Interview with Amy Lynn Hardy, Runner Up in the WOW! Spring 2024 Flash Fiction Contest

 

Amy Lynn Hardy is a high school foreign language teacher and a staff writer for Buffalo Spree magazine. Her work has also appeared in Huffington Post, Insider, and others. From 2011-2022, Amy resided and worked in the windy port city of Bremerhaven, Germany and traveled all around Europe, enjoying many amazing places and cuisines. Amy’s hobbies include fitness, hiking, gardening, traveling, cooking, reading, and of course writing. She is currently on draft seven (million) of her début novel, working on a film screenplay with loads of dramedy, and crafting shorter pieces to learn to better kill her darlings. To read more of Amy’s work visit amylynnhardyauthorsite.com and give her a follow on Instagram @amylynnhardy_author. 

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

WOW: Hello, Amy, and welcome! You've been a finalist in the WOW! contests several different times before placing with "Things Lose Their Shape During Pregnancy." What was it about this story that you think resonated so much with our judges? 

Amy: First off, not being a Top 10 those other times made me really ambitious. I've wanted to place in a WOW contest for at least four years. I brought this particular piece to my writing workshop group - they offered great feedback and helped me tweak some of the wording and helped me give it an edge. It went from mild to zesty! I also think the twist at the end earned some love. I had a good feeling going in with this one. It was strong, told a quick story, and had universal truths strewn in there. I think also perhaps some of the judges saw themselves in Chloe Butler. 

WOW: Kudos to you for your determination, and for doing the work of doing a peer review. Those can be so helpful! You mentioned a love of reading in your bio. What are some of your favorite genres to read? 

Amy: I find this question as hard to answer as "what music do you like?" Because I read so many genres. I like stories rooted in reality (okay so maybe I'm not exactly a fantasy or sci-fi gal, but I do read them occasionally). The story has to make me feel something - outrage, sorrow, grief, joy, hope. I like when the characters we hate get a chance at redemption. I like when good characters learn something about themselves that surprises them and stretches them. A good memoir can be life-changing for me in the same way (I'm thinking Cheryl Strayed's "Wild" or Amra Sabic-Al-Reyess' "The Cat I Never Named"). All of Brené Brown's work and research has made me a more compassionate human. These all include stories that bring the strongest of us down to our knees. She calls her work "data with a soul," and I love that. Gotta add here that I ALSO love a good rom-com in which I know I'll get a happy ending. They are great for the commute to and from work! 

WOW: Variety is the spice of life, and I'm very similar when it comes to my tastes in music and literature. I love the part of your bio where you say you are crafting shorter pieces to learn better to "kill your darlings." Could you expand on this to share what you've learned through this process? 

Amy: Writing is such a serpentine process. I call my first drafts my "vomit versions" because I get everything out there, all over the place. At times lacking in structure or even a true idea of what the piece may be. Then the killing begins, but at first it's more like... shaving or scalping (so sorry for these violent metaphors!). I shave off. Then add new skin or layers. Or find more unique or specific ways to convey what I intend to say. Sometimes I cut out a whole hunk of a darling because it no longer works and is weighing the piece down. It takes me MANY drafts to feel satisfied with a completed version of a piece, and even then... well, I will catch awkward phrasing or an incorrect gerund. 

Writing short pieces truly forces any writer to shave down their work to the most important parts, and then craft and build with intention from there. Nowadays, I can kill the darlings without much pain; sometimes it's a slaughter, sometimes I take their bones or DNA to make something better. Sometimes I save the darlings' arms and legs for other future pieces. Once I had to get rid of an entire character in a screenplay, which meant combining two characters into one. #DrFrankenstein 

I think what it comes down to is this: if there is a moment where the author him/herself is thinking: "this is dragging," "this is clunky," or is taken out of a piece by a word, paragraph, line of dialogue, it has to go (or be reworked) without much sentimentality. No darling truly dies; they can be recycled or placed elsewhere, and that's important to know. It can turn out to be a completely different piece than the OG draft, and that's a beautiful thing! I also have very honest friends who will tell me if a darling needs to die, even if I particularly love that darling. 

WOW: Great points. We've all had our Frankenstein drafts! Your website mentions several fun writing projects you're currently working on. Could you share some more details about those with us? 

Amy: My pleasure! I'm always working on something: long, short, fiction, non-fiction. My novel "All The Things We Carry," which I would label as a women's-upmarket-fictional-drama-and-rom-com is the current love of my life. Think of it as a love story between my protagonists Allie and Mitch, with hues of addiction, women's roles in academia, betrayal, and forgiveness. It is in what feels like the millionth incarnation. I hope to query agents in 2025! Yay! 

My partner Justin Karcher and I have written a fictional screenplay based on some family drama I experienced when returning from Germany to the USA. Sophie must choose between following her heart or doing what her family wants her to do. That was fun to write and hash out - even if the drama was... not fun. 

My dear friend Michael Kopalek and I have written a comedic novella based on Shakespeare's "Merchant of Venice," but transformed it into a modern day time period and retitled it "The Merchant of Texas." It is told from the alternating perspectives of Jessica and Antonio while their besties Portia and Bassanio, respectively, fall in love. Both characters are total drama queens, and (we've been told) have laugh-out-loud narrative styles. 

Last, but not least, a play entitled "The Vasectomy Diaries" about women's reproductive rights. When our protagonist undergoes a shocking ectopic pregnancy, her partner decides to get a vasectomy, and suddenly HE is the hero. It goes ad absurdum, as he is lauded privately, publicly, invited to talk shows, featured in the NY Times, etc... for his "brave" choice. I'll keep the rest a surprise! 

And a new multi-perspective novel about a writing retreat in Vermont is also "on its way." 

WOW: Those all sound like fascinating projects, thank you for sharing! As someone who lived in Germany for 11 years before returning to the United States, what advice would you give people hoping to travel or live abroad so they can enhance their experience? 

Amy: Travel and learn as much as you can about other places. So many Americans would have a broader worldview if they would do this! 

Stay in one place - a city, a country - for a longer amount of time. A week. A Month. Half a year. I know as Americans we are trained to have this FOMO and do 12 European cities in two weeks, but this doesn't give anyone a fair chance to have true experiences. And it's absolutely exhausting. There are ways to go to certain places for a longer time without spending a fortune, too: Work Away, WWOOFing, teaching some little brats English for a month. You can stay a month or longer and really get into the culture. You'll come back with stories: good, bad, crazy, scary, hilarious - and this is so much more worth it than "city-hopping." Eat good food, learn some basic phrases, walk as much as you can, and talk to people. 

Honestly, it doesn't matter where you go because you will learn and grow in many ways. BUT if you want some location tips from someone who lived in Europe many times for a total of 12.5 years: Groningen, Netherlands; Annecy, France; Biarritz, France; San Sebastian, Spain; Tübingen or Freiburg, Germany; and the entire country of MONTENEGRO!!!

Enjoy!

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Leave a Comment Amy Lynn Hardy, Contestant interview, Renee Roberson, Runner up, WOW! 2024 Spring 2024 Flash Fiction Contest

Phantom Wedding by A.N. Porter Immersive Book Launch: A Spooky Way to Send Copies Flying off the Table

Photo by Rosie MacLeod

By Rosie MacLeod

 

One night in north London, A.N. Porter awoke to see the ghosts of “two little girls at a desk. One was playing a board game and the other was drawing a picture.” The “petrifying” experience inspired her debut novel, Phantom Wedding.

 

It’s a suspenseful horror story. But why restrict the scary experiences to the pages and its characters? Allowing the action to burst through the covers was the idea behind Porter’s book launch in Central London this summer. After arriving at the venue, we noticed the attire of some in attendance was, well, notable. And after looking around, we realized we were rubbing shoulders with book characters. How had we not noticed the author dressed up as her protagonist, complete with wedding veil?

 

During the reading, complete with ominous music and atmospheric lighting, the unease and tension that run throughout the pages wasn’t only listened to, it was lived. It was ours. It was real.

 

WOW: Welcome, Porter, to the WOW! community. Please tell us how you staged your very imaginative book launch, and the reasons behind it.

 

Porter: Well, I have been to book launches in the past, and they normally involve drinking a glass of red wine in a book shop. And getting your book signed, which is perfectly acceptable.

 

However, I am a little ostentatious as a person. Hence, why I wanted to go much further than this. 

 

I come from a performing and creative arts background and have a vivid imagination. One day I had an idea that I would like to bring the characters to life along the streets around the London Soho/Piccadilly area. So, this is exactly what I did. And of course, as an ex-model, I decided to add a touch of glamour with models, actors, red carpet, celebrities, champagne, and canopies. And then voila! We had a Phantom Wedding Extravaganza, which was more like a film premier than a book launch. You would have had to be there to know what I mean!

 

 

WOW: And that’s why it was so immersive. What did you hope the outcome of your book launch would be? What did you hope the audience would take away from it?

 

Porter: I wanted to give Phantom Wedding the launch that it deserved. Everyone came away happy and entertained. Everyone will remember the name and be waiting in anticipation for the movie. Major contacts were made, and I also have tons of footage (video and images) for my press page on my website and for my social media content.

 

WOW: What a great idea to use book launch content for social media posts! What can you tell us about this planned movie? It seems a natural progression from a book launch where actors play your characters.

 

Porter: When readers read Phantom Wedding, they start to visualize the characters and how they will interact and what they look like. Somehow, the story comes to life on the pages, and so due to popular demand, I decided to bring the book to the screen.

 

I am currently working with a screenwriter to realize this objective.

 

WOW: That’s so exciting! I have been to countless book launches, and this is one I will remember for years to come. How would you summarize the event in three words?

 

Porter: Glamorous! Exciting! Fun!

 

WOW: And the glitz before the reading certainly lulled us into a false sense of security, making the reading even more chilling. What inspired you to hold a book launch where your audience stepped into the narrative?

 

Porter: I am a trained actress and am used to bringing characters to life. It was instinctive of me to want to see the characters brought to life. Also, I wanted to see the wedding theme be immortalized. 

 

I saw the book launch as a way of lifting the characters off the page, in the form of tableaus and then the next step will be to bring them to the screen. And perhaps one day … write a Phantom Wedding play, too.

 

WOW: Is that why you used actors playing your characters—a trial run for a play? Or was this to give readers someone to visualize when they read the book?

 

Porter: It was to let models and actors be a part of a red-carpet event and to also create a theatrical moment. To create a spectacle so that the public would wonder what was going on, and it certainly worked with everyone stopping in from the street to take pictures of the actors and I. There was a lot of press there, too, including Getty Images, which added to the glamour and intrigue.

 

WOW: It certainly did create that moment and “buzz.” Why did you choose to dress up as the protagonist?

 

Credit: Luana Radovic - Level 26 studio

Porter: I thought it was perfect for the theme. The veil, the black couture-style wedding dress brought an air of mystery and intrigue. The color black represented the darkness that the Phantom tried to bring into Patsy’s life, the red shoes added a touch of bright color to the outfit but could also be thought to hold a deeper meaning of the blood that was spilled during the Phantom’s tirade.

 

WOW: Spooky stuff. Tell me about the role of the interviewer at the event—was she interviewing you as an author or was she interviewing characters from the story? This role is kind of like a narrator, no? 

 

Porter: There was an interviewer who interviewed people on the red carpet. She was interviewing me as "an author," and she asked me questions like who was my favorite character?—who is the protagonist, Patsy? I had this interviewer conducting these interviews as I thought it would add another dimension to the event. It creates more content, and intrigue and is great for the theme.

 

There was also an interviewer who interviewed me before the event, Rosie MacLeod, for East London radio.

 

WOW: Always nice to be popular. You used spooky music during the reading. Why did you want to scare your audience? Our fascination with fear? The love of suspense? To give an insight into the book if we buy it? Or to make the action feel more real?

 

Porter: Yes, to create ambience in line with the theme of the book. I tantalized the senses (sight, smell, taste, and hearing), with smells from the candle, spooky music, and vegan retro sweets and popcorn to give that cinematic feel.

 

WOW: And create suspense it did. The presence of actors at the book launch wasn’t announced (unless I missed something…). Was the idea that the audience would cotton onto their presence gradually? If so, why? Is it an extension of how you like characters to crystalize in a text?

 

Porter: It was put on the subject of the email when the press release was sent out. However, you are correct, I did not announce it grandly. As it was almost like life-imitating-art. I wanted the tableaus (models/and actors) to walk amongst the guests, and people to question what was going on. Who are these people? It created a "talking point" and guests interacted well as they had something to talk about with a stranger. Thereafter, they were able to network with one another.

 

WOW: Yes, it felt like walking a (very tense) tightrope between life and Art. The use of actors, scary music and the immersive experience—is this all a reflection of how you like to play with your reader’s expectations and emotions?

 

Porter: Yes, it comes from my creativity as an actress, writer, and performer. I know how I like to be entertained, and I see it as an immersive experience.

 

WOW: And we were immersed in fear! As you were reading aloud to the sound of a spooky melody, I genuinely thought the two ghosts from the story were going to jump out at us at any moment—you must have loved putting everyone on the edge of their seat? It must have given you a thrill?

 

Porter: Haa, haa! I didn’t realize that you were so scared. No, the two ghosts are firmly still in the apartment that I left behind.

 

WOW: Were you attempting to give readers the same scare you had when you saw the ghosts of the two little girls? Was it a leveler, a means of letting us experience your fear?

 

Credit: Luana Radovic - Level 26 studio

Porter: I do like to draw people in and create a level of empathy. The reading was to give the audience a snippet of the book. For those who have not yet read the book, it gave them a taster. And for those who have read the book they felt invested in the experience.

 

WOW: That is true—I do feel like I have experienced a book I have not read yet. What advice would you give an author looking to do a similarly immersive book launch?

 

Porter: I would say to not necessarily do things the same as me. Perhaps think things through and possibly come up with something even more exciting! There is a wealth of ideas that one can come up with if we just let our imagination run wild! But if someone wanted to recreate what I have done, just bear in mind that is costly!

 

WOW: And speaking of tracing your footsteps, readers and (and, I should think, ghost hunters) from the US are flocking to the UK to visit Cricklewood in North London, where the novel is set. What’s it like knowing you’ve written something so compellingly scary?

 

Porter: Very strange. Surprising. And fulfilling.

 

WOW: You might not see how people react to seeing the house, but when you were reading, you got to see reader reaction first hand. Does a scary reading serve as a barometer for you, to see the effect of your words in action? To see what’s working?

 

Porter: Absolutely! It allows me to be in the room with the reader and engage with them by watching their faces whilst I am reading when I look up from the book from time to time. It was fascinating to see all the different reactions. I am happy that it was a success, people are still talking about it, and I am still on cloud 9.

 

*

 

The ghost sighting that inspired the novel is not the author’s only strange encounter. Somehow "the original published copies had misprints that were not on the original manuscript." When Porter discovered this, she "immediately pulled the book." But these have proved popular! Bookworms "started collecting these extremely rare copies. They then started reselling them at a premium up to £399 ($533.82)" each. More affordable copies of Phantom Wedding are available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, and all good bookshops in the USA and worldwide. 

 

***

 

Rosie MacLeod is a London-based translator, interpreter and reporter. She has made reports for Global Radio and regularly reports for ShoutOut UK and East London Radio. She has written for Drunk Monkeys, World Literature Today, Inside Over and the Journal of Austrian Studies. You can listen to her radio work here: www.mixcloud.com/rosie-macleod. She tweets as @RosieMacLeod4. Get in touch via LinkedIn. Website: rosiemacleod.com. Instagram: @rosie.macleod.3

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3 comments A.N. Porter, book launch ideas, book reading event, Phantom Wedding

Interview With Lorraine Zago Rosenthal, Author of Charmed, and Giveaway!

 

We are excited to bring you an interview with Lorraine Zago Rosenthal, author of the novel, Charmed. Published through Tribeca Press, fans of romantic fiction and complex family dynamics will love Lorraine's latest novel. 

Today, we're excited to interview the author about her newest book and give you the chance to enter to win a copy of the book for yourself, along with a $25 Amazon gift card!

Before we get to that, here's more information about Charmed:

Prisca Weld expected to become Mrs. Nick Fontaine before any of her friends walked down the aisle. Nick worked for her father’s lucrative construction business, and he and Prisca planned to start a family in her upscale Brooklyn neighborhood. But she’s heading into her late twenties, and she hasn’t achieved her most cherished goals.

Years ago, Nick abruptly abandoned Prisca and ran home to Las Vegas, leaving her with nothing but questions about what went wrong between them. Since then, she has struggled to forget him, and she hasn’t found anyone she can love as much as she loved Nick. All the best men seem to be out of reach—including Tim Aldrich, a family friend who has recently returned to New York after launching his career in California. Prisca has been drawn to Tim since they were kids, although she believes her attraction to him is as futile now as it was then. 

But she still hopes to fulfill her dreams, and she also wishes she could resolve the endless conflict between her traditional father and her unconventional brother, whose childhood scars from his and Prisca’s parents’ contentious divorce are still fresh. Prisca has wounds of her own, and she tries to heal them while attempting to unravel old secrets that have been hidden for too long. 

Purchase the book now on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. You can also add the book to your GoodReads reading list.

About Lorraine Zago Rosenthal

Lorraine Zago Rosenthal is the author of Other Words for Love, New Money, and Independently Wealthy. Her fourth novel, Charmed, just released on October 22, 2024.

Lorraine was born and raised in New York City, and she is a graduate of the University of South Florida. She earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and master’s degrees in education and English. She currently lives near Cincinnati, Ohio with her husband.

Website: https://lorrainezagorosenthal.com

Amazon Author Page: https://tinyurl.com/4j4khu8e

Goodreads Author Page: https://tinyurl.com/ymzmer2k

Twitter/X: https://x.com/lorrainezago                                 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lorrainezago/

Freelance Writing Clips: https://linktr.ee/Lorraine_Zago

--- Interview by Nicole Pyles

WOW: Congratulations on your novel Charmed! What inspired this book?

Lorraine: Thank you so much! There were several inspirations for Charmed, but one of its main inspirations was the influence of the past on the present. Everyone’s backgrounds, decisions, and experiences lead to who and where they currently are. Events of the past—including the very distant past—can play a positive or negative role in people’s lives today. 

For example, in Charmed, the protagonist, Prisca Weld, lives in a brownstone in Brooklyn, NYC that was acquired by her family nearly a century ago, and the manner in which it was attained has been fortuitous for the Welds but unlucky for another family. The ownership of the house (among many other things) causes tension between Prisca’s brother, Asher, and their father, who see the issue in contrasting ways, and it’s an instance of how an event from long ago—whether serendipitous or unfortunate—can touch the present day. 

WOW: I love that blend of past and present and how it plays a part in the present day. I love the family dynamics in this book and you did such a good job balancing everyone's issues and struggles along with their love for each other (no matter how complicated it is). How did you develop that so well?

Lorraine: Thanks again! I find it fascinating to explore the interactions of characters who exist within the same family but perceive each other and their joint experiences differently. These perceptions are often conflicting because each family member is a complex individual who is impacted by people and situations in a unique manner. Although there is an everlasting bond between parents, children, and siblings, their love can become entangled with anger, resentment, and disappointment—and the positive emotions can make the negative ones even more difficult to navigate. 

While developing the relationships within the Weld family, I gradually revealed each character’s side of their shared story. Prisca’s mother, for example, might initially seem driven by selfishness and superficial ambition, but further exploration of her background and resulting motivations paint a deeper, more relatable picture. 

I always strive to create nuanced characters who are imperfect but sympathetic. Although these characters often do or say the wrong thing, it’s crucial for the reader to know what influences the characters’ behavior. As Prisca says to herself during one of Don and Asher’s frequent clashes, “I wish I didn’t understand them both. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be crushed in the middle.”

WOW: What a perfect quote! I can see this is not the first publication under your belt! What made writing Charmed different from your other novels, if at all?

Lorraine: Writing Charmed was most similar to writing my first novel, Other Words for Love. Although New Money and its sequel, Independently Wealthy, also contain romance and family drama, they are more of a glitzy Cinderella story with a crime mystery. 

My first novel and Charmed are very realistic stories that take place in Brooklyn; however, Charmed is set in the present day and the main character is heading into her late twenties, while Other Words for Love takes place during the 1980s and the protagonist is a teenager. I wrote each novel from the viewpoint of characters at different phases of life, living in different eras. Of course, while writing Other Words for Love, I couldn’t let myself forget that the characters didn’t have cell phones and the internet didn’t exist!

WOW: That must have been so tough! How did getting your psychology degree in college influence your writing?

Lorraine:  My knowledge of psychology always influences my writing, and it certainly did while I was crafting Charmed. And the inspiration for Other Words for Love came when I learned about a mental state called “limerence,” which is an intense feeling of love/infatuation that can turn obsessive and harmful. This concept sparked the creation of the novel’s main character, Ariadne Mitchell, who experiences limerence during her first intimate relationship. 

While creating this character, I knew there had to be much more to the story than just her involvement with her boyfriend, Blake. There also had to be psychological reasons why she becomes so quickly and deeply attached to him and why she’s so devastated when their relationship falls apart. From the beginning of the novel, Ari is depressed but has been conditioned to hide her emotions. Her parents don’t recognize this, nor do they acknowledge the dysfunction within their family, and these issues—along with other negative aspects of Ari’s mental health, including her low self-esteem and high anxiety, make her vulnerable to becoming consumed by her relationship with Blake. 

WOW: I really appreciate how that knowledge influenced character development and the plotline. So, what is your writing routine like?

Lorraine: I have always felt that to be a productive author, writing should be treated as a job. I have a home office, and I usually write during business hours—as well as many nights and weekends! And although I have moments of unexpected inspiration while I’m not at my desk, I don’t wait around for them. Writing a novel can be like solving a puzzle, and I keep going even when I get stuck. I can always improve a scene later on—but I can’t edit a blank page. 

WOW: I think that's awesome you stick to a schedule! I am so glad you took time out of your day to chat with us. Thank you for sharing such an amazing book!

***** GIVEAWAY *****

 

Enter to win one of 5 copies of Charmed by Lorraine Zago Rosenthal! We also have a $25 Amazon Gift Card to give away for the first draw by Rafflecopter. Fill out the Rafflecopter form by November 7, 2024 at 11:59 pm CT for a chance to win. We will draw 5 winners the next day. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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12 comments Amazon gift card giveaway, book giveaway, Charmed, interview, Lorraine Zago Rosenthal, Romantic Fiction, women's fiction

Using Google Maps Is a Lot Like Writing from an Outline

 

Last weekend, we went to a family wedding. It was just under an hour from home, but we left early. I keyed the address into Google Maps. We were less than 10 minutes from the wedding venue when the directions took us across a cattle guard. For those of you who aren’t from Cow Country, that’s a pipe grid laid into the road. You can drive over it but cattle won’t cross it. 

The problem? We were going to a vineyard. 

As soon as we realized we were in a field of cattle, we backed back up to the main road. Another member of our party keyed the name of the vineyard into Google Maps. Her set of directions and mine were in agreement (mine had corrected) until we got to a T intersection. Mine said “go right” but hers said “go left.” We went left. 

What does this have to do with writing from an outline? Google Map directions generally sound plausible right up until they don't work.

Have you ever outlined a project and had someone else look it over. They agree with you that everything looks fine. You start writing and your word count is adding up . . . right until it isn’t. You are stuck. Your outline has led you in the wrong direction. 

When this happens with nonfiction, I can generally make the course correction without a lot of fuss and bother. Fiction is another thing altogether. I may be able to make one or two course corrections but after that I’m tentative. Is this the right direction? Why am I suddenly surrounded by cattle? 

So what do you do if your outline leads you in the wrong direction? The first step is to make sure that you know where you wanted to end up. If two characters fail to confront each other but the confrontation is essential, put them in each other’s way. Maybe you send them after the same goal. Or one of them might need to betray the other. 

Other times, it is easier to start with the high conflict scene. Write it and then back up. What has to happen immediately before that scene? Then what must happen before that? Step by step, back up until you meet your original story line. 

You may need a break to come up with a solution. Take a walk and get your blood flowing. Other times I need to undertake a hateful chore. If I scrub the shower floor, I will know what I need to do in ten to fifteen minutes. I’m not sure why, but this always works for me. 

Still can’t come up with a fix? Consider where you ended up. It might not be what you intended, but does it work? Sometimes it will. Other times you are going to have to keep backing up and trying again until you find a fix. 

What do you do when your outline leads you astray?

--SueBE

Sue Bradford Edwards' is the author of over 60 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 November 4, 2024. She teaches:

• Pitching, Querying and Submitting Your Work 
• Research: Prepping to Write Nonfiction for Children and Young Adults 
• Writing Nonfiction for Children and Young Adults 

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2 comments outlining, revising, Sue Bradford Edwards, working from an outline, Writers Block

Interview With Odyssey Writing Workshops Instructor, E. C. Ambrose

 

If you want to kick off 2025 with a writing class, you may want to consider Bodies and Heartbeats: Crafting Character from the Inside Out. Starting in January 14 of next year, E.C. Ambrose helps you to develop a clearer sense of what makes a powerful character and will teach you the techniques you need to develop strong characters. The application deadline is November 22, 2024.

About the Instructor, E. C. Ambrose

E. C. Ambrose writes knowledge-inspired adventure fiction including the five-volume Dark Apostle series about medieval surgery, The Singer’s Legacy fantasy series as by Elaine Isaak, and the Bone Guard international thrillers as by E. Chris Ambrose. The Dark Apostle started with Elisha Barber (DAW, 2013), described in a starred Library Journal review as, “beautifully told, painfully elegant.” Her latest releases are Conquistador’s Blood (Bone Guard 7) and her Young Adult science fiction novel, A Wreck of Dragons. Her superhero game, Skystrike: Wings of Justice, is available from Choice of Games.

Her short stories have appeared in Fireside, Warrior Women, and Last-Ditch, among many others, and she has edited several volumes of New Hampshire Pulp Fiction. In addition to fiction, she has written how-to articles for The Writer magazine, nonfiction at Clarkesworld, and authored the Lady Blade fantasy writing column at AlienSkin magazine for three years. Her speaking engagements have included local chapters of Romance Writers of America as well as other writing groups, the World Science Fiction and World Fantasy Conventions.

Elaine attended the Rhode Island School of Design for three years, and studied speculative fiction at the Odyssey Writing Workshop, where she is pleased to return as an instructor. A former animal mascot designer and adventure guide, Elaine lives in New Hampshire with her family where she felts, dyes and weaves as she devises her plots.

Elaine’s research interests include the history of technology and medicine, Mongolian history and culture, medieval history, and unusual animal senses. Her research and travel has taken her to Germany, England, France, Mexico, India, Nepal, China and Mongolia as well as many United States destinations. In order to write the best books she can, Elaine learned how to hunt with a falcon, clear a building of possible assailants, and pull traction on a broken limb. She is eager to see where writing will take her next. Visit www.RocinanteBooks.com to find out more about Elaine’s many guises.

--- Interview by Nicole Pyles

WOW: First, I love the title of your course: Bodies and Heartbeats: Crafting Character from the Inside Out. What can people expect from taking this class?

E.C.: The title of the class comes from a quote by Richard Bach, from his book, Illusions: the Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah. “If you will try being fictional for a while, you will find that fictional characters are sometimes more real than people with bodies and heartbeats.” I think many readers have had the experience of growing so attached to a character that the character becomes real to them, like a dear friend or former lover who happens to live in another country. The class will give students a toolkit for developing character from the deeper aspects of human nature and hopefully lead them toward writing characters who feel as if they must have bodies and heartbeats. 

WOW: I think that's so important for people to learn. You have such an incredible publication background! How has that experience prepared you for teaching this course?

E.C.: Publishing in a variety of genres and styles has allowed me to explore many different aspects of character and conflict, sometimes rigorously building characters based on a real place and time, and sometimes following a more intuitive approach. Writing Skystrike: Wings of Justice for Choice of Games led in a whole new direction in terms of character because the player makes so many of the choices about who the protagonist will be, and I had to ensure that they were given appealing options for a variety of play styles. That range enables me to address students coming from different levels of writing craft.

WOW: That must have helped you so much in character development! Why is crafting realistic characters so important for writers to know?

E.C.: Many writers, especially in genre fiction, have a great milieu or a fun premise they want to explore—maybe a wild science fictional idea or exciting plotline. However, regardless of genre, it’s the characters that will engage a reader with that plot or premise and get them invested in the author’s work. People are social animals. We want to watch others like us, and empathize with (or sometimes be horrified by!) their experiences, even when that’s happening on a page.

WOW: I completely agree! How does teaching helping you with your own writing?

E.C.: I find that being able to articulate the reasons behind writing tools and techniques makes me pay more attention to those elements in my own writing. Taking an idea about how to reveal character and discussing how to embody that abstract concept in words and sentences encourages a stronger level of detail. Plus, I often learn directly from my students and their writing as well.

WOW: I'll bet! Your experience with research fascinates me! I also imagine it's incredibly inspiring. Would you recommend writers pursue the same type of research in their own writing?

E.C.: Absolutely! Not all writers or projects will benefit from such an intensive exploration, but many will—whether that means reading psychology texts to delve into a particular personality type, or studying the archaeology of a location to discover more of its past. We always have something to learn about the real world that can make a fictional world more rich. Even when I was creating aliens for my book A Wreck of Dragons, I read up on unusual animal senses and it opened up some exciting possibilities I might not otherwise have considered.

WOW: I think so too! Why is investing in your writing so important?

E.C.: There are a number of ways that investing in writing pays off. Any time a writer works harder on their craft, they’ll find ways to improve and expand their toolkit. Sometimes, a certain exercise or in-class comment really resonates and gives the writer the insight or inspiration to keep going. Also, devoting time and resources to writing signals to yourself and those around you that this is important work, worthy of your commitment.

WOW: Absolutely! You took the speculative fiction course at Odyssey. What was that like and why did you decide to return as an instructor? 

E.C.: The full Odyssey workshop is incredibly intense! Jeanne and the guest instructors provided fantastic instruction, guidance and feedback to make me a better writer, and spur me toward publication. It’s exciting to be able to give back to Odyssey and to my fellow writers by returning to teach. I love being an ongoing part of the Odyssey community.

WOW: I'm so glad you are! I hope all of our readers join this course.

 

WOW Readers, don't forget to sign up for E. C. Ambrose's workshop, Bodies and Heartbeats: Crafting Character from the Inside Out. Or check out some of the other online courses coming up this January with Odyssey Writing Workshop. The application deadline is November 22, 2024.

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Leave a Comment E.C. Ambrose, interview, Odyssey Writing Workshop

Interview with Sophie Goldstein: Spring 2024 Flash Fiction Contest Runner Up

Sophie Goldstein is a Jewish Chicana from Los Angeles, California. Most of her professional career has been spent as a theatre educator, director, and choreographer. For the past three years she has focused more on her writing and is incredibly grateful for platforms like WOW! Women on Writing who provide a space where writers can share their voice and improve their craft. Her writing has been seen at several theatre festivals around LA, including Son of Semele, the Frida Kahlo theater, and the Amapola players. She was published in Anchor Magazine in 2017 and was a 2022 Ya Tu Sabes writer finalist for Nosotros. Her work will soon be seen at the Alcazar Ensemble in Carpinteria in August, and the LowellArts' Playbytes by Playwrights competition in Michigan in October. She is so thankful to her family, especially her husband and parents, for their support. Website: www.sophiegoldstein.org

--interview by Marcia Peterson

WOW: Congratulations on your top ten win in our Spring 2024 Flash Fiction competition. What prompted you to enter the contest?

Sophie: For the past four years, I've been focusing more on writing and have spent time finding opportunities to submit. WOW! Women Writing came up during one of my searches and I am so grateful for this platform that uplifts female voices. My work has been predominantly plays and short stories, so entering a flash fiction contest is perfect for me.

WOW: Can you tell us what encouraged the idea behind your story, “Where There is a Fight, So There is She?”

Sophie: Like most writers, I write what I'm passionate about and activism has always been a huge part of my life. My parents are both activists, having spent much of their lives fighting for quality education for all, healthcare, and rights for immigrants. This story in particular was inspired by a woman I met at a Women's March protest. She was in her 80s, using a walker and I was so impressed by her presence. She was moving slowly, but she was there, and I could tell I wasn't the only one admiring her. Many women took the time to go up to her and thank her, take pictures with her. It was powerful to witness.

WOW: Why do you write flash? What makes it different for you?

Sophie: I love writing flash fiction because of the challenge it presents. I have to write a full story with a limited word count. Even if I'm writing about a single moment, it needs to feel like a complete story (at least in my opinion). Even if I leave the reader on a cliff hanger, I as the writer, want to feel like I've given the best story I could give. I honestly think every writer should try doing flash fiction, even as an exercise. It helps me learn how to focus on what's essential; to tell a story using only the critical details.

WOW: What advice would you give to someone wanting to try writing flash fiction for the first time?

Sophie: This has been said before but embrace the word count. I always brainstorm by thinking of moments in time--fragments of my own life that I can expand on. They aren't long stories, but they're impactful moments that are perfect inspiration for flash fiction.

WOW: Great tips! Thanks so much for chatting with us today, Sophie. Before you go, do you have a favorite writing tip or piece of advice you can share?

Sophie: This isn't new advice, but it's something I find really helpful: don't edit yourself the first time. Just write. Get out all the ideas no matter how strange or ridiculous. You can edit later but that first draft is an opportunity to word vomit, and I always find that wonderfully freeing.

***

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Leave a Comment contest runner up, flash fiction, Marcia Peterson, Sophie Goldstein, WOW! Spring 2024 Flash Fiction Contest, writer tips

Don't Let Me Keep You by Kathie Giorgio: Blog Tour & Giveaway

We're excited to announce the blog tour for Don't Let Me Keep You by Kathie Giorgio. If you read this novel, you will be immersed in the push and pull of relationships within a family that feels so familiar. Each family member reveals secrets about themself and, in the process, secrets about other family members. This reading journey to reveal a family's history will have you asking questions about your own family. Join us as we meet author Kathie Giorgio in an interview and enter to win a copy of her latest book Don't Let Me Keep You.

About the Book

"Don’t Let Me Keep You is a lyrical meditation on motherhood seven times over, gestating, unfurling with rhythmic, poignant prose. Over decades we see each of the Halversons through the eyes of the others, bringing into sharp focus how differently each member can experience the same family. The way children protect their mothers, the way mothers remain children themselves, and what a mess we can still make of things despite our best intentions. That we can choose to love each other regardless of who we turn out to be, no matter what."

 –Maggie Ginsberg, author of Still True

Motherhood is a symphony, from the first movement, through crescendo after crescendo, to the finale.

Hildy Halverson, a genius in math and science, is pushed by her parents to step into a male-dominated field and change the world for women. But Hildy, enamored of the scientific force of the human body, and her own body’s ability to create and sustain life, decides to go against contemporary expectations. She marries young and raises a houseful of kids.

Hildy wants her children to choose their own life paths. As each child is born, she tells them, “You can be whatever you want to be, and whatever you want to be will be great.” Despite her efforts to not influence her children, Hildy does so, often in unexpected ways. Each child is introduced in that first private moment between Hildy and her new baby. This is followed by a chapter revealing that child’s life, years later. Woven throughout is an underlying grief over the death of the sixth baby soon after birth. That grief is more pervasive than any of them expect.

In this ambitious novel, the struggles and joys, fatigue and exhilaration of motherhood, are captured in the full panorama of family life. Hildy lovingly raises her children, then lets them go, finding herself along the way.

Publisher: Black Rose Publishing (October 3, 2024)

ISBN-10: 1685134882

ISBN-13: 978-1685134884

AISN: B0D2JK38W9

Print Length: 230 pages

You can purchase a copy at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org and Black Rose Writing. Be sure to add Don't Let Me Keep You to your GoodReads reading list.

About the Author, Kathie Giorgio

Kathie Giorgio is the author of a total of fifteen books: eight novels, two story collections, an essay collection, and four poetry collections. She’s been nominated for the Pushcart Prize in fiction and poetry and awarded the Outstanding Achievement Award from the Wisconsin Library Association, the Silver Pen Award for Literary Excellence, the Pencraft Award for Literary Excellence, and the Eric Hoffer Award In Fiction. Her poem “Light” won runner-up in the 2021 Rosebud Magazine Poetry Prize, and her work has also been incorporated into many visual art and musical events. Kathie is the director and founder of AllWriters’ Workplace & Workshop LLC, an international creative writing studio. 

She lives with her husband, mystery writer Michael Giorgio, and their daughter Olivia, in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Three of her adult children, Christopher, Andy, and Olivia, live close by, along with her solo granddaughter, Maya Mae. One adult child has wandered off to Louisiana and lives among the mathematicians and alligators.

You can find her online at:

Website: http://www.kathiegiorgio.org

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

Twitter/X: @KathieGiorgio

Instagram: @kathiegio1

---Interview by Jodi Webb

WOW: So glad to have some time with you today and so many questions!  Let’s start with the title of your novel: Don’t Let Me Keep You. Is there a story behind the reason you chose this title?

Kathie: A common phrase, at least in the Midwest, is, “Don’t let me keep you,” when ending a conversation or a phone call. “Don’t let me keep you, I’m sure you have lots to do!” But this book is also about letting children go as they become adults. So the “Don’t let me keep you,” ends up with a double-meaning. The end of a conversation, but also, “Don’t let me keep you – as much as I want to, you need to have your own life, away from me.” I think one of the hardest moments in parenting is when kids are adults, and you realize that, while they are still the center of your life, you are no longer the center of theirs.

WOW: It is tough realizing they have this whole life that you know nothing about. After years of knowing everything about them. I noticed that much of your work has a thread of parenting connecting them. What inspires you to write about the journey of parenting?

Kathie: There is no relationship more profound, more convoluted, more confusing, more passionate, than the relationship with a child. Every phase of parenting has left me astonished. And now that I have adult children – they are 40, 38, 37, and 23 – I feel just as clueless as I was when I was raising them. For heaven’s sake, I just drove my 40-year old son to his first colonoscopy! How did that happen? And it’s certainly not one for the baby book.

WOW: Novels, poems, short stories, essays…you’ve done it all. Do you have a favorite type of

writing?

Kathie: Definitely. The short story. I love the novel too, but five of my eight novels include short story chapters. The short story is such a postcard of life. The writer can say so much with just a moment.

WOW: At what moment did you first start writing?

Kathie: I was writing before I knew I was writing. I used to trace the illustrations of my picture books and then rewrite the story the way I thought it should be written. My fifth grade teacher, after hearing me read one of my stories, told me I was a writer – and it just fit. I published for the first time at fifteen years old and kept on going. I became well-known as a short story writer, but the novel was elusive for me until I was fifty years old…and wrote a novel that included short stories.

WOW: What a long career you've had. But you aren't just a writer. You also teach. Can you tell us about a memorable time as a writing teacher?

Kathie: Oh, gosh, I learn from my students all the time. There have been many, many memorable moments – I’ve been teaching for almost 30 years. For me, the best moments are when a student calls or texts or yells at my front door, “I’ve had a _____ accepted!” That burst of confidence and that moment of validity, before the constant self-doubt that all writers feel seeps back in, is just amazing to witness. Seeing self-confidence and self-worth emerge in a student, even if it’s just for a moment, means that I’ve done my job.

Something a student taught me recently – I’m a Wisconsin girl, at least since I was twelve years old. This is the dairy state – there are cows and milk and cheese everywhere. My sister-in-law was raised on a dairy farm. And yet somehow, I never knew that cows have to be pregnant or have just given birth to give milk. I thought there was some magic of nature there, that somehow, cows just gave milk whether or not there was a baby cow in the world. Yet while working with a student who wrote about being an animal rescuer, she wrote a chapter about saving a baby bull, who, like many, was left in the field to die, because it would never give milk. She wrote about how the cows are impregnated, over and over again. I was horrified. I never, ever knew. And I ended up writing a poem called “The Truth About Cows.”

WOW: I think that wins the award for most unusual inspiration. How do you manage to complete so much writing? Your schedule is about one book per year!

Kathie: I guess I am prolific, though I don’t feel prolific. But if you look at my work, you’ll see that the books are peppered with collections – short story collections, a collection of essays, collections of poetry. When I have a year where I’m working on a novel, then I put together collections of things that are already written – short stories that appeared in magazines, essays from my blog, poetry that was already published. So I’m not “writing” the collection. I put it together from already written work, while I’m working on new stuff. But I am dedicated to writing. I am committed to it. I work hard at it. I’m already thinking of the next book before I finish the current one.

WOW: Speaking of thinking about the next book, what will you be working on next?

Kathie: I’m working on a sequel to my novel, If You Tame Me, though I hesitate to call it that, as you don’t need to read If You Tame Me first. This novel will have the same characters, the same relationships, but it will be a standalone. I wanted to take on the subject of the overrule of Roe Vs. Wade, and what it means to women. So that will be in this book, along with several other topics, many of which are surprising me as I write it.

WOW: Isn't it wonderful when your writing takes you down unexpected paths? We can't wait to read this sequel-not sequel.

 

 

---Blog Tour Calendar

October 21st @ The Muffin

Join us as we celebrate the launch of Kathie Giorgio's novel Don't Let Me Keep You. Read an interview with the author and enter to win a copy of her book.

https://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com

October 22nd @ Tracey Lampley

Kathie Giorgio reveals how she had 15 books published with traditional publishers in 14 years, including her latest Don't Let Me Keep You.

https://www.traceylampley.com/guest-author-interviews

October 24th @ What Is This Book About

Get a peek inside Don't Let Me Keep You with today's excerpt.

www.whatisthatbookabout.com

October 25th @ The Frugalista Mom

Rochie will be reviewing Kathie Giorgio's latest novel Don't Let Me Keep You.

https://thefrugalistamom.org/

October 26th @  A Wonderful World of Books

Author Kathie Giorgio writes about controversial books and the hurdles they face in today's post: "You've Been Banned. Now What?"

https://awonderfulworldofwordsa.blogspot.com/

October 29th @ Michelle Cornish

Learn what Michelle thinks about Kathie Giorgio's latest novel: Don't Let Me Keep You.

https://michellecornishauthor.com/blog/book-reviews 

October 30th @ Create Write Now!

Is Writer's Block real? Learn what author Kathie Giorgio has to say today on CreateWriteNow!

https://www.createwritenow.com/journal-writing-blog

October 31st @ The Frugalista Mom

In a complicated world, author Kathie Giorgio shares how she takes on controversial topics in her writing.

https://thefrugalistamom.org/

November 1st @ Michelle Cornish

Author Kathie Giorgio shares the challenges of writing through illness and crisis.

https://www.michellecornish.com/blog 

November 4th @ A Story Book World

What's on your TBR list for November? Learn more about Kathie Giorgio's latest novel Don't Let Me Keep You.

https://www.astorybookworld.com/

November 5th @ Chapter Break

Kathie Giorgio writes about the precarious balancing act of writing and raising children.

https://chapterbreak.net

November 6th @ Lisa Haselton’s Reviews and Interviews

Don't miss today's interview with novelist Kathie Giorgio.

https://lisahaselton.com/

November 7th @ Knotty Needle

Still deciding on your November read? Check out today's review of Don't Let Me Keep You by Kathie Giorgio.

http://knottyneedle.blogspot.com

November 8th @ Word Magic

Author Kathie Giorgio shares her thoughts on Writing as a Business.

https://fionaingramauthor.blogspot.com

November 12th @ The Faerie Review

The spotlight is on Kathie Giorgio's latest novel, Don't Let Me Keep You.

https://www.thefaeriereview.com

November 13th @ Words by Webb

Jodi is reviewing Don't Let Me Keep You by Kathie Giorgio.

https://www.jodiwebbwriter.com/blog

November 14th @ Some Thoughts - Everything Creativity

In today's guest post, learn if author Kathie Giorgio is Plotter, Pantser or Both? 

https://www.kaeceymccormick.com/blog

November 15th @ Choices

Author Kathie Giorgio writes about Depression: Putting One Foot in Front of the Other.

http://madelinesharples.com

November 19th @ StoreyBook Reviews

Looking for a good book for the Thanksgiving holiday? Leslie is reviewing Don't Let Me Keep You by Kathie Giorgio.

https://www.storeybookreviews.com

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

Enter to win a print copy of Don't Let Me Keep You by Kathie Giorgio! Fill out the Rafflecopter form below for a chance to win. The giveaway ends November 3rd 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

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6 comments author interview, blog tour, book giveaway, Don't Let Me Keep You, Jodi M. Webb, Kathie Giorgio, women's fiction

Rejections and Notes

Not at this time. It doesn't fit our needs. Please submit again. Thank you for thinking of us. We wish you luck...editors have an unending list of ways to hopefully soften the harshness of the no. But they don't really take the sting out of the rejection, do they?

I'm just thankful that we have moved (for the most part) past print communications. The days of opening a envelope, unfolding the crisp letterhead and reading...NO. You got to hold that physical representation of rejection in your hand and, if you wanted to torture yourself, you stuffed it into a file marked "Rejections". A file that taunted you by getting fatter and fatter and occasionally whispered "Read me."

I had one of those files for many years. It all ended with the advent of email and the instantaneous erasure of rejections with the delete button. That and a small but cathartic bonfire.

Erasing reminders of rejection is a great first step but writers need more than that. If you're anything like me you can recount every writing rejection in detail. The ones you knew were longshots. The ones you thought were sure things. The ones that started out as maybes but instead of transforming to an acceptance went the other way. We remember them all.

Stop that!

A few months ago I found another file stuffed in the back of my cabinet labelled "Notes". Fifteen years of letters, handwritten notes, and Letters to the Editor about my writing. Some from readers came directly to my house but many took a circuitous route, going to a publication that forwarded it to my editor who then mailed it out to me. There were also notes from editors and fellow writers.

Thanks for the great story...I had no idea...You really made my day...Believe in yourself.

After perusing through that file full of encouragement I realized that although delete made erasing the rejections easy, it also made erasing the positive boosts easy too. How many encouraging emails from both people in the industry and readers had ended up forgotten?

So I decided to start printing out any positive communications before they disappear into the Trash file. My own personal version of WOW's Success Stories. When I feel a little discouraged I look over the email print-outs taped to the wall in my office and feel invigorated. It's like having my own personal cheerleader.

How do you encourage yourself when rejection has you feeling down?

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 @jodiwebbwrites,  Facebook and blogging at Words by Webb.

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2 comments encouragement for writers, Jodi M. Webb, rejection, writing tips

Interview With Susan Strauss, Runner-Up in the WOW! Spring 2024 Flash Fiction Contest

 

I'm so excited to be interviewing Susan Strauss, who joins us again as a runner-up in the WOW! Spring 2024 Flash Fiction Contest. Before we get to our interview, make sure you read her story Guadalupe and the Roses, and then come on back.

First, here's more about Susan:

Susan Strauss is a Portuguese-American author whose culture influences her identity and her writing. She is an English teacher, a coach, and as the world keeps turning upside-down, she writes like crazy. She belongs to groups that cultivate good writing: The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, The Writers Guild of America, and the best writing group this side of Portugal's Douro River.

Susan writes novels, Dear Senhor Hunny, The Queen of the Frostbite Ball, and The Banned Books Club, short stories, flash fiction, feature articles, editorials, plays, and poetry. She also writes picture books, such as Sincerely Yours, Buster, My Dog Speaks Portuguese, and Vava’s Baking Bread Today.

She lives in California with her family and a dog named Buster.

--- Interview by Nicole Pyles

WOW: First off, I LOVED your story. And as someone who has been known to need contests and coupons to make ends meet myself (and praying the whole way through), I can relate to your character whole-heartedly. What inspired this story?

Susan: Thank you for your lovely words, Nicole. I am so grateful for this opportunity to be interviewed as a writer. WOW.

Though I have been known to collect coupons, my inspiration for the story, Guadalupe and the Roses, to write this particular flash fiction came from my need to write stories that matter as well as my fascination with the story of Our Lady of Guadalupe. I first learned about Guadalupe while visiting Mexico City. It was her feast day, and crowds of believers processed by my hotel, some on their knees, many carrying images of Guadalupe and baskets of roses draped with white cloth, the color of her veil. The image has a permanent place in my heart and frequently surfaces in my head. 

Since my main character is focused on her very real need to win a “free” chicken for her family, I turned to Guadalupe, the patron saint of the Americas, to move the plot forward.

My character, who speaks Portuguese, wears pajamas while shopping at various downtown Ralphs Markets in the middle of the night in search of a winning coupon for whole chickens. My hope was to make the woman and situation relatable and offer opportunities for readers to connect.

WOW: You certainly did exactly that. I loved your character so much! I have a gut feeling her and I would be friends. What was your revision process like for this short story?

Susan: My primary revision strategy was to read my story out loud to the mirror, my garden, doggy friend, writing friends, husband, and now to you, Nicole, and everyone involved with WOW’s writing contest. I enjoy writing to a specific word count, another top form of revision that I call “Squeeze In, Squeeze Out.” I am grateful that WOW’s flash fiction contest gave me the opportunity to use limited words to tell a good story.

WOW: I love how you read to whoever you can! I love that your culture influences your writing. And you do it so richly! What advice do you have for writers who want to do the same?

Susan: Muita obrigada! When you write with voice as we all hope to do, it is important to allow words to represent your identity and underlying beliefs. Since being Portuguese is a major part of my identity, one that I cultivate, my culture influences all three: identity, voice, and beliefs.

WOW: So true! How does your work as an English teacher and a coach influence your writing?

Susan: My work as an English and ESL teacher and coach influences my writing because I am fortunate to be a writing teacher who writes my teacher-models of the assignments either before class or side-by-side with my students. It can be humbling but rewarding, especially when a student who does not have a filter tells me exactly how they feel about my writing. 

WOW: I can only imagine! You have an incredible amount of publications under your belt! What inspires you each day?

Susan: My most important inspirations are the people and situations that unfold right in front of me as well as my own life experience. Though I’ve written in various formats, I always focus on my intended audience. To think that right now a community of writers are my audience is mind-blowing yet invigorating as I try to do right by all creatives real and imagined. 

Knowing that publishing is the best motivation for revision, when I push myself to submit my writing, I tell my fears to “Wait out in the hall!” and then surrender to the old saying, “Leap and the net will appear.” It’s all part of being dedicated to constant improvement.

WOW: What a great technique! What are you working on now that you can tell us about?

Susan: I am currently polishing my novel, Dear Senhor Hunny, and expanding on a working outline for another, The Banned Books Club. I’m also working on picture books, such as My Dog Speaks Portuguese and Turn Right at the Red Door.

WOW: I can't wait to see these books published! Thank you for your time and I hope our paths cross again.

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Leave a Comment Flash Fiction Runner-Up, Nicole Pyles, Spring 2024 Flash Fiction Contest, Susan Strauss