Writer Ellen Morris Prewitt Blog

The Dance between Intellect and Creative Impulse

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on July 8, 2013. Posted in General. No Comments on The Dance between Intellect and Creative Impulse

“Interpretation is the revenge of the intellect upon art.” Susan Sontag, courtesy of A-Word-A-Day “Revision must honor the creative impulse that led to the words that strived—neck stretched—to achieve something the intellect—sitting in the bleachers, watching the race—can only glimpse.” Ellen Morris Prewitt Listen to “Ain’t...

Sunday Listening

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on July 7, 2013. Posted in General. No Comments on Sunday Listening

“I don’t want to hear any more talk about heaven. Or Jesus,” my mom says. Still, I think it was a sign. Jesus talking like a surfer dude, except saying “skate” instead of “rock.” The real thing. So I decided to become a rollerblader for Jesus. My mom says, “Yeah, and before that, you wanted to retire the national debt.” “Rollerblader for...

Mentoring in Audio

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on July 6, 2013. Posted in General. No Comments on Mentoring in Audio

Yesterday I joined the Podiobooks Mentoring Community. The Community is a Google+ site created by Podiobooks.com, a site offering free serialized audio books. Last year, when I was struck by this wild idea to record my short stories and make them available on-line for free, I found podibooks.com. I hung around their community for days, reading...

What I Discovered

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on July 5, 2013. Posted in General. No Comments on What I Discovered

If you’re gonna ask folks to listen to your work, your writing needs to be clear and easy to understand. The ear is not as flexible as the eye, which can re-scan a sentence almost without your knowing it. The ear, if confused, just sends signals to the brain causing it to shout, “Wait, wait, wait!” Originally, I had 18 stories...

An Ode to Freedom

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on July 4, 2013. Posted in General. 4 Comments on An Ode to Freedom

I am not patriotic. I don’t like red, white and blue. I mean, I don’t like the colors. I’m not particularly a flag person, either. The only time I reacted to the flag was shortly after 9/11. The color guard marched in at a University of Memphis game, and everyone stood up like they meant it. Even then, the wave that washed over me was more a...

Somewhere in the Crowd

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on July 3, 2013. Posted in General. 4 Comments on Somewhere in the Crowd

Tom and I were there. I was 17 years old, about to go off to college. I’d been visiting in Jackson and we drove to Memphis for the day. We sat on bleachers in the blistering heat. I thought I was the very definition of Southern-fried kick-ass: I was at a Stones concert with my cool Mississippi cousins. I fell in love with Billy Preston....

How You’re Listening

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on July 3, 2013. Posted in General. No Comments on How You’re Listening

“I love the cd! It is particularly wonderful listening to it while driving to the northeast … It’s a wonderful reminder of home and what’s real. I salute you . . . It is just superb.” Ellen Klyce, Spiritual Director LISTEN: “Lucky Critters” :

Why I Like Mid-South Peace and Justice

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on July 1, 2013. Posted in General. No Comments on Why I Like Mid-South Peace and Justice

They support the MATA riders On Easter Saturday, in response to the KKK rally, they hosted MEMPHIS UNITED They have cool t-shirts Paul Garner, the MSPJ Organizing Coordinator, helped start The Bridge street paper They empower men and women who have experienced homelessness I bought my tomatoes from them one summer To contribute to Mid-South Peace...

What They’re Saying

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on June 30, 2013. Posted in General. No Comments on What They’re Saying

“I started with Lucky Critters and your reading reminded me for all the world of the cadence of Larry Brown reading from his works years ago, one of his first, at a Jackson literary festival. It was when Larry was getting to be noticed.” Lynn Watkins, journalist, lawyer, Mississippi reader LISTEN: “Lucky Critters” :

What They’re Saying

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on June 29, 2013. Posted in General. No Comments on What They’re Saying

“I love Ellen’s stories! Crisp, funny and fresh like a summer salad. They make me laugh and then they make me think.” Elaine Blanchard, storyteller, writer, actor; co-author of “For Goodness Sakes” LISTEN: “Lucky Critters” :