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Melody Schwarting's avatar

Thank you for the interview, Joel and Shemaiah! Here's a quotation from Waugh about sloth and joy that I came across in my research last week: "The malice of Sloth lies not merely in the neglect of duty (though that can be a symptom of it) but in the refusal of joy. It is allied to despair." From his essay on Sloth, first printed in the Sunday Times, 7 January 1962.

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Shemaiah Gonzalez's avatar

AMEN! Thank you Melody. Now to go find the entire essay!

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Melody Schwarting's avatar

I found it in The Essays, Articles and Reviews of Evelyn Waugh edited by Donat Gallagher (Methuen, 1983), but it was also published in The Seven Deadly Sins edited by Raymond Mortimer (Sunday Times Publications, 1962). I think there was a commissioned series in the Sunday Times on the seven deadly sins in the early 1960s, and this was one installment. Hope that helps!

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Shemaiah Gonzalez's avatar

yes it does. I was coming on a few dead ends. Sounds like something to add to my wishlist. Paula Byrne's bio Mad World is brilliant

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Shawn Smucker's avatar

Thanks for this, Joel! Just ordered a few copies of Undaunted Joy for our bookshop.

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Shemaiah Gonzalez's avatar

Thank you Shawn. I really appreciate it!

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Shawn Smucker's avatar

I don't know if you know Sara Billups, a writer in Seattle who is releasing "Nervous Systems." We'll be in Seattle for her book launch this weekend with our bookshop selling her book!

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Shemaiah Gonzalez's avatar

I do! We have Happy Hour together every now and then. She came to my book launch. Sadly I will not be there as I will be out of town. Like I say, "problems of abundance!" too many good things

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Shawn Smucker's avatar

I'm glad you two know each other.

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Brandi Willis Schreiber's avatar

Love love this!

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Shemaiah Gonzalez's avatar

Thank you for reading! --and being you

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Michael's avatar

Thank you for introducing me to the work of Shemaiah Gonzalez. She's onto something! Looking forward to reading her and following her work.

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Shemaiah Gonzalez's avatar

thank you Michael!

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Thaddeus Wert's avatar

What a nice interview. Reading it gave me joy! I think joy is countercultural, because people confuse it with happiness. I'm looking forward to reading Ms. Gonzalez's book.

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Shemaiah Gonzalez's avatar

Thank you so very much!

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Katherine Bolger Hyde's avatar

Thank you both for this interview. I feel I have found a new kindred spirit! Shemaiah, I'm another redhead who identifies with Anne Shirley. I write fiction (and a rather sporadic Substack) and am always on the lookout for beauty, which is a close cousin to joy.

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Shemaiah Gonzalez's avatar

My hair darkened to a nice auburn when I moved out of sunny California and now, Katherine is a turning a lovely shade of silver. I am enjoying it.

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Shemaiah Gonzalez's avatar

So much fun to sit with you virtually in this interview. Thank you for your generosity with me. On a completely different note, I am in awe of how you format these posts. You make everything look so great with your pictures and quotes. So much to learn from you. One day COFFEE in PERSON!

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Pam Reese's avatar

How do I get a copy of your book?. What you wrote about it is exciting to me.

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Shemaiah Gonzalez's avatar

Thank you Pam! It's available here https://amzn.to/3LieI5K

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Pam Reese's avatar

862905

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