Author Archives: kristinabaer
Celebrating a #coming-of-age story
February 21, 2016A year ago, I wrote about a message I’d received from an old friend who congratulated me for having “the nerve and energy to write so many words and to see [#Minerva’s Fox] through to publication.” This month, as I … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged coming-of-age narrative, life lessons, market a first novel, Minerva's Fox, telling stories | Leave a comment
You’ve published your novel. Now what?
December 19, 2015What to do? Like a former lover who hangs around, the novel you just published won’t move quietly out of your life. I’m not talking here about the amount of time you choose to spend with it—marketing it, talking about … Continue reading
Posted in Fiction writing: Craft | Leave a comment
New Literary Fiction Memoir Book Review
August 24, 2015http://www.prlog.org/12487216-new-literary-fiction-memoir-book-review.html
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My Week at Hedgebrook: March 2013 Master Class with Carolyn Forché
July 3, 20154 AM 3.19.13. I wake to the smell of wood smoke, redolent of douglas fir and western cedar. The loft’s chill, dry air feels like an extra layer of fragile, impermeable skin. I inhale it in short, shallow puffs. Even … Continue reading
Posted in Writer's retreat experience | Leave a comment
To market, to market: Better Late than Never
June 26, 2015In the early stages of producing my novel, “Minerva’s Fox,” I had a half-hour conversation with a marketing person at Hillcrest Media, my publisher. I’d been looking forward to our chat, certain he would offer many valuable suggestions I would … Continue reading
Posted in Marketing and promotion, marketing and promotion first novel | Leave a comment
Celebrating another coming-of-age story
May 25, 2015A year ago, I wrote about a message I’d received from an old friend who had written to congratulate me for having “the nerve and energy to write so many words and to see [Minerva’s Fox] through to publication.” This … Continue reading
Posted in Genre | Tagged coming-of-age narrative, market a first novel, telling stories | Leave a comment
Just Desserts: Malorie’s favorite
April 10, 2015A friend recently asked for my recipe for vacherin, Malorie’s favorite birthday treat (Part 1, “Ardis,” p. 85). There are many recipes online for vacherin glacé, a dressed-up version of this dessert, which has alternating layers of meringue and ice … Continue reading
Posted in French desserts | Leave a comment
Minerva’s Fox Discussion Guide for Book Groups
March 25, 2015Minerva’s Fox By Kristina Baer Discussion Guide for book groups Part 1: Brookton University, 1969-1970 1. In what ways is Malorie’s reaction to the fox in the fresco an over-reaction? In what ways does it prove to be valid? Does … Continue reading
Posted in Book Group questions | Tagged book group discussion, Minerva's Fox discussion guide | Leave a comment
Minerva’s Fox FAQ 2
February 22, 20151. Readers praise your descriptions of landscapes and gardens, descriptions that create pictures in the reader’s mind. Is this an example of writing “what you know”? It is Malorie’s point of view that presents the gardens and landscapes we discover … Continue reading
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Minerva’s Fox: FAQ 1
February 15, 2015Minerva’s Fox: FAQ 1 1. Why did you write Minerva’s Fox? I had written several drafts of a short story about a woman, recently widowed, who sells her home. Paying a last visit to the empty house, she finds a … Continue reading