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In Search of the American Dream

By Norma Jaeger Hopcraft

It's possible my American Dream is to live in Viroflay and write in Paris!

Sunday I took the train to Paris to go to church. From Viroflay to the center of Paris is only 20 minutes! I'm loving where I'm staying! I'm so grateful to Christelle for opening her home to me.

This is the church that I attended during my one-year creative writing sabbatical. It's a Protestant service, in French, for the French. But there was an international group of people there, as I expected. And I saw a friend, Suzy, an American who lives in Paris. When I was trying to decide what to do, where to go, when my sabbatical time was up last time, she was an invaluable source of support and steadiness in my decision-making process. Forever indebted to her, to Christelle, to Paris!

I'm on a busman's holiday. It's like a bus driver taking his vacation by traveling on a bus. I write for a living, plus I make time each day to write my own projects, and now I'm using all my vacation time to write in Paris.

I'm having a great time on my busman's holiday! I've written a bunch of new chapters the last few days, and revised others. Yesterday, when I read what I'd produced over the past week, I was pleased. Though good storytelling and good writing always require tons of thought and revision.

It also requires the attention of a circle of serious writers who have a well-developed second skill: the ability to critique well. There are three such groups in Paris! For Anglophones who write in English! I reconnected with two of the groups on Tuesday. Guess what? They said the travel essay that I brought to the group, which I thought they were going to love, needs more work. Ouch! As always!

I'm thinking today about the story arc -- the increasing stakes, the increasing tension, the increasing sense of frustration and struggle -- for my two main characters. Things have to happen to them to the point where they must change, even if they don't want to. I'm writing down ideas for circumstances that will increase the discomfort inside the pressure cooker! I have so much to draw from in my own life : )

Monday and Tuesday I worked in the first of the three historic and beautiful libraries that I will work in on this trip. There are 10 beautiful libraries in Paris (at least), but two of them are closed this summer for renovations.  First I went to Bibliotheque Mazarine, oldest public library in France, dating back to 1643. It's open to the public! But it was nearly empty, maybe because so many French people, including scholars, were en vacances.. I first discovered the library at this link.

Enjoy the fraught history of the library here. 

I sat near the one open window. Even though it's much cooler in Paris this week, I was sweating profusely at the opposite end of this room, while I waited for my passport to be processed and to be given a library card. I was so glad there was at least one window open! And that I could sit near it! It faces the courtyard. Gorgeous! See for yourself!

This is the Institute de France, a huge building. Bibliotheque Mazarine is in part of it.

Look at those attic windows! Wouldn't you love to live up there? I'm reading the Hunchback of Notre Dame (in English, thank you) while I'm here, and attics feature prominently. Stay tuned for more pics of attics!

It's all glorious.

A view, from the courtyard, of the rotunda.

A close-up. There's a mini rotunda on the left. It's fantastic! See why I love this place?

Another facade within the courtyard.

The facade of the Bibliotheque Mazarine.

Just inside the front door.

Looking down the spiral staircase.

Inside the bibliotheque.

Another view in L-shaped library. I sat near the open window on the left.

A view of the statuary along the walls.

A chandelier. Does your library have such a beautiful thing?

The circular staircase, going up.

We're talking wrought iron.

The squares on this checkerboard marble floor are shaped to the outer circumference and inner circumference of the circular balcony. 

The door for people on foot to exit.

Staircase within the porter's office.

A door to the Institute de France.

There's a courtyard off of the courtyard! Bonkers!

Another gorgeous door.

The courtyard is cobbled so beautifully. How about you? What do you think? Is this place crazy beautiful?

This Suburb of Paris, C'est Extraordinaire!!

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Yes, I'm in Search of the American Dream...

by Norma Jaeger Hopcraft

I'm in France for a new creative writing sabbatical, this time only three weeks. I won't finish a novel, like I did last time in a year-long sabbatical. 

But I'm making a big dent in a new novel, set in Brooklyn where I live now.

I'm grateful for my friends, whose hospitality makes this sabbatical possible.

Christelle lives in Viroflay, a suburb of Paris. Only 20 minutes by train to Gare Montparnasse! 

I've been exploring Paris, and also Viroflay. I'm delighted -- see pics from Viroflay below. And the people have been charming.

A few days ago, I went to a pharmacy in Viroflay, where I'm staying. I said "J'essaye en francais," which means, "I will try in French." And I told her in French that I felt I was coming down with the "grippe," like I had sand in my eyes. I demonstrated a cough. Then I stopped.

"Now we try in English," she said with a smile. I was crestfallen, but it worked out better. She interviewed me and found out I had headache and that I wasn't allergic to ibuprophen. She told me sand in the eyes is ALWAYS allergy. I never knew that. And I'm still not convinced it's true. She told me that the sleep aid I had at Christelle's would work with the ibuprophen she was giving me. 

She conducted a medical consultation in English! Wow! I'm sure she doesn't have to do that every day. Yet she switched to English with ease. These French are amazing! And she had such a big smile for me. She was patient while I tried in French, and she appreciated me trying in French. "Enjoy your time in Paris," she said as I left. I had a big smile on my face too. Citizens of two great democracies (may the far right and far left in both our nations not ruin everything) working together and having a great time.

Everyone in Viroflay -- and the Parisians, too -- has been so patient with me speaking French. Between a little French here and a little English there, I've managed to get through the reception process at two libraries, to get the bit of paperwork done and to gain an understanding of the rules.

I'm so grateful for my bit of French!

This has been a soul-satisfying stay. I bought chevre (goat cheese) in the farmer's market this morning and had it with slices of baguette. The bread was crusty. The cheese was white. Firm. Packed with flavor. Glorious!

Here are a few more pictures of beautiful French houses in Viroflay:

I like the little room above the door.

Gates, walls, such a sense of enclosure, of safety.

All these houses are built of local stone.

I went for a walk in the forest of Meudon, just outside my village of Viroflay.

The older houses have tile work that's so appealing. I'd love to live in one of these houses!

There's Christelle on a little shortcut through Viroflay.

This house on the right provides a wall for this little narrow way.

The town puts in lots of flowers, at every opportunity, as most towns do in France. How about you? Would you like to leave your life in the U.S. and live in one of these houses? Comment below!

My first evening in Paris -- spooky

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In Paris, In Search of the American Dream

by Norma Hopcraft

We're having a heat wave in Paris. 102 Wednesday, Thursday the highest ever temperature in Paris, 108 F.  But I am enjoying France anyway. I've had interactions with people in this town where I'm staying, just outside of Paris. They've all been very pleasant and helpful and happy that I'm trying to speak French with them.

My back went out, so I'm a little behind in my writing schedule. But I put in a good chunk of time this afternoon, and will give it another hour and a half now. Then I'll watch a French movie with English subtitles.

The first day i was here Christelle, her family and I went to a big destination in Paris, Les Invalides, an army hospital, still in use, that Louis XIV built for his men in 1670. We enjoyed a sound and light show and then went behind the hospital to Napoleon's tomb (covered by a gold dome--you'll see).

He was such a huge force in the history of not only France but all of Europe. When I looked at his huge marble coffin, I felt like there was still energy from him emanating out of it. He'd like to get out and do it all over again, only this time better.

His coffin is directly under the dome--maybe 75 feet below the highest point. His coffin is lit with special lighting and surrounded by marble statues of angels. And hovering above, Jesus on the cross. But Napoleon is the star of this show.

For all the glory and riches that went into making his tomb, what does it matter? Dead is dead. Whether you're in a pine coffin or an elaborate marble one. I think "dead is dead" is kind of funny, especially in light of all that was invested in making his tomb spectacular. I'm enjoying my irreverence.

This trip to his tomb, with other French ministers and generals in coffins in side chapels around him, all took place at midnight. It was really spooky--but delightfully so.

These pictures were taken by my friend Christelle's father. His name is Thierry Lamblin, he recently retired as a cardiologist, and he lives near Grenoble.

The main gate to Les Invalides, the huge army hospital, still in use, that Louis XIV built for his wounded men. The name of the firm that created the show, Lutece, is projected onto the facade, along with a tantalizing taste of the colors and effects that they used during the show.

The son et lumiere show was projected against the walls of the courtyard of Les Invalides.

In the center is Napoleon's absolutely huge marble coffin. We visited at midnight. Candles lit the marble floor, and spotlights highlighted the carved angels.

A shot of the dome, many many feet above our heads.

Jesus guarding Napoleon, who is definitely the star of this arrangement.

A shot of the dome at midnight.

The Eiffel Tower is near Les Invalides, lit up at night for all it's worth and probing the city with its spotlight. How about you? Want to do it all over again, only better? Comment below!

I'm in Paris! Still in Search of the American Dream--for Writers

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A Writer's Sabbatical in the City of Light

By Norma Jaeger Hopcraft

I am in Paris again -- in a suburb just outside, actually, but much closer than I was in my apartment in Brooklyn! I'm here to do a short version--a three-week version--of the one-year creative writing sabbatical I did in Paris a few years ago.

The plan is to write much more of my new novel. Like last time, I'll do it in the historic libraries of Paris. My favorite from my one-year sabbatical, La Bibliotheque Historique de la Ville de Paris, is closed for renovation this summer. It was built in the 16th century and was knock-out beautiful. I was so sorry to read that it would be closed while I was in Paris this second time.

So I had to hunt for a new historic library. I found several!  I've selected three or four libraries I've never been to before--that I didn't know existed until I found this link: http://www.blog.welcome2france.com/10-of-the-most-beautiful-libraries-in-paris/

So I'll be writing a novel set in Brooklyn while luxuriating in the beauty of Paris. 

I'm not sure how well it's going to work. Brooklyn vs. Paris.  Grit and chain link fences versus charm and wrought-iron balconies. I hope this works!

But it's fantastic to pursue a writer's dream--doing more good work--while in the City of Light, so called, in part, because it's the capital city of the Enlightenment. I'm praying for lots of light to shine on the dark stuff I need to write about in order to write realistically and compellingly about Brooklyn.

I have some good news and some bad news about this trip so far.

I find that the French words and expressions that I painstakingly learned four years ago are coming back in full. This is very exciting. French is not the easiest language to learn, and I hated feeling like I had forgotten most of it.

I learned yesterday that it's still with me! It was taking a breather in the far recesses of my mind. It's still a little jumbled with Spanish, which I studied during my 3 months living in Barcelona. Yesterday I said, "muy bien" instead of "tres bien". But my French friends graciously smiled and carried on.

After chilling out with these friends and recovering from jetlag, I was supposed to go into Paris today with my lovely French friend and host, Christelle.

But in the days leading up to my flight to Paris, I neglected to do my daily back-strengthening exercises because I was too busy.

I'm paying the price. My back went out at noon today. Instead of a pique-nique in the Tuileries amidst flowers and grass, I am flat on my back with an icepack.

But it's a French icepack! And hopefully by tomorrow I will be feeling well enough to buy a baguette and un petit peu de fromage.

Yesterday,  before my back went out, I went for a walk in Christelle's town of Viroflay Rive Gauche and took a few pictures I'd like to share with you. They're of French houses (soon I will share with you the pictures I took at the Jersey shore of Victorian houses).

The orange stone is locally sourced. Isn't this home gorgeous? So solid -- it will last forever.

Another stone home behind gates.

This house has a circular window in the attic -- and the French have made shutters that exactly fit such windows! Clever!

Just beyond a wrought-iron gate are these steps to another French home.

Behind the gate, up the steps, into a solid, stone home.

This is a newer place. But the French love shutters and flowerboxes, so this home has both, as usual. I especially admire the lace panels behind the window.

Another home, a different type of lace panel.

This is what the home looks like, in full. A profusion of flowers.

Another beautiful lace panel. How about you? Do you want lace at your windows or something plain? Comment below!

The Cannes Film Festival Is Part of My American Dream

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French Films and the American Dream

By Norma Jaeger Hopcraft

The 72nd Cannes Film Festival is underway (May 14 to 25) on the French Riviera. I always wanted to be there, to soak up the stories in film, the stories on the runway, the stories of creative process and how a film miraculously came together in a series of serendipities.

I was in Nice, France, with my sister, daughter, and son-in-law a few years ago. Our plan was to drive west from Nice, on the coast road along the Cote d'Azur, and drive through Cannes. They had no particular interest in it; they were humoring me.

See a map of the Cote d'Azur here.

The festival had concluded days before, but I wanted to see this world-famous destination, the world-famous film festival that carries more weight than any other. I wanted to feed off the creative energy that would be lingering among the palm fronds waving in the Mediterranean breeze. I wanted to take the buzz back to Paris with me so that, after my family left, I could apply it to The Paris Writers Circle.

The road cooperated for a nice drive with views of the sea, through one coast town after another. I was looking forward to being in Cannes and paying homage to film, storytelling, glamour.

In Search of the American Dream

It's part of my American dream to see a movie of one of my stories made. If it ever happens, I'll be on the set, with gray hair, telling the 20-year-old actress to button her blouse up because that's not how I wrote this character. And telling the director I believe in sexual tension in stories rather than explicit sexual scenes. And they'll be, like, yeah, yeah, she's so old, and ignore my wisdom. Sigh.

Back to my story. The road suddenly veered inland, up a hill.  We anxiously kept putting "Cannes" in the GPS, but it simply refused to take us there. Traffic was heavy -- and scary. And we had to make it back to Paris that day for flights the following day. We couldn't afford to backtrack.

So my homage was never paid. I've never been to Cannes and really hate having to say that.

We drove north to Lyon, which we'd heard is the culinary center of France. Arrived just as the restaurants were closing for the afternoon break. Another disappointment.

But what are we but resilient?

Resilience, dogged perseverance, butt in chair, and serendipities. That's my creative process.

So I have no photos of Cannes for you. But I have a link to the official festival site, here, and to images by Newsweek from the 2018 festival, here. And I have a list of my Paris housemate Daphne's most highly recommended French films, below.

Daphne is a great source for film recommendations. She works in show business in France, managing shows for various artists. 

Here's my dear friend Daphne, standing in a driveway in France. I will see her here in Brooklyn on June 4 when she comes to stay with me for a week! She understands showmanship, so you'll enjoy the movies she listed for me (below)

You'll see the French name of the film, her zany comments in parens, and then my notes on where I found (or didn't find) the film. In my case, "library" means the New York Public Library and Brooklyn Public Library systems. Most town libraries are connected to a bigger system -- persevere and you may find these movies no matter where you live.

I have been delighted with all the movies on this list that I've seen. The comedies are truly laugh out loud funny. The dramas are moving, emotional. There are no special effects. They are all about humanity, life, longing. They are excellent storytelling.

Here goes:

---------Comédie---------

- Ensemble c'est tout (cheerfully french !)

- Le placard (nice) buy $2

- L'auberge espagnol / Les poupées russes / Casse-tête chinois (it's a trilogy)

- La doublure (nicely funny)

- Les Visiteurs ( a MUST see! One of the classics!) buy on Am. $$$$ not on Netflix.

- La Grande Vadrouille (THE absolute classic)

- Les bronzés font du ski (a double must-see!) $8 on Am. Not on Netflix apparently.

- La vérité si je mens 1, 2 and 3 (crazyly funny^^) buy $4 on Am.

- Ma vie en l'air (quite great actually)  $10 to buy on Am.

- La chèvre (hahahahahahaha!!!)     rent on Amazon

- Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis (incroyable!)

- Rien à déclarer (a proof of the belgian inferior race ! Joking XD) rent $3.49

- Le gendarme de St Tropez (old but nice saga) no rent on Am. Not on Netflix stream or DVD either.

- La vache et le prisonnier (old cute movie). Not on netflix

- Hors de prix =)

- Un indien dans la ville (a big classic too^^)

-------Comédie dramatique------

- Jeux interdits (even if difficult, the cutest movie I've ever seen)

- Comme un avion (like my father said: only french people can make a movie like that lol)  get from library

- Le concert (beautiful sound)

- Jeux d'enfants (Glory of french surrealism)

- Le Grand Bleu (if you liked dolphins.. Luc Besson's movie) not on Amazon

- Dialogue avec mon jardinier (friendship is all) book only at library. Not on either Netflix

- Intouchable (a wonder...)

- La Populaire! It's a really enchanting movie :D not on netflix

-------Drame-------

Le Coeur des Hommes! (it's like a french Sex and the city version with men)

- Je vais bien ne t'en fais pas (Frenchly bothering)

- La Môme (Édith Piaf biography)

- Deux jours à tuer (every detail is important in that movie). Not on Netflix

- Mommy (Canadian movie in French Canadian... just admired the work!)

- Suite Française (it's in English but I loved it!!), not on netflix

-------Thriller/Suspens------

- Ne le dis à personne (well done!) yes, well done.

- Les rivière pourpres (Grrrrr)

- Cash (french suspens :P)

- 36 Quai des Orfèvres (good good good!) not Amazon. Not Netflix. Not NYPL library.

- MR73 (veeeeeeery good... but you'll need company to watch it I think)

- Léon (in English but french director Luc Besson... Natalie Portman is just incredible in that film)

Enjoy!! 

Admiring the "Success" of a Much-Admired Author

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JRR Tolkien -- It Depends on How You Define Success

By Norma Jaeger Hopcraft, the Traveling Writer

Today I bring you with me to a mini-adventure in New York City, in the palace-like home and library of financier JP Morgan, now known as the Morgan Library.

I visited the JRR Tolkien art exhibit there. It was mobbed. Stood on line for an hour. Feet hurt for two days.

How many writers can attract people from all over the world to see their doodles in the margins of their notes? To see the book covers that they designed, the maps they made in order to keep the landscape they imagined consistent throughout their writings, the timelines they meticulously charted in order to keep complicated story lines straight for the reader? And for themselves? I've done all those things and nobody troops to my Brooklyn studio apartment to see : )

A book cover that Tolkien designed.

Tolkien worked full time as a college professor of Middle English and had a family of four children that he told bedtime stories to. The Lord of the Rings started as bedtime stories for them, and they reportedly resented their father publishing what they considered to be THEIR stories. 

He had a lot of demands on his time. Students clamored for his time and attention too. 

In other words, he was as busy as I am -- but he had a wife, and I don't have anybody to help me. But he still found time to devote to imagining the world of the Hobbits in great detail. He made up a language, Elvish, with its own vocabulary and grammar. He kept notes on all this, and his notes are pleasing to the eye. 

I wish I could have taken more photographs to share with you, but they were prohibited inside the Tolkien exhibit. I did fire off one shot that reminded me of my grandson before the museum guard told me that photographs were prohibited.

I think Tolkien loved babies, as I do.

So people trooped from far and wide to see Tolkien's drawings, doodles, maps, and diagrams. People are still reading and enjoying his works, which have been made into blockbuster movies.  He was a successful author, no? He certainly has all the signs of authorial success.

JP Morgan had the money and power to build a lavish temple as his home. In financial circles, he was a tremendous success.

Both men's names are immortal.

My name, as an author, has scant chance of being immortal. One reason: My books compete with the 3 million new books published yearly on Amazon. I'd like to think they're as full of life as Tolkien's books--I certainly worked to make it so--but readers will decide that question.

Long ago, I decided that for me, success as an author was twofold: critical acclaim and banner sales.

I do feel they're a success in one way: I've received great reviews. I got the critical acclaim, in my opinion. Still waiting for the sales so I can write full-time...I've set the bar for "success" so high, I'll probably never achieve it. 

Besides, most writers always feel like a failure anyway -- we try for certain effects, we labor to engage our audiences, we ache to pick the right words, we work to take advantage of every opportunity that our story opens up to us. And we know we've failed. Samuel Becket, the Irish playwright, said of writing, "Try again. Fail again. Fail better."

I'm editing another novel now and will publish it soon, a prequel to Why Spy. I'm also doing the research for a new novel set in Brooklyn. The title is so good, I can't go public with it. But I'm interviewing theater people and Copts in order to prepare for the writing, which will be all morning every morning in Paris! Starting July 21!! For three weeks!! Can't wait to fail better.

I was able to take pics in the JP Morgan Library and exhibit room, so here goes:

Me with JP's Gutenberg Bible

The ceiling of the library is gorgeous, but the room is NOT cozy.

The fireplace.

The books don't look well-read : )

The Gutenberg Bible, again.

The dazzling marble floors

I have a weakness for Assyrian art.

As a Francophile, I like maps that show who lived in France 2,000 years ago.

A drawing JP owned by Leonardo da Vinci showing two designs for machines: a maritime assault mechanism and a device for bending beams.

A detail from the Stavelot Triptych, from Constantinople in the 1100s, by way of a Belgian monastery, and now at JP's library on Madison Avenue.

 How about you? How do you define success for your life or your art? Comment below!