Vacancy by Jann Alexander: Reader Review Event, Podcast Tour, and Giveaway

Monday, September 07, 2026
 
Vacancy by Jann Alexander

I'm excited to announce our reader review event for Vacancy by Jann Alexander. We'll be celebrating the event's launch by sharing reviews from our community and giving you a chance to win a copy of the book and an Amazon gift card. Also, don't miss hearing Jann talk about her writing journey in upcoming podcast episodes.

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

Helen is childless and widowed after a long marriage and gets a second chance with a long-lost love. But she's grieving her hidden regrets. She bonds with her quiet kindergarten student and doubts the girl's struggling single mother, Charlene, is fit to parent.

Charlene's hiding a secret of her own, and she resents Helen's interference. She's determined to make a better life for her young daughter, the teenage boy her ex left behind, and the baby on the way when a scarred veteran offers to lend a hand.

A tragedy no one sees coming forces the two women to unite, as small-town bias threatens to destroy innocent lives. But first, Helen and Charlene must confront the vacancy in their hearts. As they do, can they find new strength, acceptance, and a second chance at love?

Publisher: Black Rose Writing (September 2026)
ISBN-13: 978-1685137984
ASIN: B0H7XL45TB
Print length: 320 pages

Vacancy is available in print and as an ebook at Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Bookshop.org. You can also add it to your Goodreads list.

About the Author, Jann Alexander


Jann Alexander is an author, photographer, and public speaker. Her characters face down their fears in novels that are as close to true as fiction can get. As a central Texas resident for over two decades, she created the Vanishing Austin photography series and speaks on all things Texas to groups and book clubs. Jann’s lifelong storytelling habit and her passion for Texas history merged to become The Dust Series, comprising the historical novel Unspoken and the fictionalized true-crime novel Vacancy. She holds a B.S. from the University of Maryland. When Jann is not reading, writing, or creating, she bikes, hikes, skis, and kayaks. Jann always brakes for historical markers.

You can find her online at:


-- Interview by Nicole Pyles

WOW: Congrats on your book, Vacancy! What inspired your book?

Jann: Thank you! Vacancy had been germinating since 2005. That’s when two articles on the front page of a major newspaper’s Metro section jumped out at me. One story was joyful, the other horrific, and the characters in each were unrelated. But I wanted to understand how the two events came about, and why blame was being cast in a small, rural town.  

WOW: I love that real events in the news inspire you. Can you tell us more about that inspiration?

Jann: I was inspired to meld two unrelated true stories (from 2005) together into one novel, to explore the complexities of each situation. I created a mythical town in the Texas Panhandle for its small-town environment, where scenarios of second chances, and tragedies nobody saw coming, were believable. Names and locations were changed, and new fictional characters added, in my effort to work through how a terrible tragedy can envelop even those who are innocent. 

WOW: I think that's amazing that you did that. You also have a skill for vivid setting! How do you capture such realistic scenes and surroundings? 

Jann: Thanks for crediting me with vivid settings! I was an art director, photographer, and painter before I turned to writing novels, and that visual sense never leaves you. My eyes are like a camera that’s constantly clicking and recording, and I study everything around me in a scene. It’s a game I play, absorbing all the details. And when I am writing, I research, which involves lots of old photographs and old maps. That helps me visualize what I’m putting words to. 

WOW: I'll bet! I love that you set your book in Texas, your own home state. What do you love most about setting your books there?

Jann: The funny thing about Texas is that it’s my home state now, but not until I moved here from the D.C. area in 2004. In order to get to know my new state, I began to research it, travel around it, explore it, and once I uncovered some of its hidden histories and its wacky past, I couldn’t resist creating a mythical town in the Texas Panhandle as a setting for my books. Vacancy was actually the first novel in "The Dust Series" I wrote, but it’s second to be published. Each book in the series can stand alone, with the setting in small-town Texas tying them together, as characters connect, or move in, and move out, of subsequent books. Like people do, in towns across Texas.  

WOW: It seems like Texas pulled you right in! What draws to writing historical fiction?

Jann: I have always had a passion for times past, and since I can’t travel back in time, the next best thing I can do is imagine it—and write it. This gives me a reason to dig into old photographs, old maps, old paintings, oral histories, and out-of-print books for visualizing how things once were. I collect things from my favorite eras in U.S. history, too, such as a 1930 typewriter, 1940s Bakelite radios, even older boxes of cartes-de-visites, 1950s fold-out post cards, 1930s-40s refrigerator pitchers, hand-tinted photographs, colorful fruit crate labels, even books about the architecture, styles, and décor from former eras.

WOW: That's a fun collection to have! Where do you like to write? Can you share pictures?






Jann: I have made myself a great writing studio that can double as a research center, art studio, and place to read. I love going into my writing studio, and can’t imagine writing anywhere else. I have shelves for lots of books with my collectibles interspersed, storage for art and photo supplies, a great view of live oak trees and birds, a door to our deck for my Texas mutt, Ruby, and a door that’s sized for me, too. 

WOW: Where you like to write is beautiful! What are you working on now that you can tell us about?

Jann: I’m doing final edits on my third novel in The Dust Series, titled Overdue: Riding the Rails Across Texas in Hard Times. In the Texas Dust Bowl, fourteen-year-old Will Becker sets out for home but keeps riding the rails, chasing education, work, and a way to save his family farm—until history turns every detour into a reckoning.

Thanks for asking such fun questions!

WOW: And thank you for joining us! I hope everyone enjoys your book.



Review Event for Vacancy by Jann Alexander

Here's what WOW! Readers had to say about Vacancy by Jann Alexander:

"I was pulled right into Jann Alexander’s Vacancy. She knows just how to create a scene that captures each character's emotions and evokes vivid physical sensations and settings. There are multiple POVs throughout the book, but Jann knows just how to rope the reader into each perspective without taking them out of the story. Chapters are short, so the pacing is perfect. My heart went out to each character as they navigated the changes in their lives. Definitely recommend this one!" ~ Nicole P.

"This novel follow two women whose lives become intertwined and after a tragic accident they realize maybe there was a reason they were brought into each other's lives. Helen a widowed school teacher has taken an interest in a new student Jillie. She feels something isn't right at home and reaches out to her mother to try to get a little more insight. But the mother continues to ignore the meetings and calls from Helen. 

"When Helen's worst fear comes true, she carries the guilt that she should have done more. Charlene, a young mother stuck in a bad relationship just found out she is pregnant again. How could this happen? He didn't even want the first child and he never takes the time for his first child, the teenage son she helps care for. She needs to get out and finds the strength to do all it takes to get out of this situation. With the help of some friends, she gets out of there with Mick and Jillie, but the struggle is hard. 

"While stepping away for a few moments to make a phone call, a terrible accident happens and now the fear of her new life she was starting hangs in the balance as the town points fingers at her and labels her as another negligent mother that shouldn't have had children. With the strength of her friends and Helen who continues to reach out, Charlene has to learn to live for the new child growing within her and the guilt of what happened. I really enjoyed this read, the struggles these women had how they gave each other strength to move forward." ~ Chelsie S.

"There have been many books written about men hurting women, but have you ever read about a secret hiding place abusing the person who trusted it? How could that be? No, this is not sci fi, and yes, the main characters are hiding unspeakable secrets despite the love and trust that are shared in Jann Alexander’s Vacancy.

"Kindergarten teacher Helen is childless and widowed. She’s grieving her hidden regrets though an administrator sees right through her and advises her to see a psychologist. She stalls while she bonds with shy girl in her class and fears that the girl’s struggling single mother, Charlene, is not parenting well.

"Charlene’s hiding a secret too, while doing the best she can to keep her daughter and the teenager her ex left behind safe. She resents Helen’s judgments and interference, but she resents her former husband’s drunken violence more. When she meets a scarred veteran who offers to lend a hand, hope flourishes, until she begs for time.

"After an unexpected tragedy Helen and Charlene bond despite the harsh judgements of people who speculate about what really happened. Helen and Charlene must confront the vacancies in their hearts, creating an opening for new love.

"Author Jann Alexander is a skillful storyteller. Her characters resonate and you’ll find yourself reeling at the problems life brings to them. She has written an earlier book in the same series, Unspoken.

"If you’re drawn to women’s fiction, other people’s problems, or the Texas panhandle, this book is for you." ~ B. Lynn G.

"Vacancy is great from start to finish.

I felt for all the characters.

Helen is both a widow and kindergarten teacher.

Charlene is a single mother with a little girl, and her brother, a teenager, who both go through more than anyone should.

Vacancy is raw, gripping, and had me hooked. It’s memorable and had me thinking about it long after I finished.

It demonstrates life’s struggles very well in the characters, their backstory, and what they experience. It’s also about resilience.

Thanks to Jann Alexander and to Women on Writing. It was a pleasure to take part in the reader review event for this novel." ~ Katherine H.

"This is a touching novel of two women whose lives cross as they face the tragedies in their lives. They find strength, making it through to new life. Second chances give hope to them both. Alexander has written an emotional novel in which the women eventually find healing and strength to overcome tragedy, remorse and guilt and experience forgiveness and hope.

Potential readers should be aware that the tragedies include the death of a spouse and a child's death. Those may be trigger situations for some. There is also a threatening and dangerous past boyfriend. Those are hard experiences but the women find the strength to go on." ~ Joan N.

Listen to Jann Alexander on Podcasts

Beach Chair Chats

Bookaholic

Connor Reads Books

Sustaining Creativity


Women's Fiction and $25 Gift Card Giveaway


***** BOOK & GIFT CARD GIVEAWAY *****

Enter to win Vacancy by Jann Alexander and a $25 Amazon Gift Card. Fill out the form below for a chance to win. The giveaway ends September 20th at 11:59 pm CT. We will randomly draw a winner the next day and follow up via email. Good luck!

Vacancy and $25 Gift Card Giveaway
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Interview with Katie Youmans, Runner Up in the Q3 Creative Nonfiction Essay Contest with “Under the Boat”

Saturday, September 05, 2026

Congratulations to Katie Youmans from Lincoln, Nebraska 
for her moving nonfiction essay titled: 

Check out Katie’s submission, 
as well as all the other 
and then stop back here to read 
Katie Youman’s engaging interview 
with Crystal J. Casavant-Otto from 
WOW! Women on Writing. 



Katie’s Bio: Katie is a STEM academic librarian who writes short stories, poetry, and creative nonfiction inspired by lived experiences and the quiet, profound moments of everyday life. She has previously been a finalist in the WOW! Women on Writing Creative Nonfiction Essay Contest and Flash Fiction Contest. This is her first published work. 



Today's interview was penned by Crystal J. Casavant-Otto ...

WOW!: Thank you for being here with me today Katie and thank you for writing such a personal essay. Let’s get right down to it! 

Thank you for writing such a moving and honest essay – what is the take-away you’d like readers to gain from reading Under the Boat? 


Katie: Under the Boat is a memory I tried to capture, for mostly myself, so I could incorporate it into my understanding of the world and who I am in it. I think that for many years my experiences with Dawn made me feel ashamed and confused – especially in the early years when I was also struggling against principles of conservative Christianity. However, as I have continued to grow and accept every part of myself, I must also accept and bring this summer of Dawn with me in a way that acknowledges the confusion and illicitness of the moment, without judging or shaming who we were and what we did together. 


My own experience of submitting this story and having it published with WOW! is that I have been able to share it with people close to me who didn’t know about this experience. It’s been a connection point for people to feel seen and to feel like they see me better as well. I hope that this story does the same for other readers; that they see me and feel seen themselves, even if they still don’t exactly understand who they are and what they want. 



 WOW!: Where do you write? What does your space look like? I’m also wanting to know more about your profession as a STEM academic librarian and how does your job support and/or inspire your writing of short stories, poetry, and creative nonfiction? 


 Katie: I am very much a mood writer, and as such I need to curate the perfect cozy environment for my writing experience. I recently had someone describe my 1-bedroom apartment as one giant reading nook (which I took as a huge compliment!) because I have cushy seating, soft lamp light and shelves upon shelves of books in every direction. Cultivating this welcoming home and then developing a ritual in the writing process all help create the mental safety needed to wander into memory and imagination to see what I want to put down on the page. 


 When it comes to my work space as a STEM Librarian, I do have my own office on campus, and I have worked pretty diligently to make it welcoming and comfortable. I collect art from independent local artists wherever I travel, and then add it to my collection on my office walls. I have a rotating themed collection of fiction books in one corner of my office to spark people’s interest (and also just because I love doing it). The theme for this summer is DRAGONS. I have a lounge chair with a footrest shaped like a mushroom and a tableau of 3-D printed creatures in one corner of my desk that I sometimes rearrange into different interactive scenes. Creating these spaces has served as a great outlet for self-expression. 


 While my position as a STEM Librarian does not afford me much opportunity to engage my creative writing muscles in my work, the great thing about working in a library and on a college campus is that there is never a shortage of creatives and opportunities to connect. I am still relatively new to this university so I haven’t found any writing groups, but I have managed to find poetry slams and readings to attend that celebrate the creativity that my local area has to offer. 




 WOW!: Do you have advice for your younger self when it comes to making decisions, believing in yourself, and/or writing? What would your current self say to the younger you? 


 Katie: I have often judged and shamed my younger self for decisions she’s made or things she wasn’t brave or smart enough to try at the time. Yet somewhere along the way I realized how hateful and unfair this was, and my apology has been to create a life that she would be proud to claim. This has manifested in my affording her opportunities for joy and self-indulgence. I own and defend the things she likes to do, even if they aren’t popular, trendy, or fun for anyone else. I have gone back and breathed life into dreams that she had dismissed as impossible. I have become brave for her in ways she was never able to even consider. 


 If it weren’t for trying to live for my younger self, I would be stuck in a carousel of customer service jobs that I hated instead of becoming the Librarian I am now. I would be trapped in the town I grew up in instead of having lived abroad as well as in every time zone in the US. I would be caught in an unfulfilling relationship and afraid to start over instead of trying something new even if it was terrifying. I would have kept a little essay about a snapshot of my childhood to myself instead of submitting it to a writing contest that has now made me, for the first time, a published writer. 


 I talk to my younger self all the time – part of my journaling and self-talk includes checking in with her, and reporting back on all the ways we’ve triumphed and failed and tried again. In this way, I don’t see myself as someone who has wisdom to give my younger self; I am constantly looking back to her to gain perspective and approval to carry on. 


 As the saying goes, there are only two people in this world you need to make proud – your 8-year old self and 80-year old self, and if those two are happy with your life, you did it right. Living this out is actually crazy as hell sometimes – 8-year olds are impulsive and 80-year olds act like they’ve got nothing to lose – but for me, it’s given me more reason to live a curious and adventurous life with few regrets. Life has been easier in the past, but I have never been happier than now. 



 WOW!: I love that you’ve taken these experiences and used them to be more curious and adventurous. As someone who works with children quite often, being curious is so important for growth! Speaking of growth, has journaling and/or writer’s groups played in your writing or life? 


 Katie: Admittedly I have not engaged in many writing groups; I have just never found one where I felt connected with the other members. I do, however, have a long history with journaling. I started keeping a journal when I was about 11 and wrote almost daily until about halfway through my undergraduate years. The habit fell off for some time, but in the last 5 years I have picked it up again, and I would say that it’s been a boon in a lot of ways. The world has changed so radically in the last decade, and journaling has been a very grounding activity that helps to process the escalating changes. Also, periodically going back to read what I’ve written is always illuminating – I am constantly surprised by the choices I made over what I did and did not choose to write in a given moment in time. 


 I think journaling – and specifically journaling with paper and pen in a physical journal – is a lost practice that more people could really benefit from. Unlike blogging, vlogging, or posting on social media, journaling is an intimate and private experience, the act of which takes more time and effort than typing or pushing ‘record’ and speaking. Journaling requires more thoughtfulness and focus, and it allows the writer to further reflect on what they really think and believe as they are formulating the words for it. Slowing down is hard sometimes, but it is necessary on a physiological level for our nervous systems to regulate and to better manage our emotions. I am obviously a big believer in the power of journaling and recommend it to any who would listen! 


 WOW!: I was just saying something similar in one of my courses - I think young students can benefit from journaling (especially during puberty when things seem so complicated). We should have a separate interview all about the power of journaling for youth and adults! 


For today though, our time has come to an end. Thank you so much for sharing your time and talent with us Katie, it has been an absolute pleasure to interview you and find out more! I look forward to chatting with you more in the future! 


 

Crystal Casavant writes. Everything. If you follow her blog: Bring On Lemons you have likely laid eyes on every thought she has ever had. The world may never know her name, but she prays that because of her, someone may smile a little brighter. She prides herself on doing nice things - yes, even for strangers. She is always up for a challenge whether it’s living in the basement, living on a boat, or buying a dairy farm! You never know where she’ll turn up next or what she’ll be doing, but it’s guaranteed she’ll be having fun! 


 Check out the latest Contests: www.wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php

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Spooky Stories Drawn from Everyday Life

Thursday, September 03, 2026

Photo by andreluc88/Envato

 


Like many writers, I’ve finished a few full-length novels. Some of them have suspenseful or mystery elements. But while I haven’t published any of those books or landed myself an agent, I have found success with shorter pieces of writing. These shorter pieces have one thing in common—they are twisty and suspenseful tales. They’ve even landed me a few awards. 

As a budding writer, I was mesmerized by the shorter stories from authors like Stephen King, Edgar Allan Poe and Flannery O’Connor. I admired the way their prose kept me hooked turning each page, my pulse quickening as I neared the conclusion. I liked that I could be spooked by a piece of work that didn’t take me a week to read. And many of these stories I was drawn to the most featured crimes of passion or people committing unexplainable acts of violence. 

One of my favorite short stories I’ve written came to me after touring The Ringling Museum in Sarasota, Florida while on vacation. One display made me pause—it detailed the events of a 1944 fire in Hartford, Connecticut that killed more than 167 people. I woke up the next morning and felt compelled to open a new document and begin typing a fictional first-person account of a child who survived the fire: 

I don’t remember exactly when the first hints of smoke hit our nostrils, or when Mother and Father realized we were in trouble. Father scanned the crowd until he spotted the grotesque orange and red flames shooting up one wall of the tent. Soon, screams of “FIRE” were reverberating throughout the crowd. The band stopped playing. Throngs of people thundered up and down the rows of metal bleachers while trying to figure out the quickest exit. I clutched Mother’s arm as she tried to talk to Father over the mayhem. First, we tried to make an exit to the right, became trapped, and reversed our course. We couldn’t get down the stairs of the bleachers fast enough and were crushed from behind by the people trying to force their way through the crowd. 

I’ve been inspired to write two other short stories based on real-life events. They’ve placed in various contests through Writers Digest. I find it easier to complete these shorter stories of suspense because they are condensed versions of haunting tale, and you only have a short amount of time to hook the reader. You don’t have to be Alice Feeney to come up with heart pounding piece of fiction. 

In addition, I’ve grown more adept at writing short and haunting stories in the non-fiction arena as well with my true crime podcast, Missing in the Carolinas. Many of these are stories I’ve found simply by searching historical documents such as police reports and newspaper archives. These shorter podcast scripts are even more frightening because they feature events that occurred in real life. 

Do you love reading and writing suspense and dream of creating your own twisty piece of work? Do you want to write a short story, poem, or essay that will send chills up your reader’s spine but don’t want to commit to a full-length novel that has become the bread and butter of writers like Lisa Jewell, Riley Sager, or Ashley Elston? There are markets that would love to take your polished pieces, whether driven purely from your imagination or inspired from real-life! 

I'll be teaching participants how to write their own short, twisty suspense in a live Zoom workshop on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026 at 2 p.m. EST. The webinar will be recorded for anyone who cannot attend in person. To learn more or sign up, visit this link. 

Renee Roberson is an award-winning writer, true crime podcaster, and judge for WOW’s quarterly flash fiction and creative nonfiction contests. Learn more at FinishedPages.com and MissingintheCarolinas.com.
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Interview with Sumi Watters, Runner Up in the Winter 2026 Flash Fiction Contest

Tuesday, September 01, 2026

 Sumi’s Bio:

I was raised in a bicultural household in the U.S., but have lived most of my adult life in Japan, South Africa, and the U.K. After spending several years as a presenter and news/copywriter for a Tokyo radio station, I took on a less glamorous, but deeply rewarding role in 2010 creating and writing English educational materials for Tokyo-based primary and secondary international schools. I’ve been writing creative fiction for about five years, and have been long and short listed in several flash fiction competitions, including the WestWord Prize and Wild Atlantic Writing Awards. I have two completed (but unpublished) novels under my belt and am currently working on a third—(women's) literary fiction set in war-time Japan. (X: @WattersSk)

If you haven't taken the time to read "Out of Character," take a moment to read Sumi's excellent story.  Then come back here to learn about her writing process.

------interview with Sue Bradford Edwards-----

WOW:  What inspired you to write “Out of Character?” 

Sumi:  My writing group's monthly prompt for February was 'music lyrics,' and I happened to hear Dolly's "9 to 5" on my way home from a meeting. So, I took the lyrics--'I tumble out of bed and stumble to the kitchen,' and thought of all the possible scenarios where one might tumble and stumble. 

My first (in-my-head draft) involved characters performing in a play, and the main characters (Jaykob and Sherbet) having a go at the director for not having a clue how to direct his/her actors. I'd recently seen "A Christmas Carol Goes Wrong," and realized there was nothing original about my story idea. Idea scrapped. 

But what if, I thought, J & S were characters in an in-progress novel? What if they were unhappy with the author's choices and her writing progress? And so, "Out of Character" was born. 

WOW:  You made so many changes before committing a word to the page or the computer file.  Revision is an important part of the writing process. How did this story change during the revision process? 

Sumi: To be honest, once I got the 'right' idea in my head, the story pretty much wrote itself. My word count was a little over the limit when I finished the first draft, so all I really had to do was tweak here, tighten there, and change a few bits around.

WOW: You write both flash and novel-length work. What do our readers need to know about transitioning between the two forms? 

Sumi: Not to toot my horn, but I think Flash Fiction is my thing. I have an idea, then I work all the details out in my head before I physically write the first word. I do this whether it's a 250- or 1000-word story or anything in between. When it comes to FF, I rarely write a true second draft. It's usually just the first with a few minor changes. I've written close to a hundred FF pieces in the few years since I started writing creative fiction. I LOVE flash fiction. 

WOW:  That's amazing!  I'm more than a little jealous. Can you tell readers about the novel you are working on? 

Sumi: As for novel writing.... Well. I enjoy telling a longer story, but I don't always love how long it takes. I start by writing a treatment of sorts--a chapter by chapter outline for the entire novel. I treat every 'scene' as flash fiction just to get the story down. (That means I do it all in my head, then write it down, one scene at a time. The chapter outline for my most recent WIP is nearly 30,000 words long and took me three weeks to complete. I've been working on the actual novel for about six months. As of today, I'm at 14,000 words. Laughable, right? This isn't my first novel, I've completed two others, but for some reason, I haven't had the 'long-term' attention span needed for stringing all those scenes together. Partially this is because of my day-job workload--writing/creating English, History, and Science textbooks for international schools. But it is also because the world has felt like it's burning these past few months. I'll keep plugging away--one word at a time. 

My novel-in-progress is titled Akita Beauty. Akita Beauty is a story about Shino, a (fictional) luxury-brand beauty consultant and celebrated performer, who is summoned home under the pretense her widowed father is gravely ill. When she returns to her hometown in Akita prefecture, she is forced to marry the son of a wealthy, but morally corrupt merchant, only to be sent back to her family a year later for failing to produce an heir. At age twenty-one and no longer a virgin, Shino is branded spent goods—disgraced, discarded, but most damning of all… barren. Set in wartime Japan, Akita Beauty is a story of sacrifice, duty, survival, and hope told through the eyes of a plucky, young woman determined to reclaim her identity and independence, despite Showa-era patriarchal societal expectations and norms. 

My mother was Japanese, so I spent a lot of my childhood in Japan. Growing up, I'd heard so many stories about life during wartime Japan and the years that followed from my mother and maternal grandmother. Shino's story is very loosely based on my grandmother's experiences. Spoiler alert: My grandmother wasn't barren! 

WOW: What do you wish all of our readers knew about writing flash?

Sumi: For me, writing flash fiction has allowed me the opportunity to explore different genres, POVs, and writing styles. My longer pieces tend to be contemporary stories told in the first person, but through flash fiction, I have attempted pretty much everything, even genres I'd never thought I'd write. 

What I love most about flash fiction is that you can tell your story from start to finish in a few hundred words. It's a short-term commitment. An hour of your time. An afternoon or evening. I'm not gonna lie. Writing "The End" at the bottom of Page 1 is super gratifying. A mini-accomplishment, but I count it! 

So, if you're pretty new to writing creative fiction or perhaps still trying to find your 'voice,' try writing a 500-word piece in a style that might be a little out of your comfort zone. You may surprise yourself.

WOW: I love that idea of writing an untried style in flash just to try things out.  Please keep working on Akita Beauty.  I think I speak for the group when I say that we need to see it! 


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Looking Past Dementia by Marysue Moses: Media Mix Blog Tour & Giveaway

Monday, August 31, 2026
 
Looking Past Dementia by Marysue Moses

I'm excited to announce that author Marysue Moses is joining us for a blog tour of her non-fiction book, Looking Past Dementia: Learning from Those Who Live With It. This book is perfect for anyone who has a friend, neighbor, or family member living with dementia, or anyone working in long-term care. Join us as we celebrate the launch of her book and interview her about her writing journey. You'll also have the chance to win a copy for yourself.

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

In Looking Past Dementia, dementia educator Marysue Moses shares the powerful insights she has gained from more than twenty years working alongside individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Through deeply human stories, she challenges readers to look beyond symptoms and diagnoses to recognize the strengths, emotions, and humanity that remain.

Publisher: Emerald Lake Books
ISBN-10: 1945847964
ISBN-13: 978-1945847967
ASIN: B0HDS1FWBL
Print length: 202 pages

Purchase a copy of Looking Past Dementia on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Bookshop. Be sure to add it to your reading list on GoodReads.

About the Author, Marysue Moses


Marysue Moses is a dementia educator, consultant and former memory care coordinator who teaches practical, creative approaches to dementia care. Drawing on both professional experience and her family's journey with dementia, she helps caregivers foster meaningful connection and engagement.

You can follow the author at: 


---- Interview by Nicole Pyles

WOW: Congrats on your book, Looking Past Dementia. What inspired you to write this book?

Marysue: Thank you! I was inspired to write the book by the memories that were still rattling around in my mind related to my mother’s journey with dementia, and to my earliest years in dementia care, when I was an Activities Coordinator and Memory Care Coordinator. I absolutely loved working with and learning from these individuals. And it was so much fun. 

WOW: I think it's incredible that your experience with your mom inspired you to write this book and change your career. I know you go into greater detail about this in your book, but how did your career path change when your mom was diagnosed with dementia?

Marysue: When Mom was diagnosed, I knew next to nothing about dementia. I started reading about it, and when I visited her in her first Memory Care Community, I was appalled to see that she had basically nothing to do.  She introduced me to her friend Josephine, who had been a professional actress. I mentioned to Josephine that I loved Shakespeare and she lit into “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players”…she delivered that whole speech from the play As You Like It, letter perfect. 

In that moment, I vowed to do something about the lack of activity in Mom’s community. I ended up creating Tales from a Trunk, an interactive storytelling activity that I brought with me on the plane each time I visited Mom in Denver over the next few years.  My favorite program was called Shakespearience, which I created in honor of Josephine. 

I started doing Tales from a Trunk presentations at memory cares in Minneapolis/Saint Paul too, and I realized that I really loved interacting with people living with dementia. From there, I sought and found a position as an Activities Coordinator.  
 
WOW: What a life-changing experience, both for you and the patients! How did working with and helping those with dementia change your perspective on the disease?

Marysue: Back then, the tragedy narrative surrounding Alzheimer’s disease in particular was in full force. It’s still hovering around, unfortunately, but there is a lot more pushback now from organizations like the Dementia Action Alliance. There are many people out there now living very well with dementia, which is fantastic. When I was working with people living with dementia, their humanity was so visible. They showed delightful personalities; they had strengths, skills, talents, creativity, and the ability to give and receive love. They were just people! And they had a lot to teach me! Sure, they had challenges, but I learned it’s more helpful to focus on what remains. We must remember that those living with dementia are doing the very best they can with the brain they’ve got. We shouldn’t give up on them just because they have brain changes.

WOW: What an incredible perspective! Who is this book for and why? 

Marysue: This book is for anyone who cares for or about someone living with dementia, professionals, family members, friends, neighbors…anyone who wants to learn more about what some of the challenges are that may come up with dementia and what works and what doesn’t work in terms of responding to them. Each individual living with dementia is unique—no two people living with dementia will act and respond in the very same way. This makes working the field complicating, as well as fascinating. There’s so much to learn from different individuals!

 As for the Why…There are a lot of dementia books out there, and many are informative, but rather dry and frankly, depressing.  I wanted to write something that would be an easy, enjoyable read, and not too long. Caregivers don’t have time for that! I wanted it to feel more like a like an interesting and pleasant conversation filled with true stories, not a textbook.

WOW: I'm so glad you did! It's a one-of-a-kind book. How did your experiences in theater prepare you for where you are today?

Marysue: My theatre background was a huge help. You have to really communicate to the person living with dementia that you get them, you understand their concerns, and you’re willing to help even if you haven’t a clue as to what to do in the moment. We use facial expressions, tone of voice, and our emotions to do this – but you don’t have to be an actor to be effective - we generally do this all the time with closest friends and family members. We rail alongside them, we celebrate their successes, we share losses and grief.  So, this shouldn’t feel like big mystery. We do have to mean what we say when we communicate with someone living with dementia, and an acting background is helpful there, but simply being a human being who knows a bit about developing friendship is also excellent training.

WOW: Beautifully said. What have you learned through your experiences with dementia that you hope resonates with people with your book the most?

Marysue: People living with dementia are fully human. They are full-fledged adults, even though they may be responding to the world differently from what you might expect. They have strengths and skills we can build upon.

Validation—crossing to their side of the street and letting them know what you see when you look at things from their perspective—is an invaluable tool. 

Find out what’s fun for them, and give them lots of it.  

Remind them of their accomplishments. Let them know you are grateful for who they are and what they have done in their life that they are proud of.  

Find ways to adapt the activities that they used to do.  

Engagement is critical. Expose them to new things. New experiences stimulate the brain. 

Set them up to listen to their favorite music every day for half an hour.

Especially in the later stages, put things into their hands that they can touch, smell, or taste.

Expect to be surprised and to learn!

If you happen to take care of me someday when I am living with dementia, as much as possible, read me Shakespeare, take me to the movies, and get me to live theatre!

WOW:Thank you so much for talking with me today and sharing your book with the world. You are such an inspiring author! 
 
Looking Past Dementia by Marysue Moses Blog Tour

--- Blog Tour Calendar

August 31 @ The Muffin
Join us at the Muffin as we celebrate the launch of Looking Past Dementia: Learning from Those Who Live With It by Marysue Moses. We interview the author and give you a chance to win a copy of the book.

August 31 @ Just Katherine
Katherine shares excerpts from Looking Past Dementia: Learning from Those Who Live With It by Marysue Moses.

September 2 @ Freeing the Butterfly
Stop by Michelle's blog for her review of Looking Past Dementia: Learning from Those Who Live With It by Marysue Moses.

September 5 @ A Wonderful World of Words
Stop by Joy's blog for a guest post by Marysue Moses on good grief.

September 8 @ CC King's blog
Join Caitrin's blog for a guest post by Marysue Moses on how she found a Shakespeare quote for every chapter in her book.

September 9 @ Words by Webb
Stop by Jodi's blog for her review of Looking Past Dementia: Learning from Those Who Live With It by Marysue Moses.

September 12 @ What Is That Book About
Stop by Michelle's blog for a spotlight of Looking Past Dementia: Learning from Those Who Live With It by Marysue Moses.

September 14 @ Lisa's Reading
Stop by Lisa's blog for an excerpt from Looking Past Dementia: Learning from Those Who Live With It by Marysue Moses.

September 15 @ Balance and Joy
Stop by Sheri's blog for her review of Looking Past Dementia: Learning from Those Who Live With It by Marysue Moses.

September 16 @ Create Write Now
Stop by Mari's blog for a spotlight of Looking Past Dementia: Learning from Those Who Live With It by Marysue Moses.

September 19 @ Boots, Shoes and Fashion
Stop by Linda's blog for an interview with Marysue Moses about her book Looking Past Dementia: Learning from Those Who Live With It.

September 20 @ A Storybook World
Join Deirdre for a guest post by Marysue Moses on how her high school friends shaped her life.

September 25 @ World of My Imagination
Stop by Nicole's blog for her review of Looking Past Dementia: Learning from Those Who Live With It by Marysue Moses.

September 27 @ Boys' Mom Reads
Stop by Karen's blog for her review of Looking Past Dementia: Learning from Those Who Live With It by Marysue Moses.

September 27 @ Nikki's Book and Movie Reviews
Stop by Nikki's blog for her review of Looking Past Dementia: Learning from Those Who Live With It by Marysue Moses.

Podcast Appearances

Who We Become

Crossing the Pond



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

Enter to win Looking Past Dementia by Marysue Moses. Fill out the form below for a chance to win. The giveaway ends September 13th at 11:59 pm CT. We will randomly draw a winner the next day and follow up via email. Good luck!

Looking Past Dementia Giveaway
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Interview with Alexis Ward, Third Place Winner in the Q3 2026 Creative Nonfiction Essay Contest

Sunday, August 30, 2026

 


Alexis Ward is a writer of comedic, dramedic, and satirical creative nonfiction, and she finds great fun in experimenting with form. You can find many of her fiction and nonfiction pieces in The Laurentian Magazine, the undergraduate literary mag of St. Lawrence University in Canton, NY. She is currently pursuing an MFA in Creative Writing at Emerson College in Boston, MA. This is her first-ever submission to a writing contest! 











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

WOW: Welcome, Alexis, and a huge congratulations! In a piece of flash prose such as "To the girl I met on the ramp," every word choice counts. How did your submission evolve from the first draft to the final entry? 

Alexis: It started as a “diary entry” of sorts. At first, I just knew I needed to document this encounter and the serendipitous timing at which it came. Having this mysterious stranger come seemingly out of nowhere and compliment my outfit, just minutes after a long-time peer of mine was so rude about it, felt too good to be true. I was afraid that I’d forget the moment, so I wrote the first draft as soon as I thanked her and went back into my dorm room. I laid out every single detail I could remember, not at all intending to create anything introspective at first. I was just so fascinated by the interaction for a reason I didn’t immediately understand. And, as I chronicled the experience, I realized where this fascination stemmed from—this idea of “girlhood,” this supposedly innate quality of women to bond over shared femininity. Then as I wrote, I pondered; and as I pondered, I spiraled. In my revised draft, I leaned into this spiral, reflecting on my own learned insecurities, and my own experiences—or lack thereof—with true girlhood. 

As I grew up with “boyish” interests (like video games and trading cards), had mostly guy friends until I went to college, and have always been uninterested in beauty trends, I believed that I was on this odd lower echelon of girlhood, and that no matter how hard I tried, true female connection would always be something I could only observe from afar. I’m a woman, of course, and I’m happy to be so, but I’ve always felt this social divide between being a woman—the physical, biological creature—and being a girl, the social and emotional entity. I’ve wrestled with this idea for years now, and it was really cathartic to explore it, alongside my feminine identity growing up. It's something I’ve wanted to write about for a while, but I never quite knew how to approach it. Now, finally, this encounter was the springboard for me to truly put pen to paper (finger to keyboard?) and dive into it, and I’m happy with the final result. I think I was finally able to lay the unsettled remnants of ten-year-old me to rest. 

WOW: Your bio mentions this is your first ever submission to a writing competition. We are so excited for you! How did you first learn about our contests here at WOW! and what made you want to submit your piece? 

Alexis: Thank you! After earning my bachelor’s degree last winter, I made it a goal to submit to at least one or two new publications before the summer, just to push myself out of my comfort zone. One night, I decided to browse ChillSubs after work, looking for open submission calls. As luck would have it, the WOW! contest was still open. I never went much further with this piece following its initial conception, besides revising it and submitting it for a college assignment. So, after checking out the website and reading other beautiful nonfiction submissions, I was inspired to submit and give this work new life. This piece seemed like a great fit for this woman-centric magazine, and there was still a few days left before submissions closed, so I thought, “Why not? Worth a shot!” The rest is history. Now, motivation-wise: I’ve had my work published in St. Lawrence University’s literary and academic journals, and I was also managing editor of its undergrad literary mag for a while, so I’m no stranger to the general submissions/publishing process. However, I’ve been wanting to submit to external publications for a while now, just to let it be seen by new eyes! The idea of entering a judged contest was a bit daunting at first, but I knew that it would be a great learning experience, both in writing and publishing. Honestly, I mostly did it for fun. I definitely didn’t expect to reach the Top 3, or even the Top 10! This was such a joy to be a part of, and I’m incredibly grateful to WOW! for reading my work and validating me as an emerging young writer. I’m very excited to submit to other publications in the future! 

WOW: Where do you find ideas for your creative writing pieces? 

Alexis: I’m emotional and a massive overthinker, which is both a blessing and a curse. When I witness something unusual, or even ordinary, my brain involuntarily begins to dissect it, down to the slimmest detail. It’s an instinct I’ve had for as long as I can remember. When I write, I enjoy building narratives around insignificant moments, and even inanimate objects. I’ve given popsicle sticks tragic backstories. I’ve given family trees and traditions to campus squirrels (to the point I became known as “the one who writes about squirrels” up at St. Lawrence). This rhetorical, emotional core lies at the heart of most of my work, and it was no different here. I wrote the last few lines first, then built the run-on sentence around it, right after the encounter with this invisible, yet beautiful girl on this ramp. It killed me that I couldn’t remember the face of someone who was so, so nice to me in a moment where I really needed it, immediately restoring my faith in girlhood at the near-exact moment I was starting to lose it. All I could remember was how beautiful she was, even though I have no actual memory of her appearance. That’s where the idea for this piece came from—the feeling after. It was this churning, hot glob in my chest, made of love, and guilt, and yearning: to remember her face, to learn her inside out, and to really, truly thank her. Whoever and wherever she may be, I hope she knows how much of a difference she’s made on me and my writing. 

WOW: What is a day in the life like for an MFA student? We’d love to get a behind-the-scenes look! 

Alexis: Okay, I’ll admit it—I actually haven’t started yet! My very first semester starts next week. For the next three years, I’ll be studying at Emerson College, in the heart of Boston’s theatre district. It’s a beautiful campus right across the street from the Boston Common. There’s so much to do in that one area alone—food trucks, shops, live music. I’m so thrilled to experience it all! I’m most excited about the atmosphere, and all the great spots all around to write and reflect, and not to mention all the wonderful urban work opportunities in writing, publishing, and editing, as well as Emerson’s countless literary magazines! Suffice to say, I’m very excited to take this next big step in my life and continue to hone my craft! 

WOW: It sounds like it will be an amazing experience for you in Boston and a place to find much inspiration! Who are some of your favorite authors and what do you admire about their work? 

Alexis: My absolute favorite at the moment is Samantha Irby. Her work is absolutely hilarious, and while my submission to WOW! was a little more on the serious side, most of my work takes great inspiration from her casual, raw, and unapologetic comedy. When it comes to creative nonfiction, she’s my Taylor Swift. Ross Gay is also a huge inspiration for me—his "Book of Delights" has only encouraged me to ponder the ordinary, which is a large theme in most of my works. It really helped me to harness this sympathetic instinct in me that I once thought childish and practically useless, allowing me to channel it into my writing and build stories around rhetorical emotional cores. I highly recommend Irby’s "Wow, No Thank You" and "We Are Never Meeting in Real Life," alongside Gay’s "Books of Delights" (yes, there’s more than one!) and "Lace & Pyrite: Letters from Two Gardens," a collaborative epistolary collection between him and Aimee Nezhukumatathil. I’m a big fan of epistolary essays and pieces that play with form, so I especially recommend that one, too!

WOW: Thank you so much for those wonderful recommendations. We hope you have a great first semester in grad school and look forward to reading more from you!
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Metadata: Make Sure People Can Find Your Book

Thursday, August 27, 2026

 

Recently I saw a talk about metadata that emphasized just how important it is to help readers find your book. Metadata is the information that identifies your book. It is what a reader might key into Google or a bookstore search engine. 

Some metadata is pretty basic. These items are upfront and factual. They include: 
Book title 
Your byline 
ISBN 
Publisher 
Publication date 

See what I mean? Your byline is your byline unless you use one byline for romance and another for children's nonfiction.  Back in the olden days you used to find these things on a card in the library catalogue.

But there is more to metadata than this. There are other things that make a book description more searchable. These include your genre and subgenres, keywords, and descriptions 

This second group of items matter because they impact how easy your book is to find, where it will be displayed in bookstores, and book sales. Let me explain. 

You’ve written a mystery. You know that there are subgenres and that cozies are popular. So you include cozy in your description. That’s great because it will help buyers, whether they work at libraries or bookstores, find your book. But if your mystery is actually a closed room mystery and a guest is poisoned and dies during a dinner, this isn’t a cozy. People may find the book but they won’t buy it. 

It is also important to use a description that accurately describes potential buyers. “Kid-friendly” isn’t a very narrow term. Neither is “great gift book.” Either of these statements might be true, but your description needs to be both accurate and specific. It is better to work in that it would be a good book for graduation, summer vacation, baby showers, or retirement. 

In addition to including information about who might purchase the book, metadata includes information about the book itself. If you are writing historical fiction or nonfiction, including information about the time period and place. If your book includes specific historical figures, you might include their names. Is your novel about a woman in STEM? Or a stay-at-home dad? Include it. 

The more information that you can include without your book page looking cluttered the better. Remember that the purpose of all of this information is to make your book discoverable by the right people. I’m just wondering why I had to discover something that seems even less fun than writing a query. 

--SueBE

Sue Bradford Edwards' is the author of over 80 books for young readers. To find out more about her writing, visit her site and blog.

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

To get a free copy of Sue’s book, What to Do When Your Book Is Banned, subscribe to her newsletter, One Writer’s Journey, here.

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Interview With Jenna Snelgrove: Winter 2026 Flash Fiction Contest Runner-Up

Tuesday, August 25, 2026
 

I'm honored to interview Jenna Snelgrove, one of our Winter 2026 Flash Fiction Contest Runner-Up winners. We'll be chatting about what inspired her flash fiction story, "Maternity Season," how nature influenced her characters, why she submitted her story to WOW, and so much more.

Before you read our discussion, be sure to read her story, "Maternity Season," then come on back. First, here's more about Jenna:

Jenna is an academic advisor who lives in the Thousand Islands region of Ontario. She writes contemporary romance novels, short fiction, and poetry. Another short story of hers received an Honourable Mention in the Women on Writing Flash Fiction contest last year, but she has only recently begun sharing her work beyond the confines of her laptop. Jenna holds a Master of Science in environmental science and a Bachelor of Education. When her nose is not in a book, she’s trying and failing to keep her bad beagle’s nose out of everything else.

-- Interview by Nicole Pyles

WOW: Congrats on winning runner-up for your story, "Maternity Season"! What inspired this story?

Jenna: I’m thrilled others enjoyed this story! It was a joy to write. I must give major kudos to my partner (the real biologist I know) for inspiring this story. When the two of us were students, we both had summer jobs travelling around Ontario for wildlife research—me in a wetsuit looking for fish and mussels, and him with a headlamp monitoring bats and flying squirrels. I lean on his wildlife knowledge a lot, and when I decided I wanted to write a story about bats, he shared some of the contextual knowledge that shaped this story.

WOW: How wonderful to have that kind of context about nature. And I love the connection of nature to the lives of characters. How did you come to make that connection in the story?

Jenna: While researching bats, one of the aspects of their behaviour I found the most fascinating was their dedication to their pups (e.g., mothers migrate to roosting sites, give birth upside down, carry their pups to forage, then teach them how to hunt independently). They reproduce slowly, often having only one pup a year. For any biology-fanatics out there, this is known as a k-selected life strategy, which betters the survival of an individual offspring, but also leaves bat populations susceptible to destabilizing forces, like the fireworks of my story. I couldn’t help but consider the irony in how bats display this level of care in orphaned mines and crumbling structures that highlight humans’ propensity for carelessness.

I imagined my protagonist to be someone feeling reluctant towards her own motherhood journey ahead—perhaps someone who has experienced neglect akin to the buildings she visits each night. While watching the bats, she questions whether she would have the dedication required to be a good mother, like the bats seem to exhibit throughout her surveys. Beyond admiring the bats for their role in their offsprings’ lives as I had done, I enjoyed the idea of her being simultaneously in awe and irritated by their perfection, as if nature was conspiring to reinforce her own fear of inadequacy. In the end, the protagonist’s actions to save the bats from disturbance prove to her that she would and will do anything to protect those she loves.

WOW: What an incredible insight into your character! You created such a vivid setting in so few words. Was this based on a real location at all, or how did you come to create such realistic imagery?

Jenna: The setting is one of the first things that came to mind while writing this story. I decided I wanted to write about a place that was eerie to contrast the comforting theme of motherhood throughout the story. I also thought it would be interesting to write a story that felt like the colour indigo (I know that is strange, but it’s what I was going for). The setting is a fictional place but having spent my life almost exclusively in Ontario, I was inspired by its lakeside landscapes. I can think of a few forgotten churches in remote places that have made me question how they fell into disarray.

WOW: You really chose a fantastic setting. How does your life as an academic advisor inspire your characters or overall creative writing?

 Jenna: My work as an academic advisor and my pursuit of writing likely show that I’m nosy about people! I am lucky to get to speak with brilliant students about their goals and motivations, and this touches upon one of the same things I love about writing—human development. Understanding humans—their personalities, their histories, their hurdles—is the best way to develop characters.

WOW: Ha, I can relate to the nosy factor! Congrats again on winning runner-up with WOW! What led you to submit your writing to WOW?

Jenna: When I was first looking into this contest back in 2025, I first came across the story of the winner of the Summer 2024 contest—Emily Shipman’s short story, “Sorry Do I Know You.” I remember loving this story and feeling grateful to have discovered an international contest where writers could share work that was intelligent, incisive, and also entertaining. I felt inspired to try to do the same, and I’ve been so appreciative of the encouragement WOW offers to writers at every stage.

WOW: I love hearing that story inspired you! How does your knowledge of environmental science influence your writing?

Jenna: For a long time, I viewed my interest in writing as being separate from my background in environmental science. These pursuits are often categorized as being left-brained or right-brained activities, respectively, so I thought my life in science would be more of a hindrance than a help to my writing. That said, I love stories that incorporate an author’s unique interests, and I seem compelled to add a bird or two into nearly everything I write. Environmental science’s influence on my writing is evident in the appreciation of nature embedded into my stories, the settings my stories appear in (often rural), or sometimes the odd plot point about a random environmental policy.

WOW: I do too! Seeing those interests in someone else's writing is fascinating. What are you working on that you can tell us about?

Jenna: I have just begun working on a new contemporary romance novel about a woman who gets swept into the filming of a fantasy television series when her bird of prey is cast in a featured role. Many of the characters so far are animals with large personalities who live at her father’s wildlife rescue center. It has been fun to look into the habits of various birds and meld the wild world of the outdoors with the highly structured environment of a film set.

WOW: That sounds interesting! Thank you so much for your time today. Best of luck on your novel! 

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