Meet Guest Author, Shabnam Curtis…

Meet Shabnam Curtis who talks to Chris The Story Reading Ape about her memoir…

Here is a short excerpt…
“Every time my American friends heard a piece of my memory, they showed more empathy towards me as an Iranian-American far from my birthplace, building a new life here in the land of opportunity. We amazingly found many common themes in our lives and they appreciated for what they had not gone through; living under dictatorship, war, and rigid cultural norms.

Three years ago, when I began writing my memoir, all I recognized in me was an urge to share my story.

To learn how to write my memoir, I read other memoirs. Diving into others’ memories deepened my understanding of diversity; Of people’s differences and similarities. It enabled me to walk in others’ shoes rather than judging them. It softened me up. These stories created compassion in my heart not just toward those authors but toward people in general. I was fascinated how Richard Russo in “Elsewhere”, smoothly pictured his mother’s undiagnosed OCD’s impact on their lives. As the only child, Russo feels responsible for his mother and makes any effort to comfort her, which is almost impossible. He shows each character’s role in the story without judging them. This way, he allows the reader to develop empathy for each character. Maya Angelo in “I Know Why the Cage Bird Sings” beautifully says her mother was a great one for the grown Maya but not the young Maya, which taught me self-compassion as a mother who had to leave her young daughter behind.”

Chris The Story Reading Ape's Blog

Developing Emotional Connection by Writing My Memoir

Every time my American friends heard a piece of my memory, they showed more empathy towards me as an Iranian-American far from my birthplace, building a new life here in the land of opportunity. We amazingly found many common themes in our lives and they appreciated for what they had not gone through; living under dictatorship, war, and rigid cultural norms.

Three years ago, when I began writing my memoir, all I recognized in me was an urge to share my story.

To learn how to write my memoir, I read other memoirs. Diving into others’ memories deepened my understanding of diversity; Of people’s differences and similarities. It enabled me to walk in others’ shoes rather than judging them. It softened me up. These stories created compassion in my heart not just toward those authors but toward people in general. I was fascinated…

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