WOW! Interview with Lea Thompson, Winter 2015 Flash Fiction Contest Runner Up

Today we’re chatting with Lea Thompson; Lea placed as a runner up in our Winter 2015 contest with her story, The Price of a Dream.

Lea Thompson lives in Hurricane, Utah, a town in the far southwest corner of Utah near Zion National Park. She and her husband own a pecan farm where they live with the pets; their children left when they went off to college. She used to work as a journalist and consumer science educator way back before the births of her triplet daughters and 3 sons. Her first grandchild is due any day now. Her favorite things include mornings, bookstores, rain, gardening, hiking, and fireworks. She entered this contest on a whim to see if she could still write something more interesting than a grocery list. She is looking forward to seeing where the road takes her.




WOW: Good Morning Lea, congratulations, and welcome to The Muffin! You used to work in journalism, can you tell us a little about that?

Lea: I worked for a couple of different newspapers writing straight news and an occasional feature article. I also wrote fact sheets and how-to pieces aimed at helping families for a community organization.

WOW: What types of writing do you enjoy now?

Lea: I’m trying several different types. I wrote mostly nonfiction in my previous life, so I’m trying out some new genres.

WOW: Where did you get the inspiration for The Price of a Dream?

Lea: For various reasons, several of my great-great-grandmothers left their homes in England and Scotland in the 1840s and 1850s to come to the US and join the great migration to the West. Some of them kept journals, and I was fascinated by their stories. The Price of a Dream was inspired by one of those journal entries.

WOW: I’m amazed you still have those journals--what a treasure! You said you entered the contest on a whim; how was the experience?

Lea: It was fun! My kids are all grown and off on their own adventures, so the dog and I needed something to do. She chose sleep. I was just surfing the web looking for ideas when I found the WOW site and discovered Flash Fiction. I decided to give it a try.

WOW: What’s next on your writing desk, more contests…a book?

Lea: Yes, all of the above. I’ve already entered the next WOW flash fiction contest and my son has challenged me to write a book.

WOW: That’s wonderful! We’re so glad you enjoyed your first contest WOW contest, and hope to see you here again for interview number two!