Interview with Laura Heaton, Runner Up in the Q1 Creative Nonfiction Essay Contest with “You Were Trustworthy and Kind”

Saturday, March 14, 2026

Congratulations to Laura Heaton from East Patchogue, New York 

for her amazing nonfiction essay titled: You Were Trustworthy and Kind 



Check out Laura’s submission, You Were Trustworthy and Kind 

as well as all the other winning entries and then stop back here to 

read Laura’s engaging interview with Crystal J. Casavant-Otto from 

WOW! Women on Writing


Laura’s Bio: 

Laura Heaton is a retired public-school educator who lives with her family on Long Island. Since retiring from teaching, she has been developing her passion for writing. Her writing journey was inspired by a desire to share her experiences parenting a son who struggled for twenty years with addiction. Now Laura is dedicated to honing her craft and expressing her heart through honest stories, just as she once encouraged her fifth-grade students to do. She is excited about her second published essay on WOW! Women on Writing and anticipates publishing additional memoir essays and short fiction she is currently working on. 

When she’s not perfecting sentences, Laura enjoys perfecting recipes, relaxing with friends on a sunny beach, and participating in activities with her two young grandsons. Whether it's a bike race, a swim contest, interval training, or whatever they suggest, “Mima” is happy to join in! 

WOW!: Congratulations Laura; thank you for writing such a personal essay - what is the take-away you'd like readers to gain from You Were Trustworthy and Kind? 

Laura: I wrote this essay to share an intimate view of my counseling experience—the frustration, concern, and appreciation I felt while seeking guidance from therapists during my struggle with my son's addiction, especially with letting go. From this, I hope readers will gain understanding of the role and responsibility therapists may have in guiding families through the mental illness of a loved one, and that there is never an easy answer. There are consequences of both letting go and of not letting go. 


WOW!: Never an easy answer - you’re spot on and included in this interview is a lovely photo of you and your son. I absolutely appreciate you sharing such an important part of your life with me and our WOW! Readers. Thank you! What’s next for you? What are your writing goals for the rest of 2026 and beyond? 

Laura: I am approaching three years into my writing journey since retiring from teaching. I’ve been experimenting with various genres and forms, but personal narrative nonfiction feels most comfortable for me. I have a few longer pieces that I’ve been polishing and would like to find a journal they may fit with for publication. I've also been working on developing my skills in short and flash fiction, and want to continue this work, hopefully publishing something in this genre too. 

Photo of Laura and her son


WOW!: You’re a talented writer - so keep up the polishing! I have a feeling we will be hearing more from you Laura! You have an impressive bio - could you tell us one other strange story about yourself that may surprise us? What did you like most about teaching? 

Laura: I didn't complete my degree and start my teaching career until I was 37 years old. I spent my twenties and early thirties raising my sons while following my husband around the country, and to Canada, setting up temporary homes for our family in six of the seven cities of the Major League Baseball teams he played for. I once drove from Spring Training in Arizona to hunt for an apartment in Cleveland with my infant son, now forty-three, my only companion, while my husband traveled on a flight with his team. It was sometimes challenging, always exciting. 

My elementary school teaching career kept me busy and productive, and also gave me an escape from my son’s illness, requiring me to focus my energy on my pedagogical craft and my students. What I liked most about teaching was connecting with my 10-year-old students through my privileged position standing in front of the classroom, or seated in a literature circle on the classroom floor, guiding and instructing them five days a week. The appreciation on their faces when I taught them something interesting and new, or when I made a playful joke, or probably most of all, when I invited them to come out from behind their desks to play Simon Says, or run outside and play tag. It always surprised them when, up until my last few years, they had trouble tagging their teacher! 


WOW!: Children are amazing aren’t they? I’m so thankful you had such a great career to help you through such a dark time. 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? 

Laura: I have submitted to a few contests outside of WOW!, but this WOW! contest especially appealed to me in so many ways. The creative nonfiction short form category, the 300 entry cap, the women audience. These conditions seemed ideal for a new woman writer like me to have my writing seen and heard. I also appreciated the opportunity WOW! offered to purchase a critique with my entry. Receiving expert feedback is a great perk. 

To other writers considering entering contests, I would say yes, contests can be valuable experiences. I would also say to find the right contests for you and your work, and to be sure to understand the contest rules regarding publishing and copyrights. Thank you to the WOW! Contest Team for this honor and to all WOW! Readers. 


WOW!: Thank you Laura for being with me today and sharing so intimately with the WOW! Readership. Keep up the great work and I look forward to working more with you in the future! 

Today's post 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 as well as most of the recipes she's tried. She's a lot and she's not for everyone.

Her debut novel, It Was Never About Me, Was It? is still a work in progress and shall be fully worthy sometime in 2026...or maybe 2027. 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 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! 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! 


 Check out the latest Contests: www.wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php

Read More »
Leave a Comment , , , ,

Friday Speak Out!: A Worthwhile Conference

Friday, March 13, 2026
By GP Gottlieb

I just returned from Left Coast Crime, a conference for mystery lovers. Of the 550 or so participants, there were about 70 authors, and the rest are readers looking for books to read. Guess who’s got 3 published mysteries (and a 4th launch coming this summer)?

Soon after I got to the hotel, I ran into Ann, a fellow Rocky Mountain Sister in Crime. I love her series about a doctor balancing work and family (loosely based on Ann’s life, except for the crime).

My conference plan is always to meet as many people as possible, have as many good conversations as I can manage, and leave the hotel at least once a day. We lucked out with sunny weather the whole time and the city was cleaner than when I last visited, but what did San Francisco do with all the street people?

I brought postcards with one of my excellent recipes on one side and my books and contact info on the other. I also brought wrapped chocolates and candy because it’s nice to offer something sweet to everyone. I set out some of that candy during author-speed-dating, where I spoke to about 15 tables of 8-10 people about my latest culinary mystery (Charred, Book #3 in the Whipped & Sipped Mystery series).

I will admit that after describing the book 10 times, I zipped through my allotted two minutes in less than 30 seconds. I’d stand up and say, “Hi, I wrote a Chicago based culinary mystery in which some people get killed and everyone else eats breakfast and lunch. Here’s some candy. Hope you get a chance to try my recipe.”

They’d laugh, probably relieved. I’d pass out the other author’s bookmarks, sit down, and listen to her speak. When it was over, I went to my room and read. Then I attended panels like Writing Historical Mysteries and Crime in the Great Outdoors. All four days, I ran into Ann from Colorado.

There were 4 panels each day, plus famous author interviews and readings (One played Tartini’s Devil’s Trill on the violin – his book had the same title). I make quicker decisions about reading a book after hearing an author read (or perform) than I do when listening to an author blab about his/her book.

I loved getting to moderate a panel on Global Mysteries and sitting on a panel about Mystery Categories, although whenever I was the last to answer a question about why my book is a cozy, or what differentiates cozy from traditional mystery, I’d forget the question, say whatever sprang to mind, and inadvertently get a laugh. Oops.

I came away with a long list of books to download, but my favorite part of the weekend was hanging out with Ann, who also ended up being on my flight to Denver. We ate together before the flight. Even though the conference is about books, for me the most important part is the people.

* * *

Photo credit: David Gottlieb 
G.P. Gottlieb loves her family, books, music, and dessert. Her three culinary mysteries (Battered, Smothered, and Charred) were re-issued by Anamcara Press this year (Pounded, Book 4 in the Whipped & Sipped series, will launch this summer). She has interviewed over 275 authors for New Books in Literature, a podcast channel on the New Books Network, has published stories and essays in a variety of journals, blogs, and anthologies, and her latest story will appear in the 2nd Rocky Mountain Sisters in Crime Mystery Merge. To connect, read her book reviews and essays, or see her stunning photos of roasted vegetables, visit G.P. Gottlieb on Facebook, Instagram, Substack, or GPGottlieb.Com.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Read More »
Leave a Comment , , ,

When Nostalgia Shapes Our Stories

Wednesday, March 11, 2026
Photo by Jacek Jan Skorupski/Pexels


There are a lot of things I wish I could go back and do differently in high school and college. I’m betting I’m not alone in those feelings. I may or may not be trying to work out some of those regrets in my latest manuscript, a time loop story set in the mid-1990s. 


While I know a book set in this time period will appeal to women my age, I can’t help but think it might reach a wider audience. The story highlights female friendships as well as mother/daughter relationships. Perhaps readers my daughter’s age (early 20s) might want to learn more about the time period where we had to drop off film to be developed before we could peruse pictures from a party! 


Nostalgia is defined as “a bittersweet, longing for the past,” and is often triggered by various scents, sounds, or memories. This longing for a simpler time before social media and technology controlled our lives has been influencing the books I select to read lately, too. Throw in some fun pop culture references, a time period in the last 60 or 70 years, and I’m sold. 


I’ve just finished the novel Meet the Newmans by Jennifer Niven. (Her novel, All the Bright Places, remains one of my most treasured young adult reads). Niven was inspired by watching reruns of the long-running sitcom Ozzie and Harriet, which featured the real-life Nelson family. Knowing the fictional family in Meet the Newmans was based on a television sitcom from the 1950s and 60s intrigued me immediately. I love reading behind-the-scenes stories about the entertainment industry. 


When patriarch of the family, Del Newman, is hospitalized and put into a medically-induced coma after a car accident, his wife Dinah must take over the reins of the television show and their family. The reader soon realizes Dinah has never been involved in the family’s finances and her two sons and husband all have secrets they are keeping from one another. Woven throughout the fun nostalgia of Hollywood are the very real issues that were still limiting women from equal rights in the workplace, the choice to choose her own contraception, financial freedom, and more. Reviewers have compared the book to Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus. 


One way authors can successfully use nostalgia in their work is through a dual timeline. This was the case with another novel I recently read by Sarah McKoy, Whatever Happened to Lori Lovely? The novel was inspired by the real-life story of actress Dolores Hart, an actress who co-starred with Elvis Presley. Hart abruptly left Hollywood in the late 1960s to become a Benedictine nun. The book follows the story of Lu, who is working on her history thesis for college in 1990. Desperate to complete the project, she pitches the idea of writing an oral history of her aunt’s life. Lori Lovely was a Hollywood starlet who retreated from fame in 1969 to join a convent. Lu makes the trip to visit her and try to uncover the mystery that led to her aunt making such a momentous life choice. 


On my pile of advanced reader copies is a novel titled American Fantasy by Emma Straub. The story features middle-aged woman in the midst of divorce who takes a cruise featuring a 90’s boy band with her sister. As someone who grew up dancing and singing to the music of the New Kids on the Block, I’m ready to dive deep into the nostalgia of my own youth with this one. 


Not only can nostalgia reflect the past, but it can also help us bridge the dialogue between generations, and explore the human condition. In my current work-in-progress, I jotted down the following statement when trying to narrow down the central theme: 


As much as you would like to change things in the past, you can only change the path of your future. 


Do you enjoy writing and reading stories that remind you of years past? What have been some of your favorite books featuring nostalgia? 


Renee Roberson is an award-winning writer and host/creator of the true crime podcast, Missing in the Carolinas.

Read More »
Leave a Comment , , , , ,

Dibs the Dragon & the Marshmallow Rescue by Ellie Moss: Blog Tour & Giveaway

Monday, March 09, 2026
 
Dibs the Dragon & the Marshmallow Rescue by Ellie Moss

I'm excited to announce that author Ellie Moss is joining us for a blog tour of her children's book, Dibs the Dragon and the Marshmallow Rescue. This book is perfect for bedtime reading, classroom read-alouds, and any child who loves dragons, magical worlds, and heartwarming friendships. Join us as we celebrate the launch of her book and interview the author about her book, writing journey, and more. You'll also have the chance to win a copy for yourself.

Before we get to that, here's more about her book:

How does a bubble-blowing dragon make his very first friend?

In the magical land of Lickitypop, Dibs the Dragon hears a tiny cry for help from the sticky syrup swamp and discovers Mooch, a marshmallow mole who is very, very stuck. With a licorice vine, a bit of bravery, and a whole lot of heart, Dibs leaps into action—and begins a friendship that will change everything.
This gentle, whimsical picture book is filled with kindness, imagination, and cozy read-aloud moments that celebrate the joy of helping others and the magic of making friends.

Whether you're a parent, teacher, librarian, or cozy-color enthusiast, this sweet story is sure to become a beloved favorite on your shelf—and a magical introduction to the Lickitypop series.

Publisher: Lickitypop Press
ISBN-10: 1970978015
ISBN-13: 978-1970978001
ASIN: B0GBQW11YV
Print length: 32 pages

Purchase a copy of Dibs the Dragon & the Marshmallow Rescue on Amazon, Be sure to also add it to your GoodReads reading list.

About the Author, Ellie Moss



Ellie Moss is the creator of Lickitypop, an imaginative, candy-colored universe where jellybean forests shimmer, bubble scooters zoom through cotton-candy skies, and problems are solved with courage, connection, and a sticky SPLAT.
​
What began as an escape during a difficult chapter in her life quickly grew into a world that helped her find softness, hope, and joy again.
​
​Her stories blend whimsy with emotional care: pastel illustrations designed for calm, playful sound words that encourage speech development, and gentle characters who model resilience, kindness, and friendship.

Ellie believes deeply that stories can be a form of healing for little readers discovering the world, and for grown-ups rediscovering their breath. Through Lickitypop, she invites families to step into a place where imagination is soothing, feelings are welcome, and magic is something we all deserve.

You can follow the author at: 


---- Interview by Nicole Pyles

WOW: Congrats on your first book in the Lickitypop series! How did this series come to life for you?

Ellie: Thank you! I built Lickitypop during a season when life felt heavy, and I realized I wanted to create the kind of world I wished existed.

For most of my adult life, I was high-functioning. I was capable, productive, carrying responsibility, solving problems and by all external measures, I was doing well. But I was always “on.” There was no natural downshift. Rest felt like something I had to earn.

I began to understand that functioning well isn’t the same as feeling well.

When I couldn’t find the kind of gentleness I needed, I decided to create it.

Lickitypop became a world with no sharp edges. Wherever you land, it’s soft. The hills are gumdrops. The clouds are cotton candy. Even the challenges are wrapped in fizz and sparkle. But the softness isn’t just visual - it’s foundational.

In Lickitypop, kindness, empathy, and courage aren’t lessons to be learned. They’re simply part of the air. When Dibs sees Mooch stuck in the syrup swamp, he doesn’t hesitate, he helps. Not for a reward. Not to learn a moral. That’s just who he is.

Lickitypop is built on goodness as the default, not the destination.

WOW: I love that the softness of the world is built in. You've created such a colorful, lively universe! What kind of planning and preparation happened before you wrote?

Ellie: I was very intentional about the emotional architecture of Lickitypop, especially because I needed it to feel like a sanctuary.

Before writing, I decided what this world would stand on. I wanted a universe where compassion isn’t a twist ending and where goodness isn’t earned after someone behaves badly.

The books have layers, but they don’t preach.

There’s no moral hammer at the end. The characters already embody the values we hope to see - they help, they forgive, they include, they rest. Growth happens through experience, not punishment.

I wanted children to absorb empathy and courage the way they absorb color, naturally.

Lickitypop doesn’t lecture. It models. 

WOW: What a great lesson! Why did you decide to write a children's book?

Ellie: Children’s books are one of the few places where you’re allowed to be sincere. There’s no irony and no performance you can simply be kind and imaginative.

And while adults can seek support: call a friend, drive somewhere quiet, ask for help, children don’t have that same autonomy. Their world is smaller. Their comfort comes from what’s close by: the tone of a room, a familiar story, a safe rhythm.

If building this gentle world helped steady me during a hard time, I wanted to offer that same contained, comforting space to children. A place they can return to again and again.

Children’s books shape the inner voice early. I wanted that voice to whisper kindness, courage, and softness.

WOW: I love how you described it as close-by comfort. Who do you hope reads these books? And what do you hope they take away from this series?

Ellie: I hope children read them especially those navigating big feelings in small bodies. I hope the predictability of the world allows them to explore deeper themes without fear or urgency.

But I also write with adults in mind.

Each book ends with a soft poem. On the surface, it’s written in childlike language but it’s intentionally layered. It’s a gentle reminder for the grown-up holding the book, too. A nudge toward rest, perspective, and compassion.

If readers take away anything, I hope it’s this: kindness is strength. You don’t have to be the loudest or the fastest to matter.

WOW: I totally agree! Kindness is strength. I love how you said even adults find enjoyment in these books! Why do you think adults are drawn to books for children?

Ellie: Children’s books are distilled truth. They strip away complexity and speak directly to the heart.

Adults live under layers of pressure, performance, and responsibility. A children’s book offers something simple and honest : friendship, courage, belonging. It’s nostalgic, yes, but it’s also grounding.

In Lickitypop, there’s permission to slow down. To be gentle. To feel without performing.

Choosing a slower pace isn’t opting out of life. Sometimes it’s how you stay in it.

WOW: Great insight. What lessons have you learned along the way while creating these books?

Ellie: I’ve learned that creativity is healing. You don’t have to feel completely ready to begin something meaningful.

I’ve also learned that building a series requires patience and consistency. Inspiration is wonderful but structure sustains it.

Most of all, I’ve learned that softness is not weakness. It’s intentional strength.

WOW: So true. What are you working on you can tell us about?

Ellie: Lickitypop is expanding. There are multiple books in the series exploring themes like courage, rest, sharing, emotional regulation, and self-belief- all within this soft, whimsical world.

I’m also growing Lickitypop beyond the page through school visits and interactive materials that bring the characters into children’s everyday lives.

This is just the beginning. Lickitypop is a growing universe and I’m committed to building it with the same gentleness it was born from.

WOW: How exciting! Thank you for your time today. And I hope you enjoy the blog tour!

Dibs the Dragon & the Marshmallow Rescue by Ellie Moss Blog Tour

--- Blog Tour Calendar

March 9 @ The Muffin
Join us at the Muffin as we celebrate the blog tour launch for Dibs the Dragon and the Marshmallow Rescue by Ellie Moss. We interview the author and give you a chance to win a copy of her charming children's book.

March 10 @ What Is That Book About
Visit Michelle's blog for her feature of Dibs the Dragon and the Marshmallow Rescue by Ellie Moss.

March 13 @ Chapter Break
Stop by Julie's blog for her review of Dibs the Dragon and the Marshmallow Rescue by Ellie Moss. She's also sharing a guest post by the author about how to write for children without talking down to them.

March 15 @ The Shaggy Shepherd
Visit Isabelle's Instagram page for her review of Dibs the Dragon and the Marshmallow Rescue by Ellie Moss.

March 17 @ Words by Webb
Stop by Jodi's blog for her spotlight of Dibs the Dragon and the Marshmallow Rescue by Ellie Moss. She also responds to one of our tour themed prompts.

March 20 @ Lisa's Reading
Join Lisa's blog for her review of Dibs the Dragon and the Marshmallow Rescue by Ellie Moss.

March 25 @ A Wonderful World of Words
Visit Ellie's blog for experts from Dibs the Dragon and the Marshmallow Rescue by Ellie Moss.

March 25 @ Words by Webb
Stop by Jodi's blog for her review of Dibs the Dragon and the Marshmallow Rescue by Ellie Moss. 

March 27 @ Words From the Heart
Linda shares her thoughts about Dibs the Dragon and the Marshmallow Rescue by Ellie Moss.

March 27 @ Musings From a Literary Wanderer
Stop by Angela's blog for her review of Dibs the Dragon and the Marshmallow Rescue by Ellie Moss.

March 30 @ A Storybook World
Visit Deirdre's blog for a guest post by Ellie Moss about why gentle stories matter in a loud world.

April 2 @ Author Anthony Avina's Blog
Visit Anthony's blog for his review of Dibs the Dragon and the Marshmallow Rescue by Ellie Moss.
https://www.authoranthonyavina.com

April 2 @ Just Katherine
Stop by Katherine's blog for her review of Dibs the Dragon and the Marshmallow Rescue by Ellie Moss. She also shares her response to our tour prompt about what makes a story a "repeat read" in her house.

April 3 @ Nicole Writes About Stuff
Ellie Moss is a guest on Nicole's weekly feature, Your Weekend Care Package.
https://nicolepyles.substack.com

April 4 @ Author Anthony Avina's Blog
Anthony shares a guest post by the author about why not every children's book needs a villain.

April 5 @ Sarandipity
Join Sara for her review of Dibs the Dragon and the Marshmallow Rescue by Ellie Moss.

April 7 @ World of My Imagination
Stop by Nicole's blog for her review of Dibs the Dragon and the Marshmallow Rescue by Ellie Moss.

April 10 @ Jill Sheets' blog
Stop by Jill's blog for her interview with Ellie Moss.

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

Enter to win a print copy of Dibs the Dragon & the Marshmallow Rescue by Ellie Moss. Fill out the form below for a chance to win! The giveaway ends on March 22nd at 11:59 pm CT. We will randomly draw a winner the next day and follow up via email. Good luck!

Dibs the Dragon & the Marshmallow Rescue Giveaway
Read More »
10 comments , , ,

Interview with Court Harler - WOW! Q1 Creative Nonfiction Essay Runner Up

Sunday, March 08, 2026


Court Harler, a runner up in the Q1 2026 Creative Nonfiction Essay Contest for The Forest, joins us today to share her love of flash writing.


Court Harler (she/her) is a queer writer, editor, and educator based in the American South. She holds an MA and an MFA. She's the owner of Harler Literary LLC, the founding editor of Flash the Court, and the former editor in chief of CRAFT. She'll be the writer-in-residence from February to April 2026 at The Kerouac House in Orlando, Florida. Her award-winning, multigenre work has been published around the world. Find her on Instagram @CourtneyHarler.


WOW: In “The Forest” you’ve written about a universal topic: home. What drew you to write about your many homes?


Court: Every time I move to a new location, or even travel to one temporarily, I think about the concept of “home.” Leaving home and returning home, or making a new home out of whatever you’ve chosen to bring with you, be it clothes, furniture, or family. Perhaps I am preconditioned to crave change due to life choices, or my upbringing, but I love the way a new setting fires my creative flow. If I can let go of the inherent anxiety associated with the change of location itself, I can savor new sensations, which can in turn help me access more resonant emotions. Pure longing helps too, but not necessarily by way of nostalgia.


Change can create distance, but it can also collapse distance. For instance, when I lived in Nevada, I wrote mostly about where I grew up in Kentucky. I loved hiking the mysterious desert, but it made me long for rolling green hills and old-growth trees. Writing about my many homes helped me not only gain perspective on my life’s trajectory, but also allowed me to express my appreciation for the places I’ve lived. Each is a site of exploration, of experience, that I can often understand more clearly from afar.


WOW: This is not your first time placing in a WOW contest. Is there a secret to packing so much meaning into a limited word count?


Court: For flash prose, I think one method is to pinpoint a specific focus for the piece, even if the scope of the idea expands to some extent during drafting. But if you can keep that singular focus, or what you might call the “heart” of the work, clear in your mind during revision, then every choice works toward that particular goal. Perhaps others would call this “cohesion,” but sometimes that term is too clinical or logical for me. A flash piece can quite often be a bit “messy,” a bit off-the-wall, but still focused, still successful. 


In the case of “The Forest,” in order to maintain the focus, I had to rely on summary, not scene. I wanted to try to get to the “heart” of what “home” meant to me over the span of several decades. But even in an accelerated summary, in this sort of breakneck chronology, the chosen details need to be vivid, precise. Not amorphous, or generalized. That’s why I often use fragments and lists to keep the details sharp. And I know it sounds counterintuitive, but repetition can help maintain the focus of the piece, if you’re willing to sacrifice a few “new” words to allow your repetitions, or what you might call “echoes,” to fully reverberate.


WOW: Is it fair to say you are a fan of flash writing? 


Court: As an artist, I feel most at home when writing flash prose. I’ve always loved brevity, especially when it bites. I am in awe of writers like Lydia Davis who can tell a whole story in one sentence. Someone once said to me, “But that’s not a story,” and with all due respect, I must still disagree. A sentence can encapsulate a mood, a world. Perhaps I am drawn to the challenge of the “limited word count” mentioned earlier, but I think it’s more that I enjoy marveling at just the right word chosen for just the right moment. My mind tends to build stories not idea by idea, but word by word, kind of like Lamott’s bird-by-bird advice taken to the extreme.


I’m reminded of something my ex used to say whenever I rambled: “…in a million words or less, please.” Yeah, it’s dismissive, but also funny, and illustrative. I might also argue that, in some forums, too many words are just…too many words?


WOW: Yes, finding incredible writing in just a few words is like discovering a treasure. Was it your connection with flash prose that led to the creation of your outlet for flash writing: Flash the Court?


Court: I’ve worked with a lot of great lit mags in the past but I’ve always had this dream of starting a flash lit mag that allowed for more expansion and innovation in the form. Flash, for me, is the original hybrid genre. It thrives between fiction and nonfiction, between poetry and prose. Some flash prose editors want to see full narrative and character arcs, and I do value and enjoy those types of flash stories and essays. However, I wanted to carve out more space in the lit mag scene for the highly lyrical, the obliquely metaphorical. Prose-based work that both was and wasn’t poetry, both was and wasn’t narrative. Flash the Court takes submissions of prose poetry, flash fiction, and flash nonfiction under five hundred words, but I don’t want writers to feel beholden to genre labels. I’ve always found so much creative freedom when writing flash prose, and I wanted to share that joy, that sense of enrichment, with other flash prose writers. I also wanted to provide a platform for the published work.


WOW: It's interesting that you mentioned writing that both was and wasn't poetry because I was struck by the lyrical tone of your feedback to Flash the Court contributors. Do you think offering feedback to others improves your own writing?


Court: Offering feedback to other writers is absolutely essential to my own writing process. In this case, I think you’re specifically referring to the brief introductions on the site, which are indeed a type of feedback and critical analysis. At first, I fall into a flash piece just like I fall into a dreamscape—pulled in, inexorably. I give myself time to enjoy the experience, whether it’s pure bliss or pure challenge. 


Eventually, however, I’ll want to think about what’s working, how the piece strives and strives and strives and finally—how it succeeds. I’m always looking for models, but to truly appreciate the model and apply those lessons to my own work, I need to be able to articulate the elements of fine craft apparent in the piece. Let me just say, some flash pieces defy this mode of analysis, which is wonderful, because this type of work really stretches my thinking. I believe that’s when lyricism enters the arena. Sometimes my clearest response to the poetry in the piece requires more poetry. And I study each piece on its own merits—which promotes variety and singularity in my intros.


WOW: Thank you for sharing your thoughts on writing with us. Hopefully, Flash the Court will get an influx of submission from WOW readers.

Read More »
Leave a Comment , , , ,

Empowering Children to Write - Make it Fun!

Tuesday, March 03, 2026
I love to read and I love to write - you know what's even more fun than reading and writing? 

...

It's teaching children to love reading and writing. I found a fun way to do that and if you have young people in your life, this article is for you. Even if you don't have young people - I bet you'll find a few take aways from adding a little fun to your life!

Mini-lessons lay the foundation for deeper understanding BUT…if you ask my 8 year old, it’s all about having fun! This is my biggest take-away from a recent reading at school. We finished reading Chapter 10 in Literacy Development in the Early Years  (Morrow, 2020) and my take away was this: mini-lessons feel like play and that’s the best way to learn is doing things that are fun where you learn without feeling like you’re working. This resonated with me because as a mom, I’d rather take my kids to the petting zoo to learn about animals instead of taking out a workbook. If you make learning fun, kids are more likely to enjoy it for now and for their lifetime! When a teacher says “we need to work on our end of module writing” the class groans, but when you say “have you ever played a game that was so fun you felt like you were transported?” and you tell your class you’re going to read a magical book there are no groans! It’s essential to incorporate mini-lessons and positive encouragement to help students succeed and recognize themselves as writers! 

I spent time recently in a 3rd grade classroom where the teacher used the book Zathura (Allsburg, 2002) as a mini-lesson and I ordered the book for our home so I could re-create the experience with my 8-, 10-, and 12-year-olds. I have a little different plan than Mrs. Wagner had. Mrs. Wagner was tying the Zathura book into the end of module writing for their space section of science. I however really appreciate the relationship development with the brothers and want to use the story to help my children appreciate one another. I created a plan to teach my children a fun mini writing lesson using Zathura.

You can delve into my mini lesson below - otherwise, I encourage you to just keep in mind the fun when you're reading and writing. Whether you yourself are the aspiring writer, or you're simply helping someone else (young or old) recognize their own writing talent, don't forget the fun. Feeling uninspired, consider a quit 'stop and jot' exercise and toss a few fun sentences in your journal about the banana section at the grocery store. Writing doesn't have to be grand and it shouldn't be forced. And don't forget the positive encouragement - even if it's encouragement for yourself as you're looking over your rough draft. In a world full of critics, choose to be a cheerleader for yourself and others! 

Purpose: Get the family writing and talk about sibling relationships and how being part of a family is important. Focus on shared family experience as building blocks. 

Connection: 
 • Hook: “you know how sometimes we play games and we get so caught up it feels magical and time seems to just disappear” 

• Setup: “I heard about this book during my time in 3rd grade this week. They were talking about solar systems and finished their unit reading this fun book. I thought you’d love it so I bought it! What do you notice about the cover? What do you think it’s about? Do you have any predictions about this book? Do you want to write down your predictions and keep them a secret until the end or do you want to share them now and Delphine can record them? 

• Objective: We will write down our thoughts at the end of the book and see how closely they match with our predictions. 

 Discuss vocabulary words (based on the varied ages of the children) and then read Zathura by Chris VanAlsburg 

 Vocab: 
Meteor 
Robot 
Defective 
Rotated 
Dangling 
Staggered 
Tokens 
Evasive 
Fraternal Twin 
See eye to eye 
Camouflage 
Imminently 
 Sigh 
Squinting 


 Teach: 
-How did the brothers get along at the beginning, middle, and end of the book? 

 -When did their relationship seem to change? And Why? How do you know? 

-How do you think Danny and Walter felt about one another at the end of the book? 

-How did the author / illustrator help us as readers understand the relationship between the brothers? 

-How do you see a correlation between this fictional story and your relationships with friends and family? 

-How has a difficult situation helped you be a better friend, sibling, or person? 

-How has a difficult situation changed your perspective about someone or something? 

 Writing Time: 

-Use the other side of your prediction paper and write what you learned from reading Zathura with us today. You can work collaboratively with one another but try to build strong descriptive sentences (add details when you can) with capital letters, and ending marks. 

-Remember our chat about a the deluxe cheeseburger method of adding details to our stories - read over your sentences and ask yourself if they're interesting!

-I’m right here to help, and you can also use the book as a reference. -Include a final sentence talking about how your prediction compares to the story we read. 

 Conference: 
-Begin with a compliment. 

-Ask each writer to explain what they’ve been working on.

-Discuss the child’s goals for the writing they are doing ask “what are doing to add depth and detail to your writing?”. 

–Ask each child to revise and if time allows, they can write an “alternate ending” and give them a new card. 

 -Help the child focus on the most important part of their writing based on their age. 

 Revise: 
-Offer new paper if they’d like. 

-ask each child to revise based on feedback. 

 Share: 
-Share with one another or share with the group. 

Works Cited Allsburg, C. V. (2002). Zathura. Houghton Mifflin. Morrow, L. M. (2020). Literacy Development in the Early Years.


To see this lesson being taught in a video, it's broken into 3 parts: 




About the Author of Today's Post:


Crystal Casavant-Otto 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 2026...or maybe 2027. 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 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 student, church worker, musician, singer, mom, and more! She fully believes in being in the moment and doing everything she can to improve the lives of those around her! 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!
Read More »
Leave a Comment , , ,

HERA: Kingdom of Lies by Betsy Ellor Blog Tour & GIVEAWAY

Monday, March 02, 2026
HERA: Kingdom of Lies by Betsy Ellor

We're excited to announce the blog tour for HERA: Kingdom of Lies by Betsy Ellor. This book is perfect for women navigating love, ambition, motherhood, and impossible expectations without breaking.

Before we interview the author, here's a bit more about the book:
Before the gods became.
Before humankind was imagined.
Before Olympus was more than mist on a desolate mountain — Hera reigned.

When the war hero, Zeus, takes power and moves Hera’s statues aside to make room for his own, the queen of heaven must find her place in a new order. At first drawn in by Zeus’ charm, she quickly realizes she wants no part of life with this petty, egocentric dictator. When she refuses to marry him, what began as seduction becomes a snare. Trapped into marriage, Hera learns that power can still be forged through cunning, seduction, and unexpected alliances. But after she gives birth to the God of War, her influence begins to crumble — and his lust threatens to tear the kingdom apart.

Who is the Goddess of Marriage, if she’s bound to a husband who defiles every vow?
Who is the Goddess of Motherhood, if she’s raising a child the world misunderstands?
What kind of goddess is she willing to become to protect her people and her child?

Rich with betrayal, desire, and divine intrigue, this origin story of Greek mythology told from the point of view of its chief villain weaves gods, nymphs, dragons, sex, lies, and strategy into a fierce new legend. Hera: Kingdom of Lies combines the social and political maneuvers of Scandal with the mythic, villain-redemption of Circe. 

PUBLISHER:  Words Unbound Press
ASIN: B0G2GJ4RR9
ISBN-13 979-8274299466
Print Length: 282 pages

You can purchase a copy of the book on Amazon and Bookshop. Be sure to add it to your GoodReads reading list.

Betsy Ellor


About the Author, Betsy Ellor

Betsy Ellor is a women’s fiction author and multi-disciplinary creative whose work blends intrigue, myth, and magic with strong, complex female leads. When not at her desk, she’s hiking, gardening, or annoying her teenage son. She’s the editor of the anthology Heroic Care, author of the picture book, My Dog is NOT A Scientist, from Yeehoo Press, and scribbler of articles and stories for various outlets, including Spine Magazine, 5 Minute Lit, and The Creative Collective.


---- Interview by Ellen LaFleche Christian

WOW: Hera is often portrayed as a villain in classical mythology. What inspired you to reclaim her story and tell it from her point of view?

Betsy: I’ve loved mythology my whole life, but Hera always felt deeply misunderstood. She was a queen, a protector, and a mother,  yet legends flatten her into “jealous wife.” As I got older and became a working mother myself, her portrayal needled me even more. 

Hera stands up to a husband and king who could destroy her at his whim. Doesn’t that alone command respect? Her dominions were marriage and family, meaning it was literally her job to enforce the sanctity of those institutions. Yet when she did, she was labeled quarrelsome and difficult. (Labels many women in leadership are called.) The more I thought about these things, the more I reread the old stories, asking: what if Hera’s story was never about jealousy at all?

That question became this novel.

WOW: The novel explores power, marriage, and motherhood under impossible expectations. How do you see Hera’s struggles reflecting the pressures modern women still face today?

Betsy: Becoming a mother made me rethink our cultural myths about motherhood. Society tells us that motherhood should be instinctual and intuitive. Meanwhile, the media has plenty of ever-changing commentary on the “right” way to parent. The same can be said about society’s expectations for career women, wives, and active citizens. 

Trying to balance those expectations myself often feels suffocating. How much heavier would that weight be for the Goddess of Motherhood and Marriage? She was expected to embody those roles to perfection, yet her firstborn was Ares, the God of War. What was he like as a toddler? She was raising a child that the world misunderstood, with the world watching.

Hera’s struggle to find peace, balance, and identity inside the pressure of these roles and expectations is mythic, but also completely relatable to modern women.

WOW: Zeus is depicted as charming yet deeply dangerous. How did you approach writing a character who embodies both seduction and tyranny without softening his impact?

Betsy: Many readers have told me they found it cathartic to see Zeus through a modern political lens. While I can see where they make that connection, my portrayal of Zeus grew from personal experience with a partner who confused love with control.

Zeus is charming because he genuinely believes what he is doing is best for Hera and his kingdom. He has flair. He dazzles. He illuminates those close to him in the glow of his presence. But Zeus believes his decisions are inherently right simply because they are his. If anyone disagrees, rather than question his own perfection, he simply forces them back in line. By this logic, he can commit atrocities and then curl up beside Hera, and expect her to give him reassurance and adoration. When someone with that mentality holds absolute power, the danger is very real. 

WOW: Much of Hera’s strength comes not from brute force, but from strategy, alliances, and resilience. What does power mean to you in this story—and how does it evolve for Hera over time?

Betsy: Early readers have compared the book to the political maneuvering of Scandal, and I understand why. Like Olivia Pope, Hera often operates without an official seat at the table. After Zeus supersedes her on the throne, she loses direct authority and must rely on strategy, alliances, and seduction to shape the future for her realm.

At first, she believes she can protect the kingdom in this way. But as the story progresses - especially as her body, energy, and focus change through pregnancy—she begins to see how fragile that kind of influence is and fights even harder for a seat at the table with a voice that can’t be ignored. 

WOW: Motherhood plays a complicated role in Hera’s identity, especially through her relationship with Ares. What drew you to explore the complicated tensions in that dynamic?

Betsy: While drafting this book, I was also navigating the support for my neurodivergent son (He has pretty severe ADHD and an anxiety disorder). Anyone who has walked a similar path understands the emotional gymnastics required.  You must be a hearth-keeper, building a safe, warm, and stable life with plenty of positive reinforcement. But you must also be a dragon, constantly and fiercely advocating for the resources and opportunities your child needs while often battling systems that make support difficult to access. You must constantly embody tenderness and ferocity at the same time. I hope readers in a similar situation can draw on Hera’s strength and find solidarity in the story.

WOW: Readers have compared HERA: Kingdom of Lies to Circe and Scandal for its mix of myth and political maneuvering. How did you balance epic mythology with intimate, emotional storytelling?

Betsy: Myths endure because they evolve. They are mirrors held up to society; the mirror’s framework remains, but what we see reflected changes with each new generation.

In Circe, Madeline Miller took her key plot points from myth: an exiled nymph, Hermes, the Minotaur, and Odysseus, etc. But she layered in Circe’s emotions and motivations, and that is what makes the story resonate. 

Unlike Circe, who makes a few brief appearances in legend, Hera appears in a large percentage of Greek myths. Instead of including all her appearances, I developed a few overarching stories to keep the novel from feeling disjointed and disengaging. The tales I focused on allow us to experience Hera’s cunning brain and the journey within her rich inner life. Hera has a strong moral compass, a protective heart, and a deep desire to both mother and rule well. Balancing epic stakes with intimate emotion meant grounding divine conflict in a deeply resonant story.

WOW: If readers walk away from this book seeing Hera differently—or seeing themselves differently—what do you hope that shift will be?

Betsy: We are all handed roles from the day we are born. We spend our lives either trying to live within those roles or - sometimes quietly, sometimes fiercely - fighting against them. That tension lives within all of us. It’s a conflict as old as the myth of Hera. 

I hope that readers walk away seeing Hera differently, but also feeling empowered to always be the ruler of their own story. 

Hera: Kingdom of Lies by Betsy Ellor Blog Tour

---- Blog Tour Calendar

March 2nd @ The Muffin
Join WOW as we celebrate the launch of Betsy Ellor's blog tour of HERA: Kingdom of Lies. Read an interview with the author and enter to win a copy of the book.

March 5th @ Knotty Kneedle Creative
Judy, a blogger about writing, gardening, and fiber arts, shares a guest post about Why We Love Myths. 

March 7th @ Chapter Break
Today, Julie shares a guest post by the author on the topic of Cut The Should. Stop by and learn more at her blog.

March 9th @ StoreyBook Reviews
Visit StoreyBook Reviews to read a guest post by author Betsy Ellor on the topic of Making peace with the duality of being soft and fierce in the world.

March 12th @ Knotty Kneedle Creative
Knotty Needle Creatives reviews HERA: Kingdom of Lies. Find out more.

March 16th @ Hook of a Book
Interested in the place of women in history? Visit Hook of a Book to read a guest post by Betsy Ellor about Women's History. 
https://www.hookofabook.wordpress.com 

March 17th @ Wonderful World of Words
Head to A Wonderful World of Words to read Joy's review of HERA: Kingdom of Lies today.

March 20th @ Hook of a Book
Read Erin's review of HERA: Kingdom of Lies today on Hook of a Book.

March 25th @ All Things Writing
CC King, shares a guest post that addresses the subject: Myths Remixed: How to write your own. Head to her blog:
https://www.caitrincking.com/blog

March 27th @ Sarandipity's
Sara shares a guest post by Betsy Ellor on the topic of Parenting Difficult/Neurodiverse Children. Learn more at her blog.

March 30th @ Word Magic
Visit Word Magic today when Fiona shares a guest post by the author of HERA: Kingdom of Lies on the topic of Love Revised.

April 3rd @ Boys' Mom Reads!
Find out more about HERA: Kingdom of Lies when Karen reviews the book today.

April 4th @ Ellen Blogs
Discover more about Marketing for Introverted Writers at Ellen Blogs where she shares a guest post by Besty Ellor, author of HERA Kingdom of Lies.

April 5th @ In Our Spare Time
Read Ellen's review of HERA Kingdom of Lies today on her blog. Find out more about her thoughts on this book.

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

Enter to win a print copy of Hera: Kingdom of Lies by Betsy Ellor. Fill out the form below for a chance to win! The giveaway ends on March 15th at 11:59 pm CT. We will randomly draw a winner the next day and follow up via email. Good luck!

Hera: Kingdom of Lies Giveaway
Read More »
11 comments , , ,

Interview with Sophie Berghouse, M.D., 3rd Place Winner in the WOW! Q1 2026 Essay Contest

Sunday, March 01, 2026

 


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. The only social link she has is on Substack: @sophieberghouse, where she has a mightily underwhelming number of followers. 




 ----------Interview with Renee Roberson 

WOW: Hi Sophie. Welcome, and congratulations on your win. Your powerful essay, "Lingchi," is a testament to a mother's love and the reality of parenting a child with severe disabilities. How did you first get the idea to structure the piece around the concept of an ancient Chinese torture method? 

Sophie: When we first found out about the disability, I felt like my world had imploded in a single instant. It was torturous. Fast forward a decade, and I often forget about my daughter’s differences; this is our normal. But as soon as we step outside, I am reminded by peoples’ glances. And I don’t blame them. We are different, and it’s natural to look for the outlier. Yet, the ‘othering’ does affect me—not to the extent of the initial diagnosis, but just small cuts that add up over time. I am really drawn to the hermit-crab form of writing ever since I took a WoW class last summer. It offers a pre-defined structure which is helpful for the emerging writer. It’s the antidote to not knowing where to begin. Plus, it allows for creativity for the writer and the reader. The writer, because there is a starting point that can now be filled however you want to tell your story. And the reader, because they want to figure out how it all ties together. 

WOW: There are so many ways to be creative with a hermit crab essay. This was an excellent structure for your piece. How did "Lingchi" evolve from the first spark of an idea to the completed draft you submitted to the contest? 

Sophie: This was one of those essays where everything came together. I had read about that for other writers but always reacted silently with a dubious “yeah, right.” But that’s exactly how it worked this time. Things just ‘clicked’ and it was start to finish in two or three days. On a metaphorical level, I have been writing this essay for a decade. Maybe that’s why it just poured out once I had found the correct structure. 

WOW: Sounds like it was meant to be, and I love hearing stories like this where everything falls into place on the page. Parenting is a universal topic that many of us can relate to in our writing. What are some of the related subtopics you've explored on the page? 

Sophie: I think there is a dearth of authentic perspectives on what motherhood means. The narrative continues that its either communing with angels or ha-ha crazy. And of course there are those moments, but there is a range of other emotions that never get dissected: frustration, anger, jealousy, confusion. Those don’t seem to fit into the definition of motherhood and therefore don’t get written about. Another subtopic I try to shine light on is special needs parenting. It’s a subset of the population who has experienced it and even less who are writers. Yet, it’s a topic that touches us all. I think readers would be very interested to see what diagnosis day feels like, what the daily struggles are, etc. Parenting teens is also mostly a black box. I am trying to delve into that too. 

WOW: You are correct--there is such a wide spectrum on what experience and explore as mothers. I appreciate you shedding light on special needs parenting with this essay and your Substack. What advice would you give to writers planning to explore emotionally-heavy topics in their own creative nonfiction? 

Sophie: The danger in emotionally-heavy topics is to veer towards melodrama because—I don’t know— anything outside of the shiny-happy narrative must be its opposite? But after the initial shock of the inciting incident, I think people adjust, at least in some form. And describing that re-adjustment, that learning, is where the authenticity lies. I don’t think people want to read “woe unto me, I’m the victim.” But everyone is wildly interested in “I felt like a victim but now know I’m not.” There is still so much beauty to be found in many situations, even though it may not look like it to the casual observer. And shining a light on that beauty, that’s what makes emotionally-heavy topics so fascinating to the public.

WOW: That's such a thoughtful perspective, and a great way to describe what makes a compelling piece of creative nonfiction. Let's switch to something a little different. Originally being from the Midwest, how have you adjusted to life abroad in Germany? 

Sophie: The first couple of years were confusing, but there is an American-International women’s group here that has events and helps close the cultural gap. I am glad to be here now and rarely run into any more surprises. Pro-tip: apartments do not come with kitchens—we found out the hard way with a newborn, two toddlers and a first grader.

WOW: Oh, my goodness, that bit about kitchens could be its own essay! Sophie, we're so glad we got to learn more about your life and writing process, and look forward to reading more in the future. 
Read More »
Leave a Comment , , , , ,

Which Is Which? Parsing Contradictory Advice

Thursday, February 26, 2026

 


It doesn’t matter what the industry is, there is always contradictory advice out there in the world. Designers are sick of white and greige, says one article. Yet in another article I read that the Panton color of the year is Cloud Dancer which I saw described as a shade of white. 

Eeny, meeny, miny, mo . . . writing advice is just as varied and contradictory. 

  • Never use sentence fragments.
  • Use sentence fragments to create emphasis. 
  • A paragraph must have at least 3 sentences. 
  • A single word can be a paragraph. (Not sure what I mean?) 
  • Crash! 
  • Don’t use exclamation marks. 
So how do you navigate this mess? First things first, take a close at the various pieces of advice you've received on your latest project. Consider who told you what. Not every piece of advice is equally valuable, and a lot of that depends on who gave the advice to you. 

That last one may feel a little harsh, but I’ve been in critique groups with people that I wish I could mute, especially when new writers are around. One author wrote only young adult literature which she actually knew very well. But she was equally opinionated about picture books and early readers. Not every one knows every form and this can make their advice suspect.

Another person I was in a critique group with had been trapped in time. When giving advice, she frequently cited well known books published in the mid-1930s. If you want to sell today, take advice from people whose ideas are based on the current industry. 

So whose advice matters?  If the advice comes from your editor, it matters. Probably. Most of my books are work-for-hire. While I will periodically dig in my heels, I buy this privilege by giving in to things that aren’t that important to me. I may be the queen of the sentence fragment and the wee short paragraph in my fiction but I give in and do it my editor’s way on nonfiction work-for-hire. 

Last but not least, if you break a rule, take a hard look at the piece of writing you've produced. Does it work? Maybe you are breaking the rule to create emphasis. Maybe the rule is valid for narrative but you are breaking it in writing dialogue.

And it works. 

I’m not going to say that you should always ignore the rules. Sometimes they are there for a good reason (See Butt in Chair). But there are other times you will discover that they aren’t rules as much as suggestions and that you can get away with doing things your way. 

It just has to work. 

--SueBE

To get a free copy of Sue’s book, What to Do When Your Book Is Banned, subscribe to her newsletter, One Writer’s Journey, here.

Sue Bradford Edwards' is the author of over 80 books for young readers.  

She is also the instructor for 3 WOW classes which begin on the first Monday of every month. She teaches:
Read More »
Leave a Comment , ,

Interview with Tara Sobel, Runner-Up in the WOW! Summer 2025 Flash Fiction Competition

Tuesday, February 24, 2026

 

Tara Sobel lives in Goshen, New York, with her husband and four fabulous felines. As a nurse in the medical device industry, she’s passionate about making a difference in the lives of the patients she serves. Her love of writing began in grade school when she signed her dad up for a parent-child fiction workshop. Tara enjoys bringing real and imagined experiences to life on the page, often drawing inspiration from her love of reading cozy mysteries, sci-fi, and fantasy. Most of her stories have only been shared with friends and family, but this may be the start of something new. 


-----interview by Sue Bradford Edwards -----


WOW: What was the inspiration for “Purple Flames?” 

Tara: As a nurse, I have seen time and again that a patient’s story runs far deeper than what appears in an admission diagnosis. What brings someone in for medical care is often just the tip of the iceberg. I wanted to tell that larger, unseen story and offer readers a glimpse behind the curtain at the humanity that is such an essential part of healthcare work. 

WOW: Such a big part of a writer’s work is revision. How did this story change through the revision process? 

Tara:  As someone without formal creative writing training, feedback has been essential to my revision process. I initially submitted this piece to a previous quarterly contest for critique and took that feedback seriously, especially suggestions to remove filtering language and clarify Bridget’s motivation for leaving. 

I also wanted the reader to feel what Bridget was experiencing, so I leaned into shorter, punchier sentences to heighten the visceral impact. That choice reduced the word count more than I anticipated, but it ultimately strengthened the story. 

Stepping away from the piece and returning with fresh eyes, more than once, was also crucial in reaching the final polished version. 

WOW: Flash is such a tight form of writing that details have to be carefully selected. How did you decide which details would have space in the story and which wouldn’t? For example, Bridget is the only named character. 

Tara: I wanted the opening scene to immerse the reader fully in Bridget’s physical trauma, so every detail had to serve that goal. I chose specific sensory details and similes to place the reader inside the car with her, making her strength and determination more impactful as she pushes through both the crash and her abuse. 

Bridget is the only named character because the story is meant to stay tightly focused on her experience. The other characters did not need names, as they function more as representations of roles rather than individuals. Naming the EMTs risked pulling attention away from Bridget in a moment where her perspective mattered most, and naming her abuser would have given him a presence and power in the story that I did not want him to have. 

Names carry a great deal of meaning, especially in flash fiction. Bridget is associated with strength, power, and the Celtic goddess of healing, which made it a perfect fit for this character. 

WOW: There is so much meaning in your choice of that name! Your bio says that generally you only let those close to you read your work. What moved you to enter this piece in the competition? 

Tara: That’s a great question. I received encouraging feedback from a couple of close friends who had read another piece I was working on, and I wanted to know whether they were simply being kind or if the response would be the same from someone with no personal investment. 

I chose this competition specifically because it offered critique and focused on women writers. I’ve really enjoyed reading the work of the other winners, and I found their bios especially inspiring. There were many non-professional writers like me. 

WOW:  We always say that you are a writer if you are someone who writes! What advice do you have for our readers who have never entered one of our flash competitions? 

Tara: Just do it! I would strongly recommend opting for the critique on your first submission(s). The feedback boosted my confidence. When I first submitted this story, the editor noted that I had a lot of raw talent, which encouraged me to revise and resubmit. The critique helped me refine both my content and technique. That process directly contributed to this runner-up win and made me a stronger writer overall.

WOW: I feel like I am speaking for all of our readers when I say that I'm glad you stuck with this story and worked with the feedback you received.  I hope your words encourage someone else to keep working on their writing.  Thank you so much for sharing with us all!
Read More »
Leave a Comment , , , ,
Powered by Blogger.

Copyright WOW! Women On Writing Blog. Designed by Georgia Lou Studios

Back to Top