to hear your voice and see your face as you tell the story about Aunt Paulie. What a character! All that spitting. Gosh, what more is there to say? lol
Enjoy your week at the writing workshop. I hope you get time to work on your memoir, too. I look foward to reading it some day. I'm interested in your presenter's book now, too. I think I've mentioned before that memoir is my favorite genre. Permission we need to give ourselves to tell the “non-secret secrets,” that is an intriguing way to put it.
Thank you for sharing about Aunt Paulie with us.
This IS a treat! Feels like I can picture your great aunt Paulie! Thank you for sharing a treat this week. Enjoy Cape Cod! ❤️
Hey Whitney! I was so happy to see that you’re up and running here. Go girl! You’re a great writer. xo
I've got to hear and see Nan read live at Story Slams for a few years now. So fun. Thanks for sharing this one. Enjoy the workshop and Cape Cod.
Thanks, Jodi! xo
Great Aunt Paulie is on to something, spit and all! I think I'd take the shower to ensure the evil cleansing worked. Congrats on the 2nd place win! I can't wait to hear more about your memoir, and what the writing retreat did (or did not) unlock in you.
I can't wait to tell you about it! xo
Puh puh puh!!!!
Great aunt Polly sounds like a gem. So good Nan. Your story and especially your performance! 👏
Enjoyed seeing your beautiful face.
Thanks, lovey! xo
Awesome delivery Nan! I love that story, and Great Aunt Polly, with all her contradictions. She really did know about evil. Such fun. You inspire me to get back on the search for a small live story place here in LA. We’re not talking: The Moth. A starter slam. Something for newbies. Brava!
Thanks, Susan! I hope you do find a starter slam. They are so much fun! I know, The Moth. I don't think that's in my future...I'm not a great memorizer. xo
Loved this, Nan! I, too, am on the Cape this week. Happy writing!
Thanks, and enjoy! Are you writing, too? xo
I've keep thinking of scenes, with snippets of dialogue. Spending a lot of time getting things down in my notebook. I think a character may be trying to introduce herself to me.
That's great!
Very colorful, Nan! You are not from a boring clan! Your story showed me that it's not always the story so much as the way it's told. And you're a great storyteller.
Have fun on the Cape. My old stomping ground in the summer. Learn all about memoir-writing cuz I can't wait to read yours when it's done. xoxo
Thanks, lovey! I enjoyed writing (and performing) this one so much! xo
Your Great Aunt Paulie sounds wonderful. And, as a Jewish person from the Bronx, I know all about the spitting three times to effectively ward off evil. My mom is totally into warding off the evil eye; she even has an evil eye bracelet.
Keep writing. I am so happy you have been attending a retreat about memoir writing. Your words are needed in the world.
Thanks, Beth! You're so kind. Great Aunt Paulie was very nice, but wonderful? Maybe. Her love for kaluki and banishing evil were the only things she was really interested in. And she was a terrific helper to her little sister, my grandmother Clara, in preparation for my family's Passover seders. She wasn't terribly interesting, but she loved us, and I loved her. My other story that includes a little big about her is called Not a Peep Out of You! loved writing it, and it's recorded too, if you want to listen. https://nantepper.com/p/not-a-peep-out-of-you-bec
Hysterical! I feel like Aunt Paulie is a whole new vibe!
She's definitely a vibe...that's for sure...but new? She was quite old, in fact! xo
You knocked it out of the park with your first video voiceover. Well done! Love your storytelling style.
Thank you! It was fun. I have to work on some technique, but I may do these more often. I love it.