Pralines and Creamed - Interview with Elizabeth Maria Naranjo (and Join our Reader Review Event)

Friday, November 22, 2024



Today, I'm thrilled to interview Elizabeth Maria Naranjo about her vibrant and beautifully haunting new book, Pralines and Creamed. This is a lovely new book in her Sweet Dreams Mystery Series and is book 2 of the series. This book is just as delightful as a standalone (although readers are already begging for a book 3). 

We're also inviting readers to participate in our Reader Review event. You can sign up by emailing: crystal@wow-womenonwriting.com and she will get you a copy of the book! You don't need to be a blogger to join in on this event; anyone who can leave a review on Goodreads and Amazon can participate and receive a copy of Pralines and Creamed. By leaving a review, you'll also be entered in a drawing to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card!

About the book:
 
ASIN: B0D97GM9CJ
ISBN: B0DHHB3HWT
Publication date: October 1, 2024
Print Length: 234 pages
Genre: Young Adult Cozy Mystery
 
Pralines and Creamed; A Sweet Dreams Mystery (Sweet Dreams Mysteries Book 2) is available in print and as an ebook at Amazon. Add it to your Goodreads list.

About the author, Elizabeth Maria Naranjo:

Elizabeth Maria Naranjo

Elizabeth Maria Naranjo is the author of The Fourth Wall, The House on Linden Way, and What Was Never There. Her stories and essays have been widely published and nominated for the Pushcart Prize, Best American Essays, and Best of the Net, and her short story, “Windows,” was selected for Best Microfiction 2023. She lives in Tempe, Arizona, with her husband and two children.

Visit her website at www.elizabethmarianaranjo.com.
Twitter/X: @emarianaranjo

----- Interview by Crystal J. Casavant-Otto

WOW: I'm absolutely giddy to have you back - seriously! Your first three books were standalones; what was different about writing your first sequel, Pralines and Creamed? 

Elizabeth: Great question! Honestly, writing a book is never easy, but you’d think writing books in a series would be easier. I’d already done the hard work of creating the settings and the characters from scratch when I wrote my debut YA cozy mystery, Murder by Milkshake. Now I figured I could just whip up a new murder plot and everything would fall into place around it. 

But what I found when writing Pralines and Creamed was that having an existing foundation made things harder. The issue for me was writing recaps, a skill I’d never had to hone and certainly failed to appreciate in series that I read. It’s much more difficult than it looks! 

For example, in the first few chapters of each Sweet Dreams book I need to describe my main character, Genevieve, her best friend, Brandon, the history of their friendship, the history of their families’ downtown shops, the description of those shops, and so on, as well as giving context to any plot point that’s referenced from the book before. That’s a lot of information! And while it’s fun to write the first time, it becomes cumbersome finding new ways of saying the same thing. Knowing that going into the third book did make it a little bit easier though. I was much better prepared for the challenge! 

WOW: I know I've asked this before and you've already given us some - but do you have anymore tips for writing cozy mysteries?  

Elizabeth: I researched for months before writing my first cozy; it was important to me to honor the cozy community and do justice to the specific genre norms. Two cozy mystery writers were instrumental in helping me learn to craft these cute and quirky books. The first is Elizabeth Spann Craig, who writes the Village Library Mystery series and runs a fantastic blog. From her series of posts on Writing the Cozy Mystery, I learned to write the back cover copy before the book and draft the murderer’s confession, even if it’s never used, to consolidate the clues and help me keep track of them.

Another great tip I learned from Craig is to have each suspect tell one lie and one truth when being interviewed by the amateur sleuth. This is brilliant, because it makes each innocent suspect as suspicious as the guilty one since they’re all hiding something, even if the secret is innocuous. 

The other cozy mystery writer to which I owe a debt of gratitude is Nancy J. Cohen. Cohen writes the Bad Hair Day Mystery series, which you should definitely check out, but she also wrote this how-to book on writing cozies, which includes chapters on world building, heightening suspense, and dealing with that muddy middle. The book is short, succinct, and essential reading for any wannabe cozy mystery writers out there! 

WOW: Speaking of genre norms, one of the cozy mystery rules you’ve mentioned before is needing a theme that centers around the protagonist’s job or hobby. For the Sweet Dreams series, what made you choose ice cream? 

Elizabeth: This is a fun detail! When I first started scribbling down ideas for a YA cozy mystery series, I knew my teenage heroine would be spirited, cheerful, and energetic. I’m naturally drawn to cozy mysteries that take place in bookstores and cafes, but this didn’t fit my main character’s personality. I thought about a 50s diner, or maybe a quirky antique store. But then my daughter, who was 16 at the time, landed her first job, at Baskin Robbins. She always came home smelling like ice cream and waffle cones, and she just looked adorable in her pink uniform hat. So I decided my MC would work in an ice cream shop, and I named it Sweet Dreams. 

WOW: For your last interview we covered your favorite Sweet Dreams character. And now for the more important question… What's your favorite Sweet Dreams dessert? 

Elizabeth: Oh, that’s a tough one. Let’s see… one of Genevieve’s first original creations is the Buttercream Dream layered sundae, and that would probably be my first choice. It’s two scoops of yellow cake batter ice cream with a layer of buttercream frosting between, topped with a generous helping of hot fudge, a swirl of whipped cream sprinkled with chocolate shavings, and a cherry on top of an edible candle. Sounds dreamy, right? Then again, you can never go wrong with a butterscotch malt! 
 
WOW: Oh Elizabeth, we could chat all day but I've got to go get some dessert! It's no wonder why I love your writing; I feel like if you lived next door, we'd be besties! I'm happy to let readers know that you'll be back with yet another tour very soon for book three, _______________________, which means another longer interview! When can we expect book 3?

Elizabeth: I'm so glad you asked! Book three in the Sweet Dreams series will be out by next Christmas, and WOW! readers can expect a giveaway to go with it!

Pralines and Creamed by Elizabeth Maria Naranjo

Join the Reader Review Event!


Readers, if you'd like to receive a copy of Pralines and Creamed by Elizabeth Maria Naranjo for review, please email: crystal@wow-womenonwriting.com. Book reviews need to be posted by December 12, 2024 on Goodreads and Amazon. We'll be sharing all the reviews in a Reader Review Event and Giveaway post here on The Muffin on December 20! Besides receiving the book, you'll also be entered to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card!

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So, You Want to Write for Kids?

Thursday, November 21, 2024

 


Recently the organist at our church called to me across the chancel. “So, you’re a writer?” 


 “Yes?” 


“I didn’t know that!” 


I don’t hide what I do, and we’ve known each other for about 18 months. But somehow some people just seem to miss this fact about me. Yes, I am a writer. Yes, I write for young readers. 


Periodically when I’ve had an especially gruesome week, I consider giving it up. But then what would I do? If we’re just talking how would I fill my time, that isn’t an issue. I love taking classes and figuring out new things. I’m currently taking a class about AI. 


But if we are discussing how would I earn income? Hmm. That’s tricky. I’ve been a freelancer since about 1997. I’m not sure I’m good for much else at this point. 


Fortunately, tantrums and bad days aside, I’m good at what I do. I write primarily nonfiction for young readers. If writing for young readers is something you’d be interested in doing, the best thing you can do to pave your way is read books for young readers. 


If you want to write picture books, read picture books. If you are interested in nonfiction, read nonfiction. Young adult novels? There are so many great books for you to read. 


You don’t have to read only what you want to write. That means that you don’t have to confine yourself to only picture books or only middle grade. Who am I to deny you amazing books for other age groups? 


But do read things that were published in the last three years or so. Publishing is always changing and that includes the books that publishers want. Sure, some classics stand the test of time (Where the Wild Things Are) but today’s young readers want to read today’s books. One way to find these books is to check the new acquisitions at the library.


Another way to find these books is to sign up for publishing and literature newsletters. I get newsletters from Book Riot, Publisher’s Weekly, MacMillan, and Penguin Random House. 


When I tell you to read and read a lot, I don’t mean that you have to read print books. Audiobooks are a great way to get a feel for the play and flow in language. And ebooks are so convenient and also the way that many teens read. But really?  Print books are the only way to go if you want to write picture books. 


That’s because the format, complete with trim size and page turns, is a big part of the picture book experience. If you want to write picture books, you need to gain a feel for the full effect, page turns and everything. 


I’ve seen some people recommend that you read 1000 books before you start writing. Meh. I don’t know. The more you read the better. Reading will help you get a feel for what publishers want and what has already been published. It will help you learn about language and pacing and characterization. You’ll learn how to hook a reader and what setting details to include. 


Read, read, and read some more. But don’t use it as an excuse not to write. Because that part is truly vital if what you want to do is write for kids. 


--SueBE


Sue Bradford Edwards' is the author of over 60 books for young readers.  
  • To find out more about her writing, visit her site and blog, One Writer's Journey.  
  • Click here to find her newsletter.

She is also the instructor for 3 WOW classes which begin again on December 2, 2024. She teaches:
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Interview With Kel Schmutz, Runner-Up in the WOW! Spring 2024 Flash Fiction Contest

Tuesday, November 19, 2024
 

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

But first, here's more about Kel:

Kel Schmutz is a novelist and short story author of YA fantasy, horror, and romance. Her favorite types of characters are the ones who are unashamedly themselves, and her favorite types of stories are the tough ones that still find hope. When she is not writing, she enjoys reading webtoons, watching K-dramas, playing board games, pontificating on why Frozen 1 had the wrong ending, and making costumes. She lives in Clemson, SC with her family. Find her on Instagram @kel_schmutz.

-- Interview by Nicole Pyles

WOW: First of all, congrats on winning runner up! I love that you write characters who are unashamedly themselves. How do your characters come to you to write them?

Kel: First of all, thank you for saying that! I get sad when I come across characters who’ve been watered down so that readers will like them. Real people are sometimes despicable, and sometimes loveable. I think good characters are the same.

The glimpse we get of Andi tells us she’s privileged, headstrong, and also brave and thirsty for life. Writing her into A Charmed Life was an interesting experience, because it broke all of my rules. Usually, characters come to me first and the plot follows after. With A Charmed Life, I had an idea of what I wanted to happen, and Andi’s personality kind of wrote itself in. Discovery–writing a character has never happened to me before!

WOW: What an interesting revealing! I love that your character revealed herself as you wrote. What was your revision process like for this short story?

Kel: The thing I love about short stories is the word count limit. I am an over-writer, and my stories always end up stronger when forced to pare them down. Most of my revision had to do with making the story’s cadence attractive, and with squeaking inside that word count.

WOW: I am an over-writer too and have noticed my stories vastly improve with me cutting word count! For those who are nervous about sending their fiction out into the world, what would you tell them?

Kel: The beautiful thing about storytelling is that it changes the teller. Writing is an act of courage. So is sharing what you wrote. If all you get out of sending your story into the world is a “you” that’s a little braver, a little stronger, isn’t that still worth doing?

WOW: I whole-heartedly agree! What are you working on now that you can tell us about?

Kel: I’m currently working on a dark YA fantasy about a tenacious girl on a ragtag team of monster hunters, who starts to realize over the course of their hunt that she’s turning into one of the monsters herself. It’s about community and hope and the darkness inside each of us, and you can follow its progress (and mine) on Instagram @kel.schmutz

WOW: I can't wait to read this book when it comes out! What lasting thoughts do you want to leave with our readers about writing?

Kel: The other day, my introspective ten-year-old told me he’d been wondering about the point of life. I told him he was very smart (he is), and that his question was one all people, eventually, have to answer for themselves. (The conversation didn’t end there, in case anyone’s wondering. And by the way, if you’re feeling like this, a very good thing to do is to drink a cup of water outside and then call someone you love).

Why that anecdote? Because if someone’s reading this, I’m guessing they’re probably a writer themselves. Maybe they (like me) sometimes wonder if all the labor poured into their stories even matters. What, after all, is the point?

When I get in my feels like that, I first go touch some grass. Then, I remind myself of this: that storytelling, like life, is the act of pulling meaning out of chaos, of creating something transformative and wondrous out of a million smaller, mundane pieces. How important are our stories? They’re as trivial and as essential as life itself.

WOW: What a beautiful thought! Thank you so much for sharing. I hope the best for you and your writing! 
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Idaho Madams by Milana Marsenich: Blog Tour & Giveaway

Monday, November 18, 2024
Idaho Madams by Milana Marsenich

We're excited to announce the launch of a blog tour that will take us traveling back in time: Idaho Madams by Milana Marsenich. Join us as we meet the the author through an interview and give away a copy to one lucky reader.

About the Book

Fur, silver, and gold first lured men to Idaho Territory. Women soon followed. And what women they were! Molly B'Damn, Peg Leg Annie, Spanish Belle, Lou Beevers, Diamond Tooth Lil—the names alone promised excitement and intrigue.

In fact, these madams led complex, turbulent lives. Meet Maggie Hall, a devout Catholic whose husband used her to pay off his gambling debts. Working as a prostitute, Maggie made her way west and, as Molly B'Damn, became the guardian angel of an Idaho mining camp. Or Annie McIntyre, a young girl among the prospectors and ne'er do wells of Rocky Bar who amassed a small fortune as the local madam only to lose it all—along with both her legs.

Idaho Madams uncovers the enigmatic and salacious lives of 30 women who ran brothels in the Gem State from the 1850s to the 1980s. Here are the hedonistic and sometimes heroic exploits of Effie Rogan, Jennie Girard, Nettie Bowen, Ginger Murphy, Dixie Colton, and Dot Allen, but also the unsung sagas of Carrie Young, Grace Freeman, Willow Herman, Hattie Carlton, and many more. As told by author Milana Marsenich, the stories of these women come alive with voluptuous detail, historical photographs, and the social context of the times.

Publisher: Farcountry Press
IBSN-10: 156037750X
ISBN-13: 978-1560377504
Print Length: 160 pages

Purchase a copy of Idaho Madams on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Bookshop.org. Add to your GoodReads reading list.

About the Author, Milana Marsenich

Award winning author, Milana Marsenich lives in Northwest Montana near Flathead Lake at the base of the beautiful Mission Mountains. She enjoys quick access to the mountains and has spent many hours hiking the wilderness trails with friends and dogs. For the past 20 years she has worked as a mental health therapist in a variety of settings. As a natural listener and a therapist, she has witnessed amazing generosity and courage in others. She first witnessed this in her hometown of Butte, Montana, a mining
town with a rich history and the setting for Copper Sky, her first novel. 

Copper Sky was chosen as a Spur Award finalist for Best Western Historical Novel in 2018. Her second novel, The Swan Keeper, was a Willa Award finalist in 2019. Her short story, Wild Dogs, won the Laura Award for short fiction in 2020.

She has an M.Ed. in Mental Health Counseling from Montana State University and an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Montana. She has previously published in Montana Quarterly, Big Sky Journal, The Polishing Stone, The Moronic Ox, BookGlow, and Feminist Studies. She has four published novels, Copper Sky, The Swan Keeper, Beautiful Ghost, and Shed Girl, and one popular history book, Idaho Madams. Her popular history book, Mary MacLane: Butte’s Wild Woman and her Wooden Heart, will be out sometime in 2025.

You can find her online at:


--Interview by Jodi M. Webb

WOW: Congratulations on your latest book! Idaho Madams is a departure from your other books, which were all fiction. Can you tell us how you wandered into the world of nonfiction and such an overlooked topic?

Milana: Thank you! This was a fairly simple decision. My novel, Copper Sky, was a Spur Award finalist with Western Writers of America in 2018. I went to the WWA conference that year to get my certificate and my free lunch. I’d never been to a writing conference and what I found surprised me. I was in a room with 200 really good writers. I met a lot of people there. A representative from Farcountry Press was there and they were looking for writers for their Madams series. I loved the idea that someone might want me to write something. I offered and they accepted. And then I panicked. I didn’t know how to write nonfiction!

WOW: I would be panicking too. So, was writing nonfiction a challenge?

Milana: Finding the information for this book was difficult. No one wrote about madams and prostitution, other than in the crime records. Women often changed their names so as not to shame their families. Many times, they faded into the west, and no one heard from them again. I found two dissertations about prostitution in Idaho in the early west. Some books on prostitution included chapters on Idaho. Every important scrap of information I could find went into the book. And it’s not a very big book!

WOW: It may not be big, but I found it very enlightening. Before starting to read I did a bit of pearl clutching. “Madams? Oh my.” But I was impressed by the bravery, intelligence, and charitable spirit of so many of these women. Did anything in particular surprise you during your research?

Milana: Yes, I was surprised by the depth of courage the women displayed and the amount of pain the women in the 1800s and early 1900s suffered. There were no safety nets in those times. Women with children, women in violent relationships, women and girls orphaned or abandoned had few choices. Many women chose to work in the sex trade in order to survive and live. At the turn of century, the sex trade moved from the hands of the women to the hands of unsavory men. While the madams owned the business and looked at the women as employees, the men owned the women and looked at them as possessions. These women couldn’t leave. If they tried, they would be beaten and possibly killed. This shift in the agency of prostitution surprised me.

WOW: Yes, I never thought of it as something that was originally in women's hands. Let's talk about your writing career. You have authored children’s books, historical fiction, mystery, fiction and historical non-fiction. Do you have a favorite genre to write? 

Milana: My favorite genre is historical fiction. It still involves research, but I can stray from the facts to suit the story. I love to lean into magical realism that is grounded in the everyday world and historical fiction allows me to do that. It also allows for a flexibility in themes.

WOW: That's amazing, I just read a fellow WOW writer's piece about magical realism. Of course, all your books feel magical to me because I've never been to the American West, so it's like reading about a whole different world. Can you tell me – in case I ever cross the Mississippi – is there one Western spot or event you believe everyone should experience?

Milana: Yes! My hometown of Butte, Montana, often called Butte, America. It was a melting pot of the west, a small city, and phenomenon all its own. It still gives a sense of the early west. It hosts the Montana Folk Festival, a week of great music. Otherwise, Seattle, San Francisco, Denver, and San Antonio are all great cities.

WOW: You should work for your local tourism board. You make a trip to Butte sound very tempting. Will your writing ever stray outside the West?

Milana: I am partial to the west, primarily because I know it. I want to place my Juliette French novels around the nation in unique settings. She might make her way to east coast eventually.

WOW: Can you share a little writing advice with us?

Milana: First: Give yourself permission to write. There is a sense that you are going where no one has gone before. And you are. No one will write the book you’ll write.

Learn the rules before breaking them. Writing is a craft. Understanding the rules of the craft can save a writer a lot of time. I speak from experience. I grew up a poet. It took me a long time to learn to write a novel.

Read everything, books like yours, books different than yours. Read poetry, essays, news, history. Just read. And then sit down and write.

Last, but not least, listen to criticism, consider it, and then use it or discard it. But first listen.

WOW: So what’s up next for you?

Milana: I am working on a book about Mary MacLane, an author from Butte, Montana, who shocked the literary world in 1901 by writing about her inner life. She was bold, irreverent, and unabashedly sexual. Her first book sold 100,000 copies in the first month. She titled it “I Await the Devil’s Coming.” The publisher changed the title to “The Story of Mary MacLane.” The critics loved her and hated her. We are hoping the book will be released late in 2025.

WOW: She sounds fascinating and you get to write about your beloved Butte! Thanks for sharing so much with us today.

Idaho Madams by Milana Marsenich Blog Tour

--Blog Tour Calendar

November 18th @ The Muffin
Join us as we celebrate the launch of  Milana Marsenich's Idaho Madams! Read an interview with the author and enter to win a copy of her book.

November 20th @ A Storybook World
Learn about Researching History from writer Milana Marsenich.

November 22nd @ Musings of a Literary Wanderer
Angela is celebrating Non-Fiction November with a review of Idaho Madams by Milana Marsenich.

November 23rd @ A Wonderful World of Words
Author Milana Marsenich transports us to the Wild West with the story of Mary MacLane, Butte’s Wild Woman. Also, enjoy an excerpt from her latest book, Idaho Madams.

November 25th @ Choices
Author Milana Marsenich visits with a guest post about The Town as Character.

November 27th @  Reading Is My Remedy
Read a review of Milana Marsenich's nonfiction book, Idaho Madams.

November 28th @ The Faerie Review
Lily is reviewing Idaho Madams, a nonfiction history of the shady side of the Wild West.

November 29th @ Candid Canine
Today's guest post by Milana Marsenich features Auditor, the Mining Dog.

November 30th @ Nikki's Book Reviews
Nikki is reviewing Idaho Madams and hosting author Milana Marsenich with a guest post about Keeping the Perspective within the Heart and Mind of the Character.

December 5th @ Tracey Lampley
Read about the Brothel Freeze Framed in 1991 when author Milana Marsenich, author of Idaho Madams, visits today.

December 7th @ Guatemala Paula Loves to Read
Don't miss the review is of the non-fiction history Idaho Madams by Milana Marsenich.

December 9th @ Chapter Break
Author Milana Marsenich tells the tale of the 1912 Speculator Mine Disaster

December 11th @  Reading Is My Remedy
Today's guest post by Milana Marsenich is about The Character of Wallace, Idaho. 

December 12th @ Some Thoughts - Everything Creativity
Wrtier Milana Marsenich address the ghostly aspects of a town or event in today's guest post.

December 13th @ StoreyBook Reviews
Get a peek at an excerpt of Milana Marsenich's book Idaho Madams. She's also posting about Dogs and other Animals in Story Development.

December 14th @ Words by Webb
Head to the Wild West for a review of Idaho Madams.

December 19th @ Knotty Needle
Read Judy's review of a little known aspect of frontier life with Idaho Madams by Milana Marsenich.


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

Enter to win a print copy of Idaho Madams by Milana Marsenich! Fill out the Rafflecopter form below for a chance to win. The giveaway ends December 1 at 11:59 pm CT. We will randomly draw a winner the next day via Rafflecopter and follow up via email. Good luck!

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Interview with Julie Lockhart, Third Place Winner in the WOW! Q4 2024 Creative Nonfiction Contest

Sunday, November 17, 2024

 


Julie Lockhart loves an adventure in wild places. During the last years of her career, she led a grief support nonprofit, where she discovered the beauty and depth of personal stories, writing about her experiences to help grieving people feel less alone. Her essays have been published in The Journal of Wild Culture, bioStories, Feels Blind Literary, Minerva Rising (Keeping Room), Bluebird Word, Sunlight Press, and Witcraft. Julie has placed several times in the top ten in Women on Writing Essay contests. She is a Pushcart nominee. Born in the Chicago area, Julie has lived, worked and played in the Pacific Northwest since 1982. She lives in Port Townsend, WA. Find her at: julietales.com. 












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

WOW: In “Sonata,” you weave your extensive knowledge and experience of playing music with the highs and lows of marriage, divorce, death, grief, and processing all of the above. What gave you the idea to set an essay against this particular backdrop? 

Julie: Thank you for interviewing me! For a couple of years now, I have been studying the various forms that can enhance a personal essay–hermit crab, braided, collage, etc. For example, I love Brenda Miller’s "A Braided Heart," as well as many of her essays. My husband and I are both musicians, and when I described to him the hermit crab essay form, I realized that one possible way to organize an essay is through the musical scale. I thought of the idea before I had any content in mind. A year ago, I signed up for Chelsey Clammer’s grief writing course. Something in her readings and assignments triggered this idea of using Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata in C# Minor as the basis of an essay about my second marriage and the grief that seeped into my life through that relationship. Once I had the form, the essay kind of wrote itself. I was in the flow. Of course it’s been edited several times since, but I was able to get the essentials of what I wanted to say inside the musical scale. Chelsey loved it. One of the things I’ve come to realize in this writing journey is that it’s important for me to write what I know, and I know music. There may be another musically organized essay in my future! 

WOW: I know you’re a fan of Chelsey's writing workshops, and they’ve helped you produce numerous award-winning essays. Are there any other online writing classes or workshops you think would be helpful to writers exploring creative nonfiction? 

Julie: I am especially inspired by Chelsey’s readings and assignments in her classes. These four to six-week courses drop me into the creative zone. I also enjoy two-hour courses on a particular topic, such as Barbara Noe Kennedy’s travel writing course (although I have yet to complete a travel piece). A short course I would be interested in is how to write about difficult people in my life without subjecting myself to their reactions, assuming they get ahold of one of my essays. I use pseudonyms, yet I wonder if there are other recommendations by seasoned memoir-style authors. And are there legal ramifications for publishing an essay with details of abuse, etc.? I think a lot of writers would be interested in such a short course. 

WOW: That's a great idea for a course. I agree about taking Barbara's travel writing webinar and I also have yet to produce a travel piece so you're in good company there! “Your essay, “Worthy,” has been nominated for a Pushcart prize. This is an emotional piece that details your experience with domestic abuse and violence. How difficult was it to capture those feelings and details in one essay? 

Julie: I worked on “Worthy” over a period of several years as I figured out how to write impactful narrative nonfiction. That meant lots of revisions, trying to “show” vs. “tell,” and also immersing myself in what it felt like to be me back in my 20’s. Scene was particularly important for getting back to those feelings. For example, the scene where my ex was so angry that he threw bags of chips out of the cabinet and stomped on them put me right back into what it felt like to be blamed for everything wrong in his life as I cleaned up the mess. When I submitted it to Feels Blind Literary, I paid for a critique. The editor asked me to expand the ending so that readers would be able to see how I escaped that marriage. Then I dove back into the messy months of separation and divorce. It was great advice and they loved the changes. A big challenge for me and perhaps all writers is what to include and what not to include in a personal essay. In “Worthy” I picked a few choice and significant scenes that illustrated what I went through and massaged the essay to help readers sink into my experience. 

WOW: In a previous interview with WOW!, you mentioned you enjoy reading the critiques from the contest. How have they been helpful for you and should other writers participating in the contests select a critique for their submission? 

Julie: When I submit essays to journals and magazines, rejections come without me ever knowing what the editors did or didn’t like about my work. We writers need to develop a thick skin for the inevitable rejections. I will usually wait a little while and then make revisions before sending a piece out again. But I’m in the dark about what works and doesn’t work. What I love about the WOW! critiques is how positive your readers are in their critiques. They generously point out things that work well. They also give suggestions where the writing could improve. I used those suggestions for revising an essay that didn’t place in the top ten, then got it published somewhere else. I think it’s worth the cost and highly recommend WOW! critiques if a writer can afford the extra cost. 

WOW: I agree--I think our critiquers do a fabulous job. You also created a blog with some of you and your husband’s favorite hikes. How often are you able to get out and explore and how do you think nature inspires your creative writing? 

Julie: Interesting that you ask that question. I just had a publication in Herstry that was inspired by the rain forest of the Olympic National Park. Wild places give me juice for living fully--with vivid scenes that I can recreate in my writing. And I have another recent essay that delves into hiking and aging. Living on the Olympic Peninsula means I enjoy quick access to places that bring me solace and allow me to escape into creative reflections. Several times a week, we get on the local trails that take us into lush Northwest forests and views of the Salish Sea. We also have a pop-up truck camper that gives us comfortable camping in places farther away. In 2020, my husband and I created that blog during the pandemic when we lived in Southern Oregon--with the Pacific Crest Trail within easy driving distance. Day hiking sections of the PCT became our way of moving through the stress and fear that came with both the pandemic and the discord in national politics. It kept us sane. Just as nature keeps me sane in this crazy election year.
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The Key to Successful Writing

Thursday, November 14, 2024


 “Before you go, what’s the key to successful writing?”

I stared at the professor with a look that had the heat of a thousand suns. I am not great at ad-libbing. This is why I am a writer, not a stand-up comedian. I have a chance to think my thoughts over and tweak them before sharing them with the world.


I had pre-planned my speech introducing his students to the college’s Academic Support Services, including me as a writing tutor. I had answered the expected questions about making appointments, e-tutoring, study groups, effective study techniques. And now he was throwing me a question from left field. Arghhh.


A kid sitting in the back of the room smirked. He knew I had absolutely no idea what to say and this was the highlight of the class for him. He leaned back in his chair, waiting.


“Well, that is an interesting question and so many things come to mind…” I gave the professor another glance, hoping he would jump in with whatever he expected me to say. No such luck. What did he want me to say?


An interesting opening. Consistency. Use of all five senses. Pacing. Organization. Solid research. 


“Time.” Wait. Did I say that? Where am I going with this?


"Writing doesn’t come easily for most of us.” Snorts from the audience. 


“Sometimes, I think writers – and you all are writers – think if we could just get the words out of our head and on the page or the screen the hard work is done. We forget that this is just our first draft. The first step in a process. To paraphrase Winston Churchill, ‘This is not the beginning of the end but it may be the end of the beginning.’


“So, give yourself the luxury of time. Time to proofread and smooth out your wording. Time to rearrange things. Time to put it away for a day then reread it and see if it still conveys what you want it to say. Time to read it aloud to a friend and get their opinion. Time to hate it and start over.


“Time gives you the opportunity to improve your writing. Time is the key.”


I knew I’d still get students coming in one hour before their assignment was due but maybe someone was listening. Later that week a student came in and started with, “It isn’t due for a month but I thought I should get started early…”


So tell us, if you were in that classroom what would you pinpoint as the key to successful writing?


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Interview with Amanda J. Conley, runner up in the WOW! Spring 2024 Flash Fiction Contest

Tuesday, November 12, 2024

 

Amanda J. Conley writes to survive the tangle of words that threaten to keep her up at night. She spent twenty-five years as a metalsmith, making a living fabricating gold and silver while wordsmithing on the side. Recently, she has devoted more time to the pen and is nearly finished writing her first novel, which will be completed as soon as she can tear herself away from her addiction to entering flash fiction contests. 

She is honored and excited to be published for the first time by WOW! Women on Writing. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, four children, and her two half-Maine Coon kitties.

If you haven't read her story, Merci, click here and take a few minutes to do so.  Then come learn about her writing process and inspiration. 

WOW: So many of the stories entered in the flash contest are about families, motherhood, and the roles of women. What was your inspiration for Merci? How did you decide to enter it in the contest? 

Amanda: I was practicing writing flash fiction just for fun when I wrote “Merci.” When a friend of mine suggested I write a historical fiction piece, I was inspired by my grandfather (also named Gene) who was in World War II. He was never injured, but once I did some research and chose my setting, the story kind-of just fell out of me as I wrote. Even though I don’t always write about women, although many times I do, I do tend to consistently have a central theme of hope that makes it’s appearance in my writing. As a cancer survivor and a woman and mother, my own soul thrives on little acts of goodness and hope. When I feel that a story showcases those things well, I want others to read it. 

WOW: And hope really does come through in this piece. Revision is such a big part of the writing process. Can you tell us how your story changed during revision? 

Amanda: Since I was practicing flash fiction, I had set for myself a 500 word limit in order to create an extra challenge. This is where the revision process comes in—and the growth! When using so few words to tell a story with a beginning, a middle and an end, each word really has to count. I landed on the French word for thank you—Merci—which had a sort of double entendre—Mercy—adding a layer of meaning into the story despite it being so short. Although the story line didn’t change much during editing, the poetry of the words became much more pronounced. I whittled it down to exactly 500 words. Goal!

WOW:  I love that one word, merci, added so much to the story.  And congratulations on writing your first novel. What can you share about it? 

Amanda:  My novel is really different from “Merci,” although writing flash fiction has made me a better writer. I am writing a rather humorous mystery set in a neighborhood with a pesky homeowner’s association. It’s fun, and cathartic for me to write, as much as it is a lesson in patience with myself and perseverance. To quote Glennon Doyle: “I can do hard things!” 

WOW: How does writing a novel-length work compare to writing flash? What should writers know about writing both? 

Amanda: I love writing longer works because I can play around with piecing together multiple story lines into a satisfying conclusion which is a facet of my puzzle-loving nature. I love getting to blossom the characters and the settings to an immersive level. The truncated version of story telling, as with flash fiction, doesn’t allow for as much detail, but I tend to write both similarly in that the first go is just getting the idea out without too much overthinking or else it will never get written! Then I can go back in and reshape and mold the story by cutting away, reworking and adding. 

I find that while I’m working on a bigger or longer project, like a book, it’s fun to take little hiatuses and write shorter pieces to break up the tediousness. I use flash fiction as an amuse-bouche, if you will. The only problem—it is habit-forming. Hello, my name is Amanda and I’m a Flashoholic. 

WOW: A writing habit is a good habit to have! Like many of our readers, I've never written flash fiction. What is the most important thing that I can do to set myself up for success when I try this form?

Amanda: Writing flash fiction has a similar process as most other forms of writing. The most important thing that I have found for my own writing success is to be process orientated rather than product orientated. I try not to get bogged down with my word count, or streamlining my beginning, middle and ending. Rather, I just begin with one tiny idea and start writing. After I get a good purge of words onto the page, I go back to organize and pare down. In the last flash fiction piece I wrote, my initial draft was nearly 300 words over the word limit. However, if I hadn’t just started writing and let the story come out, I never would have gotten my complete story. So don’t be afraid of the constraints. Get it out and then you can apply the word count afterwards.

WOW:  I know I've heard a lot of editors say that  you need to get the story down before you obsess about the word count.  Thank you so much for taking the time out of your writing schedule to spend time with us!

  
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July and Everything After by Allie Nava: Blog Tour & Giveaway

Monday, November 11, 2024
 
July and Everything After by Allie Nava

We're back with another awesome blog tour for an amazing book you don't want to miss. Allie Nava is launching a blog tour for her book July and Everything After. Fans of Paolo Coelho, Amy Tan, Vaddey Ratner, and Khaled Hosseini will be captivated by July and Everything After, a modern tale of resilience and transformation against extraordinary odds. Join us as we celebrate the launch of her book with a giveaway and an interview with the author.

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

Maya’s journey from America to her birth country was meant to be a nostalgic visit. Instead, it became a fight for survival.

On the eve of Maya's 22nd birthday, civil war breaks out in Sri Lanka. During what will become known as “Black July,” Maya is targeted and attacked in the organized massacres and pogroms against minorities, and she barely escapes the genocidal chaos.

Haunted by the horrors she witnessed, Maya returns to the US and tries to rally a diverse group of allies to help expose the atrocities in her birth country, among them her Norwegian-American best friend, a magnanimous Catholic nun, and a gifted young man from her past.

Bent on justice, Maya isn’t prepared for the unexpected twists and turns and confrontations with a nemesis that will test her resolve. As the war and humanitarian crisis in Sri Lanka intensify, so does Maya’s disillusionment, but contact with a mysterious mentor whose wisdom she once ignored holds the key to her future.

Fans of Paolo Coelho, Amy Tan, Vaddey Ratner, and Khaled Hosseini will be captivated by July and Everything After, a modern tale of resilience and transformation against extraordinary odds and war.

Publisher: DartFrog Books (September 16, 2024)
ISBN: 1965253059
ISBN: 978-1965253052
AISN:  B0DHFWGP1P
Print length:  238 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, Allie Nava


Allie Nava is an American writer who survived the violent anti-minority massacres of 1970s Sri Lanka. A former executive and writing advisor, she’s been a board member or advocate for several mission-oriented organizations including Bellevue Literary Review and Golden Seeds. She has been an invited speaker at several ideas festivals, universities, and conferences, an expert panelist for WNYC (The Brian Lehrer Show), and has been recognized for her work  by several organizations including Amazon, Harvard, and Asia Society.  She is a member of The Authors Guild.


--- Interview by Jodi M. Webb

WOW: Congratulations on July and Everything After. Were you ever concerned that readers would be unfamiliar with the events of the Sri Lankan civil war featured in your book?

Allie: The story is as much an American story, as it is one with events that take place across both the US and South Asia. It is the story of human resilience and transcendence, based on an American citizen’s experience with oppression and terror in her birth country in 1983, and how she tries to grapple with the fallout while attempting to rally personal US allies. I wanted to introduce an overlooked chapter of human history as a vessel for telling this story of resilience against extraordinary odds, to underscore that the themes are universal. I hope readers get something meaningful out of the story, whether it be a view into human resilience, or the action-packed excitement of the story itself, or even a bit of romance.

WOW: Was it difficult writing a fictional account of a world event that you lived through?

Allie: While I wasn’t physically present in South Asia in 1983, I was attacked there during the events in 1977, and was fortunate to survive, while hundreds of others died. That experience did provide me with a unique lens through which to try to tell this story as authentically as possible through a fictional format, what a character might go through and feel moment to moment, before, during, and after such incidents, and the various personal issues that one might grapple with. The characters' experiences also include the triumphs in life, the friendships, the romances, the lighter moments, and a path that the journey of resilience might take. I did also conduct research and interviews to learn more, and I believe this was a powerful and important aspect of being able to develop and tell the story.

WOW: Sorry, I mixed up the events of 1977 and 1983. Just like Maya, and indeed yourself, it seems most people have some degree of trauma in their past. What have you found to be the best advice for moving past trauma?

Allie: My observation is that while many people learn to move past trauma through their own life experiences grappling with it, for those that continue to struggle, a mentor figure can play an important role in helping that person move past that trauma, whether that mentor figure be a friend, or therapist, or religious figure, or something else. Many people also have shared with me that their exposure to philosophies that focus on self-awareness, learning, truth-seeking, analysis, and personal responsibility, also can expedite this healing process.

WOW: July and Everything After has been a success. Can you tell us something surprising about being the author of a bestselling book?

Allie: I am in awe of the generosity of readers and friends who have supported the book or said they gained something meaningful from it. I’ve also been surprised by the amount of time it takes to move from a fully written manuscript through a revision process, especially the one I embarked on myself before I even showed it to an editor. I appreciate the process though, because I witnessed how a book can improve through those many revisions, as well as benefitted from perspectives of beta readers and an outside editor.

WOW: Can you tell us a little about your life beyond your writing?

Allie: When I’m not writing for my next book, I dedicate myself to work that moves opportunity forward for women in various ways. Through my prior career, my current projects, and my volunteer endeavors, I focus on working with organizations that advance economic, leadership, and creative arts opportunities for women. Outside of that, I enjoy discovering new restaurants, new walking trails, and new travel destinations, though there are many places I also enjoy returning. I love learning about the history of the places I visit. And yes, I appreciate reading new books and of course a great romance (be it film or book)!

WOW: Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us today. Good luck with your next book!

July and Everything After by Allie Nava Blog Tour

-- Blog Tour Calendar

November 11th @ The Muffin
Join us as we celebrate the launch of Allie Nava's novel July and Everything After. Read an interview with the author and enter to win a copy of her book.

November 13th @ Create Write Now 
In today's spotlight, learn more about July and Everything After by Allie Nava.

November 14th @ Pages and Paws
Stop by for a review of  July and Everything After.

November 17th @ Just Katherine
Novelist Allie Nava writes about Carving a Tunnel of Hope.

November 18th @ Tracey Lampley
"Expect to self-rescue. No help is coming.” Learn more in today's guest post by writer Allie Nava.

November 19th @ The Faerie Review
Need an addition to your TBR pile? Check out today's spotlight of July and Everything After by Allie Nava.

November 20th @ Pages and Paws
Author Allie Nava will also be sharing a guest post on kindness as the antidote to anger.

November 21st @ Some Thoughts - Everything Creativity
Novelist Allie Nava is writing about drawing your own conclusions.

November 23rd @ Words by Webb
Celebrate the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday with a new author. Read a review of Allie Nava' July and Everything After.

November 25th @ Chapter Break
Julie interviews author Allie Nava. Learn more about her and her novel July and Everything After.

November 27th @ A Storybook World
Today's guest poster, Allie Nava, writes about The Choice to Heal.

November 30th @ Nikki's Book Reviews
Stop by for Nikki's review of July and Everything After, a novel by Allie Nava. 

December 4th @ What Is That Book About
Start out a new month with a spotlight on a new book: July and Everything After.

December 7th @ A Wonderful World of Words
Allie Nava is visiting with a post about Positive Growth.

December 10th @ Choices
Author Allie Nava, author of July and Everything After, guest posts about Being Overlooked or Ignored.

December 15th @ Jill Sheets
Learn more about author Allie Nava and her novel July and Everything After in today's interview.

December 15th @ Boots, Shoes and Fashion
Linda is chatting with Allie Nava about her novel July and Everything After.


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

Enter to win a print copy of July and Everything After by Allie Nava! Fill out the Rafflecopter form below for a chance to win. The giveaway ends November 24 at 11:59 pm CT. We will randomly draw a winner the next day via Rafflecopter and follow up via email. Good luck!


a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Interview with Elinor S. Laurier: Q4 2024 Creative Nonfiction Contest Second Place Winner

Sunday, November 10, 2024
Elinor’s Bio: Elinor S. Laurier enjoys travel, hiking, and photography. Her work has appeared in Sweet, a Literary Confection and Five on the Fifth. Recently, Elinor placed as a Runner Up in WOW! Women on Writing’s 2023 Q3 CNF essay contest. Often, you can find her at her local bookstore, where she gobbles up carrot cake and books in equal measure. You can connect with her on Twitter @ElinorLaurier. 

If you haven't done so already, check out Elinor's award-winning essay "Our Mother Tells Us Boys Like Skinny Girls" and then return here for a chat with the author. 

WOW: Congratulations on placing second in the Q4 2024 Creative Nonfiction Contest! How did you begin writing your essay and how did it and your writing processes evolve as you wrote? 

Elinor: My essay began last spring in a workshop led by the forever brilliant Kathy Fish, called “The Heart of the Matter: Creating Emotional Urgency in Flash.” The group was small, intimate, and felt emotionally safe, so with the encouragement of Kathy and the others, I found myself really letting go. I’d been bottling this story up for a very long time without knowing it. I just needed a path in, and Kathy provided the perfect prompt, suggesting we begin with the word “After.” From there, the story just flowed, like it had been waiting forever for this moment. So much unleashed with that single word! The emotional depth of what came forward surprised me. Some stories are a lot of work and take months and many drafts to develop, and some (very few) come easily, magically, which was the case for this essay. I did send it to a few trusted critique partners and made some small shifts, but by and large it didn’t change drastically. 

WOW: I’m glad you found a safe, supportive teacher and group that helped you to release this story! What did you learn about yourself or your writing by creating this essay? 

Elinor: I think that writing this essay, ultimately, was a reminder of how far I’ve come. I held on to the messages surrounding weight and body image for so many years—for a time it consumed me. Now, looking back, with age, life experience and daughters of my own, I realize my mother was a victim as well. She was teaching me what she’d been taught by her own mother. It’s what society dictated is required, if a woman is to be desired. To fit into the mold of “the perfect woman.” My mother thought she was doing me a favor, that my chances of landing a successful man would be much better if I were thin. So, in writing the essay, I was able to reflect upon that with more compassion than maybe I had in the past. At the same time, it reinforced my determination to continue to send a different message to my daughters, and hopefully, eventually, granddaughters. With each generation the message for women is shifting, which gives me a lot of hope. 

WOW: Yes, and that hope in future generations is strong in your story. You wrote in your bio that you have a few other loves, in addition to writing. In what ways do travel, hiking, and photography inspire your writing? 

Elinor: When I hike, my mind often wanders to story. It almost feels like a Zen state, at times, when I’m seemingly thinking about nothing but the weather, the landscape and the rhythm of my feet, when suddenly the opening of a story will pop up, or a rhythmic pattern of words, or the reasons behind a character’s motivation. It’s a great time to problem-solve without trying too hard. I prefer to hike alone for exactly that reason! In photography, you learn that to capture the perfect shot you need to take a photo from several different angles and perspectives, and to pay attention to the light and framing. Crafting a story can be the same—a writer has the choice of several POVs, and likewise, many different “containers” can be used to tell a story. So, as a writer, you ask yourself, which structure serves the story best? Who is telling this story, and why? Crafting a story is like taking a great photo—there are many choices, but which will make it shine? And travel is good for creativity, period. Getting outside your comfort zone, meeting new people, experiencing different cultures and landscapes. It all lends itself to a larger world view, to different perspectives, which is amazing fuel for artistic pursuits. 

WOW: Those are very thoughtful and inspiring connections. Which creative nonfiction essays or writers have inspired you most, and in what ways did they inspire you? 

Elinor: There are many essayists I admire, but there’s a single essay I come back to again and again because it absolutely blew me away the first time I read it. “The Ice Cave” was published at Tahoma Literary Review a couple of years ago and was written by Gabriela Denise Frank. The first time I read it, I was bawling by the end, and I sent it to both of my daughters, saying “Read this, especially that very last message about embracing life.” It’s brilliantly written, the form is unexpected, and the message is deep and universal. I won’t spoil it by telling more, but do yourself a favor and go read it, you won’t be sorry! 

WOW: That sounds like a must-read – thanks for the recommendation! If you could tell your younger self anything about writing, what would it be? 

Elinor: I didn’t start writing until four years ago, in 2020. I was inspired by a friend and neighbor who’s a writer; she encouraged me to write my first personal essay during Covid lockdown. She became my mentor and without her I would never have written my first piece. I truly didn’t think I had a creative bone in my body! So, I guess I’d tell my younger self, “Guess what? You’ll find your true passion later in life and it will fulfill you more than you could possibly imagine. You’re going to be a writer! And by the way, you are creative. Surprise!” 

WOW: What and excellent surprise! Anything else you’d like to add? 

Elinor: Just that I’d like to say thank you to all of the amazing women at WOW! who dedicate themselves to promoting, uplifting, and cheering on writers like me. They are incredibly appreciated! 

WOW: Thank you for your thoughtful responses, and for trusting us with your essay. 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. Engage on Twitter or Instagram @GreenMachine459.
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Why I'm Glad I Joined a Book Club

Thursday, November 07, 2024

October book club.


This past spring, I decided to join a neighborhood book club that had just started up. I haven’t been in a club like this one since my first attempt around 20 years ago, when my kids were still toddlers. I left that one disappointed because I had shown up alone, having read the book, only to find out it was more of a social event than a book club. It discouraged me from joining any others, and I decided to just read for pleasure on my own. 

Since I work from home, I’ve been trying to get out at least once a week for a social engagement so I don’t hermit too much. I attended the first book club meeting in March, and we read Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano. The book was not on my radar, but I was happy to find it available on the Libby app so I could read it for free on my Kindle in plenty of time before the meeting. Our small group had a great discussion on the book , which is a modern-day family drama in the vein of Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. One person at the meeting did not like the first few chapters, so she stopped reading it. In fact, at each of our meetings, there are one or two people who either give up on the book or can’t finish it. Attendees are welcome whether they finish the book or not, and it’s refreshing to hear all perspectives. 

The next book we read (we try to meet every other month) was None of This is True by Lisa Jewell, a suspense/thriller that drew a lively discussion. I offered to host the next meeting, and I happened to mention how much I liked the book The Guncle by Stephen Rowley. The group decided they wanted to read it, too, so I spent more time on refreshments since I'd already read the book. I set out a brunch theme and might have gotten a little too carried away with the mini quiches, muffins, fruit, and mimosas, but I saved the leftovers and had plenty to munch on the rest of that week. 

From there, we ventured into Weyward by Emilia Hart, and the strong themes of feminism inspired the group (we mostly have women and one man in the club). We decided to meet in September and October so we could do a spooky theme, and again the group selected a book I had already read so I got off easy! We met last week to discuss The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix which again had a strong feminist theme (and a lot of body horror!) 

Here are a few things I’ve noticed since joining this group:

1. I’ve read such a great variety of books, not only in our selections but in other ones that come up in conversation, such as The Housemaid by Freida McFadden and Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver. Without being around other readers I probably wouldn’t have explored these other titles on my own. It’s been nice to broaden my horizons. 
2. There’s one book that keeps coming up as a possible choice, Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt, but there are a few members who are convinced it is some sort of octopus love story (it is literary fiction). I read it and loved it, but I still laugh every time someone brings it up and it gets shouted down. 
3. I think we may have scared a new member off this past month. It was her first time attending, and she tentatively asked if we often read titles like The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires or if it was selected specifically for Halloween. We assured her most of the books we read won’t cause you to have nightmares full of cockroaches, rats, and vampires. 
4. You can put out all the snacks, desserts, mixed drinks, and charcuterie boards in the world but nothing disappears faster than the bottles of red wine at book club. 
5. If you’re savvy, and in more than one book club like one of our members, you can double dip your titles and read the same book for both. This has happened to her twice and she felt like she hit the book jackpot.

Another added benefit of my book club is that I attracted some new listeners to my podcast! 

Do you belong to a book club? How do you select your titles? What do you like or not like about it? I'd love to hear your stories!

Renee Roberson is an award-winning writer and aspiring novelist who also produces the true crime podcast, Missing in the Carolinas. 
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