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Monday, February 10, 2025

Sleeping With Dogs by Barbara Barth: Blog Tour & Giveaway

 
Sleeping with Dogs by Barbara Barth

I'm so excited to announce the launch of another blog tour with the prolific author, Barbara Barth. Her newest book, Sleeping With Dogs: A Poetic Memoir, chronicles her journey—in poetic form—of loving dogs throughout her life. This is a chapbook you don't want to miss if you love dogs, have ever loved dogs, or plan to have a dog some time in the future.

We'll be interviewing Barbara and talking about this charming poetic memoir and giving away a copy of the book to one lucky reader. Before we get to that, here's more about the book:

Barbara Barth started adopting dogs after the loss of her husband in 2008. From larger dogs to downsizing to Chihuahuas there are always five to six dogs at home. Barth has captured the essence of each dog's personality in short free verse poems. Known as Writer With Dogs, Barth has written two memoirs and a variety of novels. Dogs are always present in her stories. This is her first collection of poems. A chapbook of second chances.

ISBN-13: 979-8988575061
ASIN: B0DNMFXP46
Print Length: 37 pages

Purchase a copy of the book on Amazon. You can also add it to your Goodreads reading list.

About the Author, Barbara Barth

Barbara Barth turned to writing and adopting dogs to heal after the loss of her husband in 2008. Known as Writer With Dogs over the years, she now calls herself Chihuahua Mama and lives with six demanding Chihuahuas in a charming small town forty miles from Atlanta. She is Literary Arts Chair on the Board of her local art center. Inspired by the many talented artists she meets Barth started painting. Her whimsical style embraces ladies, gardens, critters, and of course cats and dogs.

Find her online at:


-- Interview by Nicole Pyles

WOW: I am so glad to have you back with us at WOW! And I absolutely love your book of poetry. What inspired you to write this?

Barbara: I'm so happy you love my little book! I saw a challenge on Facebook to write 21 poems in 21 days and decided to give it a try. I thought it would be fun, And honestly, I am a bit burned out working on a new novel. The poems were completed in three weeks time. Every morning with my coffee I sat down to write a new poem. I'm hooked now and am continuing to write a quick poem daily. May not publish them but I find it relaxing.

WOW: What an amazing, relaxing routine that resulted in a charming poetry collection. What was your compilation process? How did you decide where each should go? 

Barbara: This is a poetic memoir on all the dogs I've adopted since losing my husband in 2008. I started with the first dog we had as a couple because Foxy helped with all the new dogs that came to live with me as a widow. The poems (and dogs) are in chronological order which was hard to remember who came first with five or six rescue dogs always with me. My goal was to capture each dog's unique personality and also include a few poems on how they have made my life so lovely. The very last poem is a PS because I adopted Lucy from Animal Control. I wasn't planning on another dog, but she was on Facebook and so sad. 
 
WOW: I love how you followed a poetic timeline. I feel like you are a fantastic example of a writer who knows how to connect with her local community and use that to promote her work. Can you share any tips on how a writer can engage with their community better?

Barbara: I have found that promoting other writers and artists opens up new venues and friendships. In the early days of writing I had several blogs and did book reviews that I shared on social media. In 2010-2011, I had a small antique shop that turned out to be a meeting place for writers who taught classes and did book launches from the tiny hub. And most recently since 2018, I am the Literary Arts Chair on the Board of a charming art center where I schedule writing classes, book signings like I used to do in my shop, and our writing group Walton Writers. In everything I've done I'm meeting new people who are readers or writers or artists. We all help each other. And my two favorite things to do with a new book, a blog tour with WOW! and a fundraiser book signing at the art center where 100% of book sales that day a donation to my favorite place. 
 
WOW: Fantastic combination! I love the cover of this book! Can you tell me about the designer and her process in creating it at all?

Barbara: I designed the cover image based on a photograph I saw of a woman in bed with her dog. I'm the chunky gal with each of my six dogs sleeping with me. It's a very naive drawing which is what I wanted for the cover. While my paintings are whimsical, they are not this simplistic. My sister put the final touches on it with color and a few tweaks. Of course she did the rest of the work, designing and uploading to KDP. My sister's book covers are always awesome so I was happy she approved of this one!

WOW: Your cover captures the beauty of your poetry and the delight the reader will have while reading it! You always write such uplifting books that put a smile to your reader's face. And I feel like the world needs more of those books. Why do you think those are the types of books you are pulled to write?

Barbara: Thanks for a wonderful compliment, Nicole. I love a bit of drama but I love a happy ending better. Starting with my first book The Unfaithful Widow, the memoir on losing my husband and finding a creative life, I wanted to share hope with my words. And finding my creative path and adopting dogs played  a huge part in healing. Since then I've written about things I love; dogs, antiques, gardens, art, old houses. And most of my characters have had loss but find their happy ending. Life is hard and I want to be a soft edge on that. Sometimes I think I live in my own little world wearing rose colored glasses. But with a lap full of dogs that's easy to do.
 
WOW: I'll bet! Where do you write? Can you tell us about it, including sharing any pictures?

Barbara: I write at my desk in my den. It's an old farm table in the corner of the room next to French doors so I can look out at nature. It's really a bit of a mess because I also paint here. The table has my laptop, jars of brushes and an old monitor that I painted for an art show with a frog, rabbit, mouse, and the words Wake Up and Create. My mantra in the morning. I have to work in this spot because the dogs are all sleeping in little beds around me. If I went into another room the howling would be horrible. 



WOW: What a beautiful space! I love it. It's so inspiring. Thank you so much for your time today. I loved talking with you again. Enjoy your tour!

-- Blog Tour Calendar

February 10th @ The Muffin
Join us at The Muffin as we celebrate the launch of Barbara Barth's poetry memoir Sleeping With Dogs. Read an interview with the author and enter to win a copy for yourself.

February 11th @ Lori B. Duff Writes
Visit Lori's blog for her review of Barbara Barth's poetic memoir Sleeping With Dogs.

February 12th @ Frugal Freelancer
Visit Sara's blog for a review of Barbara Barth's poetic memoir Sleeping With Dogs.

February 13th @ One Writer's Journey
Visit Sue's blog for a guest post by Barbara Barth about finding creative time.

February 13th @ Love a Librarian
Stop by Zarah's blog for an excerpt from Sleeping With Dogs. Zarah will also be sharing her own dog rescue story!

February 14th @ Words by Webb
Visit Jodi's blog for her dog rescue story and a spotlight of Barbara Barth's poetic memoir Sleeping With Dogs.

February 15th @ A Storybook World
Visit Deirdre's blog for her spotlight of Barbara Barth's poetic memoir Sleeping With Dogs.

February 15th @ Book Bunnies
Stop by the Book Bunnies blog for a fun review of Barbara Barth's poetic memoir Sleeping With Dogs.

February 16th @ Chit Chat With Charity
Visit Charity's blog for a review of Barbara Barth's poetic memoir Sleeping With Dogs. Charity will also be sharing her own dog rescue story!

February 18th @ Chatty Patty's Place
Visit Patty's blog for her review of Barbara Barth's poetic memoir Sleeping With Dogs.

February 20th @ Pages and Paws
Visit Kristine's blog for her review of Sleeping With Dogs by Barbara Barth.

February 20th @ One Writer's Journey
Sue will be sharing her review of Sleeping With Dogs by Barbara Barth.

February 22nd @ Wonderful World of Words
Visit Joy's blog to read an excerpt from Barbara's poetic memoir Sleeping With Dogs.

February 24th @ The Bohemian Princess Journal
Join Rebecca for her review of Sleeping With Dogs by Barbara Barth.

February 25th @ Frugal Freelancer
Visit Sara's blog for her story of how she rescued her dog. You can also win a copy of Sleeping With Dogs by Barbara Barth.

February 25th @ Lori B. Duff Writes
Visit Lori's blog again for her story of how she rescued her dog. 

February 26th @ Create Write Now
Visit Mari's blog for a guest post from Barbara Barth about book covers.

February 27th @ Word Magic
Visit Fiona's blog for her spotlight of Sleeping With Dogs.

February 27th @ Tracey Lampley's blog
Tracey shares an excerpt from Barbara Barth's Sleeping With Dogs.

February 28th @ Chatty Patty's Place
Visit Patty's blog for Barbara Barth's guest post on her art.

March 1st @  One Writer's Journey
Visit Sue's blog again for her interview with Barbara Barth about her memoir.

March 2nd @ Just Katherine
Visit Katherine's blog to read a guest post from Barbara Barth about rescuing dogs.

March 3rd @ The Bohemian Princess Journal
Visit Rebecca for her story of how she rescued her dog. 

March 4th @ Just Katherine
Stop by Katherine's blog again for an excerpt of Barbara Barth's poetic memoir Sleeping With Dogs.

March 5th @ Choices
Visit Madeline's blog for a guest post by Barbara Barth about writing poetry for the first time.

March 6th @ World of My Imagination
Visit Nicole's blog for her review of Barbara Barth's poetic memoir, Sleeping With Dogs.

March 7th @ Kaecey McCormick's blog
Join Kaecey for her post featuring an excerpt of Barbara Barth's poetic memoir Sleeping With Dogs.

March 8th @ Free to be Me
Join Leslie for her review of Barbara Barth's poetic memoir Sleeping With Dogs.

March 9th @ Caitrin C. King's blog
Visit Caitrin's blog her review of Barbara Barth's poetic memoir Sleeping With Dogs.
 
Sleeping With Dogs by Barbara Barth Blog Tour
 
***** BOOK GIVEAWAY *****
 
Enter to win a print copy of Sleeping With Dogs: A Poetic Memoir by Barbara Barth! Fill out the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win. The giveaway ends February 23rd at 11:59 pm CT. We will choose a winner the next day and announce in the widget as well as follow up via email. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sunday, February 09, 2025

Interview with Ari Honarvar, First Place Winner in the WOW! Q1 2025 Creative Nonfiction Essay Contest

Ari Honarvar is the founder of Rumi with a View, dedicated to building bridges between the arts, social justice, and well-being. She is a keynote speaker who dances with refugees and facilitates Resilience through Joy workshops on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border. Her work has been featured in The Guardian, Teen Vogue, NPR, and other prominent outlets. Ari is the author of the critically acclaimed novel A Girl Called Rumi inspired by her war-torn childhood, and the bestselling oracle deck Rumi’s Gift, which pairs her translations of Rumi’s poetry with meditative practices.

--interview by Marcia Peterson

WOW: Congratulations on winning first place in our Q1 2025 Creative Nonfiction essay competition! What inspired you to write your essay, “My Poet Mother, the War, and a Used Car?”

Ari: I work with refugees and immigrants, and we often reflect on what’s lost (or occasionally gained) in translation. Coming from Iran, a nation of poets, I initially struggled to adjust to life in the U.S., where poetry isn’t woven into everyday life. As I mention in the piece, over time, it became like a vestigial organ.

Then came the era of speech-to-text voicemail apps. When my family left messages in Persian, the transcriptions were unintentionally hilarious gibberish and I began to see them as a sort of accidental poetry. It inspired me to explore how my relationship with poetry has evolved alongside my relationship with my poet mother.

WOW: How did your essay develop, both in your initial thinking about it and in the revision process?

Ari: I knew I wanted to begin the piece with the nonsensical voicemail poetry. Deciding where to go next and which story to highlight was a bit tricky since there were so many to choose from! I ended up moving back and forth between Iran and the U.S., focusing on the car sale incident. To meet the word count, I had to shorten the original piece, which meant making tough choices about what to keep and what to cut. Come to think of it, I actually enjoy that part of the process.

WOW: What are you reading right now, and why did you choose to read it?

Ari: I'm fortunate to be part of an ever-expanding circle of women and LGBTQ+ authors, which allows me to explore fascinating genres and styles. At the moment, I'm starting A Cuban Girl's Guide to Tea by Laura Taylor Namey.

I'm also finishing Doppelganger by Naomi Klein. I've been following Klein's work for a while and admire how she uses the metaphor of the mirror world (a theme prominent in Persian literature) to illustrate the interconnectedness of the current political landscape, conspiracy theories, climate collapse, and our shared responsibility in it all. I recently finished Hospicing Modernity by Vanessa Machado de Oliveira, and I like how both books offer unique perspectives on similar themes.

WOW:  Can you tell us what projects are you currently working on (writing and otherwise)? What can we plan on seeing from you in the future? 

Ari: My work centers around joy as reparative rehumanization. As a Musical Ambassador of Peace, I hold healing dance and art sessions with thousands of refugees from all over the world, deliver speeches, and facilitate Resilience through Joy workshops and retreats. This spring, I’ll be training future Musical Ambassadors to build community through the healing power of movement and music sessions. I'm also working on an audiobook of Rumi's poems and guided meditations set to music.
In terms of writing, I have a few investigative pieces on joy, the power of the arts, neuroaesthetics, and health equity set for publication. My poems will appear in upcoming anthologies, and I’m co-authoring a YA novel with my husband.

WOW:  Such wonderful and important work you do! The Rumi audio book is also something I'd be interested in. Thanks so much for chatting with us today, Ari. Before you go, can you share a favorite writing tip or piece of advice?

Ari: Tune in to your own temperament and natural rhythms: Find a writing schedule that suits you, cultivate the right conditions for creativity, and strike a balance between productivity and pleasure.


***

Friday, February 07, 2025

Friday Speak Out!: Finding Your Writing Rhythm: How I Turned My Morning Chaos into Creative Gold

by Leslie Williams

As a mother of two young children and a freelance writer, my mornings used to feel like a tornado of lunch boxes, missing socks, and half-finished manuscripts. I'd watch the clock tick away, promising myself I'd write "later" – a mythical time that rarely materialized. Sound familiar? But what if I told you that the very chaos I was fighting could become my greatest writing asset?

Here's how I transformed my morning mayhem into a sustainable writing practice, and how you can too:

1. Embrace the Imperfect Time Block

I discovered that waiting for the "perfect" writing time was my biggest mistake. Instead of craving uninterrupted hours, I learned to work with what I call "pocket moments" – those 15-20 minute gaps between making breakfast and school drop-off, or while waiting at soccer practice. These fragments add up surprisingly fast.

Practical Tip: Keep a small notebook or use your phone's note-taking app to capture ideas during these pocket moments. Some of my best story concepts have come while waiting for the pasta water to boil.

2. Turn Distractions into Material

Remember that time your toddler flushed your car keys down the toilet? Or when your teenager's drama rivaled your novel's subplot? These aren't interruptions – they're material. I started keeping a "chaos journal" where I document these daily disruptions. These real-life moments have become gold mines for authentic character development and dialogue.

3. Create a Mobile Writing Station

Since I couldn't guarantee where or when I'd find time to write, I created a portable writing kit. It includes:

  • A tablet with a bluetooth keyboard
  • Noise-canceling earbuds
  • A small notebook and pen 
  • Writing prompts on index cards

This kit goes everywhere with me, turning school pickup lines and dentist waiting rooms into pop-up writing offices.

4. The Power of the "Terrible Ten"

Here's my most effective strategy: I commit to writing ten terrible sentences every day. Just ten. They can be awful, ungrammatical, or completely unusable. This removes the pressure of perfection and often leads to writing much more than planned. Some of my published pieces started as "terrible ten" exercises.

5. Build Your Support System

I joined an online writing group specifically for parents who write. We meet virtually twice a month, share resources, and most importantly, understand when someone has to step away because of a juice box emergency. Having this community has been invaluable for both accountability and encouragement.

The Result?

By implementing these strategies, I've published three short stories and completed my first novel draft – all within the beautiful chaos of family life. My productivity actually increased when I stopped fighting against my circumstances and learned to work with them instead.

Remember: Your writing journey doesn't have to look like anyone else's. The key is finding rhythms that work within your reality, not despite it. Those stolen moments between life's demands? They're not just good enough – they might be exactly what your creative process needs.

Start today: Pick one strategy from above and try it for a week. You might be surprised to find that your best writing doesn't come from perfect silence, but from the beautiful mess of real life.

* * *

Leslie Williams is a freelance writer, chaotic-morning connoisseur, and mother of two who’s mastered the art of drafting novels between school runs and snack time.

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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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Thursday, February 06, 2025

My Full-Circle Moment

 

This past week I experienced a full circle moment. From 1996 to 1998, I worked at my campus newspaper, The Blue Banner, at the University of North Carolina at Asheville, starting out as a staff writer, and then later moving up to a features editor and then the news editor. Most of the time I was covering current events on campus, writing about pop culture, and assigning stories to other staff writers. I was not writing about true crime. Sure, it was something I had always been interested in reading, but there wasn’t really a crime beat on our newspaper. In fact, I didn’t even know about an unsolved murder on our campus from 1973 until just a few years ago. 

I’m not even sure how I found out about the case, where a 19-year-old young woman was sexually assaulted and murdered on a Sunday afternoon while studying alone in the botanical gardens adjacent to the campus. I just know that I read an article that the student newspaper published in 2021 and was shocked.

My next step was to learn as much as I could about the case, and unfortunately, there wasn’t a lot of information out there. I was surprised when a blog post I wrote garnered some attention, especially from a retired law enforcement officer who lived in the area when Virginia "Ginger" Olson was murdered. We exchanged phone calls and he shared memories of the event, which stayed with him throughout the years because he was in elementary school when it happened. He even knew who the two people were that discovered Ginger after the murder, two teenage boys who lived nearby. 

I knew I wanted to pursue the project further, but didn’t know where to begin. I dug into the newspaper articles and put together a timeline of all published reports. I could tell police had zeroed in on one suspect, but never released his name. I followed rumors in the town of Asheville about different suspects, and as it turned out, that was quite a rabbit hole. I requested a meeting with a cold case detective in charge of the case, but didn’t learn a lot of new information, other than that the primary suspect, who he still didn’t name, was deceased, and it had been for many years. I released a podcast episode based on what I knew, hoping to stir some new interest in the case.

Then I got a message from another UNC-Asheville alumni, now a college professor in West Virginia, who was also interested in the cold case. We exchanged information and he had uncovered a lot more than me. He and his co-author and brother put together a book proposal and pitched it to a small press. It was immediately accepted, and they only had a few months to write and edit the book for publication. It was a whirlwind. A few weeks ago I interviewed Brian and Cameron Santana on my podcast. 



The case is finally receiving more media attention, and they have named the primary suspect in the murder. I was flattered that they thanked me in the acknowledgements of the book! 

And on Friday, in my full-circle moment, a reporter with The Blue Banner interviewed me about my interest and work on the case. I never imagined as a young, inexperienced news reporter in 1998 that I would one day be writing and researching true crime and being quoted in the newspaper that gave me my start. Never put limits on what you can accomplish. And if you get the chance, check out A Murder on Campus: The Professor, The Cop, and North Carolina’s Most Notorious Cold Case.

Renee Roberson is an award-winning writer and the host/creator of the Missing in the Carolinas podcast. She is currently seeking representation for her novel about, what else, a podcaster trying to solve a disappearance!

Tuesday, February 04, 2025

Interview with Jane Cleere Johnson: Summer 2024 Flash Fiction Contest Runner Up

Jane’s Bio:
Jane Cleere Johnson has been a member of SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) for over 30 years and has been published in children’s magazines like The Friend and knowonder! Jane’s first Indie tween fantasy The Legends of Caraigdun: Quest to Slay the Dragon was released to global distribution through IngramSpark in September. Jane is currently working on developing her picture book manuscripts and is working on a middle grade novel. Every now and then Jane feels the muse singing to her, “write for adults.” She knows she can appease the Goddess by writing flash fiction. Way back in the beginnings of WOW!—in 2007, Jane was honored and ecstatic to be awarded 1st place for her story "Funding a Memory." She has submitted to WOW! on and off since then, has recently been awarded honorable mention for her story "The Haunting" and has been grateful for the opportunity to have her stories critiqued by the insightful women of WOW! When Jane is not writing she enjoys spending time with her family, reading (especially picture books to her nine grandkids), and going for walks on crisp autumn days. You can read more about Jane and purchase her debut novel on her website Mushroom Manor Books

If you haven't done so already, check out Jane's award winning story "Never Too Late" and then return here for a chat with the author. 

WOW: Congratulations on placing in the Summer 2024 Flash Fiction Contest! What excited you most about writing this story? 

Jane: This story came from an idea I had many years ago and I was excited to submit to WOW, get an excellent critique last year, make some revisions, and place with this story. It was a fun task, to fit this tale of love into a flash fiction format. 

WOW: Excellent! We’re so glad you found the critique beneficial and that you resubmitted! What did you learn about yourself or your writing while crafting this piece? 

Jane: This story came from deep within my heart, a tender heart that loves people and still believes in soul mates. David and Margaret and the beginnings of their story sat in a file for many years. Their story needed to be told! What I learned is to look through all my files because there are a lot of good ideas and first drafts in there. 

WOW: From your bio, it sounds like much of your writing has been for children. Why do you think you’ve been called to write for adults through flash fiction recently? What differences and similarities do you see between writing for children and adults? 

Jane: I have written many short stories aimed at children's magazines over the years, but every once in a while, an idea pops in my head that is about adults. Flash fiction is perfect for me, especially as I've gotten older and feel that there's no way I could remember enough to write a novel! I write for children because I know children. There is rarely a day that has gone by in my life that I wasn't with children. Even in college I volunteered with children and youth. So, I write what I know and for those I know. Writing for adults doesn't come as naturally for me. 

WOW: What are you reading right now, and why did you choose to read it? 

Jane: This question makes me smile. I always seem to have at least three books that I'm reading at once. I am reading Atomic Habits. I'm 61 and even though they say you can't teach a dog new tricks, I'm retired and want to focus on getting in shape, eating more healthily, and writing. I'm learning some great concepts! I'm also reading Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott which was recommended to me by my oldest daughter and a great read for writers! And, I'm re-reading The Hobbit, because I can and it's so much fun! 

WOW: What a great array of classics from different genres! If you could give your younger self one piece of writing advice, what would it be and why? 

Jane: Write. Revise. Submit. Repeat. My writing literally got buried many times over the years. I kept little yellow notepads and wrote down so many ideas, beginnings, and I typed up so many first drafts, first chapters, even got up to 5th and 10th chapters on some YA, and Middle Grade attempts, but life would get in the way. I'd get distracted. There was work, rearing six children, and lots of volunteering and now my brain doesn't work the way it did even five years ago. So, I would tell myself and everyone out there. Write. Write while you're young. Write while you can. 

WOW: Great advice, and I love the idea of mining your old drafts for gems to work with. Anything else you’d like to add? 

Jane: WOW is always in my mind as a place to submit. I really value the critiques I've gotten. Your words of encouragement are a boon to my soul. Thank you. So much. 

WOW: You are very welcome! Thank you for sharing your story and your inspiring responses with us. Happy writing! 


Interviewed by Anne Greenawalt, founder and editor-in-chief of Sport Stories Press, which publishes sports books by, for, and about sportswomen and amateur athletes and offers developmental editing and ghostwriting services to partially fund the press. Connect on Twitter @greenmachine459.

Friday, January 31, 2025

Friday Speak Out!: Express Yourself

By: Jenn Todling

When you were a child, what creative outlets lit you up? Were you a painter, singer, pillow fort architect, or LEGO master? And more importantly, how many of those creative outlets have followed you into adulthood? Anyone?

For me, writing and dance have always been the purest expressions of my heart and soul. Yet, I spent the entirety of my 20s pushing them aside. I was climbing the corporate ladder, collecting accolades, but something was missing. I didn’t feel fully alive.

Why? In my pursuit of professionalism, I lost sight of the value and importance of creativity. I forgot how vital it is to bring our full selves—not just our to-do lists—into the workplace. A turning point came during the pandemic. I reconnected with my favorite hip-hop teacher in NYC (thank you, virtual classes!)—right in the middle of busy season. To my surprise, this creative outlet didn’t just keep me balanced; it sharpened my mind and made me better at my job.

We often think of creative passions or exercise as “extras”—nice to have if we have the time, which we usually don’t. But what if we reframed them as essential components of balanced leadership? Our brains operate on two key networks: the task-positive network (TPN), perfect for getting things done, and the default mode network (DMN), which is where innovation and insight live.

As a former accountant, I was a master of the TPN. I could tackle to-do lists, solve audit challenges, and outwork anyone around me. But allowing myself time to “chill”—to paint, sing, dance, or simply daydream? That was harder for me to wrap my head around. Yet, the more I learned about neuroscience and leadership, the more I realized that without tapping into both networks, I was only using half of my superpower.

Now, I start each morning with a reflective walk in nature, letting my mind wander and giving space for my DMN to wake up. Every day, I come home with a new creative insight to kickstart my day. I’ve also joined a weekly choir to train my brain in new ways, and I’ve returned to teaching ballroom dance. Moving my body and expressing myself has brought more of me to my work and leadership—not less.

What about you? How will you express yourself this week? For the world needs who you were made to be.

***

Jenn Todling is an author, speaker, executive coach, as well as an adjunct instructor at the University of Denver as part of its Frontline Manager Leadership Program. Formerly an audit partner at a global Big 4 accounting firm with over twenty years of professional services experience and an ICF-certified transformational leadership coach for over ten years, Jenn helps her clients express their soul in their work and life. A lover of adventure, travel, and dance, she currently resides near her hometown of Boulder, Colorado, with her husband (and dance partner), and young daughter. Her debut memoir Dancing on My Own Two Feet will be available April 2025. Learn more at jenntodling.com

Social media links: Substack  LinkedIn  Instagram  Facebook

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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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Thursday, January 30, 2025

A Rose by Any Other Name: Why You Need to Call Your Book What It Is


I love it when a discussion comes together in the comments on a post. Recently Renee Roberson and I were discussing Erik Larsen’s The Devil in the White City. You can see the conversation on Jodi Webb's post "Why Good Writers Read Bad Books." Renee disliked it, but I love it. 

Obviously, different people love different types of books, but she diagnosed an important problem. The book had been misidentified when it was recommended to her book club. They were told it is historic fiction and true crime. While it deals with true crime and a serial killer, it is a nonfiction history about the Chicago World’s Fair and a serial killer that operated against that backdrop. 

What’s the big deal? So, it’s nonfiction and not fiction. Surely a book lover could get over that. 

The problem is focus and pacing. True crime is tense and fast paced. Danger and deceit keep the reader turning the pages. History? The pace is going to be much slower because you must pull in so much material. This is all about the Gilded Age and is as layered and complex as a Gilded Age drawing room. There’s landscape architecture, architecture, and city politics. What? Oh, right. A murderer. He’s in there too, but he is only a part of a very complicated whole. People who read history are okay with that. People who read true crime may be, but it is going to help if they know what they are getting into. 

Call your book the wrong thing, and you are going to lose potential readers. Call your manuscript the wrong thing and you are going to lose potential sales. 

So how do you make sure you’ve got it right? A big part of it is knowing the market. If you read in a certain area, then you are going to have a better idea what to call a manuscript. I read a lot of mysteries. I can explain the difference between a cozy, a police procedural, and noir. Although I enjoy fantasy, my recent reading is more science fiction. Because of this, I have only a vague idea of what a romantasy is versus a cozy fantasy. I’m much more familiar with older terms like high fantasy, steampunk, and Arthurian. 

Reading your competition but still not sure what to call your own writing? Read articles about writing mystery or fantasy, essays or whatever it is that you write. Don’t forget to look up “types of fantasy” or “mystery subgenres.” And don’t read just one list but several since they are sure to have different sub-genre listed. For example, I just did a quick search and only one of three articles I skimmed included Wuxia fantasy. 

A third way to find the right term is to read reviews. Do you have a mentor text? Google it and read reviews. Be sure to look for professional journal reviews. Skim them for phrases like “a perfect example of real crime” or “the best cozy we’ve read this season.” 

Still not sure? Ask a book seller or librarian. They need to know how to find things, and they often make book recommendations. If they can tell you what genre or subgenre your mentor text falls into, this can help you categorize your own work. Categorize it correctly and you are that much closer to helping your readers find your work. 

--SueBE

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Sue Bradford Edwards' is the author of over 60 books for young readers.  

She is also the instructor for 3 WOW classes which begin on the first Monday of every month. She teaches:

Tuesday, January 28, 2025

Interview with Zarah Elouis-Ro , Runner Up in the WOW! Summer 2024 Flash Fiction Contest

Zarah is a single parent living in Liverpool, United Kingdom, with her son, Kellen. Zarah holds a marketing degree from the University of Liverpool and previously worked as a paralegal in contract law. Zarah is independently learning creative writing after reassessing her life during the pandemic. In 2021, Zarah was shortlisted in the Penguin Michael Joseph Christmas Romance competition, following which she organised with other shortlistees to write and publish two Christmas Romance anthologies, with a third planned for 2025. However, Zarah writes broadly across the Fiction genre with a preference for dystopian and speculative fiction. This year, Zarah was a candidate awarded the Writers on the Rise program with the Black British Book Festival and Pan Macmillan, and she was also shortlisted in the Jericho Writers Self-Edit Your Novel course and was awarded a premium membership to enable further study of creative writing. Zarah hosts a weekly online writing group for underrepresented writers, and this year has focused on entering short, micro, and flash competitions to hone the art of saying more with less, alongside development of novel projects. Zarah crochets for procrastination, enjoys DIY (but is fairly poor at it), and is learning pole fitness. 


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


WOW: Congratulations, Zarah, and welcome!  “Cereal, Love” employs a clever use of wording that results in a chilling end. How did you get the idea for this story? 


Zarah: I had been watching something about a serial killer a while back, and there had been a throwaway comment about how the family hadn't suspected anything. It conjured up a whole scene in my head (I usually visualise my stories as films/tv shows before writing) of a child processing that moment their life changed forever. Initially, I saw this as a novel - a child reckoning with their father's crimes and how the family of the serial killer are just as much victims but without any of the sympathy. I had thought about how they would exist in a world post exposure and how they would navigate losing someone they never really knew. I wanted to write it through a child's eyes because trauma presents so differently as you age, especially when it has occurred in childhood. That perspective really fascinated me, and the cereal/serial conversation came to me quite quickly thinking about how a child would muddle up the words, and what clues might stick out on later reflection that may have seen innocuous - if strange - at the time. Initially, this was going to be the first chapter of said novel, but as I have a million ideas every year, it got filed away for "expanding at a later date". This year, I have really enjoyed honing my skill with micro, flash, and short story comps and I realised that this would make a perfect flash with a bit of a tweaking. 


WOW: You have had success writing Christmas Romance, as stated in your bio. What are some of the most prominent hallmarks of this genre and what has drawn you into writing it? 


Zarah: I don't like to be pigeon holed, and especially when it comes to creating. I am a firm believer that even if you have a preferred genre(s) - mine are dystopian, speculative fiction and fantasy - you should always practice writing across genres. It's so fun to go places where you normally wouldn't when creating, and you never know what else it will inspire. My first dabble in Christmas Romance was in the 2021 PMJ Christmas Love Story competition. I saw the competition the day before it closed and I had just binged "It's A Sin" and the idea of an elderly gay married couple reliving their love story came to me in a flash. It was such a joy to be shortlisted because I had just left a role in contract law after hitting burnout in the pandemic and everything was up in the air. These little wins as writers can really give you a boost when needed to show that you are on the right path and that you do have talent. Writing is such a solitary process and I love creating community wherever I can. I set up a group for all the shortlisted participants (we called ourselves the penguins) to wait together in the months it took for the winner to be announced. The winner - Talia Samuels - was in our group and let us know as she got the win. From there, a few of us decided to keep the momentum going and in a few shorts months had written, edited and self-published under the name The Christmas Collective "More than Mistletoe", which was a collection of short stories with a Christmas Romance theme. The following year we did the same with "The Mistletoe Mixtape" and we have started work on our third in the series to be released Autumn 2025. Some of our authors have been traditionally published since and it's been really heart warming to see their progress. Writing is such a competitive field but among authors there is also a huge comradery and level of support that can help you along the way. Even though Christmas Romance isn't my niche, I love all things Christmas and I am a romantic, so it isn't difficult for me to indulge that when writing and I am so grateful top have a set space to do that with my anthology pals. 


WOW: As a busy mom, how do you organize your days to prioritize your writing projects? 


Zarah: This year has been unique in that I have set up several online writing groups to aid in keeping myself and others accountable in our writing. As a recently diagnosed ADHD-er and single parent to a disabled child, organising my creativity alongside all the non-dopamine inducing tasks I have to do has been super difficult. I really thrive on having external deadlines, so this year I have been entering competitions left, right and centre to keep my writing consistent. They say it takes 6 weeks to form a habit but when you are neurodivergent it is a constant effort. I do not rely on motivation to do anything because motivation (that wily minx) shows up at the most awkward times - when I am driving or when I am supposed to go to sleep. I also grapple with imposter syndrome, writer's block and rejection sensitivity - the perfect cocktail for procrastination. So this year, setting up writing groups and working with feedback partners has been invaluable. Not only has it progressed all of the separate projects I am working on, it has also given me and many others a sense of community. I host the sessions which means I stick to them because I don't want to let anyone down, but it allows others to dip in and out whenever they can without any pressure and always knowing there is a space for them to write. Sometimes, these sessions (4x a week) are the only time I will sit down and write, but because of that dedicated time, I am more productive. Finding your routine as a writer is probably one of the most difficult hurdles you will overcome, but when you do, it is so satisfying. 


WOW: What sorts of topics do you discuss in your weekly online writing group and how has it been beneficial to you personally? 


Zarah: We always start with a five minute random word exercise which one of the members suggested in our first meeting. A different person each week will choose five random words and we have 5 minutes to write whatever comes to mind. We share these in our whatsapp chat after and it's always so fun to see the different perspectives when writing even when the same words have been used. From there, we have 45 minutes to focus on our solo projects and that we have a period of time to discuss what we have been working on. In this time we offer resources to each other that we think people may find helpful, talk out sticking points in people's projects, discuss writing devises and suggest books we are reading, articles, podcasts or anything else that can help us along on our journey. For me, these groups have been invaluable - I am not able to attend night classes anywhere and because of my daily obligations it can be hard finding a community to engage in. So, ever the proactive person, I decided to create them myself! Next year, I would like to add a group specifically for carers and disabled adults who find it difficult to attend classes because of their responsibilities - we all deserve community and carving out time for yourself, even if you don't leave the house - can be a huge lifeline to many. I really want to break down the barriers for people and these free, low-commitment spaces are vital for people who are not able to keep regular schedules through no fault of their own. 


WOW: Is there any advice you would give to other writers on where to find the best places to submit their work? 


Zarah: The Penguin site has a very comprehensive list of authentic competitions which you can scroll through and decide which ones to enter. I tend to do a lot of Googling and look for the competitions that have been verified through external means like Reedsy. Recently, I have entered the Globe Soup community and they have a wonderful online community and do regular competitions where you can meet other authors online and exchange feedback.

Monday, January 27, 2025

No Life But Immortality by Liudmila Brus - Review Event & Giveaway!

No Life But Immortality by Liudmila Brus

Today, I'm excited to announce a special reader review event with Liudmila Brus. Our readers will share their thoughts about her amazing science fiction story, No Life But Immortality. You'll also have a chance to win a copy of this fantastic book!

But first, here's more about Liudmila's book:

Set at the end of the 22nd century, this dystopian epic takes readers into a hauntingly plausible future where humanity must navigate the consequences of its technological ambitions and societal failure.

In a world where digital consciousness reigns supreme, convicted serial killer Geryon Lindon orchestrates a sinister plan, manipulating technology and humanity alike to rewrite history, but when a team of Martian scouts infiltrates his lunar stronghold, the fate of Earth hangs in the balance as they race against time to thwart his designs and uncover the truth behind the global Blackout.

Liudmila Brus’s storytelling takes inspiration from classics like Neuromancer and The Martian, combined with the intricate politics and environmental topics. Readers can expect a narrative that blends psychological drama with interplanetary intrigue, perfect for fans of dystopian fiction, virtual reality, and richly layered worlds.

Publisher:  Independently published
ISBN-979-8343973259
ASIN: B0DLGLPQCJ
Print Length: 408 pages

Purchase a copy on Amazon, Booksamillion, and Bookshop.org. Be sure to add it to your GoodReads reading list as well.
 
No Life But Immortality by Liudmila Brus Reader Review Event

Here Is What WOW's Readers Thought

"Liudmila Brus's No Life But Immortality is a gripping story set in a world where you can choose to live forever—but it comes at a big cost: your humanity. The book mixes deep ideas with emotional, personal struggles, making it easy to connect with the characters. Brus's writing is clear and sharp, and the world she creates feels real and thought-provoking. Some parts slow down with lots of explanation, but the story's rich details and big questions stay with you long after you finish. If you like stories that make you think and feel, this is a great pick." - Ellen LaFleche Christian

"Liudmila Brus writes with an ambitious blend of clarity and density, constructing a future both alien and uncomfortably familiar. Her style is intricate and visual, layering speculative ideas with deeply atmospheric settings—Mars’ disciplined domes, Earth’s decay, and the sterile depths of an underwater lab.

"No Life but Immortality probes moral and philosophical questions: What does survival mean? How far will humanity go to transcend its limits? These are big questions, and Brus approaches them with precision. At the same time, as a reader, I sometimes found the narrative weighty. Exposition sometimes overshadowed the characters, slowing the momentum of what could have been a more dynamic narrative.

"Still, this is a novel that rewards patient readers who enjoy grappling with complex themes. It challenges the idea of straightforward storytelling, encouraging reflection rather than providing easy answers. For speculative fiction or sci-fi fans drawn to thought-provoking, layered worlds, it’s an intriguing read." - Kaecey McCormick

"No Life But Immortality is the first book in author Liudmila Brus’s science fiction series, Geryon’s Code Cycle, and it is a densely built tale of a future world with humans populating Mars, Earth, and the moon. When the Mars colonies lose contact with their home planet of Earth and an exploratory space mission to determine Earth’s status goes missing and presumed lost, the governing council must decide whether or not to follow up with a second attempt. Eventually, armed with additional resources, a new ship goes in search of the lost mission and its crew with unexpected and life-or-death results.

"This story, while having moments of action and suspense, is more of a world building and investigative sci-fi mystery. I enjoyed the individual storylines offered at the start on which the main plot was built. Each main character is engaging in their own way and someone you want to know more about. However, they appear in the story over a number of years, and the author surprised me with how they finally interconnected - most not in life or face-to-face.

"The narrative is dense with discussion and description and isn’t one to choose for light reading. At times, I had difficulty staying with the story because of execution issues: unusual wording or even wrong words used entirely. But the end result was worth the little extra effort.

"I recommend NO LIFE BUT IMMORTALITY to science fiction readers." - Karen Siddall

"I am a big fan of dystopian fiction novels and this one really captured my attention. Liudmila does such a great job of developing a vivid, futuristic world and strong characters. I love how she wove in all the advancements in our world, from AI to robots. It could be complicated at times, but that didn't bother me. I love this type of genre and the author did this so well." - Nicole Pyles

"Wow... this is a dystopian novel with tons of gumption, fast paced action and plenty of titbits to mull over visions of what Mars, Moon and Earth could really be like in the 22nd century - according to Liudmila, of course. Die hard sci-fi/ dystopian fans will not be disappointed. No Life But Immortality definitely has screen adaptation potential. I particularly liked the fast paced storyline in parts... especially when the Martian scouts explored Geryon’s lunar stronghold. I was also fascinated with Liudmila’s vision of the future of Antarctica on Earth in the 22nd century. She’s definitely given me food for thought at any rate, along with an excellent read." - Linda Hobden

About the Author, Liudmila Brus 

Author Liudmila Brus

Liudmila lives in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, with her small family and her adopted cat. She is currently a video game writer at Ghost Workshop, working on the game Marsbound.

Under the influence of her grandparents, Liudmila fell in love with reading at an early age and developed a passion for writing. She began collaborating with a city newspaper at the age of 15. At 16, she entered the Moscow State Institute of International Relations to study journalism. She also participated in a student exchange program with Sciences Po, one of the leading universities of France. 

Her sci-fi book cycle Geryon's Code consists of three novels: No Life but Immortality, The Orphaned Earth, and From The Abyss, To The Abyss (currently in progress). Follow her online here, on X @BigBadBittern, Instagram: @lyudmilabrus.

***** BOOK GIVEAWAY ****

Enter to win a print copy of No Life But Immortality by Liudmila Brus! Fill out the Rafflecopter form below for a chance to win. The giveaway ends February 9th 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

Saturday, January 25, 2025

Ask the Book Doctor: Why Did You Change My Writing?


By Bobbie Christmas

Q: Your track changes on my manuscript show that you want me to delete a lot of words from my manuscript. Why did you make that recommendation?

A: Please be assured I didn’t randomly select words to delete, and as you can see, many of the words are the same, meaning they were overused. I also rarely removed entire sentences. First let me address a few of the specific words I’d like to see deleted because they are repetitive, superfluous, and/or redundant. I’ll give examples. 

Original: He had objected to her demands when she made them, but she had insisted, and he had relented. 

Preferred: He had objected to her demands when she made them, but she insisted, and he relented. 

I recommended deleting the second and third use of “had” in the same paragraph (and in this case the same sentence) because one use of “had” sets the scene in past perfect tense. Repeating the word leads to loose writing, and creative writers should write tight.

Original: She stood up, walked over to the closet, and then grabbed a scarf.

Preferred: She stood, walked to the closet, and grabbed a scarf. 

I recommended deleting “up,” “over,” and “then” because all are unnecessary. Note how no meaning is lost yet the sentence is tighter.

The following is an example of a sentence I deleted.

Original: He thought she didn’t understand. He turned to her and said, “I don’t think you understand.” 

Preferred: He turned to her and said, “I don’t think you understand.” 

I recommended deleting the first sentence because it tells, rather than shows, and the second sentence, the dialogue, shows and repeats what the first sentence told. It’s always best to show, rather than tell and never wise to show and tell duplicate information.

Q: I see that in my manuscript you changed the order of pronouns and names in some places. Please explain why.

A: In polite language, especially in the narrative, we put our own pronoun last. For example, instead of this: “I and John went to the store,” the correct order is this: “John and I went to the store.” Completely incorrect (although I see it and hear it often) is this: “Me and John went to the store.” We wouldn’t say “Me went to the store,” so you can see why it’s incorrect to say, “Me and John went to the store.”

In other places in the manuscript I saw “me” used correctly, but in the wrong order. For example, this: “He gave orders to me and John.” In this case it should be this: “He gave orders to John and me.”

A writer may, however, intentionally use incorrect grammar in a specific character’s dialogue to indicate the character isn’t well educated or refined. I’d be careful not to have many of the characters speak that way, though, or readers may think it’s the writer who isn’t well educated.

Q: Why did you change some of the pronouns in my manuscript?

A: I substituted names or identifiers in place of pronouns for clarity, especially when more than one character of the same sex appears in the same paragraph. Each pronoun should clearly refer to the last stated noun. Especially when starting a new scene or chapter, names or identifications should precede the use of pronouns. I’ll create a paragraph to show how confusing pronouns can be. Let’s assume the paragraph is the start of a new scene. Here goes:

She combed her blond hair before she applied blush to her cheeks. Janice looked in the mirror to examine her makeup and saw her aide standing behind her. She held a leather portfolio brimming with papers. She turned around before she handed her the papers. She studied the papers before she said, “I’ll take care of this.”

With all those uses of “she,” how can the reader tell who did what? As an editor I would revise the paragraph this way:

Janice combed her blond hair before she applied blush to her cheeks. She looked in the mirror to examine her makeup and saw her aide standing behind her. The aide held a leather portfolio brimming with papers. Janice turned around before her aide handed her the papers. Janice studied the papers before she said, “I’ll take care of this.”

*

Bobbie Christmas is a book editor, author of Write In Style: Use Your Computer to Improve Your Writing, and owner of Zebra Communications. She will answer your questions too. Send them to Bobbie@zebraeditor.com or BZebra@aol.com. Read Bobbie’s Zebra Communications blog at https://www.zebraeditor.com/blog/.

Thursday, January 23, 2025

Why Good Writers Read Bad Books

 
I've spent the last two weeks thinking about a book I just finished. No, sadly not because it was so great I couldn't wait to tell you all about it. I disliked it so much. This book was a handoff from a friend who gave it to me with the words, 

"This isn't the type of thing I read but I thought you..."

She, in turn, was given it by a friend of hers. Are we endlessly pawning off the only sold copy of this title, hoping to find someone who likes it? Ever the optimist, I sloughed through 300+ pages, certain it would ultimately "get better." By the last page I was asking myself why I had finished it. (Of course, the question of why readers finish books we are clearly not enjoying is a subject for another post.)

Not daring to pass it off to one of my book loving friends, I put it on my growing stack for the local library used book sale. Due to a combination of snow, cold weather (-4° this morning) and a bout of flu, the book stayed at the top of that stack, forcing me to think about it.

Readers are always eager to tell you a hundred different things they love about a book: the twists, the quirky characters, the beautiful setting descriptions, the unusual format, the humor...we will go on and on if given the chance. Have you ever asked a reader their opinion and they didn't like the book? Too often we are brief and unspecific. If we're polite, "It just wasn't for me." If we're direct, "Ugh, no." Sometimes you only get a pained look or a shake of the head. OK, on to the next title.

As only a person on the verge of cabin fever can, I began to obsess about the book. What exactly didn't I like about it? I picked it up one night, leafed through it and made a list!

  1. Character Names - Why do two unrelated characters in a book have to have the same first name? This quirk alternately annoyed and confused me. Of all the names in the world, you couldn't give everyone their own name? There were also two sets of related characters with the same first name. Also frustrating but a little more forgivable.
  2. Long Chapters - At the beginning of each 50+ page chapter there was a brief paragraph outlining political events happening in the city during the time period. Perfectly fine if you read every chapter in one setting. Stopping in the middle meant losing track of what decade we were in and having to page back to find the chapter beginning for a brush up. There sometimes being years between chapters made it difficult to keep track of how old the characters were at any given time. I had to do math! Also the vagueness about the passage of time didn't help me experience the story. At times I would be asking myself, is this later in the month or is it years later? 
  3. Character Evolution - The young man who hid a violent streak under gentlemanly manners became an old man who hid a violent streak under the veneer of money. The timid man eventually became head of the family but remained timid. The young women unsure of her groom's love on their wedding day was still unsure on the day he died. The bitter, homesick young woman died a bitter, homesick old woman. There were no epiphanies, no improvements, no spirals....just a steady march to death as the exact same people they were on page one, just a little older and richer.
  4. Impetus - Several times while reading, I put this book down for days and didn't think about it once. Didn't wonder what would happen next, didn't want to finish "just one one chapter", didn't try to sneak in just a few pages. In the beginning, I thought this family that was slowly climbing the economic ladder would be pushed off and have to crawl their way back to the top but , no. Basically they made money, found and lost love, died, made money, found and lost love, died...for several generations. Where were the surprises?

I realize these are just personal dislikes. I'm sure there are plenty of people out there who love a generational sage about a slow and steady slog to the top while dealing with confusing time periods and names. But what did I do with this cranky list of mine? I opened up my WIP and read through with these complaints in mind, trying to ensure I wasn't subjecting any future readers to them.

Perhaps that is why we finish reading books we don't like. To pinpoint what we (and potentially our readers) won't like. What do we find annoying, uninspiring, confusing, boring, trite? What exactly makes us say "I don't like that book"? Then we can make a list and apply it to our own writing.

Have you ever been inspired to change your writing by a book you didn't like?


Jodi M. Webb writes from her home in the Pennsylvania mountains about everything from DIY projects to tea to butterflies. She's also a blog tour manager for WOW-Women on Writing and a writing tutor at her local university.  She recently c
hanged a character's name in her WIP because two woman who were close friends both had names that began with the letter M. No taking chances confusing people.Get to know her @jodiwebbwrites,  Facebook and blogging at Words by Webb. 




Tuesday, January 21, 2025

Interview with Carole Mertz: Summer '24 Flash Fiction Contest Runner Up

Carole Mertz, graduate of Oberlin College, is a poet, editor, and essayist, and author of the occasional flash fiction. Her poetry chapbook Toward a Peeping Sunrise published with Prolific Press in 2019. Color and Line (Kelsay Books, 2021) is her collection of ekphrastic and other poetry. Carole completed a two-year course at Long Ridge Writers Group, on Writing the Short Story, and a subsequent course on Writing the Novel. Her story “Wish I May, Wish I Might,” won a Silver at Toasted Cheese Lit Journal. She has judged in poetry for Kallisto Gaia Press, and the contests at Women’s National Book Association and Poets and Patrons in Illinois. Carole was Poetry Editor for Issue 8.1 of The Ocotillo Review and is Book Review Editor at Dreamers Creative Writing. She is published widely in anthologies and literary journals. Recent works are with Heavy Feather, Whale Road Review, Mom Egg, Oyster River Pages, and World Literature Today. In December, 2024, she will have published her hundredth book review since 2014. Carole has appreciated the essays, contests, courses, and newsletters from WOW! Women on Writing for the past decade. She resides with her husband in Parma, OH. Visit her website at www.carolemertz.com.

--interview by Marcia Peterson

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

Carole: WOW! Women on Writing has been an inspiration for me in various ways over the past 10—12 years. I’ve appreciated essays from your staff contributors. I enjoyed Margo Dill’s work in writing about and publishing children’s books, and later Nicole Pyles with whom I worked on several reviews and interviews for the Blog Tours she conducts. See at http://CaroleWrites.com

You published one or two short pieces I submitted to your Friday “The Muffin” spot. I was encouraged by those acceptances. I’d entered one of your contests more than 10 years ago. Annoyed that my story didn’t “place,” I had strong motivation to try again. I think the decade has taught me to respect failures as much as successes, realizing you can learn from both. In fact, energy may derive as much from failure as from success.

WOW: Can you tell us what encouraged the idea behind your story, “One Soldier’s Afflictions?” You captured Arthur’s thoughts and experiences in such an insightful and beautiful way.

Carole: 
Thank you for your kind words. While enrolled in a novel course, I began a story fifteen years ago about a war veteran who suffered PTSD. I suppose my concept of that veteran stayed with me over the years and became Arthur. Time somehow drew me closer to this imagined character. The figure of Arthur calls me to respect the sacrifices our soldiers make, sacrifices so often overlooked.

WOW: What do you enjoy about flash fiction writing versus the other kinds of writing that you do?

Carole: It's very unusual for me to attempt flash fiction, since I spend most of my writing time in poetry. But I gained satisfaction from being able to shape and write this piece within a very short timeframe. Doing flash also made me strive to make every word count and to eliminate unneeded words. This is something Carol Smallwood, a Michigan poet, repeatedly demonstrated to me through her writing.

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

Write what’s on your heart. Know your character(s). (In flash fiction, present only one or two characters.) If possible, use an arc with rising and falling action; then bring the story quickly to a close. In the case of “One Soldier’s Afflictions,” I’d lived with the character so long in my imagination that the story almost wrote itself.

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

Carole: My tip for writers: when you’ve established a connection with a worthy literary site, stay with it and use what the site offers to your advantage. I’ve lately benefited, for example, from the Markets Newsletters at WOW! They’ve steered me to make pitches to journals I might not otherwise have considered. I also read the Craft Corner articles. Course offerings, too, were a great benefit. Chelsey Clammer boosted my writing efforts within a mere four weeks as much as a year-long course I’d taken elsewhere. I feel happy to be associated with Quill and Parchment, a journal that highlights poetry and poetry reviews, along with engaging artwork. When I contribute to that site, and to The Ekphrastic Review, I feel I’m writing directly for the editors and their readership; it helps to be able to envision your “audience.”