Thirty years on . . . here truth lies and other stories

Nov 06, 2003

Dr Lori Lebow completed her MA (honours) examining the narrative techniques of Jane Austen, and she earned her PhD studying autobiographic self-construction in the letters of Emily Dickinson. The thesis and dissertation were the first postgraduate papers published on the UOW website.

While Austen and Dickinson influenced Dr Lebow's writing style, she attributes the great assistance of becoming a writer of short stories to having worked under the supervision of Dr Anne Lear, currently Sub-Dean of the Faculty of Arts.

De Lebow said Dr Lear insisted that economy was not only the soul of wit, but also the essential element of good writing.

Eighty stories in 270 pages in Dr Lebow's new book of short stories entitled, Here Truth Lies and Other Stories, indicate that the collection emphasis is truly on "short".

The stories are written before, during and after her academic work at UOW and span 30 years. They explore a wide range of subjects and genres with a whimsical, darkly humorous perspective. There are autobiographical episodes as well. Although many people suggested that writing serious literary criticism destroys the creative spark, Dr Lebow said she found that her desire to write fiction remained strong, and her skills in the craft of writing improved.

"The demands of writing a dissertation require refined skills in many areas that enhance a fiction-writer's command of language, research, and even the publication process. So, writing the academically challenging projects served to hone skills that have finally produced this work," she said.

"Hopefully, the stories will be enjoyed among readers who value literary treatment of unusual fantasies and amusing realities."

The book was published through the UOW Printery.