I’m new to writing fiction, my previous work having focused almost entirely on non-fiction. The Rose series is my first substantive attempt. Rose is probably a character study more than a full-blown short story, as the installments lack a fully developed plot, setting, or narrative arc. She’s a new beginning, for me as a writer and for you as a reader.
Rose is a woman of a certain age, down on her luck. She can be self-centered. She can be feisty. She can be overtly bigoted and narrow minded. She can attract the kindness of people unrelated to her, although her own family keeps her at arm’s length. In many ways Rose represents a cadre of women whose life choices were limited by the era in which they were born, whose aspirations were expected to center on being a wife and mother and little else. And then they were expected to be happy.
Is Rose a sympathetic figure? A tiresome one? Is there anything about her that you admire? Do you recognize in Rose aspects of someone you know?
Here are some questions you might want to think about as you’re reading. If you’d like to write a comment or ask a question, you can do so in the comment section at the end of each week’s story.
Do you like Rose? Do you need to like her in order to be interested in her story?
Do you identify with Rose in any way?
Does her story ring true?
Do you think Rose is a strong person? A weak or vulnerable one? Is she some of both?
Does anything about Rose surprise you?
Pam Klainer's Day 