Forget PW-Get Your Coven Together and Support Women's Books on Friday the 13th
I like Friday the 13th. Thirteen is a great number. Why? First of all, my birthday is on the 13th, April 13th. Every once in a while it lands on a Friday, and I feel just as lucky then as when it falls on a Tuesday. The gifts are just as much fun to open. Publisher's Weekly has handed us at SheWrites a gift by calling attention to the lack of books by women writers on their Top 10 list.
I also like Friday the 13th because 13 is the number of a coven. Covens are powerful. Every women needs her coven, no matter what her religion is or what she thinks about witches. We need our circle of women friends, our old or new girls network. Our sister courage. Our girl gangs. One of us alone can accomplish a lot, but 13 of us together make a movement. Remember, thirteen colonies started a revolution and formed a new nation in 1776. Kamy has challenged us to create our own revolution.
Third, according to some traditions, twelve is considered "complete" but 13 is deemed "irregular" because it disrupts the “even dozen.” That makes me like 13 even better because in my experience disruption, or chaos, is opportunity. In a time of chaos, people are open to new ideas they wouldn’t have considered when things were normal. Chaos breeds innovation. Or, as in the case of the disruption/chaos of the recession, it’s the opportunity for women to advance into positions they haven’t held before. Men made the messes we’re in, and everyone can see that women might just be able to clean them up. So more women are moving into leadership positions in business and politics. That can only be a good thing. Just as it was a good thing for Publisher's Weekly to jolt us to action. Bet they won't make the same mistake next year!
So I like 13 just fine. As it happens, I have 13 books by women on my running list of books I either need either as references for the book I’m writing—Woman Unlimited—or because I just want to read them. So at 1pm—1300—today, Friday the 13th, I’ll meander over to the bookstore and load up. Thanks, Kamy, for giving us this great idea!
PS. I like black cats too.
I also like Friday the 13th because 13 is the number of a coven. Covens are powerful. Every women needs her coven, no matter what her religion is or what she thinks about witches. We need our circle of women friends, our old or new girls network. Our sister courage. Our girl gangs. One of us alone can accomplish a lot, but 13 of us together make a movement. Remember, thirteen colonies started a revolution and formed a new nation in 1776. Kamy has challenged us to create our own revolution.
Third, according to some traditions, twelve is considered "complete" but 13 is deemed "irregular" because it disrupts the “even dozen.” That makes me like 13 even better because in my experience disruption, or chaos, is opportunity. In a time of chaos, people are open to new ideas they wouldn’t have considered when things were normal. Chaos breeds innovation. Or, as in the case of the disruption/chaos of the recession, it’s the opportunity for women to advance into positions they haven’t held before. Men made the messes we’re in, and everyone can see that women might just be able to clean them up. So more women are moving into leadership positions in business and politics. That can only be a good thing. Just as it was a good thing for Publisher's Weekly to jolt us to action. Bet they won't make the same mistake next year!
So I like 13 just fine. As it happens, I have 13 books by women on my running list of books I either need either as references for the book I’m writing—Woman Unlimited—or because I just want to read them. So at 1pm—1300—today, Friday the 13th, I’ll meander over to the bookstore and load up. Thanks, Kamy, for giving us this great idea!
PS. I like black cats too.
Tags: 10, 13th, action, activism, and, books, by, courage, friday, list
Comment
-
Comment by B. Lynn Goodwin on November 13, 2009 at 7:20pm -
Great idea to buy 13 books. Women Unlimited is a great title. When will the book be out?
Lynn
www.writeradvice.com
Author of You Want Me to Do WHAT? Journaling for Caregivers
-
Comment by Amy Ferris on November 13, 2009 at 5:46pm -
brilliant, absolutely stunningly brilliant. chaos breeds opportunity. wow. oh. wow.
a tee shirt. it should be a tee shirt.
and, of course, 13 being my favorite number...
xoxox
amy
-
Comment by GloriaFeldt on November 13, 2009 at 4:48pm - Claire, Becky, Michelle-thanks for your comments. Great to be pulling together to turn this little faux pas by PW into a good organizing campaign for SheWrites.
-
Comment by Claire Mysko on November 13, 2009 at 4:05pm - Great post, Gloria. The power of 13. I'm going to have to expand my top ten by an extra three now!
-
Comment by Becky Gjendem on November 13, 2009 at 11:25am -
We have lots of 13th birthdays in our family, including my grandmother. So I've always thought it's lucky too.
I love your idea of buying 13 books on Friday the 13th!
-
Comment by Michelle Wingo on November 13, 2009 at 11:25am - I really liked your third point regarding chaos creating opportunities for innovation. When we are forced out of our accepted method of thinking we are then also forced to become creative and discover new solutions. It is under plight that we find our strength.
Latest Activity
I thought the ads with the babies were pretty funny, if only for suggesting the mental age of the creaters of all the ads. I was particularly annoyed at the book club ad, for reasons I mean to blog about if I can only figure them out.
I just attended a writer's retreat led by Kim Stafford, the son of the prolific poet William Stafford, and he addressed this topic. Quoting his father, Kim said, you know when to stop revising when "it no longer feels like the experience of creation…
If first person narrative non-fiction and essay are your thing, or you would like to explore them and your voice join us.
Groups
-
Essay Writing
221 members
-
Bloggers: Let's Make It…
858 members
-
TEACHER WRITERS
12 members
SHOW YOUR LOVE!
Become a Fan of She Writes on Facebook!
Follow Us on Twitter!IN PARTNERSHIP WITH...
Badge
© 2010 She Writes, Inc. All rights reserved
You need to be a member of She Writes to add comments!
Join this Ning Network