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Thursday, August 29, 2024

Why You Shouldn't Put All Your Freelance Eggs in One Basket



Since 2013, I've been a freelance writer in some capacity, whether writing articles for clients through SEO companies or contributing to a media outlet. And I enjoy the work! It comes pretty easy for me, except in the rare case if I'm writing about something terribly complex (like that one horrible Internet of Things article I wrote once, but I digress...) 

And 2024, I have been going strong with my writing. I'm so thankful to God for the opportunities I have landed. I've written for major media outlets this year, including The Spruce, Better Homes and Gardens, Tom's Guide, National Geographic, and more. 

Wow, right?

I have learned one thing recently: don't put all your freelance eggs in one basket.

Why? For me, one big factor is the changing media landscape

2023 and 2024 have been brutal in the journalism world. There have been countless journalists affected by layoffs. Two of the editors I worked with regularly were affected, and ever since they were let go, I haven't been getting assignments from whoever took over their workload. Meanwhile, rates dropped drastically for a bread-and-butter writing job that I frantically had to replace (and thankfully did). 

Meanwhile, I have heard from other editors that I pitched for possible assignments who said they aren't taking on freelancers much any longer. And just this morning, I learned that USA Today Reviewed got shut down and has recently been accused of using AI to write its articles.

It's not impossible to land work as a freelance writer, but it's rough out there. Personally, I'm still trying to improve my cold pitch capabilities to land assignments, but it's not my best skill

And I've also learned, I don't always want to write all the time in this capacity. I miss creative work. I miss blogging on my own sites. I don't want to drain my writing capabilities due to freelance work.

So, recently, I branched out and decided to offer podcast bookings to people again. It's slow going, but I am hoping to pick up more clients. It's a reminder to me not to solely rely on one type of freelance work for income.

Nicole Pyles is a freelance writer living in Portland, Oregon. Say hi on Twitter (and it will always be Twitter to her) by tagging her @BeingTheWriter.

Wednesday, August 28, 2024

Plotter’s Paradise Review

It’s all in the name. 

PlottersParadise.com is the novel planner of your dreams! This platform for plotting provides a fun way to plan a novel, check the structure of your story, or just log ideas. 

Thanks to Tal from Plotter’s Paradise and Angela from WOW! for granting me paid access. 

My first impression: Plotter’s Paradise is a good-looking, colourful and engaging website made by and for writers. It’s easy to sign up and navigate, and I like the cartoon-style creator profiles.

 
As a planster who is trying to become a fully-fledged plotter, Plotter’s Paradise provided just what I never knew I needed. 

You can work your way around the menu, up down or in any order, but the first step I took was to name my project and choose a cover image. On Plotter’s Paradise you’ll find there are plenty of cover images to choose from, but I chose to upload my own. 

Basically, you are building your story. Take whatever you know about your idea and put it into Plotter’s Paradise. Let the system keep it safe and secure, ready for the construction of a brilliantly plotted manuscript/novella or short story.

Now, if you were plotting a new novel you may enjoy playing with characters and world components first. The vision board is also a great place to upload images that inspire your story, giving you the ability to house them in one place that you can easily refer back to. 

Or if you are using the site to help you plot because you didn’t plot that well to begin with (guilty!) and you need to wrangle your words into a better structure, then you might like to skip to the Story Dashboard.
 
 
There are currently two outlining options: Free Form or Fractal Method. 

As someone who loves guidance, I loved the Fractal Method. 

Your starting point is the Single-Sentence Summary. Just like a logline, that will come in handy when you’re query ready at a later date, there are examples of single-sentence summaries, so you can get a feel for what you need to craft for your own story. And if you need another example, simply hit the refresh button for more. 

As every story has a main plot; let’s start with that. Plotter’s Paradise helps you look at your plots and ensure they have all the ingredients for a compelling story. Such as Status Quo, Inciting Incident, First Effort, Second Effort, and Final Effort.

All steps come with instructions, examples, and encouraging comments when you add something new!
 
 
Once your main plot and subplots are plugged in, the program prompts you to go further with summarising each act and then expanding on that to create a detailed overview. Like a synopsis! Who doesn’t like the sound of that? 

This program made summarising my story easy—the entire manuscript! Text like this helps to see what you’ve got so far, so you’ll know if something’s missing or if the story doesn’t flow. 

And you can edit at any time. 

Now you have the bones, it’s time to look at the scenes. Scenes are created from a single sentence to a full description, and then characters, plots, and locations can be linked. Similar to the Story Grid template, you also look at the main change, conflict, and stakes of each scene. Then the mood of the scene is selected, giving each scene a colour code to help you monitor the tone of your story. Scene cards can then be dragged and dropped into any order you like, so feel free to keep creating cards and playing around with the order until it’s just right.
 
 
By the time you have done all that, you’ll be well and truly ready to write! 

I loved the guided creation process that prompted me along the way, helping me to make sure my plots were hitting the right beats and ensuring I had scenes that fulfilled every aspect of my story along the way.
 
 
The character profiles are fun and great to have and refer back to, and I love how they link back to scenes, so you know where and when each character features. 

Also, I loved how Plotter’s Paradise encouraged me to pull out all my plots and look at how they intersect, and what scenes they feature in. The ability to tag plotlines and characters or keywords is great! 

There’s also a dark mode for anyone who likes to write at night! 

Join now for free to see if you like the idea of prompted short story or novella plotting or sign up for $9.90 per month or $97 per year to experience all the features of full manuscript plotting. No payment details are required to use the free version. Cancel at any time (monthly or yearly). 

You can input all your ideas with the security that all your material is only visible to you. 

Happy plotting!
 
 
Kelly Sgroi is based in Melbourne, Australia. Represented by Beyond Words Literary Agency, Kelly is looking forward to what comes next in her writing journey. She’s an enthusiastic member of the writing community and is published by WOW! Women on Writing, Dream Journal, The Endometriosis Foundation of America, Endometriosis Australia, and a few Medium publications. Visit her website at www.kellysgroi.com.

Tuesday, August 27, 2024

Suspenseful Settings in Novels

 


I’m more than halfway through the book “A Flicker in the Dark” by Stacy Willingham and I may have a new thriller author to binge. I love the setting of the book, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and her descriptions of the bayou as a backdrop for a series of murders that took place during her childhood. I personally don’t believe you must have an exotic location to create a spine-tingling thriller—it can be set anywhere from a cabin in the Berkshires (“The House in the Pines” by Ana Reyes) a school for children with unique gifts in a rundown town (“The Institute” by Stephen King) or even a quaint, lakefront community (“Daughter of Mine” by Megan Miranda). 

For some reason I have a fascination with summer camps in my own writing, and it’s become a joke in my house. I’m not sure if it’s because I never went to a sleepaway camp as child or teenager, but I wrote a time travel middle-grade novel set at a summer camp in Texas, a short story based on a real-life murder at a Girl Scout camp in Oklahoma, and my current novel features a character who disappears while working as a camp counselor in North Carolina. Here’s an excerpt: 

The dream was back. I was in the woods again—the smell of damp earth filled my nostrils. My feet were bare, and I wore only a thin, cotton T-shirt and running shorts. I tried to run faster towards the sound of Addie’s voice, but it didn’t seem to be getting any closer. The darkness clouded my visibility. The trees cast ominous shadows over the ground, and I shivered from the chill in the air. The lack of shoes kept me from making any progress. I flinched when I stepped on a sharp twig, crying out in pain. Bursting out of the woods, my feet hit a cold patch of sand. I could still hear Addie’s voice, calling my name, but all that was in front of me was the darkened water of a lake. Staring out at the lapping waves, I wondered what secrets the water held. 

There are tropes that turn up a lot in suspense novels (a protagonist with an alcohol or prescription drug addiction, or both, often leading to an unreliable narrator, a protagonist with insomnia, a charismatic leader of a secretive group, missing people, cold cases, a mysterious stranger, a reporter digging into a story, an isolated locale, etc). Consider a few of these titles and you can tell there will be tropes aplenty: 

  • The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell 
  • Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty 
  • Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera 
  • What Lies in the Woods by Kate Alice Marshall 
  • Home Before Dark by Riley Sager 

In addition to the use of these storytelling devices, I guarantee you all of these books feature plenty of spooky settings and observations. I keep finding passages I want to highlight in “A Flicker in the Dark,” such as this one: 

And in that moment, the moment of the crash, it made me realize that monsters don’t hide in the woods; they aren’t shadows in the trees or invisible things lurking in darkened corners. No, the real monsters move in plain sight. 

Willingham skillfully weaves in images of fireflies, cemeteries, creeks, dark and winding roads, an isolated and abandoned family home, and more to build suspense. I’m about seventy percent of the way through the book right now, and I can tell the setting is going to become even more important in the final chapters. 

What are some settings that you’ve enjoyed in stories you’ve read or written? I’d love to hear about some of your favorites. 

Renee Roberson is an award-winning writer and the host/creator of the true crime podcast, Missing in the Carolinas. Learn more about Renee at her website, FinishedPages.com.

Sunday, August 25, 2024

Interview with 2024 Q3 Creative Nonfiction Essay Runner Up, Sandra Jensen

Sandra Jensen has over 50 short story, essay and flash publications including in: World Literature Today, The Irish Times, Descant and AGNI. Awards include winning the Bridport Prize for a first novel and the Grindstone Novel Prize, and multiple honorable mentions, short and long-listings for her short stories and flash pieces. She is currently working on a hybrid memoir in essays about art, illness, trauma and her relationship with her sculptor mother. Sandra leads writing workshops and mentors writers. She has been living with chronic illness for three decades and a commission by Story Machine to write a book for writers with chronic disabling conditions is slated for publication in late 2024. She currently lives in Brighton, England. You can find her at www.sandrajensen.net.

Check out Sandra's winning essay "What Men Want" here and then return to learn about Sandra's life as a writer.

---Interview by Jodi M. Webb

WOW:  Congratulations on being a runner-up in the WOW Creative Nonfiction Essay contest. "What Men Want" is such a powerful, deeply personal piece. Is it difficult writing about such personal experiences?

Sandra:  Actually, no! I think this is partly because of the way I write first drafts. As I’ve often said, I always thought I’d be a writer when I “grew up”, but growing up took a long time and I only committed to writing as a vocation in my mid 40s. The impulse for this was the fortuitous discovery of a wonderful writing teacher, Barbara Turner-Vesselago, who teaches a simple but highly effective writing method called Freefall.

Freefall isn’t the same as freewriting, which can sometimes produce diary-type work, or work that is
similar to what happens if I write morning pages. With Freefall, you follow five simple precepts. These are on Barbara’s website but I’ll list them here:

1. Write what comes up for you: whatever occurs to you once you have started writing, write it down. Put plans aside, in case something else wants to be written.
 
2. Don’t change anything: not even spelling errors, just keep going!
 
3. Give all the sensuous detail: what you hear, feel, smell et cetera). This precept to give all the sensuous detail (what you hear, feel, smell et cetera), slows me down, preventing a gush of emotive writing.
 
4. Go where the energy is, or go “fearward”: write what you don’t want to write about! “Write
what makes you sweat,” as Robert Burdett Sweet said. 
 
5. “The Ten-Year Rule”: if what comes up for you is inspired from your own experience, it will work better and be easier to write if it is an experience from some time in the past. If you write about a very recent, challenging experience, it’s unlikely it has ‘composted’, to use Natalie Goldberg’s phrase. The actual writing could be challenging to actually do, and lack the clarity that time can give. When I write about a challenging personal experience, while I do have one foot directly in that experience, so to speak, I also have distance from that experience.

I wrote "What Men Want" about three decades after the events I describe, so I have plenty of distance. And while I was bulimic for about seven years after those events, I am blessed in that I am completely free of the eating disorder.

Perhaps what also helps when writing about challenging personal experiences is I am always aware I’m not just writing these pieces just for myself. I am not entering into a therapeutic process. I am writing to be read, to communicate to others. (That being said, I don’t have my mind on publication when I write, that would stop me writing altogether!).

WOW: The events portrayed in your essay happened many years ago. How do you effectively recapture the past?

Sandra: I don’t journal I’m afraid. I know I should, particularly as I have a very poor memory. But when I am settling down to do some new writing, opening a blank page and waiting for something to arise, usually all sorts of past experiences pop up. In fact, most of my fiction is closely based on events in my own life, I can’t seem to get away from them!

I do have one process that works very well for me, a process I call A Page a Day. It’s a process to develop the writing muscle, a daily practice, but for me it’s also produced publishable pieces (once edited!). I wrote about a version of this process for the Story Machine

I often combine this with specific memory prompts that I developed when I read about Ray Bradbury’s word-association lists in his book, Zen in the Art of Writing. Bradbury’s lists are specifically nouns—The Toy Chest. The Old Woman. The Fog Horn. The Crowd. My lists tend to be short sentences associated with a memory: The Thing in The Road, Bloated Sheep in Kashmir, for example. It’s important not to be too specific or detailed or I’d get bogged down when writing my list. I might not even remember the whole experience when I jot the sentences down. When I’m about to write my page for the day, I’ll scan the list of prompts and choose which ever one strikes me the most forcefully. As I write, almost always more of the memory returns to me.

WOW: You have a long list of writing awards for everything from flash fiction to novels. Tell us about the appeal of writing contests. Where do you find the contests, how do you choose which ones are right for you and how many do you enter each year?

Sandra: I subscribe to a number of newsletters which list competitions and other calls for writing: Hope Clark’s FundsforWriters, Erika Dreifus’ Practicing Writer newsletter, Winning Writers. I also try to keep an eye on certain websites: Poets & Writers and Almond Press. Also, since I have submitted to so many literary magazines, I receive newsletters which alert me to when they have an upcoming competition.

It’s hard to say how often I submit to competitions, it depends on my state of mind, how engaged I am with a current project or story. Entering competitions can be a way to distract myself from actually writing! But I also find entering competitions forces me to polish a piece, so even if I don’t place or win, the process is worth it. The advice I often give is to send out work to several competitions, if it’s possible, so you are not waiting hopefully. I won the Bridport Prize for a first novel, and when I heard I was longlisted, I had completely forgotten I’d entered! I had to scramble to polish up further pages to send on for the next stage of the competition, and when I was shortlisted, I had to write from scratch the next chapters of the novel in short order, as I hadn’t written them yet!

As for choosing which competitions are right for me, I do try to have a look at other pieces that have won or placed in that particular competition, but I can also be a bit profligate and just send out rather randomly. And, it can depend on my pocket book as most competitions have an entry fee.

WOW: Tell us about the book about writers living with chronic illnesses you’ve been commissioned to write.

Sandra: It’s a short book aimed at giving encouragement and support to writers, whether budding or experienced, who live with chronic disabling conditions. Sam Ruddock, who heads up Story Machine, commissioned the book. I credit my being awarded an Arts Council grant to his support and guidance, and we co-led an online workshop for writers living with illness, disability, or a chronic or life-limiting condition. The commission is one in a series of five short books aimed at specific groups, including prisoners, working class writers and writers living with illness. The whole series is titled You Are A Writer, and my book’s title is The Irrepressible Writer: How Writers with Ill Health Write Well.

When Sam first contacted me about the commission, I balked. Partly because I didn’t think I had any advice to impart, I was just another writer struggling along, albeit with a few more limitations than some due to my chronic illness (ME/CFS, to be brief). I also balked because other than blogs, I’d never written nonfiction. Creative nonfiction, yes, but not something like this. But I said yes, and although it had to go through a few drafts with Sam’s help, I found it surprisingly easy to write. I also enjoyed the research aspect – discovering other writers with chronic illness, and a plethora of literary magazines and organisations supporting writers with disability, not to mention competitions specifically aimed at writers with disability. I had never even thought to look for such things!

Sam wanted the tone of the series to be conversational, encouraging, and non-academic. The format combines narrative exploration of my development as a writer along with specific chapters on editing and other aspects of writing. In each chapter there are writing exercises and prompts, and several pages of resources including literary magazines and support groups for writers with disability. Included in my commission is leading a 6-week online workshop course for a small group of writers with chronic disabling conditions who will attend the course for free. I’m looking forward to that! The first one I did with Sam was a revelation, not because I hadn’t taught before, but teaching a group of people who truly understood what it meant to live with illness, particularly invisible illness, was amazing.

WOW: Do you have any rituals or habits that help with your writing life?

Sandra: “Writing is so difficult that I feel that writers, having had their hell on earth, will escape all punishment hereafter,” Jessamyn West said. For the most part I agree, and it’s important to find ways to ease the difficulty.

For me the best is attending a writers retreat where I don’t have to think about anything at all other than what I’m writing. There are only so many of these I can afford, so at home, a view, a good chair and no interruptions are critical. I used to write to music (no lyrics, unless in a foreign language!) but now I need silence. Some writers write best in cafés, or in bed.  

Then there are rituals, which are known to help form a consistent writing habit and get you into the mood. For me it’s making an Aeropress espresso, or a little pot of Ceylon tea, and preparing a little plate of nibbles. For others it’s reading a poem, or lighting a candle, or drawing a Tarot card. 

What works for you?

WOW: I'm a silence gal too. And recently, my pre-writing ritual has been yoga. It helps get me out of the "What do I need from the grocery store" mindset and into the "What would my characters say" mindset. Readers? What are your writing habits?

Saturday, August 24, 2024

Ask the Book Doctor: How to Handle Numbers

 
By Bobbie Christmas
 
Q: When am I supposed to write out numbers or use the numeral? Do I use the actual number, for example, 5, or do I write five? Are there certain times when I should write it out and other times when I use the numeral? Does it even matter?
 
A: It matters if you hope to get your writing published. It doesn’t matter if you’re just writing an email to a friend. 
 
I understand your confusion with numbers because you’ve seen them handled in differing ways, depending on what country you’re in and what you’re reading—a newspaper or a novel, for example. 
 
The first thing you need to know is that professional writers follow specific style guides—a list of rules to follow depending on the intended country, industry, project, or periodical. In America most periodicals follow AP style, most scholarly publishers follow MLA style, and most fiction and nonfiction publishers follow Chicago style, and the styles differ in how to handle numbers. 
 
Back in the 1970s when I was a journalist writing for newspapers and magazines, I had to follow AP style. Its style guide had about six hundred pages. When I became a book editor in 1990, I had to unlearn AP style and adhere to Chicago style. The Chicago Manual of Style had more than a thousand pages. To make matters more complicated, Chicago style changes a little every few years, and editors must keep up with all the changes. 
 
In Chicago style the format for numbers also depends on what the numbers refer to, for example sports scores, dates, or times of day. It also depends on whether the numerals appear in the narrative or dialogue. No wonder writers are confused!
 
If you hope to write an article for a periodical, ask the editor of that periodical what style guide to follow. 
 
Because I’m an American book editor, I’ll explain how numbers should be handled in fiction and nonfiction books for American audiences. 
 
Spell out whole numbers one through one hundred. Also spell them out when followed by hundred, thousand, or hundred thousand. Examples: Only four people applied for work, when I expected at least fourteen. I’ll never forget the three thousand customers who frequented my store. Some 2,500 more came in only once or twice. 
 
Always spell out numbers at the beginning of a sentence. Example: Forty-seven people fell ill
 
Dates are always in numerals. Example: We wanted to find an area still living in the 1960s, so we left town on October 16, 2006, to begin our search
 
Numerals in dialogue, with the exception of dates and uneven numbers, are usually spelled out. Examples: “I’ll meet you at six o’clock.” “I’ll be there at one-thirty.” “I live at three oh one North Elm Street.” “I won 5,241 dollars.” “She hasn’t visited since 1999.” 
 
Avoid informal use of dates in narrative. Instead of William King was born in ’02, write out the whole year. William King was born in 1902
 
Numbers with decimal points can be used as numbers in narrative, but not in dialogue. Examples: The average age of dogs is 12.1 years. Tom said, “The average age of dogs is twelve point one years.”  
 
Centuries are spelled out and lowercased. Example: The artist copied works from the sixteenth century
 
Depending on the publication, sports scores may be used as numerals. Example: The final score was 7-0
 
Always spell out numbers at the beginning of a sentence. Example: Seven people fell ill
 
Approximate numbers above one hundred are written out, whereas exact ones are in numbers. We spent about a thousand dollars on airfare, but only $242.50 on food for the trip
 
In ratios it is better to spell out the numerals instead of using a colon. He has a ten-to-one chance of winning. In technical text, however, it is okay to use numerals and a colon with no space between the numbers and the colon: a 10:1 ratio
 
Use the number in percentages followed by the word, not the symbol. Example: Only 40 percent of the people voted
 
The details about numerals can be too much to digest. You can see why many writers are confused about how to handle numbers. When in doubt check the appropriate style guide or use a professional editor familiar with the style guide your piece should follow. 
 
*
 
Send your questions to Bobbie Christmas, book editor, author of Write In Style: Use Your Computer to Improve Your Writing, and owner of Zebra Communications. Bobbie@zebraeditor.com or BZebra@aol.com. Read Bobbie’s Zebra Communications blog at https://www.zebraeditor.com/blog/.

Thursday, August 22, 2024

Getting an Assignment with Just Four Words

Always leave them wanting more. 
 –P.T. Barnum (supposedly)

There are some questions about if it was actually P.T. Barnum who said this but – no matter who said it -- I think it’s good advice far beyond the big top. In creative writing, I feel we unconsciously strive to follow this advice. After all, we want to get people from that attention grabbing opening sentence to the next one, from the first chapter to the next, from the first book to the next. It’s great to leave that hint of something more to come…a mini cliffhanger that encourages everyone to keep reading. Our book title, book cover and even our author’s bio are designed to peak people’s curiosity.

Turns out you can use this advice beyond your creative writing career. The other morning I received an email from a magazine editor asking for photos of the treehouses and details about the article.

Umm…ok.

I am an Excel fanatic and all my queries, submissions, assignments and invoices are faithfully recorded in the proper spreadsheet with updates as I communicate with editors, publishers and agents. Treehouses were not on my spreadsheets. Truthfully, I had to look back at an old email chain to get a grasp of this puzzling request.

Three months earlier I sent a piece to this editor on spec, an article on a historical aspect of Longwood Gardens. I also offered the option that, if it wasn’t for them, I could adjust it to feature more recent changes at the gardens. Plus four words in parentheses: the treehouses are amazing. I'm not exactly sure why I added that. Was I thinking of changing the whole article to focus on the treehouses? The child friendly parts of the garden? Was it just that I really love the treehouses? Anyway...they bought the historical article as is and, at some point, someone must have looked at that tiny detail I added off the cuff to my email and thought, “Treehouses could be interesting.”

Interesting enough to reach out months later and assign another article. An article based on an idea that was just a vague notion in my brain. Who knew that four words could get me an assignment?

My new resolution is to always leave my editors wanting more. Each time I touch base with an editor I’m going to include a mention of an idea I’m considering that could work for their publication. Not a full query (although I still will be sending those) but just enough to plant a thought in their head. Enough that they may say, “Tell me more.”

I'm not recommending this as your primary way of touching base with editors; just suggesting it as something extra in addition to the tried and true query method. After all, even if you don't get an assignment, it's nice to keep your name top-of-mind. It's also a great way to prod yourself to come up with new ideas. 

Have you ever received a “surprise” assignment based on a minor detail? 

And more importantly, if you worked in P.T. Barnum’s circus what would your act be? My heart says trapeze artist but my brain says lady getting knives thrown at her.

 


Jodi M. Webb writes from her home in the Pennsylvania mountains about everything from DIY projects to pretzels to butterflies to treehouses.  She's also a blog tour manager for WOW-Women on Writing. Get to know her @jodiwebbwritesFacebook and blogging at Words by Webb.

Tuesday, August 20, 2024

You Don’t Need to Know It All, You Just Need to Ask


I know I’m not the only writer who has experienced something like this. You’ll be at church, the office, or your kids’ school and someone asks you where they need to go to find out how to write a book . . . article . . . essay. 

My most recent request was an adorably message vague. “Can you recommend a book on writing a book?” I told her I’d need more info and groaned when I saw her response. She wants to write a memoir. That’s an area I don’t know well. But I do know who to ask. I fired off an email to our own Angela M. Soon she responded with a list of books, Youtube videos and more that looks more like a course syllabus than a book recommendation. I printed out a copy for myself! 

Recently another WOW friend said an agent told her that her book read like NA. She wasn’t sure what agents handled New Adult. This time I could help. I had just seen a call for New Adult queries and sent her the info. Then when I was looking for someone to send my own work to, I found five or six more. Eventually she’ll tell me that enough is enough. 

This made me think of Jodi Webb’s people list.  You can see her post here

We all have people that we go to for certain kinds of information. I have a specific friend, a nurse, I contact when a manuscript includes medical information. “Here’s my source and here’s what I wrote. Did I accurately explain it to 4th graders, or have I made something up?” My son, the mechanical engineer, found the right formula for converting temperature change from Celsius to Fahrenheit. When I needed to confirm a detail about the Greek Orthodox church, I emailed our church secretary. No, I’m not Greek Orthodox, but she is. 

If someone isn’t on my own people list, I reach out. This is especially true when someone asks me a writing question. Writing can feel overwhelming. Oh, let’s not sugar coat this. There are times that writing is overwhelming.  There is just so much information and I can't know it all. 

I know I can reach out to my WOW family if I have a question on memoir, essay writing or poetry. There will be someone here I can turn to with queries about graphic novels, autofiction, or product reviews. If there’s something you need to know and can’t find yourself, ask around. One of us is sure to know. Heck, Jodi knows where to find a blueberry farmer. 

--SueBE

Sue Bradford Edwards' is the author of over 55 books for young readers.  
  • To find out more about her writing, visit her site and blog, One Writer's Journey.  
  • Click here to find her newsletter.

She is also the instructor for 3 WOW classes which begin again on September 2, 2024. She teaches:

Sunday, August 18, 2024

Interview with Tess Kelly, Runner Up in the Q3 2024 Creative Nonfiction Contest

 


Tess Kelly’s work has appeared in Ruminate, Dorothy Parker’s Ashes, Sweet Lit, and Cleaver, among other publications. She lives and writes in Portland, Oregon.
















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


WOW: Welcome, Tess, and congratulations again! When did you first become interested in writing creative nonfiction? What was your first published piece and what was it about? 

Tess: I started writing creative non-fiction seriously about 8 years ago when I enrolled in a flash CNF class. Prior to that I was a dabbler. I fell in love with the short form and have been playing with it ever since. The first piece I ever published in the CNF world was called "Sound and Silence" and was about experiencing sudden hearing loss and getting fitted for a hearing aid. 

WOW: Writing an essay that involves a true crime can be tricky. How did you first get the idea to share this experience and your feelings about it on paper with "A Good Guy?" 

Tess: I was in a writing group at the time and the facilitator's assignment one week was to write about discovering something about someone that changed how you felt about them. I immediately thought of Finn and the shock I felt when I learned he'd killed his girlfriend. I had spent a bit of time writing about it in my journal and so I had all the raw material to quickly get the first draft on paper. 

WOW: What is your favorite line (or lines) of this essay and why? 

Tess: I like this question! Here it is: 

Finn's here to unveil the prototype of a board game he calls “Feds and Heads.” Marijuana isn’t yet legal in Oregon, and the good guys are growers and dealers, the bad guys federal agents who chase them around our kitchen table top. We talk about the real War on Drugs. 

The reason this passage stands out to me is because it refers to the good guy/bad guy binary that is so popular; later in the story I have to consider Finn's good and bad sides. In life we're all a mix of both, even if we don't participate in anything as egregious as manslaughter. 

WOW: Another published essay of yours, “On Grudges,” revolves around a concept bridging together multiple different events. How do you come up with ideas for your creative nonfiction and have you ever had a piece of work stump you during the process? 

Tess: "On Grudges" was fun to write. My family, like many, often simmers with resentments just below the surface if not overtly. My mom and her sister had a tense relationship for as long as I can remember. There were numerous occasions during my childhood where my mom's anger seemed out of proportion to whatever she perceived as insulting. I wanted to explore the various types of grudges we hold and to illustrate how absurd they can be, in a mostly lighthearted way. I didn't want to get too deep into the psychology of grudges, although that would be interesting too. I get stumped all the time, as to where to go with a kernel that seems dazzling but that doesn't gain traction when I sit down and unpack it. Sometimes I just give up. I've recently struggled with a piece about deer--I want to do a segmented essay that examines the mammal from various angles but have come up short on segments. I put it aside for now and realize if I pick it up again I'll have to do deeper research. I spend a lot of time in my head analyzing the world so I end up writing about the observations that interest me the most. Probably like a lot of writers. 

WOW: There are so many ways to be creative when writing essays. What do you recommend to writers who are looking for fresh angles for their ideas? 

Tess: There are so many wonderful essayists to learn from. I love it when I read something that moves me to laughter or tears, or that completely absorbs my attention. I'll sometimes deconstruct a piece of writing to understand why it resonates with me and then try to emulate the style. With enough drafts my own voice comes through clearly. And of course, keeping a journal to record those flashes of brilliance we all experience but that are all too fleeting.

WOW: Wonderful advice. We look forward to reading more of your work in the future!

Wednesday, August 14, 2024

Learn Your Personal Signs of Burn-Out

 

Teary. Overwhelmed. Feeling like all the boxes are stacking up in my mind, yet no relief in sight. 

Burn-out was in the distance. 

I did it to myself a few years ago, and I lost a job because I didn't pay attention to the signs. Would I want that experience again?

Burning yourself out is easier than you might think, especially when you have put a lot on your own plate. Saying no to projects is not an easy thing for me. Nor is asking for deadline extensions. Nor is letting someone know who was relying upon me that I may have bit off more than I could chew.

Yet, I began to recognize the symptoms this past week. I was near tears, almost immobilized, and didn't know what to do about the stress. All signs pointed to being near burnt out. I felt overwhelmed. First things first, I put my computer to the side. My big, bulky, hot machine sat to my left as I figured out what I needed to take off my plate. 

It wasn't long before I wrote a couple of editors, asking for a deadline extension. I wrote another, letting them know I needed more details about an assignment so I could figure out if it was even right for me. And confessed to another, who is more of a friend, that I needed help with what was on my plate.

And you know what? The world didn't implode. I didn't get a handful of editors picketing in front of my apartment complex. I may have caused some disappointment, but it wasn't devastating to myself or my career.

Of course, it's important to avoid burnout. Yet, sometimes, though, you don't even know you're almost there. That's why it's important to recognize your personal symptoms. They may be the same as mine. You have so much on your plate, yet you can't do a thing. On top of that, you get emotional. On the other hand, maybe you get irritable and snack too much. Maybe you barely eat at all. 

Whatever your symptoms, recognize them. And learn from it. And try not to repeat the process of waiting for burnout to linger closely before you do something about it.

Since then, I've incorporated more breaks during my work day, and I'm re-evaluating what's on my plate to see what needs to be removed or replaced with something that I actually (gasp) enjoy working on. 

Nicole Pyles is a tired writer living in Portland, Oregon. She has written for numerous publications including Better Homes and Gardens, The Spruce, Mental Floss, Tom's Guide, and more. Many of her stories have been published. Follow her blog at https://worldofmyimagination.com.

Monday, August 12, 2024

All Money Ain't Good Money by Tracey Lampley: Blog Tour & Giveaway

All Money Ain't Good Money by Tracey Lampley
We're excited to announce the launch of the blog tour for All Money Ain't Good Money, the first book in Tracey Lampley's Jinx Curry mystery series. Join us as we meet the author through an interview and give away a copy to one lucky reader.

About the Book

Jinx Curry is a single mom who spends her days spying on cheating wives and husbands, but she aches for more importance. When her boss, Capricorn Hayes, finally assigns Jinx a missing persons case involving a congressman's missing granddaughter, Jinx jumps at the chance. Not only to solve it, but to earn the fifty-thousand-dollar bonus that would pay her bills, and get a menacing creditor off her back.

But the investigation proves more dangerous and costly than Jinx believes. After an unknown individual in a black Corvette nearly runs Jinx down and begins stalking her, Jinx has to sacrifice her relationship with her daughter by sending Arielle to live with her father. Can Jinx find the congressman's granddaughter while surviving her stalker? Or will this job be her last?

Publisher: Tralam Publishing Company 
AISN: B0CW1DW3SX
Print Length: 282 pages

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

About the Author, Tracey Lampley

When she is not writing, Tracey Lampley loves attending and watching sporting events such as WNBA, NBA, college football and NFL football. Currently Tracey is completing her MA in Creative Writing at Southern New Hampshire University. She already holds an MS in Publishing from Pace University and a BA in English/Technical & Scientific Communication from Miami University of Ohio. She resides in the metro Atlanta, Georgia area with her pooch Neo and near her daughter Asia.

You can find her online at:

Twitter/X: @bookmistress1
Instagram: tralam4156

--Interview by Jodi Webb

WOW: Congratulations on All Money Ain’t Good Money! Your first books were novellas. Did you find it challenging to move to a book that was double the length? 

Tracey: I absolutely found it challenging. My greatest challenge is patience! I write furiously, and I’m anxious to get to the finish line. Knowing that traditional mysteries clock in at 70,000 words or more terrified me because I wasn’t sure I had that much story in me. However, I started fleshing out my characters, and more material/story emerged. 

WOW: Your characters have such rich back stories, it’s almost like we’re dropping in for Book 2 of the series. Did you develop detailed backgrounds for the characters before you started writing or did, they just evolve as you wrote? 

Tracey: From the beginning, I knew this would be a series. So, the backstories evolved as I wrote, and I had fun writing those stories!

WOW: Your novel is set in your town of Atlanta. Is it your hometown?

Tracey:  I was born and raised in Hamilton, Ohio. I just flew back there to attend my class reunion on June 15th. I raised my daughter in Forest Park, which is a suburb of Cincinnati, Ohio. I relocated in the metro Atlanta area in May of 2013. I love the weather. I don’t miss the snowy winters of Ohio! None of the buildings or businesses in my book are real. However, the neighborhoods are real. 

WOW: Not only are you busy promoting All Money Ain't Good Money but you're also juggling studying for your MA in Creative Writing at Southern New Hampshire University. Can you tell us one of the most important things you’ve learned in the program? 

Tracey: The most important thing I learned in the program is writing with sensory detail in mind. In every scene I try and include at least three of the five senses to ground the reader into the scene. I also took a class on setting. I learned how to weave setting into the prose instead of listing items. Well, I guess that’s two important things I learned in the program. 

WOW: Thanks, I think those are two things we can all be more aware of in our writing. So, have you always been a writer? Tell us about the moment when you said to yourself, “I’m a writer.” 

Tracey: Since I was a kid, I’ve always written stories. I remember writing about a young girl saving her family from a house fire. I punched three holes into five sheets of paper and bound it with my red hair ribbon. My uncle bought it for a nickel. To this day, he swears he paid a quarter for it. I told my Uncle Dale he was cheap then, and he’s even cheaper now! But, after I finished All Money Ain’t Good Money, I told myself: “I’m a bestselling author!”

WOW: I love your self-confidence! And I'm sure you'll earn more than a nickel this time. So, what’s up next? Book 2 of the Jinx Curry mystery series? (BTW, great character name!) 

Tracey: Yes! I just attended the Black Writers Weekend here in Atlanta on August 1-4 and now will begin outlining the next Jinx Curry book. My paternal grandmother’s maiden name was Curry. That’s where I got the last name. I paid homage to her. 

WOW: What a wonderful way to include your family in your book. Looking forward to more adventures with Jinx.

All Money Ain't Good Money by Tracey Lampley Blog Tour

--Blog Tour Calendar

August 12th @ The Muffin
Join us as we celebrate the launch of Tracey Lampley's novel All Money Ain't Good Money. Read an interview with the author and enter to win a copy of her book.

August 14th @ Words by Webb
Stop by for today's review of All Money Ain't Good Money - a Jinx Curry Mystery.

August 16th @ My Beauty My Books
Want a fun read for the weekend? Check out the spotlight on All Money Ain't Good Money by Tracey Lampley.

August 17th @ Writer Advice
Novelist Tracey Lampley shares her thoughts on the value of planting a red herring.

August 19 @  Lisa Haselton’s Reviews and Interviews
Let's take a peek at the life of an author with today's interview of Tracey Lampley.

August 21st @ Chapter Break
Tracey Lampley, who writes about private investigator Jinx Curry, posts about why we all love a flawed protagonist.

August 22nd @ Knotty Needle
The Knotty Needle will be reviewing All Money Ain't Good Money by Tracey Lampley.

August 22nd @ Book Room Reviews
Stop by for a guest post on the MA in Creative Writing program by Tracey Lampley, author of All Money Ain't Good Money.

August 24th @  Author Anthony Avina
Learn how Tracey Lampley made the Leap from Novella to Novel in today's guest post plus a review of All Money Ain't Good Money by Anthony Avina.

August 28th @ Create Write Now
In today's spotlight, learn more about the first Jinx Curry mystery: All Money Ain't Good Money.

August 29th @ Choices
Tracey Lampley, author of All Money Ain't Good Money, is telling us the six authors she'd like to invite for a dinner party in today's guest post.

August 31st @ A Wonderful World of Words
Novelist Tracey Lampley writes about what her life was like before she began writing today at Wonderful World of Words.

September 3rd @ StoreyBook Reviews
Drop by for a review of All Money Ain't Good Money by Tracey Lampley.

September 4th @  Author Anthony Avina
Enjoy Anthony Avina's review of All Money Ain't Good Money by Tracey Lampley.

September 5 @ Word Magic
Tracey Lampley, author of All Money Ain't Good Money, is writing about life with her canine buddy Neo.

September 6th @ A Story Book World
Looking for a new novel? Today's spotlight is on All Money Ain't Good Money by Tracey Lampley.

September 7 @ Boys' Mom Reads!
Tracey Lampley's All Money Ain't Good Money is reviewed today by Karen of Boys' Mom Reads.

September 9th @ Nikki's Book Reviews
Along with a review of All Money Ain't Good Money, author Tracey Lampley will be posting about what she likes best about Live Sports Events. 

September 12th @ Reading Is My Remedy
Struggle with what your characters should say? Author Tracey Lampley's guest post is about writing realistic dialogue. They'll also be a review of her novel All Money Ain't Good Money.

September 14th @ That's So Nitra
Learn the difference between Macro editing and Micro editing with the help of Tracey Lampley.

September 15th @ Boots, Shoes and Fashion
In today's interview, learn more about Tracey Lampley, author of the first book in the Jinx Curry mystery series: All Money Ain't Good Money.

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

Enter to win a print copy of  All Money Ain't Good Money by Tracey Lampley! Fill out the Rafflecopter form below for a chance to win. The giveaway ends August 25 at 11:59 pm CT. We will randomly draw a winner the next day via Rafflecopter and follow up via email. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sunday, August 11, 2024

Interview with 2024 Q3 Creative Nonfiction Essay 3rd Place Winner, Carol Ovenburg

Carol Ovenburg—A visual artist. A writer. An Argentine tango social dancer. Her habits: 1) timed writing every morning perched in her favorite chair, sipping a cup of mushroom blend “coffee.” 2) searching through recipe books and preparing delicious hot lunches (She’s a real foodie); 3) Traveling to other U.S. cities for social tango dancing festivals; 4) searching for great fabric to make her own flashy tango dresses. 5) Painting and creating digital art.

When Carol is not writing, cooking, sewing, dancing, or making art, she and her long time partner enjoy good books and foreign films in their Talent, Oregon home, rebuilt after a devastating fire that leveled 2,600 homes. Her biggest desire is to find more time in the day to do it all without wearing herself out.

Her memoir is currently going out to publishers—small presses—for consideration, even though she’s still tweaking and changing the title—more titles than she can count.

Carol has had four CNF essays in the top ten of WOW-Women on Writing, two of which have been in the top three. She’s excited to have her latest CNF essay published in this year’s Q3.

Visit Carol’s website at carolovenburg.com.

Facebook: Carol Ovenburg
Linkedin: Carol Ovenburg

---interview by Marcia Peterson

WOW: Congratulations on winning third place in our Q3 2024 Creative Nonfiction essay competition! What prompted you to enter the contest?

Carol: Thanks, Marcia.

What prompted me to enter the WOW contest is simple—I feel my writing has a home with Women on Writing. I love the opportunity for critiques whether I make it to the top ten or not. The critiques keep me inspired to write better. And I love to be in the company of other wonderful women writers.

WOW: Your entry, “Borrowed,” is a compelling look at what it’s really like after a catastrophic wildfire destroys your home. What inspired you to write this essay?

Carol: To heal from the trauma, I wrote about the Almeda Fire of September 8, 2020 in several longer essays but nothing much happened with the essays. Writing gave me distance from the devastation. Still, during the summer months, the constant threat of fire keeps me anxious.

Through WOW, I enrolled in Chelsey Clammer’s course on writing about trauma. For me that meant write about the fire. For inspiration, I pulled up the previous essays I had written. I saw them as overwritten—too much unnecessary detail—too many words to resurrect for Chelsey’s assignment. I decided I wanted to write about the one aspect of the fire trauma that lingered—the seventeen months of displacement waiting for a home of our own again. The content of this new essay unfolded in one complete package. But the re-writes along with Chelsey’s deftness, helped me create a piece of writing worth submitting to WOW.

WOW: Do you have any thoughts or advice for writing about difficult things?

Carol: Yes. First, don’t be afraid to write from your gut. Go deep. Get it out and on the page. Bleed. Read it aloud to yourself. If you cry while you’re reading, you’ve hit pay dirt. Don’t judge yourself. You’ll re-shape your writing in the re-writes. Take breaks. Long breaks if necessary. Pamper yourself. Eat chocolate. Walk in nature. Swim. When you’re soaked in self-love, go back to the page and write from your gut again.

WOW: Great advice! You’ve also completed a memoir that’s going out to publishers. Can you tell us anything about it? What was your writing journey like with this project?

Carol: Yes. The new working title (was Pearls, then Ruptured, other titles before those) is 
CHASING BLISS: An Artist’s Quest to Break Free of Mother and Mythical Daddies. It’s the story of an artist who grew up under the narcissistic thumb of a mother who expected perfection from her daughter—beauty as well as talent. It’s also the story of an absent alcoholic father who became a fantasy figure, a mythical daddy—the measure all future relationships including three marriages and a child—this artist’s third marriage came together and held together through the glue of meditation. It was the perfect marriage until it wasn’t. This is the story of an artist’s desperate journey of survival from loss and eventual liberation through meditation, creativity, and dance as told through her artist eyes.

My writing journey is still evolving This memoir project was long in the making. Finding my voice, finding the right structure, learning how to write. In the beginning, this story was all “poor me and you bastard.” But over time as I learned to write scenes, use active voice, get rid of all my clichés and “little darlings,” rid myself of “ly” adverbs, use concrete nouns, let go of traditional syntax, and find rhythm, the memoir took shape to tell the story that needed to be told.

WOW: Thanks so much for chatting with us today, Carol. Before you go, can you share a favorite writing tip or piece of advice?

Carol: You’re welcome. And yes, my favorite writing tip or piece of advice: Sit down every day (I like mornings) with a pen and a tablet. Give yourself a prompt. Set a timer for 15 or 20 minutes and write without punctuation, without lifting your pen, without editing, without thinking. Read Natalie Goldberg’s Writing Down the Bones. I find the best writing starts out this way. I write to learn what it is I’m writing about. Sometimes I write word associations—let the words lead the writing. When the timer goes off, I read it aloud, then “type” it up. Then I re-write. Do not edit your work until you’ve re-written it several times. The art is in the re-write.

***  



Thursday, August 08, 2024

Entering the Empty Nester Phase

 

It’s still summer here, but the banister of our staircase is draped with new flannel long-sleeved shirts and a sturdy, practical jacket we got on sale at the Eddie Bauer outlet store. The dining room holds fluffy new bath towels, washed and folded, as well as a clean pile of sheets in XL. In the corner sits a mini-refrigerator, still in the box, ready to be hauled out to our car and packed in five days. 

Since he graduated from high school in early June, I’ve kept my emotions tucked away in a place where I couldn't reach them until now. My 18-year-old son, the baby in the family, officially leaves for college next week and my husband and I will become empty nesters. I didn’t think it would hit me this hard, but it has. As I watch my son head out each day to visit with his tight-knit group of friends, whether meeting for breakfast or a game of hoops that turns into chatting in the parking lot of the neighborhood park for hours, I’m filled with conflicting emotions. 

You'd think I would be used to this by now. In 2022, my daughter received an offer she couldn’t refuse at a large public university eight hours away. Last year we moved her into her first apartment, and I had a mild panic attack after we drove away—did we buy her enough groceries? Would she be safe in her new community and when would her other roommates finally arrive? Did we do all the proper maintenance on her car? With my son I told myself it would be easier because he’s going to college a mere two hours away, but it’s still hitting me hard. As the countdown begins, I count my blessings while they are both still here (my daughter returned home this summer to work as a camp counselor).

I’m fortunate to have built the career I have, where I taught myself how to become a freelance writer and maintain relationships with editors that have given me contract jobs and assignments when I most needed them. Without this career, I wouldn’t have been able to spend as much time with my kids. 

I’ll never forget all the summer excursions we took to the library, hunting down treasures in the shelves of the book sales and participating in summer reading programs. The trips we’ve been able to take together as a family are well worth the sacrifice, while my husband always said, “maybe next year,” I became insistent that “next year” will be gone before we know it. What do you know, I was right. Somehow, we managed to squeeze in countless trips to the beach and mountains, along with one memorable trip to the Virgin Islands, Disney World and Universal Studios, and New York City, among other places. 

As they are packing their bags, I’m happy to have been nurturing my writing and podcasting career all along, while still trying to be the best mom that I can. I’m confident immersing myself in this work will serve me well as I try not to worry or miss them too much this fall (trips are already planned for football games at both their respective universities, however!) 

If I had to give any new parent advice, it would be to make sure to invest in yourself. Your kids will always be there, and you can always make time for them, but they will leave someday. There is absolutely nothing wrong with finding a hobby you enjoy, a career that lights you up, or outings or trips with friends or your partner that will refresh your soul when you need it the most. You will always be there for them, but you must also take care of yourself. They will respect you for it, learn independence, and become your biggest cheerleaders. 

Psychologist Margaret Rutherford once advised, “Your child’s life will be filled with fresh experiences. It’s good if yours is as well.” 

Let’s do this. 

Renee Roberson is an award-winning writer who also hosts the true crime podcast, Missing in the Carolinas. She is the proud mom of a college freshman and junior, both planning to major in communications.

Tuesday, August 06, 2024

Interview With 2024 Winter Flash Fiction Runner Up Winner, R.H. O'Brien


I'm excited to interview R.H. O'Brien, one of our runner-up winners in our 2024 Winter Flash Fiction contest. Before you read our interview, make sure you check out her story, "The 'London' Cafe." Then, return here to read our conversation.

Here's a bit more about R.H. O'Brien:

R.H. O'Brien fell in love with books at a young age. She enjoys libraries, bookshops, traveling, taking walks with friends and spending all her free time watching her kids in their various activities. She lives in Colorado with her two amazing teenage children, one elderly rescue dog, two snooty cats, five freeloading chickens and the coolest horse on the planet.

-- Interview by Nicole Pyles

WOW: First of all, congratulations on winning runner up! I loved your story! It was so up close and personal about the thought process that happens on a first date. What inspired this idea?

R.H.: Thank you for the compliment!  I think the story started with the idea being a sort of humourous snapshot into the lives of two people in one of the most awkward situations ever: a first date.  I also wanted there to be a bit of a sub-theme around the idea of loneliness.  I think my main character is a very lonely person and so she talks herself into trying to form a connection with a man she isn't especially interested in.  I don't know if that made it onto the page successfully but it was definitely there in the back of my mind as I was writing.

WOW: I can so relate to that moment she experiences. The setting felt so rich to me. Was this inspired by somewhere real? How did you capture those details so well? 

R.H.: There used to be a cute little cafe in Denver that I would go to back when I was in college.  It's since closed but the cafe in my story is loosely based on it.  

WOW: You definitely brought it back to life! What is your approach with writing flash fiction?

R.H.: I love flash fiction because of the challenge of holding to a low word count, especially since I tend to be verbose.  What I usually do is write the story the way I normally would then go back and edit it down, removing all the fluff and hopefully keeping the meat of the piece.  The process really makes you think about how you can communicate everything you want in the most minimal way possible.  It's a really fun challenge for me.  

WOW: It does really make you focus on your words and being careful with which ones you choose. Why did you decide to submit to WOW?

R.H.: I submitted to WOW because the judge was a literary agent and so I felt like, even if I didn't win, I would be getting quality feedback on my writing from someone who had a lot of experience and knew what they were talking about.  As someone who has never been published this was really important to me.

WOW: That is incredibly helpful. If someone is nervous about sending their writing to contests, what would you say to them?

R.H.: That you should totally do it, and also splurge and get the feedback.  I was terrified to send in my story but I'm so glad I did.  Not only was the feedback I received really helpful but the experience has bolstered my confidence and encouraged me to submit more stories.

WOW: That's so cool to hear!  What are you working on now you can tell us about?

R.H.: I have a novel that I've finished the first draft of and am editing.  I'd love to have the initial editing done by the fall but since I'm also working on another novel at the same time (as well as a full time day job and, you know, life) it isn't going very quickly.  

WOW: I can't wait to see it come out! Best of luck to you and congrats again on your story!