Interview with Janice Fleming: Fall 2014 Flash Fiction Contest Runner Up

Janice ’s Bio:

Janice Fleming has always been a creative person, but never had the guts to enter a writing contest before. Now she’s so glad she did! Her favorite things include her wonderful husband, her awesome kids, and most of all her precious grand-daughters—Bee and Gus. And don’t forget Calvin, who really was a good old dog...

If you haven’t done so already, check out Janice’s award-winning story “Good Old Dog” and then return here for a chat with the author.

WOW: Congratulations on placing in the Fall 2014 Flash Fiction Contest! What was the inspiration for your short story, or what prompted you to write this particular story?

Janice: The inspiration for my story was the real-life relationship between my husband Gary and our dog, Calvin.

WOW: What do you enjoy the most and/or the least about writing?

Janice: I come from a family of story-tellers, so I love to tell the story. I feel like the story is a river, and I am the captain of a boat. I would love for you to go for a ride on my boat while I point out all the interesting things going on, in and around the river. When you disembark, I would hope you had a good time and would like to ride with me again. The hardest part is when I’m in the boat by myself and I get to a fork in the river and can’t decide which story to follow.

WOW: Ooh, that is tough, but that challenge can also be one of the most rewarding parts of writing! In your bio, it says you have always been a creative person. In what ways other than writing does your creativity shine, and do they have any effect on your writing?

Janice: In addition to writing, I am a crafty person, and at one time or another have done almost every kind of craft imaginable. Now that I’ve started writing, I have limited myself to scrapbooking, sewing, and designing the occasional quilt top. Time spent crafting is time spent NOT telling a story, so I have to find a balance.

WOW: And what a delicate balance that can be! If you could have dinner with one author, dead or alive, who would it be and why?

Janice: I’m from Missouri, so I would have to choose Mark Twain. I feel he was an author who lived inside his genre of humor, much in the same way Stephen King lives inside horror. Could I have dinner with Mark Twain and Stephen King?

WOW: Sure! Sounds like an amazing evening! What are you reading right now, and why did you choose to read it?

Janice: I am reading Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series from the beginning. He knows his world and characters so well – something I admire and aspire to.

WOW: Thank you for the recommendation. Anything else you’d like to add?

Janice: I would like to thank everyone who listened to me complain about the fork in the river and told me to get a bigger boat, or try swimming for a while.

WOW: Thank you for your thoughtful responses. Happy writing!

Interviewed by Anne Greenawalt, writer and writing instructor