Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Happy Cinco de Mayo! Felicidades!

It's not Mexico's Day of Independence (which is Sept 16), but it's still an important day in Mexican history. 4,000 Mexican soldiers confronted a rebel army (of other Mexicans and French forces) of 8,000 at Puebla, about 100 miles east of Mexico City. That army had landed in Veracruz and marched towards Mexico City. The French invaded on the pretense of collecting financial debts from the newly-elected president, Benito Juarez.

On the morning of May 5, 1862, those 4,000 soldiers met a force twice their size. And won.

It was the beginning of the end of Napoleon's forces in Mexico. Although Mexico had already declared their independence in 1810, they proved it on May 5.

All original writing and art copyright A. Dameron 2000-2011

A Writer's Paris by Eric Maisel

I've had this book for a while on my writer's shelf: A Writer's Paris by Eric Maisel. He describes a writer's six-month sojourn in the City of Lights: strolling through the streets, (flânerie, in French), patronizing cafés, and drawing inspiration from famous writers that came before. Some of his advice can be taken anywhere, from a small town to a huge metropolis. Others are more flamboyant and risk-taking. Yet the sense of joie de vivre shines through the entire book.

Can you write a novel in six months? Maisel offers encouragement regarding the creative process, all in the backdrop of Paris and its various arrondissements (suburbs). The illustrations in this book are definitely breathtaking. Danny Gregory drew many of the pen and ink sketches, while Claudine Hellmuth did the collages.

The only drawback to this book is its tiny font. Those with bad eyesight (like me), might have trouble reading the typeset without a strong glasses prescription or a magnifying glass. If you can get over that, Maisel's book is a good resource, not only for the creative process, but for the Paris itself.

All original writing and art copyright A. Dameron 2000-2011