This story first came to my attention at Callanwolde Fine Arts Center in Atlanta, when Milbre Burch, a storytelling colleague, introduced it with poignant success at a storytelling concert, back in the late 1980s. I still remember how she explained her rehearsal technique: "I at first ran around, ... more

This story first came to my attention at Callanwolde Fine Arts Center in Atlanta, when Milbre Burch, a storytelling colleague, introduced it with poignant success at a storytelling concert, back in the late 1980s. I still remember how she explained her rehearsal technique: "I at first ran around, yelling and screaming, as I envisioned Nadia would have done. Then I realized it was much more effective to sit simply, hands in lap, and recount the pain and anguish Nadia felt in not being able to speak her brother's name." WOW! Talk about effective! That story has stayed with me for lo! these 20+ years.... Now, that's effective writing....and storytelling.