tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4994072470312639837.post6775877491341087137..comments2024-03-26T15:49:05.333-07:00Comments on Criminal Minds: Pardon My Prose by James W. ZiskinJosh Stallingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09913654176433125233noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4994072470312639837.post-58189776730491772032020-07-22T14:34:53.530-07:002020-07-22T14:34:53.530-07:00Thank YOU, John! By all appearances, you’re doing ...Thank YOU, John! By all appearances, you’re doing a great job navigating these issues.<br /><br />JimJames W. Ziskinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07677940119373480715noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4994072470312639837.post-23399908966255087092020-07-21T11:52:15.709-07:002020-07-21T11:52:15.709-07:00Thanks for this, Jim! I just stumbled on it. It...Thanks for this, Jim! I just stumbled on it. It's something I'm constantly trying to navigate in my writing. -JohnJohn Copenhaverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10766936119354243801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4994072470312639837.post-86056505214121795402020-07-11T13:30:43.455-07:002020-07-11T13:30:43.455-07:00Thanks, Rita. I’m so proud that you did my book in...Thanks, Rita. I’m so proud that you did my book in your class. It sounds like a blast. If you ever want to do a Zoom meeting or something with your class, I’d love to do it. <br /><br />I also think you are a very cool teacher. Thank you, for me, and for your students. They’re lucky to have you.<br /><br />JimJames W. Ziskinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07677940119373480715noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4994072470312639837.post-66368417433747212442020-07-11T13:28:57.053-07:002020-07-11T13:28:57.053-07:00Thanks, Kay. Still looking forward to seeing you a...Thanks, Kay. Still looking forward to seeing you again when it’s safe!<br /><br />JimJames W. Ziskinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07677940119373480715noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4994072470312639837.post-81970330164070779612020-07-11T13:28:31.455-07:002020-07-11T13:28:31.455-07:00Thank you, Judy! Always a pleasure to hear from yo...Thank you, Judy! Always a pleasure to hear from you. JimJames W. Ziskinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07677940119373480715noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4994072470312639837.post-41343751377510723382020-07-10T13:18:59.765-07:002020-07-10T13:18:59.765-07:00fascinating, Jim. I enjoyed reading about your tho...fascinating, Jim. I enjoyed reading about your thought processes.<br />Well done, you. Kay Kendallhttp://www.austinstarr.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4994072470312639837.post-61485523973040970422020-07-10T07:17:42.255-07:002020-07-10T07:17:42.255-07:00Jim, as you know, I used Cast the First Stone in m...Jim, as you know, I used Cast the First Stone in my high school English class. Knowing there were some terms that may have been deemed offensive in this day and age, I made it a point, right from the get-go, to let my students know that this is a work of fiction and that the words we currently find offensive were in use during the 60s. This point was stressed again and again as we encountered such words. I also reiterated, time and time again, that the sentiments were NOT yours, but because you strive for authenticity, you felt the needs to use the words you did. Otherwise, you would have been changing history. They completely understood. I’m not sure why some adults don’t get it. This book actually opened up many worthwhile conversations in our classroom. ��Ritanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4994072470312639837.post-29504602573678468352020-07-10T06:44:08.037-07:002020-07-10T06:44:08.037-07:00Jim, I'm so glad that I took a few minutes to ...Jim, I'm so glad that I took a few minutes to read your explanation of how you decide which terms to use and when. I know that you are really careful with the Italian language passages in your books and now understand how careful you are with English, too. I also appreciate knowing how much you are willing to let "thoroughly modern" Ellie disclose about her sexual encounters. I must confess that I wondered about that. I suppose that writers do loose readers if they tell too much. Well, you won't loose this reader.Judyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16128026892155650398noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4994072470312639837.post-79675184723566127412020-07-09T15:34:00.518-07:002020-07-09T15:34:00.518-07:00Catriona, I have figured out some tricks with Ngra...Catriona, I have figured out some tricks with Ngram. If you’re having trouble narrowing your search with more terms, I know how to make it work. Now back to your galumphing.<br /><br />JimJames W. Ziskinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07677940119373480715noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4994072470312639837.post-88267623509748072262020-07-09T12:34:11.571-07:002020-07-09T12:34:11.571-07:00This is fantastic, Jim. I didn't even know abo...This is fantastic, Jim. I didn't even know about Google Ngram! I've removed a few things from 1930s stuff, at the behest of my editor - sometimes thinking she's beeing too squeamish and sometimes realising that I've been too galumphing by far. No one's ever said the books are bland.catrionahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07377696246539539528noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4994072470312639837.post-58625544309187980542020-07-09T11:06:16.474-07:002020-07-09T11:06:16.474-07:00You are too kind, Susan. Can’t wait to see you aga...You are too kind, Susan. Can’t wait to see you again in person someday!<br /><br />JimJames W. Ziskinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07677940119373480715noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4994072470312639837.post-37193129048671099662020-07-09T09:03:21.451-07:002020-07-09T09:03:21.451-07:00The way you work through this is the way I would e...The way you work through this is the way I would expect you to - with grace, honesty, and sensitivity. And with lots of research! There are words we know in our guts we just can't use, even if they might have been used by the characters we create in their own times. Fortunately, we have other means of showing their racism, sexism, homophobia, cruelty, ways that actually have more meaning than throwing around a word here and there. Susan C Sheahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18225627756540127032noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4994072470312639837.post-23379395454459379962020-07-09T07:58:41.568-07:002020-07-09T07:58:41.568-07:00Thanks, Ann, Frank, and Leslie! Thanks, Ann, Frank, and Leslie! James W. Ziskinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07677940119373480715noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4994072470312639837.post-16798564111489597012020-07-09T07:40:33.273-07:002020-07-09T07:40:33.273-07:00And then there's Auntie Em's way out: &quo...And then there's Auntie Em's way out: "Well, being a Christian woman, I can't say it."<br /><br />I think you do a terrific job of walking the line between authentic and polite--which line is about as difficult walk as the chalk line a cop draws for a drunk. <br /><br />Looking forward to the book set in India, my friend! Yippee!Leslie Karsthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15779717365273916569noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4994072470312639837.post-86528157298829269262020-07-09T07:28:17.996-07:002020-07-09T07:28:17.996-07:00Jim, I am impressed by your methods, but not surpr...Jim, I am impressed by your methods, but not surprised at your sentiment. I've found Ellie to be very believable and her settings ring true as well (I was still a glint in the eye in the early 1960s but the world Ellie feels right).<br /><br />Looking forward to visiting Florence with her!<br /><br />Your choices on how to balance the need for historical authenticity while not alienating today's readers by being "too" accurate in showing how terrible our forbearers spoke are, I think, well-reasoned and well done.<br /><br />I'm reading Lee Matthew Goldberg's THE ANCESTOR at the moment (he's coming on the podcast early next season) which features a character frozen in 1898 who is revived in 2020. Takes place up in Alaska. This issue of common usage of words like "Injun" then that are offensive now is something he's also had to tackle. At the point I am in the story, this character appears to be a decent fellow, and so Goldberg handled the issue by simply having the character say, "I meant no offense. I didn't know." And then he calls the woman Native American, as she directs. As a mechanic, it seems similar to your solution.Frank Zafirohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01846847831614880053noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4994072470312639837.post-83960213520952096032020-07-09T07:09:40.723-07:002020-07-09T07:09:40.723-07:00Darling Jim, I can’t imagine you being anything ot...Darling Jim, I can’t imagine you being anything other than polite, in life as well as in your writing. You are a gentle man always. AnnFintahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17087809450585073206noreply@blogger.com