I've got a fabulous post today from one of my favorite writers. While she holds the fort down here, I will be hanging out over at The Miller Mix as her guest for the day. Isn't that fun? I hope you will come see me over there.
Y'all know that I am a big fan of a writing group called The Red Dress Club. I officially met today's BSOW through this group, and she is fast becoming someone I would call a friend. She's a great supporter, always with a listening ear. She blogs about everything...the good days, the moments that make her feel nostalgic, how her dreams have come true. She shares her writing, and the fun of her daughter's speech therapy. Most of all, she shares her contentment with the good life she has been blessed with. She's also written a book, and stretched her writing muscles. She is a woman with many talents.
Please welcome Elizabeth Flora Ross, of The Writer Revived, to The Scoop on Poop today.
I asked Elizabeth if she could jump into a book and become a part of the story, which book would she choose and why?
Wow, that is a really great question! I had to think about it a bit. The first book that came to mind was one I read years ago and loved. In fact I am currently planning to re-read because my life and perspective have changed and I think I’d get even more out of it now.
It’s called The Red Tent. It takes place during Biblical times, and includes actual characters from the Bible. Historical fiction is my favorite genre. I found this particular book so interesting because of the way it portrays women.
I’ve always thought of women as being powerless in that period of history. They were little more than property. They were primarily limited to the roles of wife (usually one of many for each husband) and mother. There were none of the freedoms and opportunities we have today.
What was so fascinating to me about this book was the strength of the women in it despite that, and the secret society they formed that gave them the things their outer lives were missing.
The “red tent” refers to the place women went when they were menstruating. In that culture, women were thought to be unclean during their menstrual cycle, and were separated from the rest of society. They were not allowed to be with their husbands. Or to work (in the fields, in the home, etc.).
So really, what the red tent gave them was freedom from the confines of their lives. They could rest. Relax. Relate to each other. The relationships they had and the conversations and activities that took place inside that tent were so inspirational to me.
There was a great deal of laughter. But also sorrow. Life was hard in those times. I would love to jump in and have the opportunity to experience that. There was a feminine camaraderie I feel is missing from our modern lives.
In fact, I am currently working on a book about the Mommy Wars. I don’t think women today respect and support each other as much as they should. In the story of The Red Tent, they did.
I feel if I could live in that story, I would learn things I could bring back to our time that we could benefit from.
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Isn't she fantastic? She's going to be here on Monday to help me kick off my weeklong BLOGIVERSARY celebration. There will be PRIZES, good fun, great friends, and well, you'll just have to stop in to see what it is all about.
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