The Author Who Beat Writer’s Block

Today a Woman Went Mad at the Supermarket is the title of the first short story published by Hilma Wolitzer. Since then, she has enjoyed the career of a distinguished writer except for an unsettling period of 12 years.

Hilma was the third author to appear at the 2007-08 Indian River Literary Society season. One of the perks of being a board member is accompanying the author to dinner on the eve of their presentation. The group is usually limited to 10 to 12 in number, thus providing an opportunity to communicate with the author at a local bistro sans a crowd. Sometimes, for an even more intimate getting-to-know-you venue, a board member will invite the group to their home. Such was the case with Hilma; my wife and I were the hosts.

Hilma was the first to arrive accompanied by then-executive director Mary Beth Vallar and her husband, Bill. My first impression of Hilma was her seeming serenity. She’s tall and has softly curling dark hair.

After our other guests arrived, the group embarked on a lively hour of nonstop conversation. As if Hilma’s pacific nature had set the tone, the meeting lacked the loudness and occasional guffaws of a more ribald gathering. We learned that she had been born in Brooklyn during the Great Depression, though, looking at her, one would take her for a decade, or even two, younger than she is. Perhaps a serene soul postpones the outward expression of age.

Read the entire article in the March 2008 issue