Reader Review Wrap Up and Giveaway for Linda Petrucelli's Mother Tongue

Welcome to the Reader Review Event for Mother Tongue, a memoir that allows us to travel to another country, another time and another culture. Linda Petrucelli's musings on her time as a missionary in Taiwan in the 1980s includes both the joys and the challenges. Learn what our readers had to say and let this book be your first "summer getaway."

Reading Rev. Linda Petrucelli’s Mother Tongue was a deeply personal experience for me. My father, Hsiao Ching-fen, met Linda through his role as Tainan Seminary president early during her journey in 1980s Taiwan, and he even had the honor of giving her the name she would use throughout her mission, Bai Lian-da (“Virtuous Lotus”). 

 

The name was prescient. Linda dedicated herself to mastering the Taiwanese language at a time when learning and speaking it was an act of political defiance, participating in our island’s “quiet revolution” for democratic freedom. Her heartwarming story of embracing our mother tongue and culture is told with humor and grace, and it beautifully captures the resilience of the Taiwanese people and the courageous, grassroots movement that paved our way forward.

Mother Tongue is an engaging testament to the power of cross-cultural empathy and a must-read for all who cherish the hard-won freedoms we enjoy today.

— Bi-khim Hsiao, vice president of the Republic of China (Taiwan)

 About the Book:

Standing by the window, I tried to understand what happened to me to take such an unfathomable leap… What I hadn’t realized was that first, my one and only assignment would be to learn the language.”

In 1984, when Linda Petrucelli arrives in Taiwan with her husband Gary Hoff, she assumes she will learn Mandarin Chinese. Instead, her local church partner, the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan, assigns her to learn Taiwanese, an eight-toned ancient tongue that few Westerners ever attempt. What began as a daunting assignment turns into a transformative journey of faith, identity, and resilience. Set during the world’s longest period of martial law, Mother Tongue offers candid insight into Taiwan’s nonviolent struggle toward democracy, the political power of language, and the universal search for belonging. In her odyssey to communicate in the island’s mother tongue, Linda learns the political implications of language, insight into her own ethnic identity, and the value of finding humor in her mistakes.

Publisher: Koehler Books

ISBN-13:   979-8897471195

ASIN:   B0GNCKK6QV

Print length: 178 pages

Genre: Memoir

Mother Tongue: A Memoir of Taiwan is available in print and as an ebook at Amazon, BooksaMillion and Barnes & Noble. Add it to your Goodreads list.

About the Author, Linda Petrucelli:

Linda Petrucelli's creative nonfiction essays have earned Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net nominations, and her fiction accolades include first place in the Women on Writing Fall 2018 Flash Fiction Contest. An ordained minister in the United Church of Christ, Linda holds degrees from Yale Divinity School and Chicago Theological Seminary. For ten years, she served as a missionary in Taiwan, becoming fluent in the Taiwanese language. Her wide-ranging ministerial service includes work as a humanitarian relief executive in New York City and pastorates in Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Pennsylvania, and on the Big Island of Hawaii. She now resides in Hawi, Hawaii, with her artist husband, Gary Hoff, and writes on the lanai of their tin-roofed rancher overlooking the ʼAlenuihāhā Channel.

Connect with the author

Website: http://lindapetrucelli.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LindaSPetrucelli/

IG: @linda.petrucelli

Here's what WOW! readers had to say about Mother Tongue by Linda Petrucelli:

Linda says:

Linda Petrucelli in her book, Mother Tongue: A Memoir of Taiwan, is a wonderful journey of faith, trust, kinship and awakening. From Iowa to Taiwan, we journey with her as she learns a language and traditions that are polar opposites to hers. The last line of the book says it all!

I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves travel, enjoys learning about new cultures and has deep spirituality. As a teacher of English as a second language, I could see myself communicating with my students. Thank you, Linda, for this amazing sojourn.

5 stars (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/8605998484)

Karen says:

What a fascinating and satisfying story! The author and her artist husband were both in their 30s when they began their first of two tours in Taiwan. She perfectly conveys their sense of being fish out of water from the moment they land in Asia, immersed in a culture so different from their own. Many of their experiences are humorous; however, you can clearly feel their loneliness, confusion, frustration, and a sense of being completely off-balance in their early days. The author’s moments of success, even the smallest incidents, became causes for elation. The author perseveres, though, and finds her purpose, working to help and improve the lives of some of the neediest people. At the same time, she learns more about herself, her faith, and how she wants to live her best life.

I thoroughly enjoyed the vivid descriptions of the settings and the people Linda met throughout her time in Taiwan. I loved the connections she made with residents, especially the random encounters that made such a big impression on her and helped her at just the right moments in her journey.

 5 stars (https://www.amazon.com/review/R3V8V071JJLYUP/)

Amy says:

A spare, assured, quietly radiant debut...Humour keeps the missionary frame honest, from a tongue-twisting greeting offered to a wine-soaked Santa to the night she wins Best Actress in a televised folktale told entirely in Taiwanese, a tiger costume hiding a parable of resistance. The book deepens among fisher families and Indigenous communities, where her bookish faith becomes lived experience.

5 stars (https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/mother-tongue-linda-petrucelli/1149470836)

Angela says:

Linda's writing style is warm and inviting; it felt like she was having a conversation with a friend as she related her anecdotes. Each chapter relayed a significant moment in her journey, even though they may seem small - from having to communicate with a doctor in Taiwanese while ill to giving a short sermon in the new language. Although this is a short memoir, Linda still manages to pack a lot in, giving the reader her insights into language, culture, gender roles, and politics.

5 stars (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/8653514784)

Nicole says:

I've never had the honor of traveling outside of the U.S. And I'm always drawn to travel memoirs. This was a great one! I loved reading about her experiences in Taiwan. Reading about her learning process, understanding the language and the culture, and her experiences being in the area felt so vivid to me. It felt like I was right there with her. I also appreciated reading about her work in ministry. Definitely an interesting memoir I enjoyed reading!

5 stars (https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/mother-tongue-linda-petrucelli/1149470836)

Jodi says:

We all dream of one time or another of having a grand adventure. Of course, safely in our dream world, everything goes perfectly according to plan during our grand adventure. Linda Petrucelli's memoir Mother Tongue is the tale of a grand adventure...but. We hired you to do this job...but instead do this job. You expected to learn this language...but instead try this language. Practice your conversational skills...but no one wants to talk this language.

This honest memoir shows us the reality behind the grand adventure pastor Linda Petrucelli took with her artist husband Gary Hoff. In addition to the excitement, the new friends, the surprises it also shows us the frustration, the fear, the jealousy, the confusion. Petrucelli paints a detailed picture of Taiwan with small details and snippets of life as she comes to terms with the real purpose of her time as a missionary.

If you wonder what it's like to be thrown into the deep end of the cultural pool, Mother Tongue is the memoir for you.

5 stars (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/8587852049)

*****BOOK GIVEAWAY*****

Enter to win a print copy of Mother Tongue by Linda Petrucelli and a $25 Amazon gift card. Fill out the form below for a chance to win! The giveaway ends on Sunday, June 28 at 11:59 pm CT. We will randomly draw a winner the next day and follow up via email. Good luck!

Mother Tongue Giveaway

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2 comments book giveaway, Linda Petrucelli, memoir, Mother Tongue, Reader Review Event, travel

Interview with Sophie Berghouse - WOW! Q2 Creative Nonfiction Essay Runner Up

With a nod toward any baseball fans, Sophie Berghouse has the distinction of a literary double play in the Q2 Creative Nonfiction Essay contest. She was named a runner-up TWICE in the same contest, for Weeding Your Garden and World's BEST Special-Needs Parent Recipe. Although the essays are very different in style and tone, they are similar in their portrayal of strong emotions – as well as being a little quirky.

Sophie was raised in the Midwest and spent the first three decades of her life there. She attended medical school, completed her residency and fellowship, and felt pleased her life was comfortably mapped out. Then life introduced a plot twist: a permanent move to Germany due to her husband's job. Just as she began to find a new rhythm within the different language and culture, Sophie faced another plot twist she never saw coming: her third child was born with severe disabilities. When Sophie grows up, she wants to write a novel about traveling Europe with a wheelchair and four kids in tow. For now, she will focus on short stories detailing her (mis)adventures in parenting, special needs, and most importantly, living. She hopes her experiences can support and encourage other women and mothers facing unexpected life changes. 

She is not a big fan of socials but grudgingly accepts that they are here to stay. You can find her on Substack: @sophieberghouse, where, in her words, she has a mightily underwhelming number of followers. 

WOW: After several years of WOW Writing contests, we have many writers who have won notice for more than one entry. But you are the first one I know of who received two runner-up places in the same contest. Congratulations! Just curious, how many pieces did you enter in the Q2 2026 Essay contest? And do you have an tips for people who want to enter a writing contest?

Sophie: That’s great! I didn’t know that. There was a phrase we used in pathology: “The eyes perceive what the mind sees.” And all I had noticed was that I wasn’t in the top three. I should have had gratitude about placing at all (there have been plenty of times that hasn’t happened). Thank you for the new perspective. I entered two pieces in that Q2 2026 Essay contest.

As for tips, it’s worthwhile to get an editor which is just another way of saying ‘experienced beta-reader’. Although saying 'editor' sounds like you have a million-dollar, multiple book deal with a NY publishing house, you can hire one at any level. It is particularly helpful if you didn't get an MFA or are otherwise new to the writing world. I found an editor here at WOW (shout out to Chelsey Clammer!) 

WOW: You are new to the writing world. What does your family think about your transformation from doctor/parent to doctor/parent/writer?

Sophie: My husband is my biggest supporter. And the kids, I think they barely noticed. Except for my teenage daughter who asks me whether she can have my prize money—apparently there is a shade of eyeliner she doesn’t own yet.

WOW: Ah, the teenage search for the perfect eyeliner - there might be an essay in that. You have a very busy life. Do you find time to write daily?

Sophie: I wish. But I have a day job of parenting four children. I know it’s not part of the question,

but I’m going to steal the mic here for a quick PSA second: parenting is a career even if society considers it a side-gig. And because it doesn't get remunerated, it carries even less status. But I like to think of myself as the head of a small organization with feisty and rebellious employees, who—and this is important—cannot be fired. So the next time someone asks what I do, I am going to reply “I’m a stay-at-home-CEO.” That should give it the appropriate weight. Ok, here’s the mic back.

WOW: So tell us a little about writing while parenting. Are there any advantages?

Sophie: The adventures and disasters I observe in our microcosm give me a lot of fodder for writing, so it’s a good symbiosis. And as my kids get older, I have more free gaps where I can sit down and get some thoughts on the page. But it's never a daily opportunity. On the other hand, I try to read daily—even if it’s just a quick essay. Depending on how widely one defines writing, then maybe I do feed my writing life daily.   

WOW: What do you do when you aren't writing?

Sophie: Mostly, parenting in all its nuances. I have two teenagers and two grade-schoolers, one of

whom has severe cognitive and physical disabilities. They each have different needs and I have to meet each one where they are. I am slowly finding my way out of the daily survival that parenting young children entails and am now faced with metamorphosing into a new me. I am not quite sure who that is yet, but I know it will have something to do with writing.

WOW: Since your family is living in Germany was it difficult to find a writing community, especially as a newbie?

Sophie: You’re never far away if you have internet, I found. With the plethora of online classes, I

don’t feel disadvantaged for being abroad—maybe a few instances if online presence is necessary and it corresponds to 2 a.m. here. I did that once, and then I realized that I am way past college age where I could absorb getting up in the middle of the night with no cost. But now I just sign up for asynchronous classes or video classes—with a link so I can watch later.

WOW was recommended by a friend. I was tied into a different writing organization, but I felt their classes were prohibitively expensive. Sometimes I marvel about the universe, how pieces fall into place just when they are meant to. And WOW was exactly the community that I was looking for. I love the diversity of classes offered, the articles about timely writing subjects, and, of course, the contests. And no, I am not getting a kick-back for saying all of this. It’s genuine.

WOW: And we are genuinely happy that you found WOW. What is one of your writing challenges?

Sophie: Just one? (Laughs) The paralyzing doubts, the voices that whisper that no one cares about your writing, there are enough writers out there--you have nothing to add. And that was before you got a rejection from a lit mag. But luckily, I have learned that it happens to everyone--even experienced, known writers. I try to step back from the emotions and observe. And if I really feel down in the dumps, I grab a copy of any craft book (Anne Lammott's first chapter of Bird by Bird as an example) and that gives me back some motivation.  

WOW: What’s up next for your writing life?

Sophie: I still want to write a memoir about parenting a child with disability. I feel that advocacy and community are crucial—sharing our story is my contribution. But I also want to write a story that is interesting to a broader readership. I still haven’t figured out how to do that yet. Until then, I will continue to find my voice and style by writing shorter essays.

WOW: Then we will continue to enjoy your writing, who knows, maybe next time you will be in the top three.

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Leave a Comment Contestant interview, Jodi M. Webb, memoir, Sophie Berghouse, WOW! Q2 2026 Creative Nonfiction Essay Contest

Friday Speak Out!: We Got This

I plural myself like no other.

“I’m going inside now. Do we have all our things?” I think to myself as I open the sliding glass door that separates my balcony office from my living room office. We’re a freelance editor. We work from home and must spice it up with multiple office-i.

But it’s awkward to write in plural when talking about a singular me. It’s not an identity thing, just that there are two people in my head (and not in a psychotic way; I don’t think).

These people, more than just voices, keep me company and help me sort through my brain. Ever since I was a teen when I experienced those gawky identity- and friend-shifting high school years, I’ve always known that I have to be my best friend. I’m stuck with me for life. Plus, I can’t hang with you if I’m not comfortable hanging with me. With us. So these people in my head—there’s just two of them actually. The writer and the editor. They’re both me, and they can be a nerdy blast to be with. “We’re done editing! Time to play with our own writing!” Grand idea.

So I chill with us all day, sitting in one of the four offices I have created in my one-bedroom apartment. Although I do have a roommate. She has four legs. And she’s, like, Velcroed to our leg all day. And yes, we talk to her too, but when she says something, it always comes out as a high-pitched blue heeler bitching noise. An irritated work wife because we’re editing and she wants to play.

“We’re not doing that right now, Babygirl. We’re working. Take a nap.”

So we write and edit and talk to our dog and ourself out loud. We’re very content in this position because it’s done grand things for us. As in: to be a good writer, you have to be a fantastic editor. Meaning, you have to be able to separate yourself from your writing self—to see the writing for what it is and not as yours. The writer self creates; the editor self employs the science of figuring out how to make what the writer self just wrote sound like something that someone who is not us would want to read.

My writer self negotiates with my editor self all day, and a constant conversation emerges between us about what’s working and what’s not. That separated perspective. We like this. How it results in publications and clients who trust ourself enough to pay us to apply editor self to their personal words. So we like ourself, our brain. Sometimes, our body. And 87.3% of the time, it’s all fun and uplifting. There are hard days, of course, when we hate ourselves for various self-loathing reasons including rejections and lack of work and an uncooperative roommate/coworker. Pep talks galore during these times. “We got this,” a phrase my walls are sick of hearing. But mostly, we’re just being us and we’re fine with that. I might sound a little crazy, but plural me away. It’s how we work—how our writing works.

* * *

Chelsey Clammer is the award-winning author of the essay collections Human Heartbeat Detected (Red Hen Press, 2022), Circadian (Red Hen Press, 2017), and BodyHome (Hopewell Publications, 2015). Her work has appeared in Salon, The Rumpus, Brevity, and McSweeney’s, among many others. She was the Fall 2019 Jack Kerouac Writer-in-Residence with the Jack Kerouac Project. Clammer teaches online creative writing classes with WOW! Women On Writing. She is a full-time freelance editor living in Austin. www.chelseyclammer.com

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Would you like to participate in Friday "Speak Out!"? Email your short posts (under 500 words) about women and writing to: marcia[at]wow-womenonwriting[dot]com for consideration. We look forward to hearing from you!
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8 comments Chelsey Clammer, Friday Speak Out!, writing life

Interview with Joanna Miller: Fall 2025 Flash Fiction Contest Runner Up

Joanna’s Bio: Joanna lives in Derbyshire on the edge of the glorious Peak District with her partner, three dogs and a cat. Her micro and flash stories have been listed in various competitions, including Edinburgh True Flash Fiction Award, Fish Flash Fiction Prize, WOW! Women on Writing, Tadpole Press 100 and the London Independent Story Prize. She has been published in Free Flash Fiction, Writing Magazine, the Scottish Arts Trust, Wildfire Words FF150 and Bath Flash Fiction Volume Nine. 

If you haven't already done so, check out Joanna's award-winning story "The Case of the Cambridge Lad" and then return here for a chat with the author. 

WOW: Congratulations on placing in the Fall 2025 Flash Fiction Contest! What excited you most about writing this story? 

Joanna: I love being able to combine local research with writing. This story came to me after discovering there are two mermaid lakes in Derbyshire. Although I didn’t use all the information from my research, it provided a solid backdrop for the setting. 

WOW: The research process can be so much fun, and it sounds like you have a great perspective on how much to use and when. What did you learn about yourself or your writing while crafting this piece? 

Joanna: As a relatively new writer, I tend to fictionalise fact, drawing on my own personal experiences. This piece was different because it was entirely fictional, which allowed me to use my imagination without restraint. I found that liberating. 

WOW: What a wonderful feeling! What do you enjoy when you’re not writing, and how does it inform or inspire what you write? 

Joanna: I’m very lucky to live on the edge of the Peak District. Taking our three dogs out for walks in the area is a regular activity. I find lots of inspiration locally; we’re surrounded by wild moorlands, historic estates, etc. And then there’s the city. Sheffield is also full of inspiration with its industrial heritage. 

WOW: That sounds lovely and full of potential stories. What are you reading right now, and why did you choose to read it? 

Joanna: At the moment, I’m reading Kevin Barry’s Dark Lies the Island. It’s a collection of short stories that I can dip in and out of, rather than fully immersing myself in a novel. I’ll never tire of reading the Fjord of Killary; it always makes me laugh. 

WOW: If you could give your younger self one piece of writing advice, what would it be and why? 

Joanna: Don’t think a story’s finished just because it’s completed. Stories have a way of developing organically over time. Give them the space to do that—at least a few weeks, then revisit them and let the characters take over the storytelling. 

WOW: That’s great advice! Anything else you’d like to add? 

Joanna: I’m a solitary writer and procrastinator, but I find that competitions provide structure by having a deadline that gives me the impetus to finish a piece of work. And if I do miss a closing date, it’s ok; there are always other opportunities to submit. Receiving feedback from the judges / editorial team is invaluable. 

WOW: Thank you for sharing your story and your responses with us. Happy writing! 

Interviewed by Anne Greenawalt, founder and editor-in-chief of Sport Stories Press, which publishes sports books by, for, and about sportswomen and amateur athletes. Connect on social media @greenmachine459.

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Leave a Comment Anne Greenawalt, Fall 2025 Flash Fiction Contest, Joanna Miller, runner up

Interview with Frances Figart, Runner Up in the Q2 Creative Nonfiction Essay Contest with “The Landing”

 Interview with Frances Figart, 

Runner Up in the Q2 Creative Nonfiction Essay Contest with 

“The Landing” 

Congratulations to Frances Figart from Flag Pond, Tennessee for her amazing nonfiction essay titled: The Landing 

Check out Frances’s submission, The Landing as well as all the other winning entries and then stop back here to read Frances Figart’s engaging interview with Crystal J. Casavant-Otto from WOW! Women on Writing. 

Frances’s Bio: 

Frances Figart (Fié-gert) edits Smokies Life Journal and directs the creative team for Smokies Life, a nonprofit organization supporting Great Smoky Mountains National Park since 1953. She has written three children’s books addressing conservation issues and began to explore creative writing for an adult audience in 2023 after hosting the first Tremont Writers Conference, an annual program she co-founded in the Smokies.

 

...interview with Crystal J. Casavant-Otto

WOW!: Thank you for being here with me today Frances and thank you for writing such a personal essay. Let’s get right down to it! Can you share a bit about the actual story behind The Landing?

Frances: There are moments in our relationships to other humans that stand out as intensely clear and unforgettable. When we look back on these singular experiences, they are inevitably magnified through the lens of all that has happened since. The moment around which The Landing is framed, a psychedelic experience at a broken-down farmhouse with a college heartthrob, has such expansive power for me. When the psilocybin took effect during that January sunset, the cold drove me inside, but my friend stayed out in the fields. At some point later, we simultaneously felt to need to check in with one another, and we ended up meeting on the landing halfway between his first-floor apartment and mine upstairs. 

In the decades since that trip, my friend and I have stayed in touch, but the timing was never right for us to be in a romantic relationship. Of course, we have each led rich lives with different significant others. When I reflect on all our missed opportunities, I trace our connection back to that magical moment on the landing. So for this piece, I poured all of that energy and emotion into the landing as a pivotal point, and gave the main character, Eve, a psilocybin-induced precognitive understanding that she and Adam would never actually be together. When I hit upon their names, I knew I had something with legs, because she was the one who procured and provided the magic mushrooms, just as Eve gave Adam the apple from the tree of knowledge. But in this case, the trick was on her: she was the one who saw all the way through to the disappointing ending. 

The great news is, my friend loves the story and totally gets how I spun off from our real-life experience into a piece of magical realism in which the tone still echoes our memories and the story of our ongoing friendship, forever draped in the colors of a lost romance. 

WOW!: I absolutely love that back story - thank you for sharing it with us! What is your history with writing contests? Tell us what prompted you to submit to this particular contest. What would you like to tell other authors concerning contests and submitting their work? 

Frances: I have only been submitting to writing contests for a short time. It started because I helped to develop a writers conference in Great Smoky Mountains National Park a few years ago, and working with our faculty and participants awakened an interest in creative writing that has, in a way, lain dormant since college days. Although I’ve written creatively in children’s books as part of my work in the Smokies, I only began to write creative nonfiction as well as some fiction for adults at around age 60. 

I became a member of the North Carolina Writers Network, which does a great job of promoting the many opportunities for emerging writers, WOW got my attention, and I just started making a point of submitting to the quarterly CNF contest whenever possible. I like the 1,000-word length as it helps me focus on honing a story into a tight package. I find the community of women involved in WOW to be really interesting and diverse. For me, winning is not so important as the cadence of discipline to submit; it gives me incentive to work hard on developing my craft. 

 WOW!: Thank you for your kind words about and your trust in WOW! You have an impressive bio—could you tell us more about the Tremont Writers Conference? 

Frances: Sure. It’s one of the coolest projects I’ve been involved with in my eight years as the creative director at Smokies Life, which is one of four nonprofit partners of the most visited national park in the US. The conference is the coordinated effort of two of these educational park partners, Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont and Smokies Life. Set on the lush, secluded Tremont campus in one of the park’s most beautiful pristine valleys beside a swiftly flowing river, the event immerses 25 selected writers in poetry, fiction, and nonfiction cohorts in an intensive retreat of brainstorming and fine-tuning their work while learning about nature and writing in small groups from Wednesday through Sunday in late October. It’s a beautiful time of year to be in one of the most gorgeous natural areas in North America. 

This year we will have Ron Rash as our special guest novelist, Cystal Wilkinson leading the nonfiction cohort, Linda Parsons teaching poetry, and Kelli Jo Ford working in fiction. Acceptance to the Tremont Writers Conference is based on manuscript evaluation. Additional information may be found at writers.gsmit.org. The deadline to apply for this year was May 15, but if someone is interested in the conference, they can reach out to me at Frances@SmokiesLife.org and I can plug them into ongoing channels of information. 

WOW!: Thank you for all that great information and opportunity to still attend the conference! Do you have advice for your younger self when it comes to making decisions, believing in yourself, and/or writing? What would your current self say to the younger you? 

Frances: I recently had lunch with a twenty-something conservation professional who asked me this same question. It’s a good one. Here’s a version of what my 62-year-old self might say to my 22-year-old self: 

“You have known since you were a child that writing is your gift and it’s what you do best. 

Your voice is just as valid as anyone else’s. Focus on your writing, study it and cultivate it. 

Read read read. Rank the literary life above sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll. 

Writing is a life-long pursuit, and you need these early years to learn all 

you can to perfect your craft and become competitive. 

Don’t be distracted. 

Don’t wait forty years to prioritize your passion.” 

Learn more at FrancesFigart.com. 

WOW!: Well if that isn't the best advice; thank you Frances! Thank you for your wisdom, your time, your submission, and your friendship! I look forward to working more with you in the future.

Today's interview was penned by Crystal J. Casavant-Otto

Crystal Casavant writes. 

Everything. 

If you follow her blog you have likely laid eyes on every thought she has ever had. 

Her debut novel, It Was Never About Me, Was It? is still a work in progress and shall be fully worthy sometime in her lifetime as she switched gears and is seven chapters in on a psychological thriller that has captured her heart. She has written for WOW! Women on Writing, Bring on Lemons, and has been featured in several magazines and ezines relating to credit and collections as well as religious collections for confessional Lutherans. 

She runs a busy household (from her parent’s basement) full of intelligent, recalcitrant, and delightful humans who give her breath and keep her heart beating day after day. 

Crystal wears many hats (and not just the one in this photo) including college student, mom, musician, singer, administrator, writer, teacher, and friend. She fully believes in being in the moment and doing everything she can to improve the lives of those around her! She recently moved into her parent’s basement and is enjoying the challenge, recently posting some delicious meals titled: Culinary Adventures in My Parent’s Basement. 

The world may never know her name, but she prays that because of her, someone may smile a little brighter. She prides herself on doing nice things - yes, even for strangers. She is always up for a challenge whether it’s living in the basement, living on a boat, or buying a dairy farm! You never know where she’ll turn up next or what she’ll be doing, but it’s guaranteed she’ll be having fun! 

 Check out the latest Contests: 

 www.wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php 

 Here are some scenes from the Tremont Writers Conference that Frances shared with us: 

 Photographer: Valerie Polk

 Photographer: Joye Ardyn Durham

 Photographer: Joye Ardyn Durham

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Leave a Comment author interview, Frances Figart, nonfiction essay, runner up , the landing, writing contest

Trigger Warnings

I've been thinking a lot about trigger warnings lately. I'm not sure exactly when trigger warnings became such a part of our lives but recently these helpful "heads up" about uncomfortable topics seem to be everywhere. They aren't only in books and other entertainment like TV programs, movies and plays but it's becoming a part of our everyday conversation. Recently an acquaintance issued a trigger warning before commencing to tell me about her minor car accident.

OK.

So what's the purpose of trigger warnings attached to books? I suppose the idea is to give people a warning if they have experienced a trauma or have a mental health issue so they can avoid things that make them anxious. The problems is, the things that can cause anxiety are infinite. Sure, we can all agree on some broad terms of uncomfortable topics: sexual assault, violence, suicide, animal cruelty, eating disorders, self harm. But what about snakes, hurricanes, birds, semis, dogs, needles, choking...the list of phobias goes on and on.

When we label a book with a vague trigger warning, we may being unknowingly be placing it "off limits" to someone who could handle, and even enjoy, it. Because we all draw the line at a different place. Perhaps one reader is not bothered by murders but a fist fight, a relatively minor episode of violence, is what truly bothers them because they experienced it. Maybe one reader can endure three pages of violence to be immersed in the other 350 pages of the story. How can we know how much is too much for the thousands of readers of the words we write? 

Anxiety is not always logical. We try to scoop millions of experiences under one umbrella like sexual assault. It seems obvious what that covers. But what if something innocuous is woven into the memories of a sexual assault. A dark alley.  A margarita.  A college dorm room. A rose. How can authors know what things that seem innocent to us could trigger a sexual assault victim?

Perhaps you're thinking that we have to at least try, after all we want our readers to have a good experience. But multiple studies have found that trigger warnings aren't that helpful. First, trauma survivors were found to become distressed just by reading trigger warnings. For someone dealing with PTSD, even a warning "This book contains X" can bring up all the negative memories they have attached to X. 

Another study showed that some trauma survivors feel that trigger warnings make them feel like victims, as if the world thinks they are too vulnerable to even read about certain things. Studies on PTSD also show that avoidance (which can be helped by the use of trigger warnings) can actually increase the effect something has on a person. If a person returns from combat and is jumpy at loud noises because it reminds them of gunfire, a therapist doesn't recommend that they find the quietest place on the planet. Actually, they're encouraged to seek out noises so they can help re-train their brain that not every loud noise is life threatening and to practice calming themself. Perhaps reading about something is a safe way to expose yourself to things that trigger anxiety in you and allow you to tell yourself that it can't harm you. And feel the power of closing the book if you don't want to read anymore.

It's true. Reading about some topics can be uncomfortable. My definition of uncomfortable is probably very different than your definition. But can't we gain something from being uncomfortable? Will we find new ways of looking at things, empathy, strength from facing what bothers us in the safety of a book?

How do you feel about trigger warnings? Should we embrace them or let our readers rely on an old-fashioned book synopsis to filter reading choices?

Jodi M. Webb writes from her home in the Pennsylvania mountains. She's also a blog tour manager for WOW-Women on Writing. Follow her writing and reading life at Words by Webb. 

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Interview with Alexis Valle, Runner Up in the WOW! Fall 2025 Flash Fiction Contest

 

Alexis Valle is a Criminal Justice student at Metropolitan State University of Denver, where they balance academic rigor with a deep passion for writing. Their work explores identity, queerness, and the complexities of living in a fractured world, often blending personal narrative with broader social commentary. Currently, Alex is developing a poetry series that reflects on resilience, belonging, and what it means to exist at the crossroads of Latin and queer identity. 

----------Interview by Renee Roberson

WOW: Welcome, Alexis, and congratulations! “Masa, Blood, and Other Tender Things" is a great example of using voice to make your story stand out. Marisol’s voice is haunting, matter-of-fact, and when she’s around Isabel, vulnerable. What steps did you take to ensure that Marisol’s tone would be sure to leave an impression on the reader? 

Alexis: I approached Marisol’s voice as something controlled first, emotional second. I wanted her to sound calm, almost domestic, someone you’d trust immediately, because that makes the horror land harder. She speaks in simple, matter-of-fact observations, but there’s always a second layer underneath, something withheld. 

To build that, I leaned on contrast. In public, her voice is warm, practical, even a little humorous. But when she speaks about Isabel, that restraint cracks. The sentences soften, stretch, and become more vulnerable. I didn’t want to announce that shift, I wanted the reader to feel it happening. I also focused on rhythm. Marisol’s voice is deliberate. She doesn’t waste words, and she doesn’t rush. That steadiness makes even her most disturbing lines feel natural, which I think is what allows the story to linger. 

WOW: Shifting the tone of her voice so subtly paid off by the end! What was the inspiration behind this story? 

Alexis: The story came from thinking about how often women—especially in tight-knit communities—are expected to endure quietly. I wanted to take that expectation and twist it. 

There’s also a strong influence from Latin folklore and oral storytelling traditions, where food, grief, and the body are often intertwined. Cooking becomes a form of memory, but here it’s also a form of control. 

At its core, though, the story is about desire and ownership, what it means to love someone from a distance, and how that love can curdle into something possessive. Marisol doesn’t just want Isabel; she wants to build a world where Isabel remains untouched, preserved. Everything she does feeds into that. 

WOW: You did an excellent job of revealing that in only 750 words--sometimes flash fiction can bee even more impactful than longer works of fiction. Your bio mentions a current work of poetry. Besides flash fiction and poetry, what other forms of the craft do you enjoy and why? 

Alexis: Beyond flash fiction and poetry, I’m really drawn to longer-form fiction, especially novels with dense worldbuilding. I like having the space to build systems, histories, and layered characters that evolve over time. 

That said, I think poetry has shaped everything I write. Even in prose, I’m thinking about rhythm, imagery, and compression. I want sentences to carry weight, even when they’re simple. 

I also enjoy blending forms, stories that feel almost lyrical in structure or that rely heavily on voice. That’s where I feel most at home creatively. 

WOW: What is your writing process like? As a college student, do you write in small pockets of time, favor early mornings or late nights, or have a special way of exploring an idea when it comes to you? 

Alexis: My process is a mix of bursts and control. Most ideas come to me fully formed in tone before anything else—usually a voice or a single striking image. Once I have that, I write quickly, almost instinctively, to capture that energy before it fades. After that, I slow way down. I revise heavily, especially at the sentence level. I’m cutting, tightening, and sharpening until every line feels intentional. As a college student, I definitely write in small pockets of time, late nights more than early mornings. But I’ve learned not to wait for perfect conditions. If I have ten minutes, I use them. 

WOW: There is no "perfect time to write," that's for sure! How did you first learn about the contests at WOW! Women on Writing? 

Alexis: I came across WOW! Women on Writing while actively searching for spaces that support and highlight strong narrative voices, especially in short form. I was drawn to their focus on storytelling that feels both personal and impactful. Submitting felt like a good fit for the kind of work I’m trying to do, stories that are intimate on the surface but carry something darker underneath.

WOW: Well, we're glad you found us and can't wait to read more of your work. Happy writing!

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The Birth of a Widow by Kathie Giorgio: Blog Tour & Giveaway

Multi-talented writer Kathie Giorgio is returning to WOW for the launch of a tour for The Birth of a Widow: Collected Poems. Through this book of poetry we explore not only the many facets of grief but also the power a relationship has to shape our life. Join us as we celebrate her launch with an author interview and book giveaway. Let's start the month with poetry!

But first, more about the book:

The Birth of a Widow is utterly shattering portrait of the sudden loss of a husband and a shared life that will speak to anyone who has ever loved or lost a loved one. In these poems of electric honesty, Giorgio explores how she struggles to survive her first year as a widow, using all her wisdom, humor, anger, to cross the vast sea of grief to the other shore, bringing us—wiser, too—along with her.

—Jesse Lee Kercheval, author of I Want To Tell You

Sixty-six days after Kathie Giorgio’s husband was killed when he was struck and run over by a passenger van while walking to his bus stop, Kathie’s grief broke out unbidden into poetry. For the year after his death, she wrote the poems as they arrived. An intimate study of traumatic loss, Giorgio exposes the full depth of grief’s sadness, anger, and confusion.

Publisher: Kelsay Books (Feb. 24, 2026)

AISN: B0GQ45W871

ISBN-13: 979-8901467190

Print Length: 88 pages

Purchase your copy on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Bookshop.org. You'll also want to add it to your GoodReads reading list.

About the Author, Kathie Giorgio

Kathie Giorgio is the author of seventeen traditionally published books: eight novels, two story collections, an essay collection, and five poetry collections. Her new novel, Unique In All The World, will be released in February 2027. She’s been nominated for the Pushcart Prize in fiction and poetry and awarded the Outstanding Achievement Award from the Wisconsin Library Association and the Eric Hoffer prize for fiction, among others. 

Giorgio is also the founder and director of AllWriters’ Workplace &Workshop LLC, an international creative writing studio offering online and on-site courses and workshops for all genres and abilities, as well as coaching and editing services.

Find the author at:

Website: www.kathiegiorgio.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kathie.giorgio.5

Instagram: @kathiegio1

Twitter/X: @kathiegiorgio

-- Interview by Jodi M. Webb

WOW: You published many different types of books: novels, poetry collections, short stories, personal essays. As writers, do you think we should “stretch” our skills by trying many genres?

Kathie: I believe that writers should stretch with genres, but not for building a skill set or for sales or for a brand. They should stretch because they really want to write something in that genre. If you’re a poet, but you think you have a great idea for a short story and it’s all you can think about, then write it. Ditto with any genre to any genre. We should always write what we feel strongly about, whether or not we’ve ever written anything like that before.

WOW: Do you have a favorite genre to write or does it depend on the project/idea?

Kathie: If I was told I could only write in one genre for the rest of my life, I would choose the short story. I love writing in all the possibilities – fiction, nonfiction, poetry. But the short story was my first love and remains my #1 passion. What I write does depend, of course, on the idea. I often don’t know what something is going to be until it is. I once set out to write a novel, jotting down ideas throughout the day on a list. Later, when I looked at the list, I discovered it was a flash fiction piece, already written. You just never know.

WOW: That's an amazing story! How did The Birth of a Widow come into being? Because the poems follow your first year of being a widow, I wonder if you wrote them as part of journaling and the later decided to collect them into their own book?

Kathie: I never intended to write The Birth Of A Widow. 66 days after my husband Michael’s death, I went (ran, really) to the Oregon coast, which is my place to get away, drop all roles, and just be alone. While I was there, I suddenly began to have lines from what appeared to be poetry appearing in my head. So I wrote them, and they were all about Michael and what happened. Because they kept coming after the initial 5, I decided to let it continue (as if I had a choice!). I never once sat down deliberately to write one of these poems; I just wrote them as the words came to me. I did put a deadline on it – I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life writing about losing my husband. So I said I would give in to these poems until the first anniversary of his death. Of course, the writing itself made the final decision – on that anniversary, I found myself unable to write. But the morning after that first anniversary, I woke up with the poem in my head I decided to show the collection to my poetry publisher. She said they should be published, and I agreed.

WOW: Do you find writing helpful in dealing with the challenges of life?

Kathie: Yes, I definitely find writing helpful in getting me through life’s challenges. For years, when I’ve found myself in a situation that I just can’t figure my way through, I sit down to write a short story about it. I create a character who is totally unlike me, but in the same situation. That distances me. Then I move the character through the story. If I can get the character out the other side, I can get myself out too. (Incidentally, I have a novel being released next year, which has a main character who has just lost her husband. Yes, I needed help with this challenge too.)

WOW: Tell us a little about your process. Do you write daily?

Kathie: I don’t write exactly daily. I don’t write on weekends. Typically, I don’t write on Wednesdays either, as I teach all day that day. But I write the other days, and if I’m on a break, I write all day, every day. I’m typically an afternoon writer. My mornings are spent with clients, then I write, then in the late afternoon and into the evening, I teach classes and meet with more clients. If I have a day or a week where nothing comes, I don’t fret anymore. I’ve been writing long enough that I know it’s temporary, and my mind is only taking a rest.

WOW: After being a writing teacher for decades, you must have some great advice. What would you tell all our writers out there?

Kathie: The first thing I would advise is to not put the selling before the writing. Don’t even think of selling or publication. Just write. Once you start publishing, there is tremendous pressure to keep publishing, and you tend to get caught up in that, rather than the passion for putting down just the right words. Don’t write because you think it will sell; write because you have something to say.

    

The second thing I would advise is don’t reach so quickly for the delete key. Even if something doesn’t seem to be going well, give it a chance. We are our own worst critics, and sometimes, when we’re struggling, it actually means something great is on the way. Write it out.

WOW: Do you think teaching helps you as a writer?

Kathie: Teaching definitely helps me as a writer. It puts me right smack in the middle of a community that not only loves what I do, they want to do it too. I’m with people who understand the draw to do such a strange thing. Plus, I can’t hardly expect my students to write if I’m not writing.

WOW: I never thought about the motivation you receive from being a writing teacher. What’s up next for you (and your writing)?

Kathie: I have a novel, Unique In All The World, being released on February 18, 2027. I also decided it was time to fully immerse myself in my first passion, so I’m writing a short story collection.

WOW: Ooh, I am definitely looking forward to that. You are so passionate about short stories I can't wait to read your collection.

-Blog Tour Calendar

June 1st @ The Muffin

Join us as we celebrate the launch of The Birth of a Widow: Collected Poems by Kathie Giorgio. Read an interview with the author and enter to win!

https://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com

June 3rd @ Word Magic

The spotlight is on The Birth of a Widow: Collected Poems by Kathie Giorgio. Drop by & learn more.

https://fionaingramauthor.blogspot.com

June 4th @ A Storybook World

Kathie Giorgio, author of The Birth of a Widow: Collected Poems, tackles the challenge of honesty in writing on today's post.

https://www.astorybookworld.com/

June 6th @ Boots, Shoes and Fashion

Don't miss today's interview of Kathie Giorgio, a creative writing instructor and author of 17 books.

https://bootsshoesandfashion.com

June 7th @ Shoe's Seeds and Stories

Kathie Giorgio takes you behind the scenes of My Own Writing Retreat: Created, Directed and Thoroughly Enjoyed by Me. Don't miss a review of Kathie's latest book: The Birth of a Widow: Collected Poems.

https://lschuelerca.wordpress.com/

June 8th @ A Wonderful World of Words

Kathie Giorgio, author of The Birth of a Widow, shares how Poetry is Like a Postcard.

https://awonderfulworldofwordsa.blogspot.com/

June 11th @ Words by Webb

Today Jodi writes abut the secret parts of grief we don't talk about as well as a review of The Birth of a Widow: Collected Poems.

https://www.jodiwebbwriter.com/blog

June 16th @ Cozy Home Delights

Stop by for thoughts on Writing About Grief from Kathie Giorgio as well as a review of her latest poetry collection The Birth of a Widow.

https://cozyhomedelight.com/reviews

June 18th @ Boys' Mom Reads!

Learn about the latest by writer Kathie Giorgio: The Birth of a Widow: Collected Poems.

https://karensiddall.wordpress.com

June 23rd @ Beverley A. Baird

Beverley shares a review of Kathie Giorgio's latest book: The Birth of a Widow: Collected Poems.

https://beverleyabaird.wordpress.com

June 23rd @ Tracey Lampley

Author Kathie Giorgio gives us a peek at the balancing act of Writing While Caretaking.

https://www.traceylampley.com/

June 25th @ Beverley A. Baird

Kathie Giorgio, author of The Birth of a Widow: Collected Poems, is back with a guest post about the everchanging life of a writer in Everything Writer - Writing in Multiple Genres. 

https://beverleyabaird.wordpress.com

June 30th @ World of My Imagination

End the month with a little poetry. Nicole shares a review of The Birth of a Widow: Collected Poems by Kathie Giorgio.

https://worldofmyimagination.com/

***** BOOK GIVEAWAY *****

Enter to win The Birth of a Widow by Kathie Giorgio. Fill out the form below for a chance to win. The giveaway ends June 15th at 11:59 pm CT. We will randomly draw a winner the next day and follow up via email. Good luck!

The Birth of a Widow Giveaway

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6 comments author interview, blog tour launch, book giveaway, Kathie Giorgio, poetry