Interview with Carol Sue Gershman, author of The Jewish Lady, The Black Man, and the Road Trip
Where are you from?
Bayonne, New Jersey
When and why did you begin writing?
I began my writing career at age 71. My lover walked out on me and my passion and goal was to get him back.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
When I finished writing the book.Ssometimes I still wonder how I did it . Am I really a writer?
What inspired you to write your first book?
I took all of my negative energy and pain and put it into writing. It was passion and pain that drove me each day and night for nine months.
Do you have a specific writing style?
I tell the truth in a narrative style.My imagination does not take me to the unknown. Therefore, true stories are my style.
How did you come up with the title?
I am a Jewish Lady, He is a Black Man and we took a road trip. It seemed to be a simple title that turned out to be provacative.
Is there a message in your memoir that you want readers to grasp?
Yes, the reader can live agelessly and passionately if they do not pay any attention to how old they are. Life goes way way on after 50 after 60 and after 70 and during those years you can go back and do the things you forgot to do or were not able to do back then. We can re-live our lives in one lifetime.
How much of the book is realistic?
EVERY SINGLE WORD IS THE TRUTH
Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
They are my thoughts and my adventures and my events.
What books have most influenced your life most?
Well I guess the Amboy Dukes , Gone with the Wind and any story that was hard to put down. So few books are real page turners.
If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?
True crime; and memoirs.
What book are you reading now?
Actually a novel, South of Broad by Pat Conroy.
Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?
Yes all writers now grasp my interest as I know what they have been through.T
What are your current projects?
I am all about promoting my book.
Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.
Certainly my Dade class teacher who let me be free and supported me all of the way.
Do you see writing as a career?
YES. It is all about writing now.
What do you think makes a good story?
If I turn the pages quickly, it is a good story. I feel the same way about a movie. If I do not look at my watch, I have been entertained.
Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?
Yes, how much undiscovered talents we all have inside of us. Who would believe that I became a first time author at age 71?
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Thursday, October 15, 2009
A Birthday poem from my friend
Carol Sue
The Hip Jewish Lady has written a book
It's quite an adventure, so do have a look.
She isn't the typical gal you'd expect...
She's gorgeous and gutsy and loves to reflect.
She started out married, a mother and wife...
Then later decided to start a new life.
She granted her New self the right to explore,
And oh how her passions keep begging for more.
To know Carol Sue is to love and admire,
A woman quite fearless, her feet to the fire.
With no risk there's no gain; so Do follow your heart...
That's one of the lessons she seems to impart.
I could write a whole book on Dear Carol, so Hip...
The Jewish Gal, Black Guy and Oh what a Trip!
Happy Birthday to a warm and wonderful friend!
Sharon Daniels
The Hip Jewish Lady has written a book
It's quite an adventure, so do have a look.
She isn't the typical gal you'd expect...
She's gorgeous and gutsy and loves to reflect.
She started out married, a mother and wife...
Then later decided to start a new life.
She granted her New self the right to explore,
And oh how her passions keep begging for more.
To know Carol Sue is to love and admire,
A woman quite fearless, her feet to the fire.
With no risk there's no gain; so Do follow your heart...
That's one of the lessons she seems to impart.
I could write a whole book on Dear Carol, so Hip...
The Jewish Gal, Black Guy and Oh what a Trip!
Happy Birthday to a warm and wonderful friend!
Sharon Daniels
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Im my Youth
In My Youth
A look back at youth gone by
Home About
Interview with Carol Sue Gershman, author of “The Jewish Lady, The Black Man, and The Road Trip”
October 12, 2009amateurdelivreLeave a comment
What was the one possession you had that you were miserable without?
Roller skates or can I call my dog a possession. My dog Dusky would have been it.
What cartoon did you love to watch?
I did not have TV back then and never enjoyed reading cartoons either. The only one I did like was Blondie!
What do you miss most about being a kid?
My little private shady patch covered with trees in my back yard. P. S I am more of a kid now then back then when I was trying so hard to grow up.
What was your least favorite age? Why?
Teen age years. I was way over weight..
What did you always want to be able to do, but were too young?Drive a car.
What did you want to be when you grew up?
GET MARRIED.I had no other ambitions.
Did you have any pets? YES If so, what did you have?
DOG named Dusky who passed away with a ton of stories I told to her..
Do you have siblings?
Yes!
Did they influence who you are today?
Not back then. I was the oldest and paid not much attention to them which was my loss as they are both great people.
What was your favorite class in school?
Spelling.. I enjoyed grammar school, but not much afterwards as far as school is concerned, until I entered my memoir writing class 3 years ago.
Who was your hero and why?
Gregory Peck in Duel in the sun. I thought he was strong and sexy at 11 years old. He was a bad boy and I fell in love with him. When I met the man of my life at 14, I knew I had met the Gregory Peck of my life. The bad boy in him was that I had to do the chasing as he never seemed much to care.
What games did you enjoy playing in your spare time?
Cards, hop scotch…
Would you still play them today?
Sure I would.
Did you have a curfew?
11:00 P. M.
What was it, and did you break it?
NO I DID NOT .. I still keep it most of the time.
What was your parents punishment of choice?
I could not go out.
What is your favorite memory?
Around the kitchen table sitting with family even though the conversation was about them with little focus on us kids.
What do you wish you could have changed about your childhood (if anything)?
That my mom stayed home, rather than working, so I could have spent more time with her and that my parents did not argue.
A look back at youth gone by
Home About
Interview with Carol Sue Gershman, author of “The Jewish Lady, The Black Man, and The Road Trip”
October 12, 2009amateurdelivreLeave a comment
What was the one possession you had that you were miserable without?
Roller skates or can I call my dog a possession. My dog Dusky would have been it.
What cartoon did you love to watch?
I did not have TV back then and never enjoyed reading cartoons either. The only one I did like was Blondie!
What do you miss most about being a kid?
My little private shady patch covered with trees in my back yard. P. S I am more of a kid now then back then when I was trying so hard to grow up.
What was your least favorite age? Why?
Teen age years. I was way over weight..
What did you always want to be able to do, but were too young?Drive a car.
What did you want to be when you grew up?
GET MARRIED.I had no other ambitions.
Did you have any pets? YES If so, what did you have?
DOG named Dusky who passed away with a ton of stories I told to her..
Do you have siblings?
Yes!
Did they influence who you are today?
Not back then. I was the oldest and paid not much attention to them which was my loss as they are both great people.
What was your favorite class in school?
Spelling.. I enjoyed grammar school, but not much afterwards as far as school is concerned, until I entered my memoir writing class 3 years ago.
Who was your hero and why?
Gregory Peck in Duel in the sun. I thought he was strong and sexy at 11 years old. He was a bad boy and I fell in love with him. When I met the man of my life at 14, I knew I had met the Gregory Peck of my life. The bad boy in him was that I had to do the chasing as he never seemed much to care.
What games did you enjoy playing in your spare time?
Cards, hop scotch…
Would you still play them today?
Sure I would.
Did you have a curfew?
11:00 P. M.
What was it, and did you break it?
NO I DID NOT .. I still keep it most of the time.
What was your parents punishment of choice?
I could not go out.
What is your favorite memory?
Around the kitchen table sitting with family even though the conversation was about them with little focus on us kids.
What do you wish you could have changed about your childhood (if anything)?
That my mom stayed home, rather than working, so I could have spent more time with her and that my parents did not argue.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Please send comments
To all of my 7000 readers,
if you leave a comment it will be answered.
I look forward to what ever you have to say with great enthusiasm.
love,
Carol Sue
if you leave a comment it will be answered.
I look forward to what ever you have to say with great enthusiasm.
love,
Carol Sue
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Love after 50....My own opinion
MONDAY, OCTOBER 05, 2009
Guest: Carol Sue Gershman
I personally have had more love affairs after 50 than ever before. In fact, love started pouring in after 50.
How can I explain this...
As a 14 year old teenager I fell in love with a guy. I knew the moment I saw him that I wanted to marry him, and while I did date, I was more of a lady in waiting for him to come around. Yes, I did win him over and we had many, many happy years together and are dear friends to this day.
However, we ended up separating after all, and I began to date.
I had the opportunity of going back to when I was 19 in spirit, the age that I married and re-living those same years. It was at the time that the younger man, older woman came into focus so I had a slew of potential dates.
I travelled all over the world and met men; in fact I probably enjoyed the company of men in most countries of the world. Please do not get me wrong as I was not promiscuous. I was making up for my teenage years and having experiences.
I had shorter term relationships as I did not want anything close to marriage, but as I grew and got older, my relationships got longer. I can honestly say that fifty is fabulous, sixty in sensational and seventy sizzles all with passion and all by dating. My theory is to keep yourself in good shape, keep yourself healthy and stylish and stay up with the times. If you do that, it makes no difference what so ever how old you are.
I think on line dating is terrific. When I put up a great picture and smile and write something clever I am inundated with responses. I might do that for a month at a time, stopping and later picking it up again. I have met some great guys on the free sites like Craigslist, Google; there is no need to sign up for expensive sites that lock you in.
I imagine it is good to set your goals, rich man, poor man, handsome, charming, etc. but I am an independent woman so good companionship is what I look for. I also have no qualms about sharing expenses with a man. Unless if he is very wealthy, I am sure he is watching his money as well, and I do not take advantage. At this point of life men usually have a ex-wife or kids to think about, so sharing is fine with me.
There is nothing wrong with calling a man, in fact setting it up that way is a blessing. Nobody likes waiting by the phone.
The next time you are attracted to a man ask him for his card immediately!. How often have I made that mistake and sometimes the opportunity passes...
Love after 50 or 60 is more passionate than back then. And with the right partner it can be a lot more fun. We know the tricks.
Carol Sue Gershman
Guest: Carol Sue Gershman
I personally have had more love affairs after 50 than ever before. In fact, love started pouring in after 50.
How can I explain this...
As a 14 year old teenager I fell in love with a guy. I knew the moment I saw him that I wanted to marry him, and while I did date, I was more of a lady in waiting for him to come around. Yes, I did win him over and we had many, many happy years together and are dear friends to this day.
However, we ended up separating after all, and I began to date.
I had the opportunity of going back to when I was 19 in spirit, the age that I married and re-living those same years. It was at the time that the younger man, older woman came into focus so I had a slew of potential dates.
I travelled all over the world and met men; in fact I probably enjoyed the company of men in most countries of the world. Please do not get me wrong as I was not promiscuous. I was making up for my teenage years and having experiences.
I had shorter term relationships as I did not want anything close to marriage, but as I grew and got older, my relationships got longer. I can honestly say that fifty is fabulous, sixty in sensational and seventy sizzles all with passion and all by dating. My theory is to keep yourself in good shape, keep yourself healthy and stylish and stay up with the times. If you do that, it makes no difference what so ever how old you are.
I think on line dating is terrific. When I put up a great picture and smile and write something clever I am inundated with responses. I might do that for a month at a time, stopping and later picking it up again. I have met some great guys on the free sites like Craigslist, Google; there is no need to sign up for expensive sites that lock you in.
I imagine it is good to set your goals, rich man, poor man, handsome, charming, etc. but I am an independent woman so good companionship is what I look for. I also have no qualms about sharing expenses with a man. Unless if he is very wealthy, I am sure he is watching his money as well, and I do not take advantage. At this point of life men usually have a ex-wife or kids to think about, so sharing is fine with me.
There is nothing wrong with calling a man, in fact setting it up that way is a blessing. Nobody likes waiting by the phone.
The next time you are attracted to a man ask him for his card immediately!. How often have I made that mistake and sometimes the opportunity passes...
Love after 50 or 60 is more passionate than back then. And with the right partner it can be a lot more fun. We know the tricks.
Carol Sue Gershman
Friday, October 2, 2009
Girl friends.. are they not the best?
I have been blessed with many good friends in my life. When I was in my thirties and forties I had five best girlfriends. I truly loved each of these ladies and they loved me. Each one thought that I was their best friend and to me they were all my best friends. I guess there was one that stood out more than the other and if they should read this, they would automatically say, “That was me.”
At other times in my life, such as my teenage years, I also had a group of wonderful girlfriends These girlfriends were the ones I grew up with and I loved them all and they loved me. I am happy to say that two still remain my close friends but the others moved and we lost touch.
Then there ware the wonderful friends I had raising my kids; we shared our stories about bringing up babies and developed a social life around them. They knew my children and I knew theirs and the bond was strong.
So where are all of these girlfriends now? I must admit that the majority of them have disappeared from my life and two, sadly, are deceased. Perhaps I am the cause of why they are no longer in my life. For example, one turned out to have a difficult life and manipulated me into being there for her during these times but excluding me from good times. It became an unpleasant friendship according to her terms. Another friend was the cheapest woman I ever met. She would not even treat herself to a glass of water and she had lots of money. It became discouraging as she sat in front of me with her mouth watering as I ordered dinner. In the beginning I would treat her, and then I realized I was only playing into her neurosis. She liked sitting with me but refused to order. The friendship broke up when she saw the man I was crazy about with another woman and told me. It devastated me at the time and found it not to be necessary for her to tell me. Another, I loved lots more than she loved me and we had two arguments. In one of the arguments, I called her a bitch and that did not go over well; so she kept me at three arms lengths for the rest of my life. Then there was is my vagabond friend who flits around the world and impossible to reach by telephone or email. She likes to remain distant popping in and out of my life over the years staying at my apt and even when she is there, makes her own plans. I would long to talk to her. Another has a completely different life style than mine and many friends who she shares that life style with; but I do know that she is probably the most sincere of any of my friends and while we do not speak often when we do, history enfolds. My best high school best friend disappeared as soon as we got married. When she came back it was thrilling, but no sooner did we connect, she would disappear again; and the same disappearance happened with my other best high school friend who I have not seen or heard from since high school.
Now I have new friends and at 73 years old which is my age, I am lucky to connect with these terrific ladies. They have come to me in the last two years and each one is divine. One is my last boyfriends prior lady, and the others I met at Mah Jongg. I stopped playing for thirty five years and now we are have come full circle. We have also connected on a different level and have become friends. We all have our individual lives but when we see each other we thoroughly enjoy one another and have fun. They are also wonderfully supportive of me as an author.
So is this the way it is supposed to be? Is it me who has let them go or is it them that have let me go? Is it because we change over the years or is it because I have not been a good friend or accepting of their ways.
I often thought how great it would be to bring all of my old friends together. Maybe we can all get in a circle and play what we used to play in grammar school. I don’t like you because: But even told the truth, at this late date would we change or should I just be grateful for who I was and who they were at the time. Are relationships meant to last?
At other times in my life, such as my teenage years, I also had a group of wonderful girlfriends These girlfriends were the ones I grew up with and I loved them all and they loved me. I am happy to say that two still remain my close friends but the others moved and we lost touch.
Then there ware the wonderful friends I had raising my kids; we shared our stories about bringing up babies and developed a social life around them. They knew my children and I knew theirs and the bond was strong.
So where are all of these girlfriends now? I must admit that the majority of them have disappeared from my life and two, sadly, are deceased. Perhaps I am the cause of why they are no longer in my life. For example, one turned out to have a difficult life and manipulated me into being there for her during these times but excluding me from good times. It became an unpleasant friendship according to her terms. Another friend was the cheapest woman I ever met. She would not even treat herself to a glass of water and she had lots of money. It became discouraging as she sat in front of me with her mouth watering as I ordered dinner. In the beginning I would treat her, and then I realized I was only playing into her neurosis. She liked sitting with me but refused to order. The friendship broke up when she saw the man I was crazy about with another woman and told me. It devastated me at the time and found it not to be necessary for her to tell me. Another, I loved lots more than she loved me and we had two arguments. In one of the arguments, I called her a bitch and that did not go over well; so she kept me at three arms lengths for the rest of my life. Then there was is my vagabond friend who flits around the world and impossible to reach by telephone or email. She likes to remain distant popping in and out of my life over the years staying at my apt and even when she is there, makes her own plans. I would long to talk to her. Another has a completely different life style than mine and many friends who she shares that life style with; but I do know that she is probably the most sincere of any of my friends and while we do not speak often when we do, history enfolds. My best high school best friend disappeared as soon as we got married. When she came back it was thrilling, but no sooner did we connect, she would disappear again; and the same disappearance happened with my other best high school friend who I have not seen or heard from since high school.
Now I have new friends and at 73 years old which is my age, I am lucky to connect with these terrific ladies. They have come to me in the last two years and each one is divine. One is my last boyfriends prior lady, and the others I met at Mah Jongg. I stopped playing for thirty five years and now we are have come full circle. We have also connected on a different level and have become friends. We all have our individual lives but when we see each other we thoroughly enjoy one another and have fun. They are also wonderfully supportive of me as an author.
So is this the way it is supposed to be? Is it me who has let them go or is it them that have let me go? Is it because we change over the years or is it because I have not been a good friend or accepting of their ways.
I often thought how great it would be to bring all of my old friends together. Maybe we can all get in a circle and play what we used to play in grammar school. I don’t like you because: But even told the truth, at this late date would we change or should I just be grateful for who I was and who they were at the time. Are relationships meant to last?
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