Thank you Cheryl for sharing Suzy’s story. Calling her one of the best people out there left me intrigued, and she didn’t disappoint! That last paragraph was particularly poignant— what beautiful wisdom on a Tuesday morning. Looking forward to reading Bitterroot. And possibly The First Domino one day!
Reading Suzy's story brought flashes of my life and my own dominos although I had never seen it so clearly in those terms. Thanks for sharing Suzy and her insightful writing with us Cheryl.
I look forward to your newsletter in my inbox. It makes the day so much better. Thank you for writing. Keep on writing every day (that's what Stephen King advises in his book 'On Writing.' You do you. :) Enjoy the sunshine today. It's already summer here in Boston.
Thanks for sharing Suzy’s wonderfully engaging writing. I, too, found anthropology by way of an English major. I think a lot of writers are anthropologists without even realizing it. The curiosity and empathy for others is so key.
Pardon the amateur hour, but I'm new to Portland and stitching together threads of this literary scene you mentioned...you, Suzy Vitello, Rene Denfield, Lydia Yuknavitch...the city must be so proud. And, that's a lot of hard-knocks writers. Is Portland its own universe of the similar ghost-voices that haunt Southern writers? It's uncommon to find gloom, insight, adversity, grit, dark humor, and wisdom in a city's scatterplot...unless we're looking at the Polish literary scene, or Russia, or Cuba...
At any rate, I wonder. I've just bought Suzy's book and will vicariously revel in her pub day. Speak, Suzy, speak. Reading the interview next. Thank you for supporting her in this way, Cheryl.
Thank you for the warm welcome, Suzy - and congratulations on your latest book! I hope the process of giving it life was satisfying for you. I can't wait to curl up with it. :)
Re: Portland, I've spent almost one year here thus far and am deeply in love. In terms of the negative press, it was fascinating driving and camping across the country to get here. (We were coming from Asheville - we've been nomadic for 10 years) and it felt like schizophrenia, talking to people across the nation about Portland. We heard everything from, "You don't want to move to Portland! It's a hellscape. You'll be attacked on the street!" to "Portland is the most wonderful place on Earth." I figured it would be somewhere in-between but it's actually leaning toward the latter. So much going for this city, even with the recent hardships.
Out of curiosity (like Cheryl, I'm an extroverted hermit so I don't know if I would actually leave the house), IS there a supportive / current / inspiring literary scene? If so, where or how? Does it happen at Voodoo Doughnuts? Hee heee!
Start by going to the numerous book events! Powell's, yes, but Broadway Books and Annie Blooms books are also among the favorites. Rose City Book Pub on Fremont is becoming quite the venue for gatherings. Peruse the "events" feature on Facebook for a broader list. To start, come on out Thursday evening to the Cedar Hills Crossing Powell's where I'll be with pal, Debby Dodds discussing BITTERROOT!
Oh! I feel like a native bird just told me some good places to nest. 🪺 Thank you! It would’ve taken me an unnecessarily long time to find this route. I will do my best to be there on Thursday. Again, much appreciation to you for the welcome.
Thank you, Cheryl, sister in extroverted hermitage. I just followed the breadcrumbs Suzy tossed out and learned that Miranda July is meeting with Yuknavitch tomorrow at Powell's in Beaverton, followed by Suzy in a day or so, and fucking Kathleen Hanna not long after. Um. None of that sucks. Thank you both! WTF. Squeeeeee.
P.S. I went to one of your workshops in the mountains around Asheville not that long ago - maybe mid- to late-pandemic. I can't tell you how hard it was not to laugh out loud at some of your facial expressions. Just...yes. My sentiments exactly. On all kinds of things.
Thank you, Cheryl, for sharing this about Suzy. I love her so much. She is everything you say and more. I'll always be grateful for the writing community she introduced me to here in Portland, and for her suggestion I go apply for the Oregon Literary Arts Fellowship. Her heart matches her writing. Beautiful.
I love the encouragement of Making Friends with Your Spidey Sense 🙏🏼 I will get Bitterroot on hold in my library audiobook App as soon as possible! Thank you Cheryl, I appreciate you 🙏🏼
When I was 20, in 1970, I moved from New Jersey to Hawaii. I met a man, referred by my boss in New Jersey, and we started dating. He was 9 years older than I was. I met a girlfriend that was 15 years older than I, married with six children. After dating for 2 years, my boyfriend and I discussed marriage. He was in the Navy and would be transferred soon, to Maryland. He was not a kind man. He made fun of me, all in good fun, he would say, criticizing me most of the time, of course saying it was my fault, when I said he had hurt my feelings. I asked my friend for advice. She said, “All men are like that. Don’t not marry him, because you won’t find a man any different.”
It didn’t feel right to me, my gut trying to stop me. But, I was 22, what did I know compared to her 22 year marriage. I married him, had three wonderful kids, divorced him. Married again, after dating two years with a very kind man. Once we were married he said , “now that we are married, you are my wife, I can treat you any way I want.” And, I discovered he was a closet alcoholic with a terrifying temper. I divorced him.
My girlfriend and I had remained friends throughout the 27 years. She had divorced her husband of 33 years because he was an alcoholic, actually had her marriage annulled. Now she is married to my second ex-husband.
I, too, have three kids (and two step-kids) and I'm blown away by how much better they are at assessing their needs as young adults. It's like their generation was born with a more seasoned spidey sense. But, as I said, I don't think I'd trade my wrong turns.
Dear Wendy - from a fellow Wendy - it's never too late to start listening to that gut. AND you got 3 wonderful kids out of the deal, so that is something to cherish. Now - on to bigger and brighter and BETTER men!!! You are ready!!
Thank you Cheryl for sharing Suzy’s story. Calling her one of the best people out there left me intrigued, and she didn’t disappoint! That last paragraph was particularly poignant— what beautiful wisdom on a Tuesday morning. Looking forward to reading Bitterroot. And possibly The First Domino one day!
Love, love, love Suzy. The person and her work.
Very nice profile. . Inspiring too. Thats the best.
Reading Suzy's story brought flashes of my life and my own dominos although I had never seen it so clearly in those terms. Thanks for sharing Suzy and her insightful writing with us Cheryl.
Wonderful. She feels like a kindred spirit to me.
What an inspiring story! I love her perspective. Thank you for sharing with us...
I'm also feeling a kinship with Suzy. Yes to the dominos of our crazy-quilt life paths. Now off to buy Bitterroot.
:) me too!
I look forward to your newsletter in my inbox. It makes the day so much better. Thank you for writing. Keep on writing every day (that's what Stephen King advises in his book 'On Writing.' You do you. :) Enjoy the sunshine today. It's already summer here in Boston.
So much wonder and wisdom in Suzy’s telling. Always look forward to the stories and people you share here Cheryl, thank you ❤️
Thank you to Cheryl, and her many readers. I am gobsmacked and grateful to have such a loving community here. xoxo
I love this so much for you! You deserve every bit of it!
I am gobsmacked that Cheryl shared you with us!! Loved your answers to her questions. You are one cool lady dude!!
Thanks for sharing Suzy’s wonderfully engaging writing. I, too, found anthropology by way of an English major. I think a lot of writers are anthropologists without even realizing it. The curiosity and empathy for others is so key.
Indeed.
Pardon the amateur hour, but I'm new to Portland and stitching together threads of this literary scene you mentioned...you, Suzy Vitello, Rene Denfield, Lydia Yuknavitch...the city must be so proud. And, that's a lot of hard-knocks writers. Is Portland its own universe of the similar ghost-voices that haunt Southern writers? It's uncommon to find gloom, insight, adversity, grit, dark humor, and wisdom in a city's scatterplot...unless we're looking at the Polish literary scene, or Russia, or Cuba...
At any rate, I wonder. I've just bought Suzy's book and will vicariously revel in her pub day. Speak, Suzy, speak. Reading the interview next. Thank you for supporting her in this way, Cheryl.
Welcome to our big little city, Sunni. It really is one of the best places on earth (despite the negative press we've gotten as of late).
Thank you for the warm welcome, Suzy - and congratulations on your latest book! I hope the process of giving it life was satisfying for you. I can't wait to curl up with it. :)
Re: Portland, I've spent almost one year here thus far and am deeply in love. In terms of the negative press, it was fascinating driving and camping across the country to get here. (We were coming from Asheville - we've been nomadic for 10 years) and it felt like schizophrenia, talking to people across the nation about Portland. We heard everything from, "You don't want to move to Portland! It's a hellscape. You'll be attacked on the street!" to "Portland is the most wonderful place on Earth." I figured it would be somewhere in-between but it's actually leaning toward the latter. So much going for this city, even with the recent hardships.
Out of curiosity (like Cheryl, I'm an extroverted hermit so I don't know if I would actually leave the house), IS there a supportive / current / inspiring literary scene? If so, where or how? Does it happen at Voodoo Doughnuts? Hee heee!
Start by going to the numerous book events! Powell's, yes, but Broadway Books and Annie Blooms books are also among the favorites. Rose City Book Pub on Fremont is becoming quite the venue for gatherings. Peruse the "events" feature on Facebook for a broader list. To start, come on out Thursday evening to the Cedar Hills Crossing Powell's where I'll be with pal, Debby Dodds discussing BITTERROOT!
Oh! I feel like a native bird just told me some good places to nest. 🪺 Thank you! It would’ve taken me an unnecessarily long time to find this route. I will do my best to be there on Thursday. Again, much appreciation to you for the welcome.
Suzy’s advice is great! And welcome, Sunni!
Thank you, Cheryl, sister in extroverted hermitage. I just followed the breadcrumbs Suzy tossed out and learned that Miranda July is meeting with Yuknavitch tomorrow at Powell's in Beaverton, followed by Suzy in a day or so, and fucking Kathleen Hanna not long after. Um. None of that sucks. Thank you both! WTF. Squeeeeee.
P.S. I went to one of your workshops in the mountains around Asheville not that long ago - maybe mid- to late-pandemic. I can't tell you how hard it was not to laugh out loud at some of your facial expressions. Just...yes. My sentiments exactly. On all kinds of things.
Thank you, Cheryl, for sharing this about Suzy. I love her so much. She is everything you say and more. I'll always be grateful for the writing community she introduced me to here in Portland, and for her suggestion I go apply for the Oregon Literary Arts Fellowship. Her heart matches her writing. Beautiful.
Great questions and profound answers! Love this interview. And Bitterroot is a wonderful novel!
I love the encouragement of Making Friends with Your Spidey Sense 🙏🏼 I will get Bitterroot on hold in my library audiobook App as soon as possible! Thank you Cheryl, I appreciate you 🙏🏼
The audio book will be available mid-august!
When I was 20, in 1970, I moved from New Jersey to Hawaii. I met a man, referred by my boss in New Jersey, and we started dating. He was 9 years older than I was. I met a girlfriend that was 15 years older than I, married with six children. After dating for 2 years, my boyfriend and I discussed marriage. He was in the Navy and would be transferred soon, to Maryland. He was not a kind man. He made fun of me, all in good fun, he would say, criticizing me most of the time, of course saying it was my fault, when I said he had hurt my feelings. I asked my friend for advice. She said, “All men are like that. Don’t not marry him, because you won’t find a man any different.”
It didn’t feel right to me, my gut trying to stop me. But, I was 22, what did I know compared to her 22 year marriage. I married him, had three wonderful kids, divorced him. Married again, after dating two years with a very kind man. Once we were married he said , “now that we are married, you are my wife, I can treat you any way I want.” And, I discovered he was a closet alcoholic with a terrifying temper. I divorced him.
My girlfriend and I had remained friends throughout the 27 years. She had divorced her husband of 33 years because he was an alcoholic, actually had her marriage annulled. Now she is married to my second ex-husband.
I wish I had listened to my gut.
I, too, have three kids (and two step-kids) and I'm blown away by how much better they are at assessing their needs as young adults. It's like their generation was born with a more seasoned spidey sense. But, as I said, I don't think I'd trade my wrong turns.
Dear Wendy - from a fellow Wendy - it's never too late to start listening to that gut. AND you got 3 wonderful kids out of the deal, so that is something to cherish. Now - on to bigger and brighter and BETTER men!!! You are ready!!