What Comes Next by Caitlin Forbes: Reader Review Event & Giveaway

 

I'm excited to announce our reader review event for What Comes Next by Caitlin Forbes. This book is perfect for readers who enjoy adult coming-of-age stories that deal with complex, emotional subjects.

We'll be celebrating the launch of the event by sharing reviews from our community and giving you a chance to win one of three copies of the book and an Amazon gift card!

But before we get into what our readers thought, here's more about the book:

An empowering and heartfelt novel about the complexities of family, the power of sisterhood, and the bravery it takes to choose happiness when all seems lost.

"My life is perfectly fine."

Alex has pretended this for years―despite an emotionally absent father, a best friend drifting away, and a floundering dog-training business. At least Alex has her sister, Meredith, a driven polar opposite. But both their lives are upended when their estranged mother dies of a genetic condition that the sisters have a fifty-fifty chance of inheriting. For Alex, a world without her mother is uncomfortable. But a world without Meredith is unthinkable.

Alex suggests a pact to which Meredith tentatively agrees: In three months they’ll get tested. Until then they go after everything they’ve ever wanted. Alex is finally stepping out of her comfort zone and opening herself up to new relationships. Or maybe reconnecting with an old one. Nathan, a boy who once broke her heart, needs a trainer for his mixed-breed rescue. Alex can’t resist.

As sparks rekindle, and time passes much too quickly, Alex discovers more about herself, her sister, and her mother than she ever imagined. And that everything in life―especially happiness―comes with a risk worth taking.

Purchase a copy now on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or Bookshop.org. You can also add it to your GoodReads reading list.

About the Author, Caitlin Forbes

Caitlin Forbes is a Maine-based author who writes stories that explore the messiness of relationships—from sisterhood to romance to the tricky relationship we have with ourselves. When not writing, you can find her chasing after her toddler (or her dog) and exploring small-town New England life. 

Find her online at:

https://www.caitlinforbesauthor.com/

https://www.instagram.com/caitlin_forbes_author/

What WOW Readers Thought

"What Comes Next by Caitlin Forbes had a synopsis that hooked me. I love family-and life-oriented plots. It was immersive right from the start to the end. I liked the fact that Alex and Meredith are sisters but complete opposites. I was very sad about their mother. I felt they had already been through so much.

"The writing is captivating, raw and heartfelt. This is my first novel by Caitlin Forbes, and I would like to review more from her in the future.

"What Comes Next is an amazing, unforgettable book that I highly recommend." ~ Katherine Hayward Perez

"The book was good. I really enjoyed reading it. And it made me think about a couple of things. First, would I want to know if I had the potential to have a life-threatening genetic illness. Would I live my life differently if I knew?

"But on the other hand, what about my daughters?

"My mother passed due to breast cancer. I take after my dad's side of the family, not that it would stop me from being able to have breast cancer. I worried about them.

"Then there is Remy. Do we give up on an animal because of some trauma in their life which affects their lives? Do we give up on a person because of some trauma in their life?

"While the book may seem a bit bleak, it is actually very 'hopeful'. And who can't use 'hope' in their lives." ~ Judy Hudgins

"What if you knew that you and your sister might have inherited a debilitating disease from your deceased mother who disappeared from your life years earlier? What if she sent this news in a note to be mailed after she died? What if that made you afraid to get back into a loving relationship for fear of the hurt that might be headed your way? What if you were safest when you were training dogs that seemed incorrigible? These are only a few of the conflicts that Caitlin Forbes explores in What Comes Next a book that is well worth your time.

"With multi-faceted characters and increasing complications this is a story that will grab you. The narrator asks excellent questions of herself, and you may find yourself asking some of them about your own life. What are you afraid of? Why does commitment scare you? What are the costs of sharing a truth that cannot be changed?

"What does Alex, the narrator discover about herself, her sister, and her mother? And who turns out to be “perfectly fine” in the end? What Comes Next will answer these questions and many more." ~ B. Lynn Goodwin

"There are so many coming-of-age books with teenaged characters awkwardly teetering between childhood and adulthood. I think of What Comes Next as Coming-of-Age 2.0. It is a story of that time when you're paying your own electric bill but don't feel like a "grown-up" in the same way that your parents are "grown-ups." 

"This novel is a touching journey through that time with excellent lines drawn between Alex, a struggling 20-something, and the dogs she trains. One of the things I most admired was the intimate portrayal of the different couples in the book. You could feel their love and connection through tiny clues left in the text, much more powerful than any bedroom scene.

"I think we will all recognize ourselves in the characters and struggles of What Comes Next, either something we're going through now or something from our past. this is a great book for all adults, no matter what their age. Because aren't we all wondering, What Comes Next?" ~ Jodi Webb

"I just finished What Comes Next by Caitlin Forbes, and I’m still sitting with the weight of it, because the story moves with a steady pull that kept me hooked from the first chapter to the last. The writing is direct, clear, and purposeful, which made it easy to slip into the narrator’s world and stay there without feeling pushed or nudged.

"I felt connected to the main characters almost right away, since their fear, hope, and slow steps toward change felt honest in a way that made me think about my own choices and the moments that shaped me. The pacing helped with that, because the chapters are tight and focused, yet they open up just enough space to let each moment land before the next one arrives.

"The themes stayed with me too. The book explores change, trust, and the uneasy process of letting go, and it does it with a kind of quiet clarity that made the emotional shifts feel earned rather than forced. I found myself pausing more than once to think about how people grow when the world around them refuses to stay still.

"I also appreciated how the small details gave the story depth. Tiny gestures, brief conversations, and subtle turning points all added layers that made the bigger moments feel richer and more grounded.

"If you want a story that feels human, steady, and reflective without becoming heavy, What Comes Next delivers, and I’m glad I picked it up because it stayed with me long after I closed the book." ~ Ellen Christian

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

THREE WINNERS! Our grand prize winner (first random draw) will win a print copy of What Comes Next by Caitlin Forbes and a $25 Amazon Gift Card. The next two winners will win a copy of the book. Fill out the form below for a chance to win. The giveaway ends December 14th at 11:59 pm CT. We will randomly draw the winners the next day and follow up via email. Good luck!

What Comes Next & Gift Card Giveaway

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2 comments Caitlin Forbes, Character Emotions, Huntington's Disease, internal struggles, What Comes Next, women's fiction

Interview with Leslie Cox - WOW! Q4 Creative Nonfiction Essay Runner Up

Leslie Cox, a runner up in the Q4 Creative Nonfiction Essay contest for Ode to My Hands, is stopping by to tell us about the unexpected help she got with her writing from her grandmother, writing communities and some great memoirs to check out.

Prior to retiring from a career in health care administration in 2019, Leslie published articles and a guidebook for health care professionals, and then realized having become a published author, she could make the choice to write what she’s passionate about—her personal stories. Through her work, Leslie hopes to inspire readers by using her voice to speak her truth and maybe even make them smile. Her memoir is in editing phase, and she has a few more projects up her sleeve!

Leslie’s most recent work is published in Writer’s Digest Online, WOW! Women on Writing, two print anthologies, online literary journals and blogs. She enjoys continuous learning of writing craft by attending an abundance of workshops and events, online and in-person. Leslie serves on the volunteer leadership team of Phoenix Oasis Press, helping with community events and publishing of an annual anthology. When she is not reading or writing, you will find her enjoying nature, pets, and three grandchildren who are the loves of her life. 

Find Leslie’s writing here: 
Website: www.lesliesvoice.com
Instagram: @lesliecoxwrites
Facebook: Leslie Cox

WOW: Congratulations on being a runner up in the Q4 2025 Creative Nonfiction Essay Contest for The Work of My Hands. It seems you were also a runner-up several years ago. How do you feel your writing has evolved in the five years since your first win?

Leslie: One word describes my writing life over the past five years—Growth! I finally have the confidence to call myself a “writer” which I thought had to be earned. Learning the writing craft will always be part of my life, whether through workshops and webinars, writers’ groups, or just reading wonderful writers whose books inspire me. 

My last Muffin interview mentioned that I would be focusing on completing a memoir in 2020. Well, that goal was a little ambitious, but the manuscript is finally complete and in the capable hands of an editor/WOW instructor.

WOW: How exciting! It's always encouraging to see a fellow writer's big project come together. I'd like to think our contest (or at least promising us a memoir in your interview) gave you a nudge. Do you have any advice for any of our readers out there who are on the fence about entering the WOW - or any - writing contests?

Leslie: Absolutely enter writing contests, whether you have been writing for a long time, or just beginning your journey. I admit I was fearful in the beginning—I suppose it was mostly fear of rejection or just getting my words out there for others to read. I have since entered many contests and submitted my personal essays to several literary journals. The rejections do get easier with time, and then when an acceptance shows up, seemingly out of nowhere, the feeling of success is worth all the work and worry.

WOW: The magic of good news in our inboxes! Can you tell us a little about what inspired you to pen an ode to your hands?

Leslie: Well, I’m glad you asked! I initially wrote this essay for a course taught by WOW’s own Kimberly Lee, “The Body in Writing.” In that class, I wrote not only an ode to my hands, but also to my gut, my heart, and my whole body. I spruced up “The Work of My Hands” and got the courage to share it aloud with a writers’ club. The members seemed to relate with it, so on a whim, I submitted it to the WOW contest!

WOW: And to think it began with a WOW class. When you aren't in classes what does your writing day look like?

Leslie: I don’t have specific writing habits, but my head is constantly full of words and lines I eventually put on paper. I can write pretty much anywhere, at any time of day or night. 

When I started my current project (historical fiction based on documents, letters and photos left by my grandmother when she died), I secretly asked her to help me write her story, and that night I wrote the entire first chapter in a dream. Detailed scenes were played out repeatedly—in Spanish! Her native language, except I was the one speaking. A few years ago, a similar experience happened when I dreamed about a specific memory from thirty years prior, woke up crying, and wrote it into my memoir.

WOW: What a powerful connection with your writing self. I dream scenes or snippets of writing which is why I always have a notepad by my bed. You're very active with a local writing community Phoenix Oasis Press. Can you tell us a little about what you do? 

Leslie: POP is a small group of writers who love bringing writing experiences to the Arizona community through workshops, a book club, and supporting local authors at events or via social media. 

We are in the process of publishing our third anthology around the theme of “curiosity.” My role was to receive online submissions via Submittable to ensure all guidelines were met before sending poems or essays on to the review team. Once the final pieces were selected, my role was copyediting. 

POP leaders volunteer our time and energy simply because connecting with other writers is what we love to do!

WOW: Do you feel it is important for writers to find a community like Phoenix Oasis Press or WOW? Do you feel your volunteer work helps you with your own writing?

Leslie: In 2023, I wrote a blog for POP entitled, “How Giving Away Can Give You Back”—Generosity is key when it comes to building a writing circle. Writing can feel lonely at times, so having a community of friends who share their passion for writing is a gift that has not only improved my writing, but my life!

WOW: After retiring from a career that included writing for the healthcare industry, you've written everything from children's books to memoirs to essays to interviews. Can you tell us about a project?

Leslie: Well, this is a loaded question! I have several projects up my sleeve—at least two children’s picture books, a general nonfiction book, and the historical fiction novel I mentioned above. That is the project I’m most excited about because my grandmother had such an interesting life, as she would tell me—filled with intrigue, hardship, and love of family. I’m hoping she’ll help me (again from beyond), as I begin chapter two!

WOW: We're at the tail end of Nonfiction November Month. Do you have any nonfiction titles to recommend?

Leslie: Goodness, there are SO many great ones! I have a whole library of General Nonfiction books, but Memoir is my favorite genre, and my TBR list is stacked tall! This year, those I had a hard time putting down included: Heavy (Kiese Laymon), Solito (Javier Zamora), The Distance Between Us (Reyna Grande), This Story Will Change: After the Happily Ever After (Elizabeth Crane), and You Could Make This Place Beautiful (Maggie Smith). That last one I’ve read a couple of times.

WOW: Your enthusiasm for writing just can't be contained. Thank you so much for sharing it with us.

Leslie: Thank you for this opportunity to interview for The Muffin!

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Leave a Comment Contestant interview, Jodi M. Webb, Leslie Cox, memoirs, WOW! Q4 2025 Creative Nonfiction Essay Contest, writers groups

Friday Speak Out!: Why I Started Writing: Finding My Voice After Marriage

By Dr. Farzeen Bano

Marriage changes a woman’s world in ways she rarely anticipates. For me, it wasn’t about giving up my dreams—it was about learning how quietly they can be reshaped.

After completing my M.Phil. and Ph.D. in Political Science and Gender Studies, I imagined a life of teaching, research, and writing. But after marriage, reality took a different turn. My husband works in another state, while I live with my in-laws in Uttarakhand, where the expectation is simple: a woman may work, but only if she can return home by evening.

Each time I received an interview call from a university in Delhi or Uttar Pradesh, excitement mixed with guilt. My family would gently remind me, “It’s too far… Who will take care of your daughter?” I told myself that love requires compromise. Yet, as the years passed, I realized something had quietly faded—my sense of self.

When Silence Turned Into Words

There were nights when loneliness crept in. My husband was busy, and I never wanted to burden him with my worries. My parents were miles away. I found myself surrounded by affection that didn’t always understand me

So, I started writing.

It began with a few sentences scribbled in a notebook after putting my daughter to bed. Slowly, those lines became paragraphs, and paragraphs became blog posts and essays. Writing became my friend—someone who listened without judgment.

Each word I wrote was like reclaiming a piece of myself that I had lost in the process of fulfilling others’ expectations. Writing became more than expression; it became survival.

The Weight Women Carry

Many women I meet share similar stories—educated, capable, yet quietly confined by invisible boundaries. It’s rarely open opposition; it’s the soft resistance wrapped in care: “We just want what’s best for you.”

Statistics often show how women’s participation in the workforce declines after marriage, especially in traditional societies. But behind every number is a woman who once dreamed of a life beyond domestic roles.

For me, it wasn’t just about giving up a job—it was about giving up a version of myself I had worked so hard to build.

Writing as Healing

Writing offered me the courage to turn pain into purpose. Every blog post or research article became a step toward emotional healing. It connected me with other women who shared their struggles, and I realized I wasn’t alone.

Through writing, I found a way to live meaningfully within the life I already had. It reminded me that while our circumstances may limit us, our words can set us free.

A Note to Every Woman Writer

If you’re reading this and feel unheard or stuck between duty and desire—write.

You don’t need perfect conditions to start. You just need honesty and the willingness to express your truth. Writing doesn’t just record your experiences—it reshapes them.

For me, writing became a bridge between who I was and who I wanted to be And perhaps that’s what every woman’s story deserves—to be written, shared, and remembered.

* * *

Dr. Farzeen Bano is an Assistant Professor of Political Science and a researcher passionate about gender studies, digital literacy, and women’s empowerment. She holds an M.Phil and Ph.D. from Jamia Millia Islamia, where her doctoral research focused on “Women Prisoners and Their Rehabilitation: A Case Study of Jails of Uttar Pradesh.” Beyond academia, she writes on social issues, education, and women’s rights, aiming to bridge research with real-life change through digital storytelling and public engagement.

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Would you like to participate in Friday "Speak Out!"? Email your short posts (under 500 words) about women and writing to: marcia[at]wow-womenonwriting[dot]com for consideration. We look forward to hearing from you!
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1 comment Friday Speak Out

Dr. Seuss is Back?

Two things happened last week that have me thinking about posthumous publication. First, I received a press release about a new Dr. Seuss book being released in 2026. Dr. Seuss a.k.a. Theodor Geisel died at the age of 87 in 1991. It seems the manuscript was uncovered in the archives of the University of California. Initially, I thought "Great!" because I enjoy Dr. Seuss books which often straddle the line between fun children's book and deeper meaning even adults can appreciate.

But then I was  sorting through my own archives (also known as my laptop) searching for a particular essay. During the hunt I uncovered some of my writings that were much darker than my usual style. They were more therapy than writing for publication. I considered deleting them, but couldn't quite bring myself to do it. But that doesn't mean I'll be seeking out a market for them.

Which brings us back to Dr. Seuss and his upcoming Sing the 50 United States. I think we can all agree that Dr. Seuss was a powerhouse in children's literature. So why wasn't Sing the 50 United States published during his lifetime? It isn't as if his manuscripts were languishing in some editorial assistant's slush pile. So what happened? We can spin tales of him "forgetting" about it or becoming preoccupied with other writing. But what if he just didn't like it? What if he never meant for it to be published but couldn't quite bring himself to destroy it?

Sing the 50 United States isn't the first book to be published posthumously, in fact it isn't even the first Dr. Seuss book to be published posthumously (What Pet Should I Get? was published in 2015 after being written somewhere between 1958 and 1962).

Some books were well on their way to publication when the author suddenly died and the publishing house just carried on without them (Steig Larsson and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo trilogy). But others make you wonder what the author's intentions were, most recently Harper Lee's Go Set a Watchman. I don't know about you but to me it felt like a first draft that was abandoned for the major overhaul that became To Kill a  Mockingbird. But many other authors had their writing posthumously published: Agatha Christie, Ernest Hemingway, Louisa May Alcott, Ian Fleming, Jane Austen. Was that their intention or was that particular book hidden in a drawer for a reason? In some cases their work wasn't even finished and they never had the opportunity to share the meaning behind their writing. Instead experts spin their theories and best-guesses, perhaps totally misunderstanding the author's purpose.

Does the reading community's hunger for more of their writing overtake the writer's wishes? Would you want your writing published without your permission? 

And for all of our readers from the United States (and belated to those from Canada), have a Happy Thanksgiving full of friends, family, football and your favorite pie.

Jodi M. Webb writes from her home in the Pennsylvania mountains about everything from DIY projects to tea to butterflies. She'll be enjoying homemade apple pie for breakfast today.  She's also a blog tour manager for WOW-Women on Writing. In November, she's blogging about her nonfiction reads at Words by Webb. 

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Leave a Comment Dr. Seuss, Harper Lee, Jodi M. Webb, posthumous publication

Witches and Wild Yarrow: Interview with Mary Alice Dixon, author of Snakeberry Mamas, Words from the Wild

Just for WOW, Ashley Harris interviews Mary Alice Dixon, the author of Snakeberry Mamas, Words from the Wild, a debut poetry collection set in the wilds of an Appalachian landscape of lust, where sex, song, and witchy women charm the reader with chant. 

Credit: ChrisChavira, Lem Lynch Photography

A native of western Pennsylvania, Mary Alice was reared in the Carolina red clay and today lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, where she grows sunflowers in cow manure and leads grief writing workshops. Her writing has earned recognition in several competitions including the Poetry Society of South Carolina’s 2025 John Edward Johnson Poetry Prize and the North Carolina Writers' Network’s 2024 Randall Jarrell Poetry Competition. A Pushcart Prize nominee in both poetry and fiction, Mary Alice has also been a finalist for the NC Poetry Society Poet Laureate Award and the Broad River Review Ron Rash Poetry Award. Among many others, she has also written for Fourth River, Kakalak, Main Street Rag, moonShine Review, Northern Appalachia Review, North Dakota Quarterly and Stonecoast Review. Visit her website at maryalicedixon.com.

----- Interview by Ashley Harris

WOW: Mary Alice, I simply adored Snakeberry Mamas, savoring it to the very last page. Even the handy glossary at the back was exquisitely rendered. And I’m so honored to be able to interview you today! As someone who grew up in North Carolina, I appreciated the references to familiar things, such as Appalachia, Blue Ridge “hollers” and the region’s famous “smoky clouds.” But you truly opened my eyes to a host of other elements new to me such “snake berries” and “Job’s Tears.” And then there were place names such as “Bald Butt Mountain” and “Witcher River.” The chance to revisit the land I thought I knew through your eyes kept me captivated throughout your book’s pages.

Mary Alice: Ashley, how wonderful to be in conversation with you! First, let me say how deeply I admire you and your extraordinary body of work. In Waiting for the Wood Thrush, every one of your poems radiates an affinity with nature. What an honor to have you, the wisest of women, read my own poetry. Thank you!

WOW: What kind words, Mary Alice! The opening quote of your book, by Isadora Duncan that says: “You were once wild here. Don’t let them tame you” is a fabulous introduction. And after reading this lovely collection, I sense that you had an extraordinary childhood, one that forever connected you to the earth. For all the future poets out there, take us back to it and describe a typical day for you under the age of 6.

Mary Alice: I want to share with you a day I remember as both typical and atypical. Let me explain.

When I was five, I spent a weekend with my Granny Sharps’ extended family in West Virginia. It was my first time overnight without my parents. Mom and Dad put my baby sister and me in the back seat of our two-tone Pontiac and drove us from Allegheny County, PA to the Sharps’ farmhouse outside Fairmont, WV. Granny was back in Pennsylvania, but I felt her spirit when we visited her kin. 

The Sharps’ homeplace was a hardscrabble farm. It included a cow pasture, a barn with a scratchy hayloft where I was supposed to sleep, a stinky outhouse with Sears & Roebuck catalogs for toilet paper, and a lot of love. 

I was giddy with excitement as my parents and sister headed back to Pennsylvania, leaving me with the relatives. I felt quite grown-up, even if I did not relish that wooden outhouse or the “honey wagon” the menfolk used to clean out the crap.

Anyway, great-aunts, great-uncles, second and third cousins, my mother’s mother’s family, gathered in the summer twilight shelling snap peas on the big front porch with its sky-blue ceiling. (Blue to keep the haints away.) I sat on the porch steps, watched lightning bugs, and drank a cup of warm milk, fresh from Hannah the brown-and-white cow. I listened to the grown-ups spin yarns about Red Delicious apples and kernels of corn made into the prayer beads they called Job’s Tears. (Both of which made their way into Snakeberry Mamas poems.) I sensed myself a part of something old and good. 

At home in Pennsylvania, we lived in a WPA (federal Works Progress Administration, a New Deal agency that employed people during the Great Depression) bungalow with coal outcroppings in the yard and a huge dark coal cellar under the house. I often amused myself hunting for diamonds that, my Dad told me, came from coal. When I went to West Virginia, I found diamonds in family stories. So my stay in West Virginia was atypical because I was briefly without my parents, my baby sister, and my Granny. But it was also typical because I heard tall tales and felt a heap of family love. 

WOW: And there is indeed a heap of family love in Snakeberry Mamas. Most people who want to preserve the history of their family either create a scrapbook or join a genealogical society. When did you first envision the stories of Granny Delilah and your family as a poetry collection?

Mary Alice: What a great question! After my beloved mother died she came to me in a series of six dreams. In each one she cupped my chin with her hands, saying, “Tell everyone I love them.” Then she would point to her own mother, my Granny Delilah, standing arms akimbo, smiling in the distance.

At that time, 2004, I was working as an advocate for abused children, battered parents, and adults alleged incompetent—people, like all of us, in desperate need of love. Hearing their stories of hurt taught me that preserving stories, including those of my mother and my mother’s mother, can be a form of love. 

To convey my mother’s love, I began researching her roots. And, of course, my grandmother’s roots. I spent several years digging around in genealogical sites, archives, and old family letters. My investigation led through my Granny Delilah back to our 17th century Quaker ancestors. These folks lived, so the story goes, in the boughs of trees in a land they called Penn’s Woods, that is, Pennsylvania. Centuries later, I was born in Pennsylvania. Coincidentally—or not—my childhood nickname was Tree. Even today friends who know me well call me Tree. 

Anyway, based on my genealogical research I made a detailed family tree (yes, another tree!) I called Remembering. This project reignited my passion for Granny’s tall tales of the West Virginia hollers where, in 1880, she was born.

In the 1950s Granny lived with my parents and me in the coal country of western Pennsylvania. She was a blind seamstress who saw with her hands. She also collected buttons in tin cans. These cans, she told me, reminded her of Appalachian caves. 

Curled up in her lap on our porch glider, Granny would brush my hair while I played with her buttons. The buttons made of old bones were the best—yellowed, scratched with histories I could only imagine. As we rocked in the glider, Granny told me stories of bones and bloodroots. She sewed fairy tales with words, weaving myth and magic, plants and people, into my hair and head. 

Granny’s love for her Applachian traditions inspired me to write and include a Glossary of Plants, Creatures, & Folklore Customs in Snakeberry Mamas. The entries are micro-fictions that tell the secret history of owl women, the meaning of witchberries, the use of cardamon in regneration rituals. And more. 

Writing that keeps alive my family myths and lore is a way of inviting readers to become kin. The poems that I have plucked from the maternal line of my family’s past are are my inheritance of tall tales, incomplete, contradictory, and real. These are ways of telling love.

WOW: Snakeberry Mamas could be a master class in how to incorporate all five senses into our writing! Each poem is a garden of sensory delights, particularly two of my favorites: “Snakeberry Mama’s Communion with Orange” and “Wild Nutmeg Sparks Revolution.” How did you get so good at collecting your sensory impressions?

Mary Alice: OMG, Ashley, you are so kind and your question is amazingly intuitive. 

Here’s the scoop: I was born with synthesthesia. 

I see colors in numbers, sometimes hear perfumes, and often taste deer musk from memories in breezes. When I was a child I thought everybody knew that the number five dresses in brown corduroy, seven in navy blue, and a story book about a gingerbread house smells like molasses and brown sugar.

Only in college, memorizing dates for art history exams by observing the color codes dancing in my head, did I discover my way of seeing and sensing is a quirk not everyone shares. I also discovered this “quirk” is a neurological condition involving twisted cognitive pathways. Maybe my Granny, seeing with her hands, shared something similar.

So in answer to your question, I have to say I don’t collect sensory impressions as much as inhabit them. Mostly this is a gift. For example, after retina surgery, the feel of the sun on my closed eyelids tasted like an orange. From that came “Snakeberry Mama’s Communion with Orange.” 

My poem “Wild Nutmeg Sparks a Revolution” was inspired by my sense that the sharp voice of nutmeg, which I love, is a voice calling for a green revolution.

But occasionally my synesthesia overwhelms me. Like when I wear a certain long-sleeved red wool sweater, my skin starts to smell, to me anyway, like spoiled salmon. I’m still waiting for a poem to come out of that doozy. As my Granny used to say, “lemons to lemonade.” 

WOW: In my book, the best poets are the quirkiest and you have found a perfect way to harness your synthesthesia for the good. I couldn’t help but notice your book’s larger theme of female empowerment, which was apparent in poems such as “Woman Seizing Power” but also elsewhere, such as the inventively titled “Britches with Balls & Yellow-Pleated Parasols: Suffragette’s Recipe.” Were you channeling the voice of Granny Delilah here?

Mary Alice: Oh, Lordy, speaking of witches and bitches, thank you for seeing this in my work and for asking this question. As you might gather, I come from a line of strong women and the folks who love them. 

Granny was born Delilah Sharps. She liked her last name, Sharps, said it kept the men around her on their toes. But she hated the name Delilah. Said Delilah was that Old Testament “hussy” who did Samson in. Further, Granny said, while she herself wasn’t above doing such things as the O.T. hussy did, she refused to advertize it with her name. Made adults call her Dee. 

One of Granny’s sisters was Cecil, the woman who appears in “Britches with Balls.” And, let me tell you, my Great-Aunt Cecil was a pistol. I adored visiting her in West Virginia where she kept a garden and several husbands; the the garden was perennial; the husbands were sequential. Even her name—Cecil, not Cecilia—defied gender norms of the day. 

But, to your question, I often hear the voices of Granny and Cecil in dreams and daydreams, as if I’m channeling their aspirations for what today we call social justice. They believed in miracles, both small and big. After all, if my blind Granny could thread a needle, sew a hem, and make rhubarb preserves in Mason jars, anything is possible. Including, they hoped, and I hope,  a better world. Poetry is one way of keeping that hope alive. As Granny would say, “Moon shines on us all equally. And that’s a lesson from heaven.”

WOW: Amen to your beloved Granny! As someone who loves the great variety of the English language, my heart delighted at expressions such as “chalices my skin,” “burlap laugh,” “tulip blood,” and “cinnamon songs.” What advice would you give to beginning writers on how to make their own writing leap from the page?

Mary Alice: I adore this question, Ashley, because when I lead Grief Writing and Self-Compassion Workshops I suggest participants try two specific exercises to get their writerly juices flowing.  

The first exercise is what I call the “Rip and Tear Scavanger Hunt.” It goes like this. Flip through the pages of thrifted magazines and piles of junk mail. Find random images that speak to you. Rip and tear. Paste and overlay. Make a collage. When you finish, give your collage a title. Then jot down five images you see in your collage. Oh wow, you just wrote the first draft of a list poem or the outline of a story!

The second exercise is what I call the “Happiness Snack.” Here’s what you do. Give yourself, say, five minutes every day. All by yourself. Find something that makes you happy. Maybe a moment of listening to church bells. Maybe a fresh tomato sandwich. Whatever works for you. Just make it delicious. Oh, yippee, you just fed your inner artist! Then, without worrying about calories (!), write down the recipe for your snack. Embellish with time and salt. And maybe some sass. 

Me? One of my collages, an amateurish piece with crazy images of feathers and Farmer’s Almanac bird illustrations, I titled “Words of Hope.” The collage was a mess (not a bad thing in a collage, btw) but it led to my poem,“I Spoke Feathers.” Which is in Snakeberry Mamas as well as in a Poetry in Plain Sight Poster hung by the NC Poetry Society in public places throughout North Carolina where I now live.

My personal favorite “Happiness Snack” is what I call “Pet a Tree.” It goes like this. I touch a tree trunk, listening to its bark. Then translate the bark into words. Guess which poem came from one of those translations! Hint: it includes a woman with a birch wood broom burned as a witch who shapeshifts into a bitch. Yep, you got it! It’s my poem “Woman Seizing Power,” the poem that won me my first Pushcart Prize nomination.

WOW: Mary Alice, what terrific poetry (and story!) starters! I love all of these, particularly “Happiness Snack.” That would be as good for the soul as it would be for the writing! And spending time time with a tree – listening to its bark – that is just brilliant. I know I speak for all the poets and writers at WOW when I say that we can’t wait to put these prompts into practice pronto. Thank you so much for such kind and thoughtful responses to my questions – you have been a true joy to interview!

Mary Alice: Ten thousand thanks, Ashley. This has been super fun! You ask THE BEST questions. From the land of granny magic, I just know Delilah Sharps is sending you endless hugs and happiness. I know she thanks you, as do I, for the generosity of your words and heart. 

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3 comments Ashley Harris, Mary Alice Dixon, North Carolina writers, poetry collection, Snakeberry Mamas

Murder Under Redwood Moon by Sherri Dodd: Blog Tour & Giveaway

What is a witch like? If you're picturing the old crones from Macbeth you aren't thinking of modern day witches. Instead modern day witches are more girl-next-door with a community that is less likely to burn them at the stake and more likely to ask them to use their extra special gifts for a little help. Murder Under Redwood Moon will introduce you to modern witches, as a young witch uses her powers to help unravel a mystery and a murder.  Join us as we celebrate the launch of this book with a giveaway and an interview with the author, Sherri Dodd.

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

At the age of eight, Arista Kelly was frantically swept up by her parents and whisked off to an isolated town in the California redwoods. Two days later, her parents were gone.

Now at the age of twenty-three, she has settled quite nicely into an eclectic lifestyle, much like her great aunt, and guardian since childhood, Bethie. She enjoys the use of herbs and crystals to help her commune with the energy and nature around her and finds pleasure in the company of her beloved pet, Royal. Usually quite satisfied with her mundane life high in the Santa Cruz Mountains, life becomes unsettling when a new recurring vision of an ominous tattoo as well as increased activity from the ghostly presence within her own cottage invade her once-harmonious existence.

But life in this mountain sanctuary takes an even darker turn when the body of Arista's former classmate is found in the nearby river. As other young young women fall prey to a suspected serial killer, Arista realizes that the terror is coming to her.

Publisher: Independently Published(March 20, 2024)

AISN:  B0CTKPM863

ISBN: 1685133886

ISBN-13: 978-1685133887

Print length:  289 pages

Purchase your copy on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Bookshop.org. You'll also want to add it to your GoodReads reading list.

About the Author, Sherri Dodd

Sherri was raised in southeast Texas. Walking barefoot most days and catching crawdads as they swam the creek beds, she had a love for all things free and natural. Her childhood ran rampant with talk of ghosts, demons, and backcountry folklore. This inspired her first short story for sale about a poisonous flower that shot toxins onto children as they smelled it. Her classmate bought it for all the change in his pocket. It was not long after that her mother packed the two of them up and headed to the central coast of California. She has ping-ponged throughout the area ever since.

Her first real step into writing was the non-fiction fitness book, Mom Looks Great – The Fitness Program for Moms published in 2005, and maintaining its accompanying blog. Now, transmuting

the grief of her father's passing, she has branched into Fiction, specifically the genre of Paranormal Thriller with generous dashes of Magick Realism! Her Murder, Tea & Crystals Trilogy released book one - Murder Under Redwood Moon - in March 2024. Book two - Moonset on Desert Sands - released in March 2025, and the final book in the series – Hummingbird Moonrise – became #1 New Release in Occult Supernatural on Amazon in October 2025!

Website: www.sherridodd.com

Instagram: @Sherri.Dodd.Author

--Interview by Jodi M. Webb

WOW: Tell us a little about your writing journey. 

 

Sherri: My first book was a small, unsponsored project with no marketing budget. In 2005, after being told by many that I would not regain my figure after pregnancy, I was shocked that kickboxing and weights returned my body to its pre-natal fitness level and felt I had to share the process. I sold about two hundred books. 

Fast forward almost twenty years later, my life raft from empty nest syndrome consisted of returning to the fitness industry. Since I had kept my Personal Training certification current since 2001 and, during COVID, certified in Yoga and began teaching UJAM, I figured it an easy transition. This all fizzled when I tore my meniscus, had surgery, and realized that my body had other ideas. Feeling woeful, I happened upon an online writing contest about a barn owl, entered, and decided while waiting for the outcome that my three-page essay was a mystical premise that could be a larger story. Fresh from crystal shopping that day and sipping a cup of hot Blueberry Lavender tea, I started elaborating. Three years and nine hundred pages later, the Murder, Tea, and Crystals Trilogy was complete!

WOW: A writing contest, crystals and blueberry lavender tea (which sounds delightful) steered you toward magick realism. Are there any other genres you would like to tackle?

 

Sherri: I’d like to write a horror novel. I am a huge horror fan and have been since our local theater let my friends and I in as fourteen-year-olds to watch R-rated slasher flicks after school. I think I could put an enticing spin on the genre without resorting to torture or gratuitous violence. While those factors appeal to many, they are not for me! I have also started a psychological thriller that may make it to press someday, but another story holds my attention for now. More on that to follow.

WOW: In your series, your characters travel to several places throughout the western US. Are these places that are special to you personally? 

 

Sherri: A few reviewers have noted that the redwood forest in my trilogy seems to be a character in and of itself. I see why, but unless you’ve walked amongst the redwoods in one of the many California parks, you cannot even fathom the magnitude of their impression upon you. 

Likewise, Sedona is mentioned in my second installment. While I haven’t lived there, my husband and I had taken a few memorable trips. The rich, red-rock monuments were so stoic and stolid against the crisp blue sky and left me stilled inside from their presence. It’s also considered a very spiritual area, so I thought it would add a new spin on the mysticism of the trilogy. I took a couple solo trips for further inspiration. 

Finally, Spokane is mentioned in the latter two books. This would not be a place that many flock to despite a few accolades, including having the largest U.S. urban water fall and hosting the ’74 World’s Fair. However, while my youngest attended Gonzaga University, I really enjoyed the area and could see myself living there upon retirement. I was especially taken with the Bowl & Pitcher Park with its rushing river and suspension bridge that places you right above the spectacle. It contained an exhilarating amount of reckless energy which is why I had my antagonist live in this area.

WOW: What made you decide to write a trilogy instead of open-ended series? 

 

Sherri: I had no idea I would write a trilogy, but by the end of book one, I loved my characters, had familial encouragement, and rolled it right into a book two with the closing scene. Book 2 ran a little long, so I decided to add one more book and, in doing so, created a couple more storylines that I could tie up in the final installment. I felt no boredom with this series at all and left one little hook in the event I ever want to return.

WOW: Your love for your characters definitely shows in your books. They're so fresh and lively. When you aren't hanging out with your characters what do you do for fun?

 

Sherri: Fitness has kept me mentally and physically healthy since I was an early teen. I do a lot of hiking in the rolling hills of Gilroy and the redwood forest of Santa Cruz County, and love an oceanside walk down West Cliff Drive. The latter of which is featured in Murder Under Redwood Moon as Arista and Shane attempt their first real date. I also thrive on a high-intensity UJAM or kickboxing class or simple weights in the gym. For me, I have found that exercise is the best medication for mental well-being!

WOW: You are energetic. I'm also a walker but I'm more low-intensity. What's up next with your writing career? I almost felt like another magic realism series was being hinted at in Book 3.

 

Sherri: While I love the magick realism and paranormal genres, I am working on a coming-of-age thriller set in the summer of ’85 – a time of the rising popularity of the Bay Area Metal scene (think Metallica, Megadeth, etc.), Satanic Panic, and two of California’s most prolific serial killers. The story is loosely based on my own experiences!

WOW: What an incredible way to switch gears. I can't wait to relive 1985 through your work.

--Blog Tour Calendar

November 24th @ The Muffin

Join us as we celebrate the launch of the first book in Sherri Dodd's Murder, Tea & Crystals trilogy: Murder Under the Redwood Moon. Read an interview with the author and enter to win the whole trilogy. Two winners!

https://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com

November 25th @ All Things Writing

How does an introvert survive book promotion? Author Sherri Dodd tells us how she promoted and lived to tell the tale!

https://www.caitrincking.com/blog

December 1st @ Word Magic

What is Magick Realism? Author Sherri Dodd shares her take on the genre of her trilogy Murder, Tea & Crystals.

https://fionaingramauthor.blogspot.com

December 2nd @ Cozy Home Delights 

Get Ashley's take on Murder Under Redwood Moon, Sherri Dodd's paranormal murder mystery.

https://cozyhomedelight.com/reviews

December 3rd @ Chapter Break 

Enjoy a good crime read? Mystery author Sherri Dodd shares a few of her favorites today at Chapter Break.

https://chapterbreak.net/

December 3rd @ Cozy Home Delights 

Sherri Dodd, author of the Murder, Tea and Crystals trilogy, tells us about her Three Favorite Barbies. 

https://cozyhomedelight.com/reviews

December 4th @ Knotty Needle

Judy's posting her review of Murder Under Redwood Moon by Sherri Dodd.

http://www.knottyneedle.blogspot.com

December 9th @ Words by Webb

Like your mysteries with a twist? Check out a paranormal mystery: Murder Under Redwood Moon.

https://www.jodiwebbwriter.com/blog

December 10th @ Kaecey McCormick

Kaecey is getting writing tips from Sherri Dodd in today's author interview.

https://www.kaeceymccormick.com/

December 12th @ Author Anthony Avina

Novelist Sherri Dodd shares the Challenges of Writing About Witchcraft & Anthony reviews the first book in her trilogy: Murder Under Redwood Moon.

https://authoranthonyavina.com/

December 14th @ Boots, Shoes and Fashion

Stop for an interview with Sherri Dodd, author of the Murder, Tea & Crystals trilogy.

https://bootsshoesandfashion.com

December 17th @ A Wonderful World Of Words

Don't miss your chance to read a review of Murder Under Redwood Moon and a chance to win the entire trilogy!

https://awonderfulworldofwordsa.blogspot.com/

December 21st @ Boys' Mom Reads

Escape the holiday craziness with a dash of magic when Karen reviews Murder Under Redwood Moon.

https://karensiddall.wordpress.com

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

TWO WINNERS! Enter to win the entire Murder, Tea & Crystals trilogy by Sherri Dodd: Murder Under Redwood Moon, Moonset on Desert Sands and Hummingbird Moonrise. Fill out the form below for a chance to win. The giveaway ends December 7th at 11:59 pm CT. We will randomly draw a winner the next day and follow up via email. Good luck!

Murder, Tea and Crystals Trilogy Giveaway!

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3 comments author interivew, blog tour launch, book giveaway, Jodi M. Webb, magick realism, mystery, Sherri Dodd, trilogy

Interview with Kelsey Aldinger, Third Place Winner in the WOW! Q4 2025 CNF Essay Contest

Kelsey is a speech language pathologist turned stay-at-home-mom who lives in Fort Worth, Texas with her husband and daughter. Kelsey spends her days keeping up with the most vivacious four-year-old she’s ever met and her pockets of free time writing, reading, party planning, and lingering at the table after a good meal with friends. Kelsey’s writing has been featured on blogs such as Red Tent Living and Verily Magazine but she publishes weekly on her Substack, Craving Connection, where she tackles topics such as infertility, motherhood, marriage, and creativity with equal parts humor and heart, and sometimes a little snark. 

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

WOW: Congratulations, Kelsey, and welcome! Your piece, “Dear IVF, I Quit,” is written as an epistolary essay, or letter form. You’ve also shared your thoughts on your journey to motherhood similarly with “To All the Babies I’ve Loved.” What is it about this form of writing that resonates with you? 

Kelsey: What’s funny is that before you pointed this out, I hadn’t made the connection of how I had used this form before as a way to process my infertility and motherhood journey—I wrote these pieces several years apart. But I think what I love about epistolary essays, or hermit crab essays in general, is how the constraint of the form is actually very freeing. When I’m trying to process something as big as a miscarriage or saying goodbye to my foster son or ending IVF, the feelings are too much to pin down. Borrowing the form of a letter gives me familiar parameters I have to operate within, which actually takes the pressure off of how I want to distill the emotions I want to convey. I love what Kim Adrian writes in The Shell Game: Writers Play With Borrowed Form, “The shell gives shape–sturdy structure–where otherwise there would be nothing but the boundless overflowings of human thought, memory, and emotion. Its remarkable ability to contain emotional, spiritual, and intellectual sprawl is due in large part to intrashell divisions, which neatly sidestep the need for conventional ‘transitions.’” 

WOW: Could you share what the process of developing this particular essay was like, from the spark of the idea to revision to making the decision to enter this contest? 

Kelsey: When it comes to infertility and IVF, you typically only hear success stories. After having a miscarriage in 2019, I felt desperate for stories from other women who were just a few steps ahead of me but still in the middle of their infertility, who weren’t looking back at their journey with rose colored glasses now that they had their baby. Struggling to find those stories, I vowed to always be open and honest about my own struggles. Whether it was through podcasting, writing, or in my real life, I tried to be as open as I could while still protecting my heart and my privacy as I walked through each stage of infertility. So when it came time to share about the end of my IVF journey, it was not a matter of if to share, but how. I had written about the topic on my own Substack, but I wanted a way to reach a wider audience who may have walked through the same thing or something similar. 

This had been on my mind for awhile so when the idea of using the resignation letter hit me, I sat down and wrote it in one sitting. My writing process hardly ever looks like this, but I’m always grateful when it does. I actually originally wrote the letter for another outlet who is known for sharing work that is slightly snarky, which was part of my inspiration for this piece. Although the letter does convey deep emotion, I was tired of droning on and on about my experience in a weepy way. I wanted to write something that was direct and resolute and gave me some of my agency back in a situation where I felt I had none. Once I wrote my first draft, I shared the letter with my writing group and they gave me great feedback on ways I could add more details and clarity. After making some edits, I sent it off and waited to hear back. Not too long after, the publication emailed to let me know it wasn’t the right fit for them, but the editor was incredibly kind in her feedback. She praised the essay and let me know it wasn’t me, it was them working through figuring out what their audience was responding to at the moment. I so appreciated hearing back because a lot of times when you submit work and it gets passed on, you don’t know if it’s because of your writing or because of something on the other end. That rejection gave me the confidence to submit again. I still felt like the letter was meant to be shared somewhere other than on my personal Substack. So when I came across this contest and read the criteria, I knew this piece would be a good fit. I’m so glad I took the chance and kept putting myself out there even after rejection. 

WOW: I'm go glad you persevered until you found this piece a great home with WOW!, and it's always encouraging to receive such kind words from an editor even when they pass on a piece. You started a Substack, "Craving Connection", two years ago. How has that experience been and has it helped you connect with other women and writers experiencing similar journeys? 

Kelsey: Before becoming the Substack it is today, "Craving Connection" was a podcast I started with a dear friend who was my original “writing partner” back in high school. We always used to edit each other’s English essays and it was our shared love of words that led us to podcasting. The year was 2017, the height of the podcasting boom and post-blogging heyday, so we figured starting a podcast could be our avenue to writing a book some day. We were very naive about how much work it would take. We thought all we would have to do is start a podcast and we would automatically amass a huge audience. While that didn’t happen, we learned a lot about the creative process, creating publicly, and about discipline. We stuck with it for four years, putting out a show every Monday. Throughout those four years, the podcast gave me an outlet to share about my infertility and connect with other women in similar circumstances. Eventually, the show became untenable and we took a break. But after a year and a half hiatus, I was itching to have a creative outlet again. At this point, Substack was pretty new and instead of having to completely start from scratch, it seemed like a good way to repurpose what we had already built. Knowing we didn’t want to burn ourselves out again, we kept things very low pressure and posted whenever we wanted about whatever we wanted. After a few months of this, I was hungry to write more while she didn’t have as much bandwidth, so I took over the reins. As I experienced failed embryo transfer after failed embryo transfer, writing "Craving Connection" gave me an outlet to not only express my emotions related to my struggles, but to also write about all sorts of things as a reminder to myself that I was a full person outside of my infertility. While I never wanted to be pigeonholed into becoming an infertility blog, just like with podcasting, writing publicly about my story has led me to connect with women living similar stories. It has reminded me that I’m not alone and I hope it has reminded others that they are not alone, either. From day one, the heartbeat behind "Craving Connection" has been wanting others to think “I thought I was the only one, while sighing with relief that they’re not”. 

WOW: What a great lesson in embracing our creative endeavors even when they need to evolve. Podcasting is hard work, but it sounds like Substack has been a great transition for you and still allows you to connect with others walking a similar path. When did you first know you were a writer? 

Kelsey: I have my grandmother to thank for instilling in me a love of writing from a young age. Some of my earliest memories at her house were when we’d staple together sheets of computer paper and write stories together. She was a third grade teacher and a writer herself, published for the first time in her 70s, and always made the process of storytelling feel so magical. As I got older, I remember my classmates playing on the playground while I pestered my teachers to proofread stories I had written and begged them for feedback. In the sixth grade I won my school’s Veteran Day poetry contest and was asked to read my poem at the school assembly, which felt like a huge honor. Around this time I also began journaling and realized how I was able to process my thoughts and feelings so much easier by writing them rather than talking about them. Looking back, I think I’ve always known I was a writer, but only in the last few years has it become a lifeline for me. There is so much value in private writing, all the working out you do on the page that no one will ever see. But as someone who lives in my head, having people connect with my words, especially as it relates to infertility, is immensely gratifying and inspires me to keep putting words to the page. 

WOW: What a great start to your journey as a writer! I love that your grandmother instilled such a love of words in you. Juggling writing with raising a young child can be no easy feat! What are your favorite ways to sneak in writing among your other daily responsibilities? 

Kelsey: It definitely is not easy! My daughter is four now and she goes to a mother’s day out program two days a week, so I try to devote at least one of those days solely to writing. I have a hard time stopping once I get going, though. I’ve been known to pick her up from school, come back home, and write while sitting on the patio as she plays outside, or on the couch next to her while she watches a tv show. Even though she no longer naps, she still does rest time every day and I often use that pocket of time to write. My husband is supportive of my writing and understands when I hole up in bed with my laptop after we put our daughter to bed (which is exactly what I’m doing right now!).

WOW: Ha ha! You must do what you have to do, right? We enjoyed learning more about you and wish you continued success in all your writing goals. Thanks again, Kelsey!

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Leave a Comment Contestant interview, Kelsey Aldinger, Renee Roberson, Third Place Winner, WOW! Q4 2025 Creative Nonfiction Essay Contest, writing advice

Friday Speak Out!: She’s Baaaack!

By Cathy C. Hall

Oh my goodness, I’m so glad to be here at the Muffin! Though honestly, I’m so glad to be anywhere these days…

The last time we met, it was December of 2023. My first book in The Ladies of SPI cozy mystery series, SECRETS LAID TO REST, had launched (here!) in October and I was deep in promotion and all the exciting experiences that come along with a book debut. So I had written a fond farewell to the Muffin, looking forward to the crazy chaos of my publishing future.

But in February of 2024, I hit a blip, a health crisis that blindsided me. So much so, that when I read my doctor’s note—“patient seems more concerned about her book than her diagnosis”—I laughed out loud. Because it was true; I was hyper-focused on that book! But I had to laugh as well at the irony, that after twenty years of thinking about writing a mystery, and building my writing skills, and learning everything I could about publishing so that I had finally written and published a book, all I could say was, “Are you kidding me?”

Well, not kidding. All things book-related were put aside while I switched focus. And then came autumn; in fact, just around this time of year, when I knew that all was well. Yay!

But I was not the same Cathy C. Hall in November of 2024. I’d been down a similar road when the Beneficent Mr. Hall up and died in 2016. There are some events in life that are truly…well, life-changing. And back then, in the middle of writing for the educational children’s market, I finished the book contract and knew I’d move on to what made my heart happy.

It took a few years and a pandemic but joyful writing returned when I found my voice in a cozy mystery for adults. So here I was in November, 2024, on the other side of yet another life-changing event. Would I still feel that a cozy mystery series was in my future? Did writing even matter anymore?

And I discovered something wonderful! Those Ladies of SPI called to me! I missed Sutter, the Southern town where my sixty-something sleuths lived. I missed Malone, the cadaver-sniffing dog and all the other colorful characters that lived in my fictional world. I could not wait to write about pie and Tarot cards and complicated relationships. Truth is, I had to finish the next story!

I’m not sure I ever appreciated the healing power of writing, or even understood how it worked. But I am sure that I would have written that second book, even if no one ever read it!

(But I hope you will read it because I published and released SECRETS OF COLE HOUSE this month! Find out more at catherine-c-hall.com, and thanks to The Muffin for letting me drop in today and share my joy!)

* * *

Catherine C. Hall writes from the wilds of metro Atlanta, just up the road from the setting of her fictional Southern cozy mysteries. The Ladies of SPI series is available now in both paperback and ebook on Amazon. And sign up at catherine-c-hall.com for her Spirited newsletter with more news about Spirits, Secrets, and Pie!

.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Would you like to participate in Friday "Speak Out!"? Email your short posts (under 500 words) about women and writing to: marcia[at]wow-womenonwriting[dot]com for consideration. We look forward to hearing from you!
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4 comments Cathy C. Hall, cozy mystery, Friday Speak Out!, healing through writing

Five Noteworthy Nonfiction Reads

 

Jodi Webb wrote a great post recently about National Nonfiction Month. This past year, I’ve embraced working on the craft of creative nonfiction and was excited to receive an honorable mention in the Writer’s Digest Annual Writing Competition in the Memoir/Essay category. After starting a part-time job at an independent bookstore this past August, I’m of course thrilled to be surrounded by books, but also get exposed to all the latest nonfiction on our shelves. One of my colleagues is especially enthusiastic about nonfiction books and is, of course, a voracious reader. A few weeks ago we were chatting and she led me around the store to share some of her favorites. If you’re looking for some new reads or gift ideas for your loved ones, these are excellent suggestions. 

 84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff. This book, about a freelance writer living in New York who strikes up a friendly correspondence with a used bookseller in London, was the basis for a film starring Ann Bancroft and Sir Anthony Hopkins. Described as a quick but heartwarming read, this is “a love story about people who love books for readers who love books.” 

The Editor: How Publishing Legend Judith Jones Shaped Culture in America by Sara B. Franklin. Legendary editor Judith Jones was a 25-year-old working at Doubleday’s Paris office when she discovered Anne Frank’s manuscript in the slush pile and begged her boss to publish it. This was only the first of many incredible discoveries in the publishing world. Franklin uncovers her work with literary icons such as Sylvia Plath and John Updike, as well as being on the forefront of the trend of cookbook publishing. 

Jane Austen’s Bookshelf: A Rare Book Collector’s Quest to Find the Women Writers Who Shaped a Legend by Rebecca Romney. Rare book collector and Jane Austen enthusiast Romney became curious about the female authors who inspired her favorite writer. She set about to rediscover the literary heroes of Jane Austen, many of whom were gradually erased from the Western canon. In each chapter, she explores different writers such as Frances Burney, Maria Edgeworth, and Charlotte Lennox, and her experience reading them and searching for their rare works with other book collectors. 

Positive Obsession: The Life and Times of Octavia E. Butler by Susana M. Morris As the first Black woman to consistently publish in the field of science fiction in a sea of predominately white male authors, Octavia Butler used the devolution of the American Empire to explore her own place in the world and examine the best and worst of humanity. Author Susana M. Morris examines Butler’s life story against the cultural, social, and historical contest that shaped her life, including the Civil Rights Movement, Black Power, women’s liberation, queer rights, and Reaganomics. 

Black-Owned: The Revolutionary Life of the Black Bookstore by Char Adams. From the first black-owned bookstore (which opened in New York in 1834) to present day, these businesses have faced violence and resistance set against the backdrop of civil rights and investigations from political enemies and federal and local law enforcement. But Adams also explores how these bookstores became a beacon of hope, attracting the presence and work of Black activists such as Malcolm X and writers such as Maya Angelou and Eartha Kitt. Still today, the need for black-owned bookstores lives on and remains an important part of the literary communities across the country. 

After just finishing a magnificent but heavy piece of historical fiction, I’m ready for something lighter. I have Cameron Crowe’s memoir The Uncool to listen to while I’m out walking my dogs or doing chores around the house. I’d also love to add From Here to the Great Unknown, written posthumously by Lisa Marie Presley with the help of her daughter, Riley Keough, to the list. I find memoirs much easier to listen to on audiobooks. 

What are some of your favorite nonfiction reads from this past year?

Renee Roberson is an award-winning writer and creator/host of the podcast, Missing in the Carolinas. She also works part-time as a bookseller at an independent bookstore in North Carolina. Learn more at FinishedPages.com.

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1 comment book recommendations, National Nonfiction Month, nonfiction reads, Renee Roberson