Liz deBeer, retired from teaching high school language arts and various college classes, currently teaches and writes with Project Write Now, a writing cooperative based in New Jersey. Her flash has appeared in BULL, Fictive Dream, Bending Genres, Switch and others. She has written essays in various journals including Brevity Blog and is a volunteer reader for Flash Fiction Magazine. She holds degrees from University of Pennsylvania and Rutgers University. Follow Liz at www.ldebeerwriter.com and lizardstale.substack.com.
Interview with Liz deBeer, Runner Up in the WOW! Summer 2025 Flash Fiction Contest
Bright Midnights by L.S. Delorme: Review Wrap Up, Interview Giveaway
Eventually, I went back to school and got a master’s in science, so I pivoted to science writing. Then, because I bore easily, I went to law school and learned legal writing. From there, I did international business and new country entry which required a whole new kind of writing and learning to summarize complex legal and risk concepts down to 5 Power Point bullets for senior executives.
The first five books have been published and you can purchase them on all the major online retailers. I do have some very pretty, foiled, books that are available only on my website. The next three books will be published over the next 3 years and (spoiler alert) they are called, Mirrored Lands, Outliers and Verite. These 3 are already written and in various forms of editing. Mirrored Lands will come out in October of this year and the other two 2027 and 2028 respectively. I am also in the process of writing a book of short stories called Sabbatical, pt 1 that I hope to have out this spring.
Right now, I have 97 different story ideas on my notes page on my phone. They are all at different levels of being fleshed out. One of the reasons that I decided to do a book of short stories was to allow me to pick some stories from that list that I felt would be better as short stories and would be appropriate for a book that sits between Limerence and Mirrored Lands. While these stories are all different, many of them are in this same world, so there will be consistency for the reader. This is also why I have known characters do cameos in each other’s books. As a reader, I get very attached to characters and I miss them when I am done with the book. Adding appearances of known characters into new stories is something I do, because I would want that as a reader.
Going Analog in 2026?
About a week ago, I listened to the radio as I drove home from yoga. “This is the analog year!” said the DJ. “I’m amazed how much better I feel since I’ve decided to go analog. I use an alarm clock instead of grabbing my phone first thing every morning. You can read an actual physical book like my husband. Check out what’s available at the library.”
- To find out more about her writing, visit her site and blog.
Interview with Annalisa McMorrow, Runner-Up in the Summer 2025 Flash Fiction Contest
The daughter of a screenplay and a poem, words have been in her blood since birth. She grew up in the basement art department of a California magazine, and she’s had a favorite typeface since she was six. (It’s not Helvetica.)
A fangirl of flash fiction, she has been published in venues including The New York Times, Women’s Health, and Romantic Times, and once she got paid $1,000 for a paragraph. (It was a good paragraph.) She has written film, book, and restaurant reviews since high school. Her music reviews date back to the halcyon days of vinyl.
She likes to drink coffee black, like her heart.
If you haven't read her story, "Coming Home," take a minute to experience it and then come back to learn about how Annalisa works.
-----interview with Sue Bradford Edwards-----
WOW: What was the inspiration for “Coming Home”?
ANNALISA: I used to work at a second-hand store, and the women who would come in were a lot like the “influencers” in my story. They all wanted to look alike. A specific type of jeans cut in a specific way. A boxy, caramel-colored sweater. An ecru boot. There was a drawing I saw once online that replicated this look precisely, and I started to realize that they were almost clones. Generally, long straight blonde hair. An IG page that featured fallen leaves. Twisted candles. Frost.
One of my friends works at farmer’s markets, and I was struck by the difference between the vendors and the consumers. Which is when Margo showed up.
For reference, I do not look like these influencers. And one of the funniest interactions I had was when I was dressed head-to-toe in polka dots—my husband used to say I made him dizzy—and a customer asked me to match a beige with another beige.
WOW: Details are a vital part of flash fiction. Why did you decide to name Margo but not her lover?
ANNALISA: My writing style tends to be sparse with a few key details tossed in. I once wrote a 1,000 word short piece and reviewers mentioned the lemon-yellow bra held together with a safety pin. I give just enough to paint a scene, but not so much that a reader can’t fill in the blanks. I love to write in small spaces. 50 words. 100 words. Give me a box, and I’ll climb inside.
Why was Margo a Margo? I hate to sound as if I believe I’m a conduit, but I’m a conduit. The characters tell me their names when they want to. She did. He didn’t.
WOW: Your bio says that while you live in a rural area, you are more at home among the streetlights. Yet much of your story takes place at a farmer’s market and a rural cabin. How did your setting shape the story?
ANNALISA: I spent many years in LA, and cities illuminate me. Accidentally, I’ve ended up living for the past nearly 25 years at the end of a road. Somehow the bay leaves and pine needles have crept into my consciousness. But, if I had my druthers, I’d take neon over a mountain sunrise and a fire escape overlooking a gritty city instead of a clear lake or snow-capped mountains.
WOW: Your story has such a gothic twist at the end. Can you explain to our readers who you set this up?
ANNALISA: Many of my stories deal with the veils between the here and the now and some other area (back in time or in another realm). One of my best friends died when I was 26 and he was 37, and I think I am always subconsciously trying to reach him.
I don’t know if my words will help any writers because I am literally obsessed with writing. I start my day writing/end my day writing, pull the car over to jot notes, scribble on my arm with eyeliner, repeat words to memorize the cadence if I don’t have utensils with me.
Writing is right up there for me with Maslow’s needs for survival. I have no fear of a blank page, and I don’t worry if I can’t finish a story. I move between many projects simultaneously. This is also how I crochet. I am making a blanket right now, but blankets take too long. So I will whip up a scarf or two just to have completion. Currently, looking down my screen at my documents, I see that I have nine stories open in various states and four articles in pieces.
WOW: This is the second time that you’ve placed in a WOW! Flash Fiction competition (first was Naysayers and Skeptics). What advice do you have for our readers about entering contests and getting their work out into the world?
ANNALISA: If I had to give advice, I’d say: Write. Edit. Revise. Leave the piece alone. Return. Revise. Read it aloud. Read it to a friend. Then find a place to submit, send it off, and start again. Do not wait for a response before working on something new. If you get rejected, dust off your words and try to home them somewhere else. But always be moving forward.
WOW: This is such powerful final advice - always be moving forwards. It is so easy to trap ourselves by looking back. Thank you so much for sharing your writing and your passion for writing!
Ready, Set, Write: What I Accomplished During a Five-Day Writing Sprint
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| Ivan S/Pexels |
I’ve mentioned here before that I’m most productive during writing sprints. While I write non-fiction almost daily (thanks to my blog and true crime podcast), I struggle to set time aside for my fiction projects. I blame at lot of that on fatigue—as I’m getting older, I’m not as motivated to write late into the night. I have more physical and creative energy during the daylight hours. But because I’m on a weekly schedule for my podcast, I prioritize the research and writing in the non-fiction space.
Go to the Head of the Class
How much spare time do you have? Raise your hand if it feels like zilch, nada, not one extra second. Me too! Between family, work, volunteering, juggling starting a new creative piece while shopping around a finished novel and every women's magazine insisting that I somehow must squeeze in eight hours of sleep and 30 minutes of exercise each day, I'm beginning to feel that somehow shrinkflation has attacked the hours in a day. Are there still 24?
So what can a writer do?
Start a new project, of course.
Recently, I began developing a beginner's writing class for a small community organization. It's been several years since I taught a writing class and I'd forgotten how much teaching can affect my own writing.
Given free rein for the topic, I had to take the time to look over my recent writing and search for a niche. I decided to capitalize on my recent success with personal essays. After all, everyone has a funny/sad/memorable story that would make a great essay. Once that was decided I started musing over what makes a successful essay. The more I thought over this, the more eager I became to put the tips I was planning to share with the class to work with my own essay ideas.
In search of some motivation for the students, I spent a few minutes dipping into my writing bookshelf and not only finding some great quotes for the class but also personal inspiration from some old favorites:
Writing from Within: The Next Generation by Bernard Selling
On Writing by Stephen King
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
Remembering how it felt to have my first essay in print (thanks, Central Penn Parent) I drew up a list of markets for personal essays that weren't too intimidating so my class wouldn't have any excuses not to send their words out into the world. As I narrowed down my list I found myself thinking, "Hey, I should send Essay A to this market, Essay B to that market."
My class won't start for a few weeks but I can remember from past classes how the enthusiasm of new writers can improve your own energy and goal setting. After all what teacher encourages their students to take that leap and submit their work and doesn't feel the push to find homes for their own work?
You can probably think of many reasons NOT to teach a writing class.
1. No time. True, time is a problem. But you can develop a workshop as long or as short as you like. Many students find it easier to find room in their life for a one night workshop rather than a multi-week commitment.
2. Not enough experience. Don't sell yourself short. We all have at least one specialty, whether it be a particular genre, the nuts and bolts of submissions, inspiration, technology for writers, contests or another writing related topic that you love to talk about.
3. No place to teach. Not true. There are so many places to teach -- they just don't realize it yet. Reach out to libraries, indie bookstores, community organizations, churches, seniors groups with an idea for a writing workshop. If you're much more tech-savvy than me you can even organize a virtual workshop.
4. Fear of public speaking. OK, I can't really help you with that one except to say that these are your people. Fellow writers. Also, if you ever plan on writing a book it might be a good idea to brush up your public speaking skills.
It isn't too late to add teaching a writing workshop to your 2026 goals list. You'll be doing more than sharing your knowledge with fellow writers. You'll be re-energizing your own writing.
Jodi M. Webb writes from her home in the Pennsylvania mountains about anything and everything that strikes her fancy. Stay tuned for more details about the new piece she's working on in 2026. She's also a blog tour manager for WOW-Women on Writing. and blogs at Words by Webb.
Interview With Sara Au: Summer '25 Flash Fiction Contest Runner Up
Rumination Remedies by Sheri McGregor: Blog Tour & Giveaway
When was the last time you stared at the ceiling, sleep chased away by worries, to-do lists and overthinking? If you've ever found yourself struggling with a overactive, won't-shut-off mind, Sheri McGregor's Rumination Remedies is the book for you. Join for the launch of the book tour, an interview with the author and a giveaway of the book.









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