tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-336122932024-03-29T00:30:32.160-07:00WOW! Women On Writing BlogWOW! promotes the communication between women writers, authors, editors, agents, publishers and readers. Stay up-to-date on writer's markets, events, author interviews, and more! We are dedicated to helping you achieve your writing dreams.WOW!http://www.blogger.com/profile/00196768330556357725noreply@blogger.comBlogger5602125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33612293.post-2713899245716313952024-03-29T00:30:00.000-07:002024-03-29T00:30:00.136-07:00Friday Speak Out!: Science in Fiction: Seeds of Truth in Fiction<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Kq7iR08lV8JWKEoYDs9UG1Z8FhJsLMNIDzL18gUn86Iav7vf7HTMhai0odUmCmFKVfJg2ESd3-Q-l3onSP4VAWkn6vVCgr9I9YCf5ksAh-QCMcqW8Jx6fycnJk6u1uGbEEELALLzhUgNk81cIfl2HV9CZhh-vShKLpYFMwJ_rFQ-m-aKVvxx/s2700/Mary%20Fleming%202%20CivFrancCover_Fleming.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Kq7iR08lV8JWKEoYDs9UG1Z8FhJsLMNIDzL18gUn86Iav7vf7HTMhai0odUmCmFKVfJg2ESd3-Q-l3onSP4VAWkn6vVCgr9I9YCf5ksAh-QCMcqW8Jx6fycnJk6u1uGbEEELALLzhUgNk81cIfl2HV9CZhh-vShKLpYFMwJ_rFQ-m-aKVvxx/s320/Mary%20Fleming%202%20CivFrancCover_Fleming.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>By Mary Fleming <br /><br />People often ask me: “Where do you get your ideas?” <br /><br />They generally express this question with wonderment, as if I must have lived a wildly adventurous life. Or as if they see me sitting down at my desk, picking up a pen or opening the computer and Bang, the plot and the characters strike like a bolt from heaven and out flows a novel. <br /><br />If only. <br /><br />I collect the seeds for my fiction from real life. Either things my friends have experienced or a story I read in the news. When the story sticks with me, it starts to take root in my brain, and I know I have a possible short story or novel. Then plot and characters begin to grow and take shape. By the end the seed has developed into something quite different from the origin story. <br /><br />My first novel, <i>Someone Else</i>, for example, is the story of an American woman with the perfect Paris life: a literary editor married to a French architect with four children. But as a university student, she’d run away from a crime of arson and left the perpetrator to take all the blame. When he comes to Paris, the perfect life unravels. The idea came from Katherine Ann Power, a 60’s radical who escaped arrest as an accomplice to a fatal bank robbery in 1970. She changed her name and built a perfect Oregon life as a wife, mother and cook. After 23 years of secrecy and lies, she turned herself in. <br /><br />In my story there were no deaths, no going underground, no new identities and the truth came out against the character’s will. It was the idea of being haunted by past deeds and secrets that appealed to me. <br /><br />The seed for my second novel, <i>The Art of Regret</i>, came from a friend’s childhood trauma. Her father committed suicide when she was 15. Afterwards, it was never discussed with her mother or sister. That unspoken but defining experience had made her an edgy young person, like my main character (a man). Redemption is achieved by both the real and the fictional person through love, connecting intensely with another human being. <br /><br />The idea for <i>Civilisation Française</i> came from reading about an empty old mansion on the place des Vosges that was being squatted in 2009-10. I moved the story to the early 1980s, when I first arrived in Paris, and plopped my two main characters plus a housekeeper into a few of its rooms and took the story from there. <br /><br />In all three cases, the real-life stories took root in my creative mind because they illustrated themes that are important to me: how the past overshadows the present, what is the definition of home, the difficulties of connecting with other people. <br /><br />If you want to know what to write about, you don’t need to look very far. Just listen to friends or open a newspaper. <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">* * *</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDLjl1HkEH4pmOwKmoUbRr2_qS4c3kBrGydAA9PPha4pf5PCIynK90zJQJ9GfHXX4yLmM4FUJbWdjDIQT7c2Q0HEI08LGTrZ96dLRU2_xJzk17Ee_DerhdyHFG_KKuHtnsM7Ob_yhPdIbNOgvBwhdtstwNlqdmcs-xma5ERl3g23cKEXJOgMcP/s624/Mary%20Fleming,%20photo%20by%20William%20Fleming.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="624" data-original-width="480" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDLjl1HkEH4pmOwKmoUbRr2_qS4c3kBrGydAA9PPha4pf5PCIynK90zJQJ9GfHXX4yLmM4FUJbWdjDIQT7c2Q0HEI08LGTrZ96dLRU2_xJzk17Ee_DerhdyHFG_KKuHtnsM7Ob_yhPdIbNOgvBwhdtstwNlqdmcs-xma5ERl3g23cKEXJOgMcP/w154-h200/Mary%20Fleming,%20photo%20by%20William%20Fleming.jpeg" width="154" /></a></div><i><b>Mary Fleming’s</b> new novel, <b>CIVILISATION FRANÇAISE</b> , comes out from Heliotrope Books in July. She was born in Chicago and has lived in France for many years. After working as a journalist and consultant, she turned to fiction and has written two other novels, <b>Someone Else </b>and <b>The Art of Regret.</b> Her bi-weekly photo-essay, A Paris-Perche Diary, tracks city and country (Normandy) life. Find her online at website: <a href="about:blank">Mary Fleming Author</a>, blog: <a href="about:blank">A Paris Perche Diary</a>, and Instagram: <a href="about:blank">@flemingm6</a> <br /></i><br />~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br /><span style="color: #ffa400;"><b> Would you like to participate in Friday "Speak Out!"? </b></span>Email your short posts (under 500 words) about women and writing to: marcia[at]wow-womenonwriting[dot]com for consideration. We look forward to hearing from you!<br /> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ <br /><br /> <div class="blogger-post-footer"><p>(C) Copyright wow-womenonwriting.com</p>
Visit <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com">WOW<i>!</i> Women On Writing</a> for lively interviews and how-tos. Check out WOW<i>!</i>'s <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com/WOWclasses.html">Classroom</a> and learn something new. Enter the <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php">Quarterly Writing Contests</a>. Open Now!</div>Marcia Petersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00303375584867596482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33612293.post-30155513521315429872024-03-28T03:30:00.000-07:002024-03-28T03:30:00.129-07:00Fake It 'til Make It<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj07PMgewQpOs7h3rRGjIzylsR1PHxzkNp1B_FReonWaXla8tM8sCqCE-Pw5dAIfxAk9XxYBYEx8o2rJhm4OA9XVJh5IXWZFqWB6-OIRcjR0dMTQlwmSfbqVogSq7zgOKMP08Jrm19mS3DpknzhGRw7GayFPGWaQoaYpZiMJKUDba_SlOHlZ2Kh/s350/armchair.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="228" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj07PMgewQpOs7h3rRGjIzylsR1PHxzkNp1B_FReonWaXla8tM8sCqCE-Pw5dAIfxAk9XxYBYEx8o2rJhm4OA9XVJh5IXWZFqWB6-OIRcjR0dMTQlwmSfbqVogSq7zgOKMP08Jrm19mS3DpknzhGRw7GayFPGWaQoaYpZiMJKUDba_SlOHlZ2Kh/s320/armchair.jpeg" width="208" /></a></div>"Fake it 'til you make it!"<p></p><p>That is the motto of a close friend of mine and, considering they started a successful business in their 20s, I'm happy to take it.</p><p>Too often I find myself worrying that I can't write well enough, don't know enough about a topic or am competing against scads of people who are just better at this writing game than I am. But then I have to give myself the "Fake it 'til you make it" pep talk.</p><p>I think the problem is that I am basically a shy person who tends to downplay myself and my experiences. I continually need to remind myself that if I don't believe in myself, why would anyone else?</p><p>The first editor to accept my writing to include in a book had no idea that I had never been in an book OR written about baseball before. My baseball experience began and ended with attending Little League games and rooting for the Phillies whenever they made it to the playoffs. But in the end the editor loved my piece so much that he invited me to pitch for other - non-baseball related - books.</p><p>My students in my first writing class had no idea that normally my classes involved multiplication tables and conjunctions (during my stint as a elementary school substitute teacher). But that first class led to additional workshops and talks.</p><p>My first advertising client had no idea that just the week before I was dong something very different. They just placed their month long advertising campaign in my hands. A year later some of my advertising work was submitted for an award. I didn't win but hey, it's an honor just to be nominated.</p><p>As writers, we're the first line. We have to believe in ourselves if we want anyone else to believe in us. Confidence in my writing abilities had made amazing things happen for me. I've contacted authors, organizations, destinations with requests for an interview, tour, vintage photo and they've happily agreed. Every time I'm amazed all over again that they would agree to do this for me! I tend to gloss over the fact that we're working together - that they're getting something too (publicity for their business, a chance to tell their story, a new connection).</p><p>Writers have to exude confidence in interviews, pitch meetings, networking events. Everything about us has to say "I can do this!" Even though there's a part of you that's whispering, "Can I do this?"</p><p>Yes, it's difficult. But do it. Believe in yourself! And store up all those amazing things that happened just because you took a chance. You can use them in your pep talk if you're ever feeling down.</p><p><b>What was the last amazing thing to happen in your writing career just because you asked?</b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1aHnZ8889V3qHDkc0lTzzBed0Id6x8pvDAVwXSe1DEQ8qJCUxMJRr6u8kOOu_e0Mal7rOFhF_g076pz_GJkt4lirDFaI6uZ5HWDAWXF36SUffoazUNjiQCvau_TFdMui3FtPhjZnXx-kGPm4AFg4i-jXlCfLEfZ6PqQmvj7oRBTfHmwnKD8KM/s151/JOdi%20Image%20(1).jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="151" data-original-width="97" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1aHnZ8889V3qHDkc0lTzzBed0Id6x8pvDAVwXSe1DEQ8qJCUxMJRr6u8kOOu_e0Mal7rOFhF_g076pz_GJkt4lirDFaI6uZ5HWDAWXF36SUffoazUNjiQCvau_TFdMui3FtPhjZnXx-kGPm4AFg4i-jXlCfLEfZ6PqQmvj7oRBTfHmwnKD8KM/s1600/JOdi%20Image%20(1).jpg" width="97" /></a></div><br /><i>Jodi M. Webb writes from her home in the Pennsylvania mountains. After a decade hiatus from writing, she is back with bylines in Tea Journey, Mental Floss and a WIP about her plant obsession. She's also a blog tour manager for WOW-Women on Writing. Get to know her <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jodiwebbwrites/.">@jodiwebbwrites </a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/jodimariewebb/">Facebook</a> or <a href="https://www.jodiwebbwriter.com/blog">Words by Webb</a>.</i><p></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p>(C) Copyright wow-womenonwriting.com</p>
Visit <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com">WOW<i>!</i> Women On Writing</a> for lively interviews and how-tos. Check out WOW<i>!</i>'s <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com/WOWclasses.html">Classroom</a> and learn something new. Enter the <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php">Quarterly Writing Contests</a>. Open Now!</div>Jodi Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14881813140899419858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33612293.post-1047391779861846542024-03-27T01:30:00.000-07:002024-03-27T01:30:00.151-07:00Finding My “Northern” Tribe <div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqEpAEnTpbDekcDDMdZRX8ICL_1wHD9pbqkx2WqhLC_X647_fTWQyKnFeJoS1sVta4P574t4C_LG5R0FLvpj0w0pOg0-jE1AughSXlolPiVh7Jdav61taS5d0TOWdPRmqXL5zfZoUVnXqFYevWX2paQcxb2yItRYCSQBtrQJo_QCQFo7NNJVWscg/s4032/Portland%20Reading-1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqEpAEnTpbDekcDDMdZRX8ICL_1wHD9pbqkx2WqhLC_X647_fTWQyKnFeJoS1sVta4P574t4C_LG5R0FLvpj0w0pOg0-jE1AughSXlolPiVh7Jdav61taS5d0TOWdPRmqXL5zfZoUVnXqFYevWX2paQcxb2yItRYCSQBtrQJo_QCQFo7NNJVWscg/w480-h640/Portland%20Reading-1.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>I wrote a few weeks ago about <a href="https://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com/2024/03/awp-24-its-wrap.html" target="_blank">my experience at the AWP conference</a>, held in Kansas City this past February. While there, I had an opportunity to join an editor at a signing table for an anthology in which one of my essays—taken from my memoir draft—is included. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><a href="https://elj-editions.com/awakenings/" target="_blank">Awakenings: Stories of Body & Consciousness</a></i> was published in October 2023. Several months before publication, editor Diane Gottlieb encouraged all 49 writers in the anthology—spread across the U.S. and around the world—to team up whenever and wherever possible in promoting the book before and after publication. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">To help in this collaboration effort, Diane compiled and shared a list of accepted contributors’ emails (after securing permission), along with a list of states and countries in which we lived. Within days, I got an email from a fellow writer who lives only a 15-minute drive from me in southern New Hampshire. Sandell also copied in two anthology writers, Nina and Kim, who ironically live in the same town an hour-and-a-half north of us in Maine. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">We agreed to meet on Zoom and brainstorm promotion ideas. Publication, at that point, was four months away. While on our first of many Zoom calls, we dubbed ourselves the “Awakenings: Northern New England Team.” As we tossed ideas around, we noted them in a Google Doc and color-coded each promotional idea or outreach responsibility by author name. This made it easier to keep our small team updated on progress, by glancing at line items that we marked in Orange (not started), Yellow (in progress), Green (completed or confirmed), or Red (denied or not possible). </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Among the “wins” we racked up: </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>A team post, published on the <i>Brevity Blog</i> </li><li>A podcast interview that combined our discussion of the anthology with how it tied into the movie “Goodnight to You, Leo Grande” (starring the tremendously talented Emma Thompson, where she examines her own body self-esteem) </li><li>A second podcast, focused on true stories read by writers who lived them </li><li>A literary salon reading </li><li>A feature interview in the much loved <i>WOW!</i> “Markets” newsletter </li></ul></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">We also landed a bookstore reading that finally took place six months after securing the spot. Yep, this is why planning book promotions months in advance is essential!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSTTiq5I-GNdDvFeGvR3Wvn6D50XBKEX1fpab0_mS7KqAthgCJHpZKiEszjgARWXk04KCLXaZj6zvFm4msxfxJ7a83OAKbdR1Hh5FUlHa0CYYOyTNfrC8DXGUgRX1kjFZwAuML3M727Ub3i7e-02G85Cn_3JfIhTdyqZ10AnNeVLoOlsr8qIyASw/s935/Portland%20Reading%20Collage.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="517" data-original-width="935" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSTTiq5I-GNdDvFeGvR3Wvn6D50XBKEX1fpab0_mS7KqAthgCJHpZKiEszjgARWXk04KCLXaZj6zvFm4msxfxJ7a83OAKbdR1Hh5FUlHa0CYYOyTNfrC8DXGUgRX1kjFZwAuML3M727Ub3i7e-02G85Cn_3JfIhTdyqZ10AnNeVLoOlsr8qIyASw/w640-h354/Portland%20Reading%20Collage.png" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Image: Ann Kathryn Kelly</i> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;">On a windy night in early March, Sandell and I carpooled from coastal Portsmouth, New Hampshire to meet Nina and Kim, who traveled from their small town to Portland, Maine. After enjoying an early dinner together, we walked a few blocks to <a href="https://www.printbookstore.com/" target="_blank">Print: A Bookstore</a> where we each read a five-minute excerpt of our pieces, before taking questions from the audience.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFcZTd5ZfoWzLjYtjNw_AAsWvnYffBcliKP0TW6iDK5tM87VlN_fiMs3rI9tBDyJ_9H1hTP9nD0spNzJoc13RgiO_tETbDM4v5o_-VyFJn_rcUThE_DGxluXnZ6cg1_eeISG7Vz4BsplMAlzTYPsRdX3rWRwA02izQP7gqWSt7_Vn_L7J2J106Dg/s1171/Brunswick%20Reading.PNG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1171" data-original-width="1170" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFcZTd5ZfoWzLjYtjNw_AAsWvnYffBcliKP0TW6iDK5tM87VlN_fiMs3rI9tBDyJ_9H1hTP9nD0spNzJoc13RgiO_tETbDM4v5o_-VyFJn_rcUThE_DGxluXnZ6cg1_eeISG7Vz4BsplMAlzTYPsRdX3rWRwA02izQP7gqWSt7_Vn_L7J2J106Dg/w400-h400/Brunswick%20Reading.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>While walking back to our cars and feeling energized after the event, we wondered if we could pull together another audience reading sometime in the coming months. A day later, Nina—being the rock star she is—had already secured our second in-person event! Our Northern New England quartet is scheduled to read at a library in Brunswick, Maine, six weeks from now. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Teamwork!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I’m enjoying the camaraderie with these enthusiastic and talented writers, and it’s energizing to see our group tick off actionable promotion ideas on our Google Doc. As enjoyable as the reading was at Print Bookstore, I value even more the time I spent getting to know them during our Zoom calls and especially at dinner in Portland a few weeks ago. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Onward, to our next event in May! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Ann Kathryn Kelly writes from New Hampshire’s Seacoast region. <a href="https://annkkelly.com" target="_blank">https://annkkelly.com</a></i></div><p></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p>(C) Copyright wow-womenonwriting.com</p>
Visit <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com">WOW<i>!</i> Women On Writing</a> for lively interviews and how-tos. Check out WOW<i>!</i>'s <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com/WOWclasses.html">Classroom</a> and learn something new. Enter the <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php">Quarterly Writing Contests</a>. Open Now!</div>Ann Kathryn Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07744027881939343583noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33612293.post-52312521170814955502024-03-26T00:00:00.000-07:002024-03-26T00:00:00.247-07:00INTERVIEW WITH CARIE JUETTNER, RUNNER UP IN THE WOW! FALL 2023 FLASH FICTION CONTEST<div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Y7QaUlBcqR84iR4SfyF8mTcqM7s5sfZV9jOQ5BTYilbbsTfx4Y-Dvd8jajl3Ooh_J8A37SCcIVs7IxSccBVrlm4gJlqLzC8dIVqeXvcHKkJ6cemFubwJEd8vw7nhukU1xv1g8VuMLoQmPTfYTXs5sDlIX8AZkcIQj_lW12zr6-jrtCj4sgMa/s420/WOW%20Juettner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="420" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Y7QaUlBcqR84iR4SfyF8mTcqM7s5sfZV9jOQ5BTYilbbsTfx4Y-Dvd8jajl3Ooh_J8A37SCcIVs7IxSccBVrlm4gJlqLzC8dIVqeXvcHKkJ6cemFubwJEd8vw7nhukU1xv1g8VuMLoQmPTfYTXs5sDlIX8AZkcIQj_lW12zr6-jrtCj4sgMa/s320/WOW%20Juettner.jpg" width="229" /></a></div><br />Carie Juettner taught seventh grade English for nineteen years before leaving the classroom to write full time. She is the author of The Ghostly Tales of Dallas, The Ghostly Tales of Delaware, and three more books in the Spooky America series for young readers. Her poems and short stories have appeared in over fifty print anthologies and online publications, including Daily Science Fiction, The Twin Bill, and Havok. Her story “<a href="https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/downloads/printable/90-FE1-Fall18Contest-Carie-Juettner.html" target="_blank">Phoenix</a>” was a runner-up in WoW’s Fall 2018 Flash Fiction Contest. Carie lives in Richardson, Texas, with her husband and pets. She spends her free time reading, painting, doing yoga, and volunteering with a local wildlife organization. To learn more about Carie, visit <a href="http://cariejuettner.com">cariejuettner.com</a> or <a href="https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/dQgQ8Ai/CarieJuettner" target="_blank">sign up</a> to receive her newsletter. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />If you haven't read her story, "<a href="https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/downloads/printable/110-FE1-Fall23Contest-Carie-Juettner.html" target="_blank">Sam</a>," take a moment to do so. Then come back and learn more about her writing process.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">-------<i>interview by Sue Bradford Edwards-------<br /></i><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>WOW: What was the inspiration for “Sam”? </b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Carie:</span> </b>I wrote “Sam” one week after my own hysterectomy, so much of it is drawn from my personal experience. Although it is not a true story, there is a lot of truth in it. For instance, unlike my narrator, I was rarely alone during my hospital stay, thanks to my husband and family making the time to be there with me, but I did tell my favorite nurse how pretty she was multiple times while I was still on heavy pain meds. (She was! I hope she enjoyed hearing it.) </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">While I was recovering at home in bed, I had a lot of time to read and write. With this big life event so fresh on my mind and the scars still fresh on my body, I found myself mostly journaling about the surgery and how I felt about it both physically and emotionally. This was my first time staying in the hospital as a patient, and I wanted to capture the experience while it was still new. I decided to write a fiction story about it and try to focus on the setting details. Since my own procedure went smoothly, thankfully without any complications or surprises, I gave the fiction story a twist at the end. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>WOW: And what a twist! Revision is a vital part of the writing process. How did “Sam” change between the initial draft and the draft you submitted? </b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Carie:</span></b> I couldn’t sit up to type for the first week after my procedure, so the original draft of “Sam” is scrawled in my journal in handwriting that most people would have trouble deciphering. The story poured out of me complete, so it didn’t change plot-wise during revision. But when I typed it up later, it was too long, so I had to shorten it by taking out unnecessary details and tightening up the language. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>WOW: Knowing what you can cut seems to be a vital part of writing flash. What advice do you have for our readers who have never written flash before? </b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Carie:</span> </b> Try it! Writing flash fiction is fun, and if you struggle with being too wordy (like me) it’s a great exercise in revision and refining word choice. I suggest thinking small and starting with a single moment, then making the reader feel like they are in that moment with the narrator. I think it’s important to ground the reader in real life details they can hold onto, even if the story has a supernatural element. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>WOW: The supernatural seems to be your realm. What projects are you currently working on and where can our readers find your work? </b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Carie:</span></b> I write for Arcadia’s Spooky America series, which allows young readers to explore the history of haunted places across the U.S. My “Ghostly Tales” books cover the creepy characters in Dallas, Austin, Burlington, Delaware, and New England. The books can be ordered online or from any bookstore, but you can also get a signed, personalized copy for the ghost-loving kid in your life by contacting me through my website: cariejuettner.com. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">In addition to ghost stories, I also write humorous middle grade novels with animal characters. I’m currently seeking an agent for my book about a raccoon trying to leave a life of crime.
The best way to stay up-to-date on my events, book-related news, and ghostly encounters is to subscribe to my author <a href="https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/dQgQ8Ai/CarieJuettner" target="_blank">newsletter</a>. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>WOW: How does “Sam” differ from what you normally write? </b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Carie:</span></b> Most of my writing is either funny, scary, or aimed at young readers. “Sam” is none of these things, but it still found its way to publication. This shows that writers sometimes need to venture out of their comfort zones and try something different: a new genre, a new style, a new audience. You never know what might happen!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>WOW: We are so glad that you ventured outside your norm. Thank you for stopping in to share your ideas with our readers! </b></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p>(C) Copyright wow-womenonwriting.com</p>
Visit <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com">WOW<i>!</i> Women On Writing</a> for lively interviews and how-tos. Check out WOW<i>!</i>'s <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com/WOWclasses.html">Classroom</a> and learn something new. Enter the <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php">Quarterly Writing Contests</a>. Open Now!</div>Sue Bradford Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13978523010871049140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33612293.post-47857091172452255802024-03-25T01:30:00.000-07:002024-03-25T01:30:00.133-07:005 Tips for Winning Your First (or Next!) Literary Award<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmOnUJtMzbMiPEkspVf_PsGivzC1aIUeMNfDRAq-ugQbC7LfPghAiG9jauTJZ2OBGJZuU-bw3zoQLggfemMhv09li8GNDmyq4lxsWnYKr2xSGf8rvh7x_aJhKSL7zvsTLKnaQnC3MixZxpGhJttW9ewU9_q0RBh6IEfjCsvNQx375f9Z6V5DJWXA/s960/Deni.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Nicole Breit" border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="917" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmOnUJtMzbMiPEkspVf_PsGivzC1aIUeMNfDRAq-ugQbC7LfPghAiG9jauTJZ2OBGJZuU-bw3zoQLggfemMhv09li8GNDmyq4lxsWnYKr2xSGf8rvh7x_aJhKSL7zvsTLKnaQnC3MixZxpGhJttW9ewU9_q0RBh6IEfjCsvNQx375f9Z6V5DJWXA/w382-h400/Deni.jpg" width="382" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>By Nicole Breit</i></div><div><br /></div>When I got serious about getting published, the advice I received from my mentor was game changing. <div><br /></div><div><i>Enter writing contests.</i></div><div><br /></div><div>An award-winning poet, novelist and former lit mag editor, she had an insider’s perspective on the literary market. I wasn’t sure my work was good enough to enter in a contest, but she convinced me to give it a try.</div><div><br /></div><div>Even if I didn’t win a contest an award nomination would open doors for me. It could even streamline the publication of my book. Mentioning a literary award in my cover letter would help my manuscript stand out in the slush pile.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>I took her advice, entered some contests and hoped I might land on a longlist or two. To my surprise and delight I won three literary awards in 2016.</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Previously an unknown writer, I was now invited to speak on panels with established authors. I was reading at literary events. I was embraced by my local writing community. Authors whose work I admired expressed interest in my book.</div><div><br /></div><div>After years of wondering how I’d ever become an author I <i>finally</i> felt like a “real” writer.</div><div><br /></div><div>Since 2017 I've helped hundreds of writers produce their best work in my <i>Spark Your Story</i> programs. I give those aspiring authors the same advice my mentor gave me: I encourage them to enter contests as part of their bigger publication strategy.</div><div><br /></div><div>Many have gone on to win awards for the writing they produced in my courses and advanced their careers. </div><div><br /></div><div>Want to learn how to rock writing contests?</div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Here are my top 5 tips for literary award success:</h2><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">1. Enter creative nonfiction contests</h3><div><br /></div><div>Creative nonfiction is the fastest growing literary genre and yet far fewer writers enter essay contests than submit to fiction or poetry contests.</div><div><br /></div><div>That means your odds for placing in a CNF contest are <b>much</b> better than if you submit to contests in other literary genres.</div><div><br /></div><div>Never written a personal essay? Don’t let that hold you back. Creative nonfiction relies on literary devices from fiction and poetry to bring personal storytelling to life.</div><div><br /></div><div>You’ve got this!</div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">2. Include the element of surprise</h3><div><br /></div><div>Typically contest readers are tasked with ranking anywhere from 100 to several hundred entries to narrow down a longlist.</div><div><br /></div><div>So here’s the question: how will <i>your</i> entry stand out?</div><div><br /></div><div>I write and teach experimental story structures for creative nonfiction writers. Here’s what I’ve learned about the work that rises to the top. It’s not what a story is about but <i>how it’s told</i>. </div><div><br /></div><div>I’m not talking about writing style - although I’m not discounting style as an important element of craft. I’m talking about the role structure and form play in creating an unforgettable piece.</div><div><br /></div><div>In my award winning essay “<a href="https://roommagazine.com/an-atmospheric-pressure/" target="_blank">An Atmospheric Pressure</a>” I messed with chronological order so the essay moves backwards and forwards in time, echoing the grief loop this narrative is really about.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Q_8XevEtmhLSkWIPXEZjZb2UXHryhj3SlA822eWhyphenhyphenl557eaolpt8hOlxxLW1ChRF2nUI8dSNtViPboCTNUzgZUbA7krlJUYx3ant-Om_WjtbeB80FYMeB6l6ddzPqov-5XJWmXQD_1hI6WIwYBTDn3z2n6pQgh3O-2qrnstSt1I5eRoWumfmUQ/s1920/WEBINAR%20-%20FINAL%20How%20to%20write%20award%20winning%20essays%20(1).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Atmospheric Pressure by Nicole Breit" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Q_8XevEtmhLSkWIPXEZjZb2UXHryhj3SlA822eWhyphenhyphenl557eaolpt8hOlxxLW1ChRF2nUI8dSNtViPboCTNUzgZUbA7krlJUYx3ant-Om_WjtbeB80FYMeB6l6ddzPqov-5XJWmXQD_1hI6WIwYBTDn3z2n6pQgh3O-2qrnstSt1I5eRoWumfmUQ/w640-h360/WEBINAR%20-%20FINAL%20How%20to%20write%20award%20winning%20essays%20(1).png" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>In “<a href="https://carte-blanche.org/articles/spectrum/" target="_blank">Spectrum</a>” (which won the 2016 CNFC/carte blanche creative nonfiction award) each subheading was formatted a different color of the rainbow. That artistic choice echoes the title and reinforces the meaning of the essay as well.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGdBgOUafeiNdO6A9llKctULns1Yew5jiRlrloJSWndw4kI-iMN5UIMBK6I9dkO8uhGWHkkRYJE5fp5J9NH4cuuae5mvTTumyF1WeffOn2qhKWiuXu6pjf7oYObYvUEAX5uYRN4B5WATcspNrGcTDGgWpRHC-zmZhPLwwt_X7DwIYJw0J8VCfReQ/s1920/WEBINAR%20-%20FINAL%20How%20to%20write%20award%20winning%20essays%20(2).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Spectrum by Nicole Breit" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGdBgOUafeiNdO6A9llKctULns1Yew5jiRlrloJSWndw4kI-iMN5UIMBK6I9dkO8uhGWHkkRYJE5fp5J9NH4cuuae5mvTTumyF1WeffOn2qhKWiuXu6pjf7oYObYvUEAX5uYRN4B5WATcspNrGcTDGgWpRHC-zmZhPLwwt_X7DwIYJw0J8VCfReQ/w640-h360/WEBINAR%20-%20FINAL%20How%20to%20write%20award%20winning%20essays%20(2).png" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">3. Follow contest entry guidelines but trust your gut</h3><div><br /></div><div>Do I recommend you follow contest guidelines to a tee? Yes, absolutely. You don’t want to be disqualified for any reason.</div><div><br /></div><div>However, I do think <i>genre category</i> can be a bit of a grey area.</div><div><br /></div><div>Let me be clear: I don’t suggest entering a work of fiction in a CNF contest. Misrepresenting a fictional story as lived experience is both unethical and unwise.</div><div><br /></div><div>I’m talking about increasing your chances of success by submitting your CNF in more than one category when appropriate.</div><div><br /></div><div>Some prose poems could be considered flash CNF, for instance. Then there’s multi-genre work <a href="https://matterpress.com/journal/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/07/when-a-jack-fails.jpg" target="_blank">like this quilt essay</a> by Shirley Harshenin published in <i>Compressed Journal of Creative Arts</i>. I think a piece like this could be considered for a flash essay contest or more niche categories like short form, visual essay and hybrid storytelling contests.</div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">4. Do your research…</h3><div><br /></div><div>When I looked into <i>Room</i> magazine’s 2016 creative nonfiction contest I lit up when I read their online interview with judge Kate Braid.</div><div><br /></div><div>I was a fan of Braid’s books <i>Journeywoman</i> and <i>A Well Mannered Storm: the Glenn Gould Poems</i>. I felt a kinship with this lyric writer who, like me, wrote poetry and CNF.</div><div><br /></div><div>When I read that she was looking for a piece to “grab her by the heart and gut from the start and hold her tight to the end" I felt my best chance was “An Atmospheric Pressure” which won the contest and was selected as a Notable by <i>Best American Essays</i>.</div><div><br /></div><div>Another good reason to do your research? Contests typically aren’t free to enter. Find out who the judge is, the kind of work they like to read and write, and decide on your next step accordingly.</div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">5. It’s not just about quality… or numbers …</h3><div><br /></div><div>Your entry may be beautifully crafted and exactly the kind of piece you think a judge will love - but, of course, there are other factors that are out of your control.</div><div><br /></div><div>You can’t predict the overall number of entries received, the quality of submissions or whether your piece makes the first cut.</div><div><br /></div><div>Please remember: if a piece isn’t longlisted it doesn’t mean it isn’t any good. Keep submitting! You never know when it might be nominated for another award or published at a later time.</div><div><br /></div><div>More than once I was disappointed when I thought a piece would place in a contest but didn’t… only to win an award later. Strong work will eventually find its literary home.</div><div><br /></div><div>If there’s one quality that separates professional writers from the rest it’s <i>persistence</i>. Keep writing with the intention of improving your craft and adding new work to your portfolio. Submit, submit, submit… and keep submitting!</div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Want to produce a portfolio of award-worthy CNF with guidance + support?</h3><div><br /></div><div>I’d love to see you in the <i>Spark Your Story</i> Lab, my online self-guided program for writers who want to craft powerful personal essays and share them with the world!</div><div><br /></div><div>Designed to spark your creativity, transform your writing, and shape your memories into powerful stories, you’ll experiment with 10 essay forms: the collage, hermit crab, list, visual, photo essay + more!</div><div><br /></div><div>By the end of the program you’ll have mastered the skills to move past blocks, craft innovative new work, revise + submit your work like a pro. <a href="https://www.nicolebreit.com/sys-lab-current-wow/" target="_blank">Sign up here</a> to save $250 for a limited time!</div><div><br /></div><div>PS Not ready to join me in the <i>Spark Your Story Lab</i>? <a href="https://www.nicolebreit.com/how-to-write-award-worthy-essays/" target="_blank">Sign up here</a> for my on-demand workshop “How to write award-worthy essays (even if you only have 30 minutes a day)”. Enter coupon code <b>WOW27</b> at checkout for <b>FREE access</b> and more valuable tips to craft the kind of essays contest judges are looking for!</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>***</b></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXJk7hO01KnPgN-CbU5d1Zg6DCbSj-bu13GuzGLRwgTkv0qj__mbcxcfGKb2q3xjp7fd1gVKVJZuJPKb5DZB9-YB7WR2jt6yAjZQr-zV0eMsUpiLYzCEtPk-RHpUE7lRZmFiRLMSovukUaX-D9jnFov_J7JgmSJHdGEYdyNP4dIjI7_girfUKlgQ/s3088/Nicole%20-%20red%20stripes.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXJk7hO01KnPgN-CbU5d1Zg6DCbSj-bu13GuzGLRwgTkv0qj__mbcxcfGKb2q3xjp7fd1gVKVJZuJPKb5DZB9-YB7WR2jt6yAjZQr-zV0eMsUpiLYzCEtPk-RHpUE7lRZmFiRLMSovukUaX-D9jnFov_J7JgmSJHdGEYdyNP4dIjI7_girfUKlgQ/s320/Nicole%20-%20red%20stripes.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><i>Nicole Breit is an award-winning author and writing instructor based in Gibsons, BC, on the ancestral territory of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) people. Her work has been widely published in journals and anthologies including Brevity, The Fiddlehead, Room, Hippocampus, Pithead Chapel, Event, Swelling with Pride: Queer Conception and Adoption Stories and Getting to the Truth: The Craft and Practice of Creative Nonfiction. Nicole’s Spark Your Story courses and workshops have helped hundreds of writers celebrate their first publication credits and awards.</i></div><div><br /></div><div>Sign up for Nicole’s newsletter: <a href="https://www.nicolebreit.com/newsletter">https://www.nicolebreit.com/newsletter</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Check out Nicole’s writing programs: <a href="https://www.nicolebreit.com/spark-your-story-programs">https://www.nicolebreit.com/spark-your-story-programs</a></div><div><br /></div><div>YouTube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@sparkyourstory">https://www.youtube.com/@sparkyourstory</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/sparkyourstory">https://www.instagram.com/sparkyourstory</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/sparkyourstory">https://www.facebook.com/sparkyourstory
</a></div><div><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p>(C) Copyright wow-womenonwriting.com</p>
Visit <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com">WOW<i>!</i> Women On Writing</a> for lively interviews and how-tos. Check out WOW<i>!</i>'s <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com/WOWclasses.html">Classroom</a> and learn something new. Enter the <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php">Quarterly Writing Contests</a>. Open Now!</div>WOW!http://www.blogger.com/profile/00196768330556357725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33612293.post-41447754983109245772024-03-24T00:00:00.000-07:002024-03-24T17:10:30.594-07:00Interview with Rebecca Tiger: Q1 2024 Creative Nonfiction Runner Up<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/assets/110-FE1-Q12024EssayContest-Rebecca-Tiger.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="492" data-original-width="529" height="298" src="https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/assets/110-FE1-Q12024EssayContest-Rebecca-Tiger.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Rebecca’s Bio:</b>
Rebecca Tiger teaches sociology at Middlebury College and in jails in Vermont. She’s written a book and articles about drug policy, addiction and celebrity. Her stories have appeared or are forthcoming in Bending Genres, BULL, Dorothy Parker’s Ashes, Emerge Literary, Hippocampus, Mom Egg Review, Peatsmoke, Tiny Molecules and others. She divides her time between Vermont and the Lower East Side of NYC and spends a month every summer in Athens and Crete studying Modern Greek and staring at the sea. <div><br /></div><div><i>If you haven't done so already, check out Rebecca's award-winning essay "<a href="https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/downloads/printable/110-FE1-Q12024EssayContest-Rebecca-Tiger.html" target="_blank">Where's Charlie</a>?" and then return here for a chat with the author. </i></div><div><br /></div><div><b>WOW: Congratulations on placing in the Q1 2024 Creative Nonfiction Contest! How did you begin writing your essay and how did it and your writing processes evolve as you wrote? </b></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Rebecca</b>: I was taking care of my mother and having very vivid and intense dreams. I would wake up, not knowing what to do with the feelings and disturbance they evoked so I thought: why not write about them? The process evolved as I realized that the dream was just a starting point, a way to connect other things (e.g. blood), to try and give an overall sense of what it is like caring for a parent with dementia and also what it’s like in a memory care center full of people with a similar condition. </div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>WOW: I love that you were able to process your dreams to create such a powerful essay. What did you learn about yourself or your writing by creating this essay? </b></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Rebecca</b>: I am not new to writing but am somewhat new to creative writing. Every time I write, I discover what I can do when I play with words and when I try to connect stories thematically rather than chronologically. When I started to think about blood, I realized how often it was appearing in my life and my mother’s life. It was this connection that I wanted to explore through larger issues (e.g. memory, loss, frailty) and small ones (short-lived romance among people with dementia). </div><div><br /></div><div><b>WOW: That’s such an interesting distinction between being a writer and being a creative writer; I think it’s that creative part that allows us to make such interesting and useful connections among images that might otherwise seem disconnected, just as you described. What connections do you see between teaching or writing on topics like drug policy and addiction and your fiction and creative nonfiction writing? </b></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Rebecca</b>: I often say that, as a sociologist, I’m a “professional observer,” but I pushed against the limits to sociology when I was caring for my mother and spending several hours a week in a memory care facility with her. This personal entry point to a confining institution deeply affected me and my approach to writing. Creative writing allows me the freedom to explore the sociological issues I care about which are human issues, really, and not the purview of one academic discipline. </div><div><br /></div><div>I find that students are much better able to understand sociological material if they can connect to it to themselves personally, so I incorporate creative assignments into my sociology classes and have hosted readings so students can share their work publicly. I really try to emphasize, when I teach writing, that creative nonfiction is not advocacy or persuasive writing: it’s a way to show the human condition in all its variety and complexity, its ugliness and beauty. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>WOW: That’s a lovely way to describe the power of creative nonfiction. Which creative nonfiction essays or writers have inspired you most, and in what ways did they inspire you? </b></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Rebecca</b>: I am inspired by so many writers. Recently it’s Shirley Hazzard, Toni Morrison, Philip Roth, Paula Fox. But a few creative non-fiction pieces have really been influential in my writing. “Woven” by Lidia Yuknavitch is one of the most beautiful pieces I’ve read (and I have, multiple times). My writing teacher Arya Samuelson inspires me and her recent essay “I am no beekeeper” is a stunning example of the woven essay. I marvel at Deesha Philyaw’s “Whiting,” every time I read it. Annie Ernaux’s The Years influenced me with its poignancy about social history and individual memory. I could list so many writers, which is a wonderful thing – there is so much extraordinary writing out there! </div><div><br /></div><div><b>WOW: I agree! Thanks for sharing some of your favorites. If you could tell your younger self anything about writing, what would it be? </b></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Rebecca</b>: Just write and don’t worry about whether you’re good or not and don’t become preoccupied with what’s fashionable. And play! Have fun with writing and finding your voice. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>WOW: Excellent advice! Anything else you’d like to add? </b></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Rebecca</b>: I would like to add a pitch for creative nonfiction. I love how it allows you to start with a kernel of a truth and then add on different layers so you get an overall story correct, but it’s not reporting. So, it is about finding beautiful ways to share a truth of human experiences with others. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>WOW: Thank you for sharing your writing with us and for your thoughtful responses. Happy writing! </b></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><i>Interviewed by <a href="https://linktr.ee/annegreenawalt" target="_blank">Anne Greenawalt</a>, founder and editor-in-chief of <a href="http://www.sportstoriespress.com" target="_blank">Sport Stories Press</a>, which publishes sports books by, for, and about sportswomen and amateur athletes and offers developmental editing and ghostwriting services to partially fund the press. Engage on Twitter or Instagram @GreenMachine459.</i></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p>(C) Copyright wow-womenonwriting.com</p>
Visit <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com">WOW<i>!</i> Women On Writing</a> for lively interviews and how-tos. Check out WOW<i>!</i>'s <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com/WOWclasses.html">Classroom</a> and learn something new. Enter the <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php">Quarterly Writing Contests</a>. Open Now!</div>Anne Greenawalthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09157846460729963143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33612293.post-90178535789700964162024-03-22T00:30:00.000-07:002024-03-22T00:30:00.150-07:00Friday Speak Out!: The Wednesday Morning Writing Groupby Dena Rueb Romero <br /><br />The sun streams in the large windows of Jane’s house. Outside, winter still reigns, but as members of the Wednesday Morning Writing Group, we are oblivious to the weather. We first met in 2009 in a memoir writing class, and when the class ended, decided that writing personal stories was something we needed to do. Of the thirty plus students in the class, fifteen agreed to meet twice a month and to continue writing. <br /><br />Today, fourteen years later, six writers sit around Jane’s dining room table. Of the first fifteen members, some have died or moved away. We have gotten older, and some of us have health issues. When Covid prevented us from being together in person, we met on Zoom and were grateful we could still see and support each other. For those who stayed, WMWG continues to provide something we haven’t found elsewhere, and we convene once a quarter. <br /><br /> We range in age from 65 to 85 and come from different backgrounds, but we share the desire to describe our lives – happy, sad, humorous, challenging– in memoir. We trust each other and have the confidence to read our essays to the group. Writing and fond caring hold us together. Just as good friends pick up where they leave off, so we resume when we meet, whether on Zoom or in person. <br /><br /> Why do we write? Some of us want a larger audience, through either self-publishing or submitting to an established publisher. Mostly, however, we write for ourselves, to hold onto an event or experience and examine it for meaning. The reward is often a new understanding or perspective. <br /><br />It is hard work, requiring time, inspiration, and self-discipline. It means throwing out first attempts, starting over, and walking away when words and ideas don’t come together the way one hoped. Sometimes the subject of an essay reveals itself, sometimes it becomes apparent while writing, and sometimes it feels like pulling teeth. Yet the process can be satisfying, especially when five, ten, even fifteen pages resolve into a finished essay. <br /><br /> Our writing group gives us structure and a deadline. If you have signed up to read at the next meeting, your piece must be ready, even if only as a rough draft. Bringing an unfinished piece is acceptable, for group members will offer ideas to help finalize the writing. The support is invaluable. <br /><br /> This morning Jane will read about her trip to France, and Stuart has a long piece about his recently deceased brother. We are at Jane’s long table, each with a cup of tea or coffee, ready to listen, make suggestions, and highlight sections that are especially well-written. And I am delighted to report that my own book will be released shortly, thanks to the support and encouragement from the Wednesday Morning Writers Group. <br /><br />* * *<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZvNf_bfEQHw8jQS9I2-T869rDskj-VLYhvb_ml1tazfSywJ1PAcNt1XtaEWsg3pr5ckNIQTh5b10YEriGrlKOUxeqqph9e8WP4Zfu2a3_2nFnTfz6q5XqxPAN7XYz5webWg7L1hDgOEUHLg7kKkIxlccf1R_BVggOhMVMRxVe0RmxYwyZuqZI/s300/Dena%20Rueb%20Romero%20(smaller%20photo)%20(002).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="300" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZvNf_bfEQHw8jQS9I2-T869rDskj-VLYhvb_ml1tazfSywJ1PAcNt1XtaEWsg3pr5ckNIQTh5b10YEriGrlKOUxeqqph9e8WP4Zfu2a3_2nFnTfz6q5XqxPAN7XYz5webWg7L1hDgOEUHLg7kKkIxlccf1R_BVggOhMVMRxVe0RmxYwyZuqZI/s1600/Dena%20Rueb%20Romero%20(smaller%20photo)%20(002).jpg" width="300" /></a></div><b>Dena Rueb Romero </b>grew up in Hanover, New Hampshire, the daughter of a Lutheran mother and a Jewish father, both refugees from Nazi Germany. She graduated from Brandeis University and received an MA in English from the University of Virginia and an MSW from Boston College Graduate School of Social Work. Her previous publications include <i>Gretel’s Albums</i>, a collaborative bilingual internet project with researcher Bernhild Voegel (<a href="http://www.birdstage.net/kleeblatt">www.birdstage.net/kleeblatt</a>), and an essay about German citizenship in <i>A Place They Called Home: Reclaiming Citizenship, Stories of a New Jewish Return to Germany.</i> <i>All for You</i> is her first full-length book. Dena still lives in Hanover. Find her online at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61555226342021">Facebook</a> <br /><br />~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ <br /><span style="color: #b45f06;"><b>Would you like to participate in Friday "Speak Out!"? </b></span>Email your short posts (under 500 words) about women and writing to: marcia[at]wow-womenonwriting[dot]com for consideration. We look forward to hearing from you!<br /> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br /> </div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p>(C) Copyright wow-womenonwriting.com</p>
Visit <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com">WOW<i>!</i> Women On Writing</a> for lively interviews and how-tos. Check out WOW<i>!</i>'s <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com/WOWclasses.html">Classroom</a> and learn something new. Enter the <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php">Quarterly Writing Contests</a>. Open Now!</div>Marcia Petersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00303375584867596482noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33612293.post-1430456997797757662024-03-21T01:30:00.000-07:002024-03-21T01:30:00.149-07:00Review: Reedsy How to Write a Novel Master Class with Tom Bromley<div style="text-align: left;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://reedsy.com/learning/?ref=wowwomenonwriting" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Review of How to Write a Novel Reedsy Master Class with Tom Bromley" border="0" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="900" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkdc3QaSndhL38O__p7UhQKRjBPMpjgSq_a36ryZq8-K_MDWjN5p6WitpLWet_kyq0Fc8LKGntIT8a4SAYEm11tOVwbXa6ws30gjfHwhymabzkfyg-Ad8RfIyXTxzSOaTAJwEm3zq4PHgHke_KV29JQYQaAyUzsohnGFIvrSqaw9kYJA4q50ukhw/w640-h376/1697118960894-novel-course-mail-header-A.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i>By Angela Mackintosh</i></div></i><div><br /></div><div>I’ve always wanted to write a novel, but I find the length and process overwhelming. I’ve participated in NaNoWriMo several times and have even “won” twice, writing fifty thousand words in one month. After cutting pages of summary and exposition and plain bad writing, the usable scenes became fodder for pieces that I’ve had published in literary journals. Although I have several half-written book drafts on the cloud, I began to accept the idea that I’d never be a novel writer. Writing short pieces was more my style, and there’s nothing wrong with that.</div><div><br /></div><div>Then, earlier this year, an idea for a mystery/horror novel grabbed hold of me and wouldn’t let go. I knew that if I wanted to write a solid draft, complete with a riveting plot, multiple POV characters, and a twisty mystery at its core, I needed more than NaNoWriMo and short-term workshops; I needed a complete course on novel writing.</div><div><br /></div><div>As a fan of Reedsy, I jumped at the chance to take Reedsy’s <a href="https://reedsy.com/learning/?ref=wowwomenonwriting" target="_blank">How to Write a Novel Master Class</a> with author Tom Bromley. I hadn’t heard of Tom, who is the head of learning at Reedsy, and also an author, editor, and ghostwriter, but I immediately liked his videos and knew he’d be a great instructor.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXbuBdUy-zs4cwm5t5dYt3UDQF_QCULLFbWj0P698R8PPQtkNTOvsQoYs4kEy5eg6foQ1QSJuENE7cj-HSisBzA7A1-ooXLVobIel-ej47VUABuoHTM3eJXC-UIlgW5PwZhbIhp40QoevTs5CIXs1TXG1Cdbx1Ln7XkcaoEtnSXRVgkm4ufm207w/s450/Tom-Bromley.gif" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Tom Bromley" border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXbuBdUy-zs4cwm5t5dYt3UDQF_QCULLFbWj0P698R8PPQtkNTOvsQoYs4kEy5eg6foQ1QSJuENE7cj-HSisBzA7A1-ooXLVobIel-ej47VUABuoHTM3eJXC-UIlgW5PwZhbIhp40QoevTs5CIXs1TXG1Cdbx1Ln7XkcaoEtnSXRVgkm4ufm207w/w320-h320/Tom-Bromley.gif" width="320" /></a></div>Researching Tom’s background, I found out he worked in the publishing industry for years as a commissioning editor for Little, Brown, and then at Pavilion, where he founded the imprint, Portico. He’s edited and commissioned over a hundred titles, authored eight traditionally published books under his name/pen name, and ghostwritten fifteen titles, including prize winners and international bestsellers. He was definitely qualified, and I was thrilled to learn from him. Tom is a musician, and during his webinars, you’ll often see a double bass in the background! But what impressed me most about Tom Bromley during the class was his kind, easy-going personality, editing skills, and in-depth craft knowledge, all of which made this course a phenomenal learning experience.</div><div><br /></div><div>This is the most comprehensive course I’ve ever taken. It’s extremely well designed. Each short daily lesson builds upon the next in a logical order and covers all the foundations of fiction writing. I’m about halfway through the course, and it’s had such a positive impact on my writing that I’m confident I will finish a novel draft this year. Reedsy’s How to Write a Novel Master Class is everything you need to write your novel!</div><div><br /></div><div>You might be wondering if this course is right for you. In this post, I’ll share my review of the course, let you know what you can expect from it, and give you an idea of how the course works. I’ll also share some tips to help you succeed.</div><div><br /></div><div>Before we get started, I want to be fully transparent and let you know that while I wasn’t paid to write this review, the link to the course is an affiliate link. If you sign up for the course, a small portion will be donated to WOW, which helps support women writers. This won’t affect your total price, and it didn’t influence my review.</div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">
What You Get in Reedsy’s How to Write a Novel Course</h2><div><br /></div><div>Before taking the course, you can <a href="https://reedsy.com/learning/?ref=wowwomenonwriting" target="_blank">enroll</a> (without putting in any payment information) to receive a free video on character. I recommend checking it out to get a taste of Tom’s teaching style. Immediately you’ll notice the excellent quality of the video, graphics, and sound. I appreciate the effort that went into creating these videos, not only the production quality, but the easily digestible lessons that focus on one craft element per day.</div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Prep Sessions</h3><div><br /></div><div>Prior to the class, there are prep sessions that cover the Five Ps:</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Pitch</li><li>Protagonist</li><li>Plot</li><li>Point of View</li><li>Place</li></ul></div><div><br /></div><div>If you’ve studied Save the Cat, you’ll know they also start their structure with a pitch or logline, which is a one-sentence summary of your book. It’s a challenging exercise, but one that puts you in the mindset of thinking about your story as a marketable product.
</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCQIwSlfIZk29Jg3VBeqYqEWcnpnAdQkZs0jEFYY2m9ym81AwYsU0YOR94f_3c0vkwCWrmo5qdSNC_GAtfplm_3p1cV6PtEKtJP2mI6K4eG_2Dir0NzvqLluhZcLQNcHUajEvkjyYJCNl6EzqM36tc6wakJaef_GyqZE07zpn2BF3mmDtvUFMvEg/s2190/Prep-Sessions.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Reedsy How to Write a Novel Course Prep Sessions" border="0" data-original-height="1612" data-original-width="2190" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCQIwSlfIZk29Jg3VBeqYqEWcnpnAdQkZs0jEFYY2m9ym81AwYsU0YOR94f_3c0vkwCWrmo5qdSNC_GAtfplm_3p1cV6PtEKtJP2mI6K4eG_2Dir0NzvqLluhZcLQNcHUajEvkjyYJCNl6EzqM36tc6wakJaef_GyqZE07zpn2BF3mmDtvUFMvEg/w640-h472/Prep-Sessions.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>
I suggest starting the prep sessions at least a couple of weeks prior to the class to hone your idea and plot, so when you show up for the first day of class, you are ready to write. The course has two weeks that cover plotting, which is week three and week twelve, but I got the feeling that Tom likes to keep things a little loose in the beginning to allow for movement and surprise. He believes a plot should not be completed entirely because he likes to be entertained. It reminds me of the Robert Frost quote, “No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader.” While there are examples and suggestions for plotting, there are no specific plotting structures required. If you are a plotter, I’d recommend nailing down your outline before you start the course, because the course’s focus is on writing.<div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Schedule</h3><div><br /></div><div>The course runs for 101 days, with the goal of completing a 75,000-word draft. Your target is 1,000 words per weekday or 5,000 words per week.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Monday through Friday daily lessons:</b> The daily lessons are 10- to 15-minute videos on a craft topic and include reading and writing exercises. Be prepared to set aside an hour if you want to do all the reading and writing exercises and follow the links to related articles.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Saturday author panel lesson:</b> Tom interviews various authors in one video and they discuss a craft topic. These author’s books are included in the lesson excerpts, so it’s fun to get a look at their behind-the-scenes writing process.</div><div><br /></div><div>Sundays are rest days, and Tom suggests reading a good book or hanging out in the community area and chatting with fellow writers.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Monday Live Masterclass:</b> Every Monday you can attend a live webinar, which is a live editing session with Tom (my favorite!), a deep dive into a craft technique, or a guest author discussion. There is a wide range of authors in all genres.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Feedback Friday:</b> You can sign up to trade feedback with a writer in your cohort, where you swap up to 1,000 words, with the goal of completing your critique by the end of the weekend.</div><div><br /></div><div>The interactive community forum is open throughout the entire course for support and discussion.</div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">20+ Hours of Amazing Daily Video Lessons</h3><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPq3MFRO1DHdnM2jGT06GI4ek9mEXlvbYy69XZaPLpVWVOBXI4rDgel412iPTyW-kCot5v1rSXRcdske7PHcJkqyotyJeb37qfR_mkFG4HviyT-ZnbHfWZZNhYWu4iFp7fJngD8HVRA81_Mx6U0ccMztKjndqAxXTVq7fAqmDRGz7_eUn9W3tsng/s1624/IMG_3351.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1624" data-original-width="750" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPq3MFRO1DHdnM2jGT06GI4ek9mEXlvbYy69XZaPLpVWVOBXI4rDgel412iPTyW-kCot5v1rSXRcdske7PHcJkqyotyJeb37qfR_mkFG4HviyT-ZnbHfWZZNhYWu4iFp7fJngD8HVRA81_Mx6U0ccMztKjndqAxXTVq7fAqmDRGz7_eUn9W3tsng/w296-h640/IMG_3351.png" width="296" /></a></div>You’ll receive daily video lessons that focus on one craft element. Tom is an excellent teacher who breaks down hard concepts into practical advice and easy steps. He uses novel excerpts as examples in the videos and they are also available as downloadable scans. The authors and books chosen delightfully surprised me because many of the authors were new to me and all the reads were eye-opening. There is a wonderful mix of everything from literary fiction to mystery/thriller and more. Some books were on my reading list, like <i>Ordinary People</i> and <i>Black Cake</i>.</div><div><br /></div><div>There are links to craft articles for further study. Writing exercises focus on the craft element of the day, and I found these incredible. Both the lessons and the exercises came at the perfect time to create new depth and innovation in my scenes. It felt like Tom was reading my mind! For instance, I had a scene where my characters pull into a parking lot. The exercise for the day was to write a short 100-word scene of two drivers arguing over a particular space. Another time, the excerpt focused on a letter that changed everything. I was writing about a party flyer that was being passed around the junior college quad that would set my plot in motion. It was uncanny how these lessons coincided with what I was writing!</div><div><br /></div><div>Here’s a comprehensive outline of all the lessons in the class:</div><div><br /></div><b>Week 1: Beginnings</b><div>Day 1: Beginnings</div><div>Day 2: Starting Again</div><div>Day 3: Introducing Character</div><div>Day 4: Backstory</div><div>Day 5: Grounding the Reader</div><div>Day 6: Starting Points</div><div>Day 7: Sundays are always rest days</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Week 2: Secret Sauce</b></div><div>Day 8: Movement</div><div>Day 9: Change</div><div>Day 10: Space</div><div>Day 11: Peril</div><div>Day 12: Voice</div><div>Day 13: Opening Pages</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Week 3: Character</b></div><div>Day 15: Caring and Liking</div><div>Day 16: Flaws</div><div>Day 17: Inner Tension</div><div>Day 18: Change</div><div>Day 19: Feeling</div><div>Day 20: Character</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Week 4: Plot Skills 1</b></div><div>Day 22: Story DNA</div><div>Day 23: Scene vs. Summary</div><div>Day 24: Revealing Information</div><div>Day 25: Flashback</div><div>Day 26: Mystery, Surprise, and Suspense</div><div>Day 27: Plotting and Pantsing</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Week 5: Description</b></div><div>Day 29: The Senses</div><div>Day 30: Movement</div><div>Day 31: Color</div><div>Day 32: Small Details</div><div>Day 33: People, Past, and POV</div><div>Day 34: Description</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Week 6: Dialogue</b></div><div>Day 36: Voice</div><div>Day 37: Conflict</div><div>Day 38: Rhythm</div><div>Day 39: Real Speech</div><div>Day 40: Body Language</div><div>Day 41: Worldbuilding</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Week 7: Texture</b></div><div>Day 43: Action</div><div>Day 44: Thought</div><div>Day 45: Dialogue vs. Description</div><div>Day 46: Dialogue, Description, and Pace</div><div>Day 47: Mixing Together</div><div>Day 48: Inspiration</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Week 8: Middles</b></div><div>Day 50: The Halfway Point</div><div>Day 51: The Midpoint</div><div>Day 52: Wants and Needs</div><div>Day 53: Links</div><div>Day 54: Thinking Forward</div><div>Day 55: Reading</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Week 9: Writing Skills</b></div><div>Day 57: Words</div><div>Day 58: Verbs</div><div>Day 59: Sounds</div><div>Day 60: Sentences</div><div>Day 61: Paragraphs</div><div>Day 62: Writing Challenges</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Week 10: Writing Techniques</b></div><div>Day 64: Rule of Three</div><div>Day 65: Repetition</div><div>Day 66: Build</div><div>Day 67: Contrast</div><div>Day 68: Imagery</div><div>Day 69: Writing Routines</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Week 11: Chapters</b></div><div>Day 71: Chapters Overview</div><div>Day 72: Beginnings and Endings</div><div>Day 73: Lengths</div><div>Day 74: Chapter Structure</div><div>Day 75: Pulling Together</div><div>Day 76: Research</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Week 12: Plot Skills 2</b></div><div>Day 78: Foreshadowing</div><div>Day 79: Group Scenes</div><div>Day 80: Dovetailing</div><div>Day 81: Time</div><div>Day 82: Punctuating a Scene</div><div>Day 83: Feedback</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Week 13: Doubling Up</b></div><div>Day 85: Action and Story</div><div>Day 86: Action and Character</div><div>Day 87: Description and Story</div><div>Day 88: Description and Character</div><div>Day 89: Dialogue and Story</div><div>Day 90: Editing</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Week 14: Endings</b></div><div>Day 92: Resolution</div><div>Day 93: Bookending</div><div>Day 94: Imagery</div><div>Day 95: Movement</div><div>Day 96: Possibility</div><div>Day 97: Endings</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Week 15: Next Steps</b></div><div>Day 99: Editing Plan</div><div>Day 100: Editing</div><div>Day 101: The End</div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">
Live Sessions and Masterclasses</h3><div><br /></div><div>There is one live session per week on Monday. The session runs for an hour and is:</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>a mixture of interviews with guest authors</li><li>a deep dive on various craft topics</li><li>a live editing session with Tom</li></ul></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdCROu_49WC1MBRhu1Clcbhmj2Wfuf1vHWNC2jpJEV7AFtqcx_vUHkWYvF0uPF5WoS_103QOm8fF7th-aNPtRBVsASURVTr9wBrG99kbxZYnqqqcfb0Rj-vVzUnjqUoEJWe-304kTKP8pql-sEpsXEBgOyOK2pvMo55bF9B4ebbS930CbNed1PAQ/s2826/Live%20Editing.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Live Editing Session with Tom Bromley" border="0" data-original-height="1680" data-original-width="2826" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdCROu_49WC1MBRhu1Clcbhmj2Wfuf1vHWNC2jpJEV7AFtqcx_vUHkWYvF0uPF5WoS_103QOm8fF7th-aNPtRBVsASURVTr9wBrG99kbxZYnqqqcfb0Rj-vVzUnjqUoEJWe-304kTKP8pql-sEpsXEBgOyOK2pvMo55bF9B4ebbS930CbNed1PAQ/w640-h380/Live%20Editing.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>
You can sign up to have your work live edited by Tom, and I think many students will agree that those sessions are the best thing ever! Tom is an expert editor who is great at dissecting work and pointing out what needs to be cut, developed, and more. It’s rare to see a publishing house editor in action. This is helpful not only for the writer getting her work edited, but also for any writer who wants to learn how to edit. All live sessions are recorded.<div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Feedback Partners</h3><div><br /></div><div>You can trade work up to 1,000 words with someone in your cohort. The pairings are assigned. It’s not mandatory, but if you want to take advantage of it, it’s always useful to get eyes on your work. The critiques can be challenging to give and receive, since you’re only providing feedback on a small portion of the manuscript. Tom shares community guidelines and etiquette for giving a constructive critique. Manuscripts are traded on Fridays and critiques should be completed by the end of the weekend.</div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Community Forum</h3><div><br /></div><div>Included is twelve months of the community forum. This is a place to talk shop and relax with fellow writers. Discussions are on everything from the muddy middle to staying motivated to what your writing space looks like. The community leaders, like the wonderfully talented Felicia Bengtsson, pose thought-provoking discussions and make writers feel comfortable. Tom is also writing a novel and shares his own writing progress and frustrations, which really makes me feel like he’s one of us. It’s a safe and inspiring learning atmosphere. Writers take part from all over the world, and the community is quite active.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyVqi3fpfPMNUupNCwepIYKmcrbQ3E1683IqAZqKDKDmccpASA1oY5Hi3GUZni6sTt20gnuLDUmfRf_aTvfzoUSzz3xop3VxqiUb2ek4-v0h4m2rQjgA_x45ZV6Q-NO9TSZ6c4wJFfu7wScVWX9xxvQUYe3ODrNBHHPJxv4EDbO6M5hCPeHdJ7Pg/s2746/forum.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Reedsy Community Forum" border="0" data-original-height="1528" data-original-width="2746" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyVqi3fpfPMNUupNCwepIYKmcrbQ3E1683IqAZqKDKDmccpASA1oY5Hi3GUZni6sTt20gnuLDUmfRf_aTvfzoUSzz3xop3VxqiUb2ek4-v0h4m2rQjgA_x45ZV6Q-NO9TSZ6c4wJFfu7wScVWX9xxvQUYe3ODrNBHHPJxv4EDbO6M5hCPeHdJ7Pg/w640-h356/forum.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">12-Month Access to Weekly Live Webinars and Forum; Lifetime Access to the Lessons</h3><div><br /></div><div>You can participate in the community forum and join weekly live webinars, including live editing sessions, for a year! You also have lifetime access to the lessons. This is super helpful because you can actually take the course three or four times in one year as you work on revisions. Or maybe you slowed down like I did and fell a little behind on the lessons. Not to worry, you can make your own schedule and work at your own pace. I’m about halfway through the course, and I plan on taking it a couple times this year to finish a first draft. I find the daily videos inspiring and the highlight of my day.
</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">
Tips to Succeed in the Course</h2><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Time Commitment</h3><div><br /></div><div>Be prepared to spend at least 10-15 hours a week on the course. The video lessons are only around 15 minutes, but I’d factor in at least an hour if you want to read all the novel excerpts and try the writing exercises. The prompts only call for around a hundred words, which can be done on a timer, but you may also want to follow the links to read more about a craft technique. You’ll also need to schedule time to write 1,000 words per weekday and to attend the weekly live hour-long webinar.</div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Plot in Advance</h3><div><br /></div><div>Like I mentioned earlier, there are five prep sessions, and one covers plotting, but it is fairly quick. If you are a plotter, take time before you start the course to fill out your Save the Cat Beat Sheet or your three-act structure or whatever you plan on using because that is not covered in depth. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpNEeML1_g9XADG9wNJqhmGIRSUrKmkcCXUpOZyMsLD8emc_dUhG1V-9MbrGlmYOPoZPa-_1C_5jXjbUYytEGeC2GHiF1CIq21ufvfoyjG0EsXzbTTmtUl6s74y4EBKelvHKRUijmxurwVJic9XAoDyg1wMtBIcPcFKwAmx6Ogg7gA_SA4URcY6Q/s2436/How%20to%20Plot%20a%20Novel.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1702" data-original-width="2436" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpNEeML1_g9XADG9wNJqhmGIRSUrKmkcCXUpOZyMsLD8emc_dUhG1V-9MbrGlmYOPoZPa-_1C_5jXjbUYytEGeC2GHiF1CIq21ufvfoyjG0EsXzbTTmtUl6s74y4EBKelvHKRUijmxurwVJic9XAoDyg1wMtBIcPcFKwAmx6Ogg7gA_SA4URcY6Q/s320/How%20to%20Plot%20a%20Novel.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>There are plenty of great articles on Reedsy about structure, like this one on “<a href="https://blog.reedsy.com/how-to-outline-a-book/" target="_blank">How to Outline a Novel in 9 Easy Steps</a>,” and even a free course, “<a href="https://blog.reedsy.com/learning/courses/writing/3-act-story-structure/" target="_blank">How to Plot a Novel Using 3-Act Story Structure</a>.” Take advantage of those to prepare for the course. However, if you dive into the course without an outline, like I did, the lessons will guide you through what you need to know and a spontaneous structure will occur. I had a basic idea and plot outline in my head, but I didn’t write it down. Instead, I used the daily lessons as a guide to walk me through each scene and chapter. After I run through the entire course, I will most likely rearrange scenes for impact using a structure like Save the Cat.</div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Reedsy Novel Writing Software</h3><div><br /></div><div>Reedsy’s novel writing app is free and integrated in the learning dashboard. You can take advantage of this perk, and I think I might use it or invest in Scrivener soon. I’m currently writing in Word documents and it’s getting hard to track. The advantages of the Reedsy app is it allows for collaborative editing and takes care of formatting and conversion if you are going to self-publish. You can find out more about that here: <a href="https://reedsy.com/write-a-book" target="_blank">https://reedsy.com/write-a-book</a></div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Be Prepared to Work</h3><div><br /></div><div>This is an obvious tip, but if you're going to invest in this course, remember that it will not magically make you write a novel. You need to put in the work and commit to a daily writing habit. You get out of it what you put in!
</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://reedsy.com/learning/?ref=wowwomenonwriting" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Write a Novel in 101 Days with Reedsy How to Write a Novel Master Class" border="0" data-original-height="490" data-original-width="900" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMrJAAx9cX8iNuFetYGafznZyi0MsRSM02-P9UwAn351JHSMoBdsRq2sDusDn3Vz8yplTOMTQVqC1pp8FzqTwlZH9WnsUnFDQoMQGhcfCsd2HEtxZMuftxb46BhEiIV-akE3YAnt2W0sRTtS2eGC9RCFKgTkaAgaiWiRFMAohjAvuXX4vWh8Q2tA/w640-h348/1697118885525-novel-course-mail-header-C.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">
Is the Reedsy Novel Writing Class Worth It?</h2><div><br /></div><div>Reedsy’s How to Write a Novel Master Course costs $1249, which is definitely expensive, but in my opinion, it’s worth it for a complete 101-day novel writing course, and one that you can take throughout the entire year. I usually take several writing workshops a year for shorter work, which quickly adds up to the same price tag. If you break it down, Reedsy's course comes out to roughly $12.37 a day (for 101 days) or $3.42 a day (for a year), which is not bad for a daily lesson, writing exercises, accountability, community, feedback, masterclasses, and more. If you can afford it, I think it’s worth it and can change your writing life.</div><div><br /></div><div>This course is for writers who want to learn how to write a novel with everything they need wrapped up in one package. NaNoWriMo didn’t work for me because it isn’t guided. If you want to learn how to tell a compelling story, develop authentic characters, dialogue, setting, description, create tension, employ literary techniques, and more, then <a href="https://reedsy.com/learning/?ref=wowwomenonwriting" target="_blank">Reedsy’s How to Write a Novel Master Class</a> is for you! The course is fun and inspiring and provides a practical approach and lots of sparks to help you write your novel.
</div><div><br /></div><div>Tom is an excellent teacher who shows you how to write through examples and makes craft techniques easy to understand. The course is expertly designed, and the community is lively and engaging. It’s hard to think of any drawbacks. The only one I could come up with is that the instructor doesn’t edit all of your work. However, the course includes live editing sessions with Tom and weekly peer feedback.</div><div><br /></div><div>To get a free lesson of the class before you decide, you can enroll without putting in any payment info, and get access to the learning dashboard and <a href="https://reedsy.com/learning/?ref=wowwomenonwriting" target="_blank">watch the first lesson for free</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>As with any class, you get out of it what you put in. If you want to write a novel this year, and you can invest in your writing and put in the time, I say go for it!</div><div><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p>(C) Copyright wow-womenonwriting.com</p>
Visit <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com">WOW<i>!</i> Women On Writing</a> for lively interviews and how-tos. Check out WOW<i>!</i>'s <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com/WOWclasses.html">Classroom</a> and learn something new. Enter the <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php">Quarterly Writing Contests</a>. Open Now!</div>Angela Mackintoshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05446972697676493883noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33612293.post-64612864437744938492024-03-20T03:36:00.000-07:002024-03-20T10:44:10.802-07:00Having Fun While Finding My Voice<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPRofXcwB5ePBZigYpbA6I2ReYqF6ZDpDIJ4rfp8H3KISvvFZcH2Q9sFXqcoq5iUF1YsopB51DppGhFAIR0jeGIc40N5_guiS1dLGBYliGLnEaVVSL2_j8w4NI9v70FXCElcWjXqP-uzFGgWaVskDQ8msLbp2HS4IN1M6uShQ0bqBoYmdkZf6w/s2602/agatha%20christie%20edit.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2602" data-original-width="2325" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPRofXcwB5ePBZigYpbA6I2ReYqF6ZDpDIJ4rfp8H3KISvvFZcH2Q9sFXqcoq5iUF1YsopB51DppGhFAIR0jeGIc40N5_guiS1dLGBYliGLnEaVVSL2_j8w4NI9v70FXCElcWjXqP-uzFGgWaVskDQ8msLbp2HS4IN1M6uShQ0bqBoYmdkZf6w/w286-h320/agatha%20christie%20edit.jpg" width="286" /></a></div>My first “grown-up” book was <i>And Then There Were None</i>, found on my cousin’s dresser during a holiday visit when I was about 11. I was instantly captivated by a world and people so different from my small town Pennsylvania life. The murders were fun too! I quickly gobbled up every Agatha Christie book in my local library and I’m sure this led to my love of the genre.<div><br /></div><div>Although I’ve read scores of murder mysteries, I’ve never written one. Some ideas bounce around in my head and my poor husband has become accustomed to me whispering, “This would be a great place for a murder” in random places.</div><div><br /></div><div>This Friday I officially take the plunge into mystery writing. Well, maybe not a plunge. More like wading into the shallow end. I recently learned about a mystery writing contest with a hook. You only have 48 hours to write your story. I’m nervous about both the time limit and not knowing exactly what I’ll be writing but this Friday at 5 pm EST I’ll be at <i>Toasted Cheese Literary Journal</i> when they announce the theme, word count and other details for the <a href="https://tclj.toasted-cheese.com/savage-writing-contest/" target="_blank">Mollie Savage Memorial Writing Contest</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>For years I worked at a very reliable marketing job where I stifled my voice in favor of the voice of the advertisers. Now, as a freelancer I’m left wondering what my voice is. So I’m grabbing every opportunity I can find as I stretch my skills and learn what I’m capable of doing. Can I write a murder mystery? Well, this is a great opportunity to give it a try.</div><div><br /></div><div>Do you want to stretch your writing skills? Do you need a short break from your WIP? Do you love the mystery genre but aren’t ready to commit to a book length project? Join me on Friday! I'll share my process on <a href="https://www.jodiwebbwriter.com/blog" target="_blank">my blog</a> and I hope to learn how you're doing too.</div><div><br /></div><div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHk9sV0Nl0muMs2rMrPAe_G90tO87wjJw3n4CMqsjxelVw9AwcEqQQ_uPLNWGnnR-BtVWtOKEKuTmZKZ3yOu_Op5gg70vXH1j_3Xzw0wpQQG-XWbAoPpNQeLsJUD32e40AfrPFrvntYrPA03nBv4ey7Ds6nmFSL5HdxpKBOli2EopUk_QJPmqo/s1301/JOdi%20Image.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1301" data-original-width="838" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHk9sV0Nl0muMs2rMrPAe_G90tO87wjJw3n4CMqsjxelVw9AwcEqQQ_uPLNWGnnR-BtVWtOKEKuTmZKZ3yOu_Op5gg70vXH1j_3Xzw0wpQQG-XWbAoPpNQeLsJUD32e40AfrPFrvntYrPA03nBv4ey7Ds6nmFSL5HdxpKBOli2EopUk_QJPmqo/w97-h151/JOdi%20Image.jpg" width="97" /></a></div>As an added bonus, there’s also a Science Fiction/Fantasy 48 hour contest in September.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Jodi M. Webb writes from her home in the Pennsylvania mountains. After a decade hiatus from writing, she is back with bylines in Tea Journey, Mental Floss and a WIP about her plant obsession. She's also a blog tour manager for WOW-Women on Writing. Get to know her on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jodiwebbwrites/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> or <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100069028613481" target="_blank">Facebook</a>.</i></div><p><br /></p></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p>(C) Copyright wow-womenonwriting.com</p>
Visit <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com">WOW<i>!</i> Women On Writing</a> for lively interviews and how-tos. Check out WOW<i>!</i>'s <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com/WOWclasses.html">Classroom</a> and learn something new. Enter the <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php">Quarterly Writing Contests</a>. Open Now!</div>Jodi Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14881813140899419858noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33612293.post-29612972641881576092024-03-19T00:00:00.000-07:002024-03-19T00:00:00.128-07:00Interview with Marie Davis: Fall 2023 Flash Fiction Contest 3rd Place Winner<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/assets/110-FE1-Fall23Contest-Marie-Davis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/assets/110-FE1-Fall23Contest-Marie-Davis.jpg" width="250" /></a></div>Marie’s Bio:
</b>
Marie Davis is an epidemiologist who works in global HIV prevention and began writing fiction for fun a few years ago. She's currently working on her first novel, exploring themes of family, belonging, and girlhood. Overpriced cappuccinos, other people’s dogs, and pithy books about angsty women who don’t really do anything fuel her creativity. Seeking ways to streamline her writing process, Marie is grateful for any tips to improve her current, chaotic approach. Although she resides in DC, her heart yearns to one day live by the ocean where she can best be angsty and not really do anything herself. <div><br /></div><div><i>If you haven't done so already, check out Marie's award-winning story "<a href="https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/downloads/printable/110-FE1-Fall23Contest-3rd-printable.html" target="_blank">Not Pictured</a>" and then return here for a chat with the author. </i></div><div><br /></div><div><b>WOW: Congratulations on placing third in the Fall 2023 Flash Fiction Contest! What excited you most about writing this story? </b></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Marie</b>: I really enjoy when people do something unusual for tender, yet difficult to explain, reasons. A lot of life’s weirdness can be chalked up to misunderstood kindness. This little story started with nothing else than the idea of how odd it would seem to pocket another family’s photograph, but I wanted the reason to be sweet instead of strange. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>WOW: What did you learn about yourself or your writing while crafting this piece? </b></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Marie</b>: Historically, I’ve been a very critical and nervous decision-maker at pivotal life junctures. Despite feeling confident about most of my Big Decisions at Big Times, I have mourned the other lives I could have lived deeply and indulgently. This piece reminded me of how I imagined the next phase of my life could look when I was much younger and how limited my ideas about the future really were. It’s a humbling reminder of how uninspired my past imaginations were, and suggests my current imaginations lack the depth and potential surprises that are ahead. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>WOW: That’s an important realization. Thank you for sharing it with us. What prompted you to start writing fiction a few years ago? </b></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Marie</b>: I come from a family of passionate readers and writers of pithy cards, professional journalism, and published novels. This environment fostered a spirit of fun wordplay and other creative literary pursuits. I was inspired by my mother’s journey in writing and publishing her first middle school novel last year, and it has been a new and exciting way for us to connect in our individual pursuits. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>WOW: How wonderful to be able to connect with your family in this fun and creative way! I hear you’re writing a novel. How is your novel-writing process going? </b></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Marie</b>: It’s going! I am spending more time in my characters’ minds, which is not great for my professional productivity but is fun for the process. It’s difficult to track progress for something as intimate and private as the writing process, and I’m hoping to continue to find ways to carve out productive time that doesn’t feel too forced. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>WOW: Yes, finding creative time amid other life pursuits is such a challenge. What are you reading right now, and why did you choose to read it?</b> </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Marie</b>: I’m currently reading <i>Covenant of Water</i> and re-reading <i>The Bell Jar</i> (don’t worry, I’m fine). I loved Abraham Verghese’s other books for their sweeping epic-like storytelling that was subtle and mysterious despite his dramatic undertaking, and <i>Covenant of Water</i> is not disappointing. <i>The Bell Jar</i> is generally remembered for its shock value, but the slow burn and humor that Plath exhibits in the first half is timeless, and I am using it as inspiration for one of my current characters. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>WOW: If you could give your younger self one piece of writing advice, what would it be and why?</b> </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Marie</b>: To read smarter and start throwing up words. Even if you have nothing to say you have to learn how to say it. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>WOW: Thanks for sharing that advice! Anything else you’d like to add? </b></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Marie</b>: Thank you for this space – writing short stories for these contests has really helped me think about and improve my writing. </div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>WOW: You’re welcome! Thank you for sharing your story and your inspiring responses with us. Happy writing! </b></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><i>Interviewed by <a href="https://linktr.ee/annegreenawalt" target="_blank">Anne Greenawalt</a>, founder and editor-in-chief of <a href="http://www.sportstoriespress.com" target="_blank">Sport Stories Press</a>, which publishes sports books by, for, and about sportswomen and amateur athletes and offers developmental editing and ghostwriting services to partially fund the press. Connect on Twitter @greenmachine459.
</i></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p>(C) Copyright wow-womenonwriting.com</p>
Visit <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com">WOW<i>!</i> Women On Writing</a> for lively interviews and how-tos. Check out WOW<i>!</i>'s <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com/WOWclasses.html">Classroom</a> and learn something new. Enter the <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php">Quarterly Writing Contests</a>. Open Now!</div>Anne Greenawalthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09157846460729963143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33612293.post-91426523763839897852024-03-18T01:30:00.000-07:002024-03-18T01:30:00.134-07:00Disrupted by B. Lynn Goodwin: Blog Tour & Giveaway<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXHR06oZSrKkoHRh2CVpoFuFf33jE-o7WYQLs0iBZ5fh70F50pF0OmAnX2JNY4lQNrrFEIp90woOaL9hnV4e850bpa8ikohgyBmx8xdA-rFbG1luqvA6XKjovVmnFrLIOIsPYLn_Zsi8y8Om_LH_Krb8_7aPBS7j-EGfHbRXL-QVUHSHPsAy_zQg/s634/PastedGraphic-7.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Disrupted by B. Lynn Goodwin" border="0" data-original-height="634" data-original-width="422" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXHR06oZSrKkoHRh2CVpoFuFf33jE-o7WYQLs0iBZ5fh70F50pF0OmAnX2JNY4lQNrrFEIp90woOaL9hnV4e850bpa8ikohgyBmx8xdA-rFbG1luqvA6XKjovVmnFrLIOIsPYLn_Zsi8y8Om_LH_Krb8_7aPBS7j-EGfHbRXL-QVUHSHPsAy_zQg/w266-h400/PastedGraphic-7.jpeg" width="266" /></a></div><br /><div>I'm excited to announce that author B. Lynn Goodwin <a href="https://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com/2018/01/b-lynn-goodwin-launches-her-book-blog.html" target="_blank">returns to us</a> again with a new book called <i>Disrupted. </i>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.</div><div><br /></div><div>Before we get to that, here's more about her book<i>:</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>The San Ramos High students are busy rehearsing their performance of <i>Our Town</i> when the school and the surrounding towns are rocked by a 7.1 earthquake. As a series of unusual aftershocks disrupt the town further, their school is deemed unsafe, and the show is postponed indefinitely unless they can find a way to turn that bad luck around. Dealing with their own personal difficulties and led by the stage manager, Sandee, who is working her way through the loss of her brother, they attempt to bring the community together, make the performance a success, and do their share to raise funds to rebuild. Both the show and life must go on!</div><div><br /></div><div><div>Publisher: Olympia Publishers</div><div>ISBN-10: 1804393487</div><div>ISBN-13: 978-1804393482</div><div>ASIN: B0CTKPM735</div><div>Print Length: 238 pages</div><div><br /></div><div>Purchase a copy of <i>Disrupted</i> on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Disrupted-B-Lynn-Goodwin/dp/1804393487/?tag=wowwomenonwri-20" target="_blank">Amazon</a>, <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/disrupted-b-lynn-goodwin/1144491377" target="_blank">Barnes and Noble</a>, and <a href="https://bookshop.org/a/13964/9781804393482">Bookshop</a>. You can also add it to your <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/203804191-disrupted" target="_blank">GoodReads reading list.</a></div></div><div><br /></div><div><b>About the Author, B. Lynn Goodwin</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1R1H940XYypFD31RCfns2tfVps90YFiramz1qVKYqIortWNByBn3hQxd5Bhh0HHP3-J_mwQcXO6luu90VlTRE7vV4TN1ap9AVhvP0nIUv7WgjWD6NCTN7On3tyY8f1d0Wp0Jw-xrBihGzaaS8boPCUguo5BTuUzF4O9W9HQIk9X20NNDxM0jTXg/s300/hpmdhe8lvj9m4n9ij8h444o2iu._SX300_CR0,0,300,300_.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1R1H940XYypFD31RCfns2tfVps90YFiramz1qVKYqIortWNByBn3hQxd5Bhh0HHP3-J_mwQcXO6luu90VlTRE7vV4TN1ap9AVhvP0nIUv7WgjWD6NCTN7On3tyY8f1d0Wp0Jw-xrBihGzaaS8boPCUguo5BTuUzF4O9W9HQIk9X20NNDxM0jTXg/s1600/hpmdhe8lvj9m4n9ij8h444o2iu._SX300_CR0,0,300,300_.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>B. Lynn Goodwin is the owner of Writer Advice, <a href="http://www.writeradvice.com">www.writeradvice.com</a>. </div><div><br /></div><div><i><a href="https://amzn.to/48XrrB7" target="_blank">Talent</a> </i>was short-listed for a Literary Lightbox Award and won a bronze medal in the Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards and was a finalist for a Sarton Women’s Book Award. A second edition cane out on November 1, 2020 from Koehler Books. She also wrote <i><a href="https://amzn.to/4ahEApt" target="_blank">You Want Me to Do WHAT? Journaling for Caregivers</a>.</i></div><div><br /></div><div>Her memoir, <i><a href="https://amzn.to/48RH90A" target="_blank">Never Too Late: From Wannabe to Wife at 62</a></i> won a National Indie Excellence Award, a Human Relations Indie Book Awards Winner, a Dragonfly Book Award, Next Generation Indie Book Awards, Best Book Awards Finalist & NABE Pinnacle Book Achievement Award Winner.</div><div><br /></div><div>Her latest book, <i>Disrupted</i>, published on January 25th. </div><div><br /></div><div>Goodwin’s work has appeared in <i>Voices of Caregivers</i>, <i>Hip Mama</i>, <i>Dramatics Magazine</i>, <i>Inspire Me Today</i>, <i>The Sun</i>, <i>Good Housekeeping.com</i>, <i>Purple Clover.com,</i> and elsewhere. She is a reviewer and teacher at Story Circle Network, and she is a manuscript coach at Writer Advice. She always has time to write guest blog posts and answer questions. She loves working one on one, trouble-shooting, and helping writers find what works. Contact her to see how she can help you.</div><div><br /></div><div>You can find her online at:</div><div><br /></div><div><div><b>Her website: </b><a href="https://www.writeradvice.com">https://www.writeradvice.com</a></div><div><b>Twitter:</b> <a href="https://twitter.com/Lgood67334">https://twitter.com/Lgood67334</a></div><div><b>Personal Facebook:</b> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/blynn.goodwin">https://www.facebook.com/blynn.goodwin</a></div><div><b>Website Facebook:</b> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/writeradvice/">https://www.facebook.com/writeradvice/</a></div><div><b>Instagram:</b> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/blynngoodwin/">https://www.instagram.com/blynngoodwin/</a></div><div><b>Her Books: </b><a href="https://writeradvice.com/books-by-lynn/">https://writeradvice.com/books-by-lynn/</a></div></div><div style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></div></div><div>--- <i>Interview by Nicole Pyles</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><div><b><span style="color: #fab06f;">WOW:</span> Congratulations on <i>Disrupted</i>! I'm so glad to have you back with us. And I love your new YA book! What has happened since your last blog tour <a href="https://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com/2018/01/b-lynn-goodwin-launches-her-book-blog.html" target="_blank"><i>It's Never Too Late</i></a>?</b> </div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #e92928;">B. Lynn:</span> </b>I’ve been busy with writing, editing, and maybe spreading myself too thin. Writer Advice, <a href="http://www.writeradvice.com" target="_blank">www.writeradvice.com</a> takes up a hunk of my time because of our writing contests and my responses. I read and review all the time, and reading other people’s work helps my writing. I’m on the board at Story Circle Network, <a href="https://www.storycircle.org/" target="_blank">Story Circle Network — Women Writers & Writing Resources</a>, where I lead a monthly Writing Extravaganza and teach Independent Study Classes, and the San Francisco Chapter of the Women’s National Book Association. I’m also writing articles for several of the people who want me to share my ideas on this blog tour, and I find time to be with my husband every day. </div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #fab06f;">WOW:</span></b><b> I love hearing how well things are going for you. Why did you decide to pursue fiction? And specifically, why young adult?</b> </div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #e92928;">B. Lynn:</span> </b>I used to teach English and drama in high school and college. They say you should write what you know, which means writing a memoir and writing this fiction weren’t all that different. I know how teens sound and I know what they want at least as much as they do. I also know what we all dream about. </div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #fab06f;">WOW:</span></b><b> So true! I love all of the characters in this book. How did you create such real feeling characters? </b></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #e92928;">B. Lynn:</span></b><b> </b>Whether you’re writing fiction or acting, when you develop a character you need to focus on what each character wants, what she can do to get it, and what is in her way. </div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #fab06f;">WOW:</span></b><b> Great tip! What kind of research did you do to capture the experience of the earthquake?</b> </div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #e92928;">B. Lynn:</span></b><b> </b>I lived through the 7.1 Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989. My husband’s experience of feeling like there was an ape in the back of the truck is an authentic one used in <i>Disrupted</i>. </div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #fab06f;">WOW:</span></b><b> As someone who grew up in California, that's a perfect description. What are you working on now that you can tell us about? </b></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #e92928;">B. Lynn:</span></b><b> </b>I’m working on juggling the varying aspects of my writing life and the rest of my life, always gathering material, and processing a lot of it in my journal. </div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #fab06f;">WOW:</span></b><b> That's amazing! What advice do you have for authors who want to write YA?</b> </div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #e92928;">B. Lynn:</span></b><b> </b>Can you answer these questions? Why do you want to write YA? How do you feel about teens? What could they get from your book that might not be available in adult fiction? If you can answer those questions, just do it. </div></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #fab06f;">WOW:</span></b><b> Great insight! Thank you again for joining us! Best of luck on your tour.</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8XiEV7xXswEE1bLygffiAb3m-IsVsE2wQKGrtH8EGajBtobrD1NbRXaTcP1emF1iPihGX688DJ8nnW2ocGA-FEwDKW85J8k3IPC2HuitLso36eMLxXdCYTwYB_dfAyCN0E5m6csQwZbkaqXqdU0vNWQwnSLMUy4kcITUhwr5lXUEr97NCYsusig/s800/DisruptedBlogTour.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Disrupted by B. Lynn Goodwin Blog Tour" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8XiEV7xXswEE1bLygffiAb3m-IsVsE2wQKGrtH8EGajBtobrD1NbRXaTcP1emF1iPihGX688DJ8nnW2ocGA-FEwDKW85J8k3IPC2HuitLso36eMLxXdCYTwYB_dfAyCN0E5m6csQwZbkaqXqdU0vNWQwnSLMUy4kcITUhwr5lXUEr97NCYsusig/w640-h640/DisruptedBlogTour.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><i>--- Blog Tour Calendar</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><b>March 18th @ The Muffin</b></div><div>Join us on WOW as we celebrate the launch of B. Lynn Goodwin's newest book <i>Disrupted</i>. Read an interview with the author and enter to win a copy for yourself.</div><div><a href="https://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com">https://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com</a></div><div><br /></div><div><b>March 19th @ Rockin Book Reviews</b></div><div>Join Lu Ann for her review of <i>Disrupted </i>by B. Lynn Goodwin.</div><div><a href="https://www.rockinbookreviews.com/">https://www.rockinbookreviews.com/</a></div><div><br /></div><div><b>March 20th @ Lisa Haselton's Reviews and Interviews</b></div><div>Join Lisa for her interview with B. Lynn Goodwin about her writing journey and her newest book <i>Disrupted.</i></div><div><a href="https://lisahaselton.com/blog/">https://lisahaselton.com/blog/</a></div><div><br /></div><div><b>March 22nd @ The Faerie Review</b></div><div>Visit Lily's blog for a spotlight of <i>Disrupted </i>by B. Lynn Goodwin.</div><div><a href="https://www.thefaeriereview.com/">https://www.thefaeriereview.com/</a></div><div><br /></div><div><b>March 23rd @ Word Magic</b></div><div>Join Fiona's blog for a guest post about earthquakes. Learn some interesting facts and mysteries behind this geographical event.</div><div><a href="https://fionaingramauthor.blogspot.com/">https://fionaingramauthor.blogspot.com/</a></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>March 25th @ Michelle Cornish's blog</b></div><div>Join Michelle for a guest post by B. Lynn Goodwin about what makes your story unique.</div><div><a href="https://www.michellecornish.com/blog">https://www.michellecornish.com/blog</a></div><div><br /></div><div><b>March 30th @ Chapter Break</b></div><div>Visit Julie's blog for a guest post by B. Lynn Goodwin about the benefits of writing what you know.</div><div><a href="https://chapterbreak.net/">https://chapterbreak.net/</a></div><div><br /></div><div><b>March 31st @ A Wonderful World of Books</b></div><div>Visit Joy's blog for a spotlight of <i>Disrupted </i>and a giveaway of a copy of the e-book.</div><div><a href="https://awonderfulworldofwordsa.blogspot.com/">https://awonderfulworldofwordsa.blogspot.com/</a></div><div><br /></div><div><b>April 2nd @ World of My Imagination</b></div><div>Visit Nicole's blog for her review of <i>Disrupted </i>by B. Lynn Goodwin.</div><div><a href="https://worldofmyimagination.com">https://worldofmyimagination.com</a></div><div><br /></div><div><b>April 6th @ Boots, Shoes, and Fashion</b></div><div>Join Linda's blog for her interview with B. Lynn Goodwin about her new book <i>Disrupted</i>.</div><div><a href="https://bootsshoesandfashion.com">https://bootsshoesandfashion.com</a></div><div><br /></div><div><b>April 8th @ Sara Trimble's blog</b></div><div>Join Sara for her review of <i>Disrupted </i>by B. Lynn Goodwin. You can also win a digital copy of the book.</div><div><a href="https://saratrimble.wordpress.com/">https://saratrimble.wordpress.com/</a></div><div><br /></div><div><b>April 10th @ Susan Uhlig's blog</b></div><div>Visit Susan's blog for a guest post by B. Lynn Goodwin about how loss affects teens.</div><div><a href="https://susanuhlig.com/">https://susanuhlig.com/</a></div><div><br /></div><div><b>April 13th @ Book Review From an Avid Reader</b></div><div>Visit Joan's blog for her review of <i>Disrupted </i>by B. Lynn Goodwin.</div><div><a href="https://bookwomanjoan.blogspot.com/">https://bookwomanjoan.blogspot.com/</a></div><div><br /></div><div><b>April 14th @ Boys Moms' Reads </b></div><div>Join Karen for her review of <i>Disrupted </i>by B. Lynn Goodwin.</div><div><a href="https://karensiddall.wordpress.com/">https://karensiddall.wordpress.com/</a></div><div><br /></div><div><b>April 15th @ Choices</b></div><div>Visit Madeline Sharples' blog for a guest post by B. Lynn Goodwin about pantsing or plotting and whether that matters.</div><div><a href="https://www.madelinesharples.com/">https://www.madelinesharples.com/</a></div><div><br /></div><div><b>April 16th @ Storeybook Reviews</b></div><div>Join Leslie for a guest post by B. Lynn Goodwin about rising above fear.</div><div><a href="https://storeybookreviews.com/">https://storeybookreviews.com/</a></div><div><br /></div><div><b>April 17th @ Just Katherine</b></div><div>Join Katherine for her review of <i>Disrupted </i>by B. Lynn Goodwin.</div><div><a href="https://justkatherineblog.wordpress.com/">https://justkatherineblog.wordpress.com/</a></div><div><br /></div><div><b>April 19th @ Just Katherine</b></div><div>Visit Katherine's blog again for a guest post by B. Lynn Goodwin about journaling for writers.</div><div><a href="https://justkatherineblog.wordpress.com/">https://justkatherineblog.wordpress.com/</a></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #fab06f;">*****</span> <span style="color: #e92928;">BOOK GIVEAWAY</span> <span style="color: #fab06f;">*****</span></span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>Enter the giveaway for a chance to win a copy of the novel <i>Disrupted </i>by B. Lynn Goodwin! Fill out the form below for a chance to win. The giveaway ends March 31st at 11:59 pm CT. We will choose a winner the next day and announce in the Rafflecopter widget, and also follow up via email. Good luck!</div><div><br /></div>
<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="4221b3a8346" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/4221b3a8346/" id="rcwidget_qauifc4a" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p>(C) Copyright wow-womenonwriting.com</p>
Visit <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com">WOW<i>!</i> Women On Writing</a> for lively interviews and how-tos. Check out WOW<i>!</i>'s <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com/WOWclasses.html">Classroom</a> and learn something new. Enter the <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php">Quarterly Writing Contests</a>. Open Now!</div>Nicole Pyleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06920135146911951755noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33612293.post-81951724431776913792024-03-17T01:30:00.000-07:002024-03-17T01:30:00.129-07:00Interview with Robin Lee Lovelace, Runner up in WOW's Q1 2024 Creative Nonfiction Essay Contest<div style="text-align: left;">I'm thrilled to chat with Robin Lee Lovelace about her powerful, award-winning essay, "<a href="https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/downloads/printable/110-FE1-Q12024EssayContest-Robin-Lee-Lovelace.html" target="_blank">To Be a Mixed Race (Black and White) Woman in America Means</a>." In today's interview we chat about craft, what to look for when entering contests, Robin's latest projects, and a headless chicken that lived for eighteen months!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/assets/110-FE1-Q12024EssayContest-Robin-Lee-Lovelace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/assets/110-FE1-Q12024EssayContest-Robin-Lee-Lovelace.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><br />Robin's bio:</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>
I am a mixed-race African-American writer from Indiana who usually writes fiction.<div><br /></div><div>In 2017, I won the grand prize in a one-act play contest, presented by the 30XNinety theatre in Mandeville, a suburb of New Orleans.</div><div><br /></div><div>In March 2019, I won the Etchings Press annual competition for novellas for my novella, <i><a href="https://amzn.to/48OZMSJ" target="_blank">Savonne, Not Vonny</a></i>. </div><div><br /></div><div>I was named as an honoree in the Emerging Author category for the Indiana Author’s Awards in September 2020.</div><div><br /></div><div>I was one of the three finalists for the Don Belton Fiction Prize for 2021 for my collection of stories titled <i>A Wild Region</i> and a Stowe Story Labs SAG Indie Top Ten Finalist for <i>Savonne, Not Vonny</i> in 2021.</div><div><br /></div><div>Also, in 2021, I won the Marguerite McGlinn short fiction prize for my story "Uncle," awarded by Rosemont College and Philadelphia Stories.</div><div><br /></div><div>One of my essays called "Different Times, Different Degrees, Same Shit" appeared in the 2023 Summer Edition of the <i>Indiana Review</i>.</div><div><br /></div><div>I was a Wild Acres Retreat Diversity Fellowship winner in July 2023.</div><div><br /></div><div>I live in Indiana with my husband and my dog and cat.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>----- interview by Angela Mackintosh</i></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #bf9000;">WOW:</span> Welcome, Robin! Thank you for joining us today, and congratulations on your award-winning essay, "<a href="https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/downloads/printable/110-FE1-Q12024EssayContest-Robin-Lee-Lovelace.html" target="_blank">To Be a Mixed Race (Black and White) Woman in America Means</a>." I love how the title serves as an opening prompt for each paragraph, and your choice to write it in second person is brilliant. How did you come up with the idea for the format? </b></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #990000;">Robin:</span></b>
I decided to write down every instance of racism or questionable situation regarding race that I encountered in my everyday life. </div><div><br /></div><div>Second person just came naturally. It seemed to be the most comfortable way to present the narrative.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #bf9000;">WOW:</span></b><b> It works so well. I am mixed race (half Asian, half White), and I can relate to hearing people talk about your ethnicity with racial slurs right in front of you! How did you choose which mini scenes to use in your essay, and how did the piece evolve as you wrote it?</b></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #990000;">Robin:</span></b>
It only took me about four months to gather the different mini-scenes. The one that struck me hardest was the two women in the mall assuming the tricked-out mustang blasting bass-heavy rap was driven by black people. The crude name-calling and stereotyping that these women displayed were infuriating.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #bf9000;">WOW:</span></b><b> You did a great job with that scene, because it also infuriated me as I read it. </b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>From plays to novellas to short stories—you've had great success at winning contests! What are some tips for choosing and entering contests?</b></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #990000;">Robin:</span></b> If the judge of the competition has been announced, review what that judge writes and if your writing is in the same genre or is similar in tone or the judge has similar life experiences (possibly) then enter the contest. Go over your essay or story with a fine-tooth comb, not once but many times. If you can, have someone else read your essay or story and get their opinion.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #bf9000;">WOW:</span></b><b> Reading what the judge has written is such a great tip! When and where do you like to write?</b></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #990000;">Robin:</span></b> I have a room in my house with all my books and my computer, that is the best place for me to write.</div><div><br /></div><div>Usually, I write in the late evening - 9:00 pm to 1:00 am is the timeframe I usually write in.
</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #bf9000;">WOW:</span></b><b> I'm a morning writer, so late night writers always impress me because I can never keep my eyes open past ten!</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBN2uO8mbPKty_Td3WHh8044Ay6ZZteZKPJHpwQn_Q0Fd2QxKvRMAbNQD9VlqRhgCRY10w12ayOc530X9y7EASOcKkSduKDQ6fkxJQhyDz3Pn8CSFrAG-wJQ0VOa4lN3sOnsp9hyphenhyphenEj0IYZuv2-cx9_6OEVnqBeyU-O2yiX2B0V89qLESnUV8D2Sg/s1360/71xCNOnKQvL._SL1360_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1360" data-original-width="850" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBN2uO8mbPKty_Td3WHh8044Ay6ZZteZKPJHpwQn_Q0Fd2QxKvRMAbNQD9VlqRhgCRY10w12ayOc530X9y7EASOcKkSduKDQ6fkxJQhyDz3Pn8CSFrAG-wJQ0VOa4lN3sOnsp9hyphenhyphenEj0IYZuv2-cx9_6OEVnqBeyU-O2yiX2B0V89qLESnUV8D2Sg/s320/71xCNOnKQvL._SL1360_.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Your short story collection, <i><a href="https://amzn.to/3Ti2SsG" target="_blank">A Wild Region: Tales and Stories from the Heartland</a></i>, was recently published by Liminal Books. I love how you dedicated your collection to your grandmother. In your prologue, you mentioned that one of your characters, Virgie, who kept a headless chicken, was the essence of your grandmother. Did you draw on your real life experience for all the stories included in your collection? Would they be classified as magical realism? Are the stories connected by a theme?</b></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #990000;">Robin:</span></b>
I believe all writing draws on the author's life experiences to some degree. Of course, in fiction things are changed around a bit and characters are composites or at least have a little bit of the author's emotional truth. </div><div><br /></div><div>Yes, I would call my stories magical realism. Flying dogs, Voodoo conjurers, magic animals carved out of ivory. Not connected except by the area where the stories are situated and, of course my strange view of life.</div><div><br /></div><div>However, a live headless chicken really did exist in the 1940s as a carnival sideshow attraction.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj42IcgE0I17IaobSKE1Zw1wHcDib37PYL1XgS62J7M91LXj22vGX3EhlNKfgQdng1G5RJGRhpWxpd0ZPsNi39GVGQ97LEJ9bt9J9K0LLdHaLOsnujnwaMKtVq4i4mDd-B59ufcUSFfzyMCk1gGSsnuv39rt6CPrWUxcyl6KgKNUnp3XnLX3QelBA/s553/headlesschicken.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="553" data-original-width="325" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj42IcgE0I17IaobSKE1Zw1wHcDib37PYL1XgS62J7M91LXj22vGX3EhlNKfgQdng1G5RJGRhpWxpd0ZPsNi39GVGQ97LEJ9bt9J9K0LLdHaLOsnujnwaMKtVq4i4mDd-B59ufcUSFfzyMCk1gGSsnuv39rt6CPrWUxcyl6KgKNUnp3XnLX3QelBA/s16000/headlesschicken.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><b></b><blockquote><b>Mike the Headless Chicken</b> (April 20, 1945 – March 17, 1947)[1] was a male Wyandotte chicken that lived for 18 months after his head had been cut off, surviving because most of his brain stem remained intact and it did not bleed to death due to a blood clot. After the loss of his head, Mike achieved national fame until his death in March 1947. In Fruita, Colorado, United States, an annual "Mike the Headless Chicken Day" is held in May.</blockquote></div><div><br /></div><div>Also, I am honored that you read my stories, Ms. Mackintosh!</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #bf9000;">WOW:</span></b><b> I love your writing, Robin! That's wild about the headless chicken. What are you working on now?</b></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #990000;">Robin:</span></b> A novel about an orphaned young woman making her way in Victorian London with an off-putting birthmark on her face. A Doctor Jekyll-type physician claims he can rid her of the birthmark, but she also has to contend with the Mr. Hyde side of him.</div><div><br /></div><div>This Doctor is named Doctor Robert Harold, and his alter ego is simply called Jenks. I'm about 90 pages in.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #bf9000;">WOW:</span></b><b> Ooh, that sounds fascinating, and I love dual personality stories, and birthmarks are intriguing. Okay, last question: what is your favorite piece of writing advice?</b></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #990000;">Robin:</span></b> Take long walks and think about your story and characters. Sometimes I talk to my characters or talk as my characters. I try not to let anyone hear me on my walks, or they might think I am peculiar.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #bf9000;">WOW:</span></b><b> Ha! That's wonderful advice, Robin, and you are a true artist. It's been a joy chatting with you today, and I wish you the best of luck on your project! I will be following your work.</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Find out more about WOW's flash fiction and creative nonfiction contests here: <a href="https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php">https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php</a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p>(C) Copyright wow-womenonwriting.com</p>
Visit <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com">WOW<i>!</i> Women On Writing</a> for lively interviews and how-tos. Check out WOW<i>!</i>'s <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com/WOWclasses.html">Classroom</a> and learn something new. Enter the <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php">Quarterly Writing Contests</a>. Open Now!</div>Angela Mackintoshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05446972697676493883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33612293.post-8930361129953118892024-03-15T01:30:00.000-07:002024-03-23T16:46:58.466-07:00The Bean Coffee Company Review and Giveaway<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYT_Y-a0YYgFRf1abQHeAnma1sH5sfCTOB9ZhnST9t4FDTPTj0oRLpIImwQgjDqXu7S_nq4IcPib335jOlQdjjR8fzkAEDVwX3eROScL4ATbwWyqbKkh5HFJydt5Mfm6TX_QRXjIRBWPHAQsyJRa_Wltu1ij4buATO9mkeJ-flZpy3oF2XEXwHpw/s920/IMG_3281-croppedweb.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Bean Coffee Company Review" border="0" data-original-height="637" data-original-width="920" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYT_Y-a0YYgFRf1abQHeAnma1sH5sfCTOB9ZhnST9t4FDTPTj0oRLpIImwQgjDqXu7S_nq4IcPib335jOlQdjjR8fzkAEDVwX3eROScL4ATbwWyqbKkh5HFJydt5Mfm6TX_QRXjIRBWPHAQsyJRa_Wltu1ij4buATO9mkeJ-flZpy3oF2XEXwHpw/w640-h444/IMG_3281-croppedweb.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Review by Angela Mackintosh</i></div><div><br /></div>Writing and coffee are the perfect companions! There’s nothing like a buzzy cup of coffee to get your story wheels churning.<div><br /></div><div>This year, I’ve been focusing on building a daily writing habit, with the goal of finishing a first novel draft by December. Every morning I brew a pot of coffee from my regular drip coffee maker because it’s quick and easy, and get to work. I like dark roasts and drink my coffee black, except for a scoop of collagen powder, so the coffee’s flavor has to be spectacular.</div><div><br /></div><div>Today, I’m thrilled to share my review of the organic coffee crafted by The Bean Coffee Company, which has just become my favorite coffee brand. We also have a discount code and a giveaway!<div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Why I love The Bean Coffee Company</h3><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsrzz_LXsR0qmHcVhqXF7iZI-V3_ZMcaGJ2MF-h0-dWGBEwJGwRVMc7wtkBt_FC2HDJpdp7c5y3iJ3MR4R2XVUD_fAXvP2toY_naStFr5yGF7OGbyL8Tfd8hYLnW8vO2wvJvM1OUdiTn_xSndFtJdmGENYDRII7fce_8kmhpzX5Rh8mUCjmsbBSw/s1667/TBC-Logo-Green-Organic-on-white-background--_2_-2_2000x.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="The Bean Coffee Company" border="0" data-original-height="1540" data-original-width="1667" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsrzz_LXsR0qmHcVhqXF7iZI-V3_ZMcaGJ2MF-h0-dWGBEwJGwRVMc7wtkBt_FC2HDJpdp7c5y3iJ3MR4R2XVUD_fAXvP2toY_naStFr5yGF7OGbyL8Tfd8hYLnW8vO2wvJvM1OUdiTn_xSndFtJdmGENYDRII7fce_8kmhpzX5Rh8mUCjmsbBSw/w200-h185/TBC-Logo-Green-Organic-on-white-background--_2_-2_2000x.png" width="200" /></a></div>Buying organic food is important to me. <a href="https://www.thebeancoffeecompany.com" target="_blank">The Bean Coffee Company</a> uses organic, natural Arabica coffee beans, certified by the USDA and CCOF (California Certified Organic Farmers). This means it’s free of pesticides and artificial fertilizers. Organic coffee has a wonderful taste, and many health benefits. It’s high in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, which boost the immune system. I can taste the difference between their coffee and non-organic, and I feel good knowing that I’m drinking chemical-free pure coffee.</div><div><br /></div><div>As a Southern California native, I love supporting local businesses. The Bean Coffee Company is a family-owned business based out of Oceanside, California. At their facility, they carefully roast their arabica coffee beans in small batches by hand. Their high-quality coffee is a testament to their twenty-five years of roasting experience, and it tastes delicious.</div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">What I Thought About Their Coffee</h3><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkoLrw5ar5JYLau9EHyKbco5z_56kAJtdbwwXUhIAJWRgcb7uvCyqtkUmlvp4J1JtV4mXL7g33N4hX1QPS0F_iFlc2_uOLwytB-FeGzDpLCjy-QmmLf-73QRrSl5WySkW7QWW5tp5ZBGLS_4xWdbro-OHbOVJbKsdNL_CA_V4g0jN31WVKYw20JQ/s1047/IMG_3289-coffeebeans.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1047" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkoLrw5ar5JYLau9EHyKbco5z_56kAJtdbwwXUhIAJWRgcb7uvCyqtkUmlvp4J1JtV4mXL7g33N4hX1QPS0F_iFlc2_uOLwytB-FeGzDpLCjy-QmmLf-73QRrSl5WySkW7QWW5tp5ZBGLS_4xWdbro-OHbOVJbKsdNL_CA_V4g0jN31WVKYw20JQ/s320/IMG_3289-coffeebeans.jpg" width="306" /></a></div>I tried their <a href="https://www.thebeancoffeecompany.com/collections/dark-roast/products/organic-le-bean-dark-french-roast" target="_blank">Organic Le Bean ~ Dark Roast Coffee</a>, and immediately I noticed how clean and flavorful it tastes. Opening the bag releases an intoxicating bittersweet almost-chocolatey scent. After grinding the dark shiny beans and running them through my drip coffee maker, I drink it black. The coffee tastes smooth and rich, a little toasty and decadent, with a slightly nutty flavor. It’s not bitter or zingy like some dark roasts can get, and it gives me plenty of energy to start my morning writing session. After two sips of coffee, I put pen to paper and can feel the sparks fly between plot and character ideas.</div><div><br /></div><div>The one-pound bag is 16 ounces and you get a lot of cups for a great price. It’s $14.99 on <a href="https://www.thebeancoffeecompany.com/collections" target="_blank">their site</a> or you can buy it on <a href="https://amzn.to/3IylAYg" target="_blank">Amazon</a>, and you have the choice of ground or whole bean. I tried both and they are equally wonderful! They have a wide variety of flavors—everything from seasonal pumpkin spice and mocha java to hazelnut and vanilla—and I’ve heard their decaf is fantastic, too. I just ordered some for my partner, who loves the flavor of coffee but can’t have the caffeine. He also can’t have gluten and will appreciate that their coffee is gluten-free. Lately, we’ve been enjoying hot beverages around the firepit at our ranch, and I can’t wait to try the decaf under the stars.</div><div><br /></div><div>Before this, I’d been a Peet’s coffee fan for years, since a friend of mine managed their San Francisco shop and would send me some periodically. In between shipments, I’d also pick up a bag of Kirkland coffee at Costco. The Bean Coffee Company’s roasts are hands down tastier and smoother than the other two! I also like that their bag is resealable, which was a problem with the Kirkland coffee that I always had to tape and clip shut. So now that I’ve found my new go-to, I’d love to share some with you. We have a discount code and a giveaway for a 3-month subscription.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: left;"><b>The Bean Coffee Company Discount Code: </b>Our friends at The Bean Coffee Company are giving WOW readers a special discount! Go to </span><a href="http://www.TheBeanCoffeeCompany.com" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">www.TheBeanCoffeeCompany.com</a><span style="text-align: left;"> and use code </span><b style="text-align: left;">Womenonwriting15off</b><span style="text-align: left;"> to receive </span><b style="text-align: left;">15% Off</b><span style="text-align: left;"> their products.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTmZlPks822ExWgggJeMO-wGEGVfrsRv4Z2bcmcL0cSrcqh84KX6YEmCwVPSDGFDvzjVnpR4wN7RHdKwiipyggvXMFhoc5-TzQbtiQl_JJN8BT1OVQFtUlUmk5vSsQurOV8nDhp0g1T2f0KYTjFi0-35hGrU9aAe4EVFKY_BuOsAUgPtFO-f_ULw/s800/The-Bean-Coffee-Company-Review-Giveaway.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Bean Coffee Company Giveaway - Win a 3-Month Subscription!" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTmZlPks822ExWgggJeMO-wGEGVfrsRv4Z2bcmcL0cSrcqh84KX6YEmCwVPSDGFDvzjVnpR4wN7RHdKwiipyggvXMFhoc5-TzQbtiQl_JJN8BT1OVQFtUlUmk5vSsQurOV8nDhp0g1T2f0KYTjFi0-35hGrU9aAe4EVFKY_BuOsAUgPtFO-f_ULw/w640-h640/The-Bean-Coffee-Company-Review-Giveaway.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: center;">Coffee Giveaway: Enter to Win a 3-Month Subscription!</h3><div><br /></div><div>Enter the Rafflecopter form below for a chance to win a three-month subscription to <a href="https://www.thebeancoffeecompany.com" target="_blank">The Bean Coffee Company’s organic coffee</a>. It includes two one-pound bags each month for three months (six one-pound bags total), and includes shipping. US only. Giveaway ends April 2nd at 11:59 pm CT. We will randomly choose one lucky winner via Rafflecopter the next day and follow up by email. Good luck!</div><div><br /></div>
<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="4221b3a8345" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/4221b3a8345/" id="rcwidget_ei35rf35" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p>(C) Copyright wow-womenonwriting.com</p>
Visit <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com">WOW<i>!</i> Women On Writing</a> for lively interviews and how-tos. Check out WOW<i>!</i>'s <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com/WOWclasses.html">Classroom</a> and learn something new. Enter the <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php">Quarterly Writing Contests</a>. Open Now!</div>Angela Mackintoshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05446972697676493883noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33612293.post-89786402776853868962024-03-14T01:30:00.000-07:002024-03-14T01:30:00.133-07:00Interview with Your Personal Odyssey Writing Workshop Graduate, Jill Tew<div style="text-align: left;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmO3jJeeNZYYrnsFs5xXgIKjlmgPisaPazj-oUdmaCsIL_YM1T3WInt2R0vS5qk1yW-EUPJcWMJJByvMT5A1eoXv9TnZuF1wydgITm09WY356gh1F9H4i7cLSqwy9j_0_04_2_trV20H85e_SDPCIoUNOkWDdIIQdvmozHtYQHzwiD5NqJb-_LYg/s539/Jill%20Tew%20headshot%20(2).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="539" data-original-width="471" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmO3jJeeNZYYrnsFs5xXgIKjlmgPisaPazj-oUdmaCsIL_YM1T3WInt2R0vS5qk1yW-EUPJcWMJJByvMT5A1eoXv9TnZuF1wydgITm09WY356gh1F9H4i7cLSqwy9j_0_04_2_trV20H85e_SDPCIoUNOkWDdIIQdvmozHtYQHzwiD5NqJb-_LYg/s320/Jill%20Tew%20headshot%20(2).png" width="280" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Today, I'm excited to interview another graduate of the <a href="https://www.odysseyworkshop.org/about-the-workshop/" target="_blank">Personal Odyssey Writing Workshop</a>. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div>Since its inception in 1996, the Odyssey Writing Workshop has offered its world-renowned, 6-week</div><div>workshop, helping writers of fantasy, science fiction, and horror make major improvements in their</div><div>work. Fifty-nine percent of graduates have been professionally published, and among graduates</div><div>are award winners, Amazon bestsellers, and New York Times bestsellers.</div><div><br /></div><div><div>Last year, Odyssey transformed into a breakthrough new program to become both more</div><div>accessible and more effective. Students taking Your Personal Odyssey receive the inspiring, transformative learning experience Odyssey is known for, but that experience is customized to</div><div>maximize learning and improvement for each student.</div><div><br /></div><div>If your 2024 writing goal is to take a writing class, you'll love Your Personal Odyssey Writing Workshop. It's an intensive online, one-on-one writing workshop customized just for you.</div><div><br /></div><div> I'll be chatting with Jill Tew about her experience and her new book <i>The Dividing Sky. </i>Before we get to that, here's more about the author:</div><div><br /></div><div><div>From a young age, Jill Tew was destined for speculative fiction nerddom. Now she writes the kinds of stories she loved as a kid, with the representation she craved— Black heroines saving the world, and falling in love along the way. Her debut novel, a YA dystopian romance titled <i>The Dividing Sky</i>, is forthcoming from Joy Revolution (Penguin Random House) in 2024.</div><div><br /></div><div> Jill lives in Atlanta with her family. She is represented by Jen Azantian of Azantian Literary Agency. Find her online at https://www.jilltew.com/.</div><div><br /></div><div>--- <i>Interview by Nicole Pyles</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><div><b>WOW: Thank you again for joining us today! You are a graduate of the Personal Odyssey Writing Workshop. What changed for you and your writing processes after attending the workshop?</b></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Jill: </b>I’ve always thought of myself as a “plotter”, someone who outlines heavily before beginning to draft. But the workshop helped me see that what I thought was a comprehensive prewriting process really wasn’t even scratching the surface of what was possible. Instead of using the prewriting stage to explore all possible options for where my story could go, I was hemming myself in with a plot that, while entertaining, was occasionally predictable or not as challenging for my characters as it could have been. As a result, I now take considerably more time to investigate the many paths a story can take before I start writing.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>WOW: How interesting! I love how it transformed your investigation into plotting your story. Was your novel in progress by the time you attended the workshop? If so, how did attending the class transform your approach? If not, how did the course inspire you?</b></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Jill: </b>When I began the workshop, <i>The Dividing Sky</i> was already with my agent, for our last round of edits before going on submission. I received my agent’s notes during the workshop, and was able to use some of what I had learned in order to strengthen the manuscript for the better. Specifically, I increased the amount of struggle my characters faced in the second act, making them earn the emotional resolution of the book, and their happily ever after.</div><div><br /></div><div>We went on submission with the manuscript the fourth or fifth week of the workshop. Before the workshop was done, I had an offer!</div><div><br /></div><div><b>WOW: That's amazing. And it's a major credit to you that you sought out help through the course to make changes to your novel with an agent already in place. How many revisions did you go through to get your book ready?</b></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Jill: </b>To go on submission, we just did one round of revisions. Once I signed with a publisher, there were two rounds of developmental edits, and then line edits before the story was locked. Each round was challenging, but looking at the finished product, all of that work just brought the manuscript closer to the story it needed to be.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>WOW: That took a lot of work! What was your experience like working with an agent?</b></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Jill: </b>Jen is great! From the minute we began working together, I knew she’d be a fantastic partner for my career, even just on the editorial side. And then once we sold our first project together and she began managing all of the contractual and business things, I saw another side of her expertise that truly blew me away. It’s a huge relief to have someone in your corner that’s advocating for you, even on the tiniest things. I tend to minimize my issues, so having her there to tell me my concerns are valid is really empowering.</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>WOW: That is amazing. How was attending a workshop so important for your writing journey?</b></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Jill: </b>Before the workshop, I felt like I had plateaued. My work had gotten me an agent, but after about a year nothing had sold, and I felt like I couldn’t quite put my finger on what was holding me back. I like having someone–-whether its an editor, agent, or critique partner– who will rip my work apart and help me put it back together stronger. That’s exactly what Jeanne did with me over the course of the workshop. It was sometimes hard to hear those difficult pieces of feedback, especially related to weaknesses in my writing that I tend to fall back on, time and time again. But my writing is stronger for being aware of those tendencies, and having the tools to address them before I get too deep into the work. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>WOW: I'm glad you found the right type of help for your book. Would you recommend the workshop to other writers? And why?</b></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Jill: </b>Absolutely! Jeanne’s expertise and generosity are truly unparalleled, and Your Personal Odyssey is specially crafted to meet every writer’s unique needs. You won’t find anything else like it out there, especially in a format that makes it easy to do from home, when other aspects of life need your attention. My kids were two and four when I went through the program… there’s no way I would have been able to leave home for six weeks as their primary caregiver. YPO made it possible for me to strive for the next rung in my professional ladder while managing my personal demands. I’m very grateful to Jeanne and everyone who makes the program possible!</div><div><br /></div><div><b>WOW: How awesome to hear that! Thank you again and best of luck on your novel. Find out more about the workshop and <a href="https://www.odysseyworkshop.org/about-the-workshop/" target="_blank">join today</a>.</b></div></div></div><div><i><br /></i></div></div></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p>(C) Copyright wow-womenonwriting.com</p>
Visit <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com">WOW<i>!</i> Women On Writing</a> for lively interviews and how-tos. Check out WOW<i>!</i>'s <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com/WOWclasses.html">Classroom</a> and learn something new. Enter the <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php">Quarterly Writing Contests</a>. Open Now!</div>Nicole Pyleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06920135146911951755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33612293.post-84043839804403417242024-03-13T00:00:00.000-07:002024-03-13T00:00:00.133-07:00Don’t Try to Do It All<p> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyLBPOeKsAORmE-P0t52pG2LJCpnckgUIIkJAK4pkG7-7T_abyqEkaE0ZMw2-0ej63bu1Y0MEPUHmypIvAQrflTdQIZE3yxB4PevtJWbAIHxAl2thhchMihVMwcg1JpUfXL8QLyzh7_q7VW7fr3jnI0ZkOVwDpXEpirmq8O4Z66zOoobCILBn8/s1280/woman-1439472_1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1087" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyLBPOeKsAORmE-P0t52pG2LJCpnckgUIIkJAK4pkG7-7T_abyqEkaE0ZMw2-0ej63bu1Y0MEPUHmypIvAQrflTdQIZE3yxB4PevtJWbAIHxAl2thhchMihVMwcg1JpUfXL8QLyzh7_q7VW7fr3jnI0ZkOVwDpXEpirmq8O4Z66zOoobCILBn8/s320/woman-1439472_1280.jpg" width="272" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Are you trying to do it all?</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p>
Not long ago, Ann Kathryn Kelly shared an article with the rest of our accountability group. We oohed and aahed and that isn’t surprising. “Lived In and Loved: Unique Design Concepts Driven by Art and Psychology” in the March 2024 issue of <i>Portsmouth City Lifestyle</i> has it all. In addition to Ann’s byline and powerful prose, it is full of gorgeous photos. I just want to crawl inside and explore! <div><br /></div><div>But I’m not going there. Obviously, I can’t literally crawl inside the photos but I’m not going to try to follow Ann’s steps and write a piece for a posh city lifestyles magazine either. As much as I love going to open houses and drooling over photos like these, for the most part I cannot write about home décor. Words escape me. </div><div><br /></div><div>It may be that I simply don’t know enough. Perhaps if I studied decorating, I could write these kinds of pieces. But that’s okay. Ann, I’m gifting them to you. You do this type of writing so well! I just don’t have the fire to do justice to these types of projects. </div><div><br /></div><div>And that’s one clue whether a writing project is something you should pursue. If you are passionate about it, go for it! </div><div><br /></div><div>I recently puzzled through how the Apollo lunar lander, command module and rocket worked together. I really needed to know how the lunar lander survived the journey, perched as it is below the nozzle exit cone for the command module. Yeah, I care enough to make sure that it is actually called a nozzle exit cone. </div><div><br /></div><div>But decorating terminology? I know the correct terms for paint finishes and that’s about it. It is simply not one of my passions. </div><div><br /></div><div>The reality of writing is that there are dozens if not hundreds of different things that you can write. Are you interested in fiction? Do you want to write for adults or young readers? Romance? Romantasy? Cozy mysteries? Or perhaps you’re into speculative fiction?
Or maybe you prefer to write nonfiction. Again, you could write for adults and/or young readers. There are how-to pieces as well as science, gardening, lifestyle, and a whole lot more. </div><div><br /></div><div>Every type of writing that you do is going to have a learning curve. You will have to learn the appropriate jargon and the expectations that go along with that type of writing. You’ll have to familiarize yourself with your audience and the market.
That sounds like a lot of work, doesn’t it? </div><div><br /></div><div>A lot of effort goes into writing well. And none of us has the energy or the will to do it all. </div><div><br /></div><div>If you want to try something new, sign up for a WOW class. Tomorrow is Renee Roberson’s video course, <a href="https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/classroom/ReneeRoberson_TrueCrimeWriting.php" target="_blank">Introduction to True Crime Writing</a>. I’ve signed up although I’m going to have to catch the replay. My thought is that I may be able to use this to improve my mysteries. Who knows? I may discover a new passion. </div><div><br /></div><div>Check out WOW’s list of courses and workshops. There’s sure to be something, perhaps <a href="https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/classroom/BarbaraNoeKennedy_SellingTravelWriting.php">travel writing</a>, <a href="https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/classroom/KandaceChapple_ChickenSoupEssays.php" target="_blank">Chicken soup essays</a>, or my own <a href="https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/classroom/SueBradfordEdwards_WritingNonfictionForChildrenAndYoungAdults.php" target="_blank">nonfiction</a>, that piques your interest. But don’t be surprised when you look at some of the courses and think, “Nah, that’s just not for me.” </div><div><br /></div><div>None of us has to do it all. </div><div><br /></div><div>--SueBE
</div><div><br /></div><div><div style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span face=""open sans", sans-serif">Sue Bradford Edwards' is the author of 50 books for young readers. </span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><ul style="list-style-image: none; list-style-position: inside; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span face=""open sans", sans-serif">To find out more about her writing, visit her site and blog, </span><a href="https://suebe.wordpress.com/" style="color: #f65e53; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.5s ease 0s;" target="_blank">One Writer's Journey</a><span face=""open sans", sans-serif">. </span></li><li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span face=""open sans", sans-serif">Click <a href="https://onewritersjourney.substack.com/p/one-writers-journey?sd=pf" style="color: #f65e53; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.5s ease 0s;" target="_blank">here</a> to find her newsletter.</span></li></ul><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span face=""open sans", sans-serif">She is also the instructor for 3 WOW classes which begin again on March 4, 2024. <br />She teaches:</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><ul style="list-style-image: none; list-style-position: inside; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a href="https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/classroom/SueBE_PitchingQueryingSubmitting.php" style="color: #f65e53; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.5s ease 0s;" target="_blank">Pitching, Querying and Submitting Your Work</a> </li><li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com/classroom/SueBE_Research.php" style="color: #f65e53; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.5s ease 0s;" target="_blank">Research: Prepping to Write Nonfiction for Children and Young Adults</a><span face=""open sans", sans-serif"> </span></li><li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com/classroom/SueBradfordEdwards_WritingNonfictionForChildrenAndYoungAdults.php" style="color: #f65e53; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.5s ease 0s;" target="_blank">Writing Nonfiction for Children and Young Adults</a><span face=""open sans", sans-serif"> </span></li></ul></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p>(C) Copyright wow-womenonwriting.com</p>
Visit <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com">WOW<i>!</i> Women On Writing</a> for lively interviews and how-tos. Check out WOW<i>!</i>'s <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com/WOWclasses.html">Classroom</a> and learn something new. Enter the <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php">Quarterly Writing Contests</a>. Open Now!</div>Sue Bradford Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13978523010871049140noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33612293.post-41384958856524731602024-03-12T00:00:00.000-07:002024-03-12T00:00:00.136-07:00Interview with Gayle Beveridge, 2nd Place Winner in the WOW! Fall 2023 Flash Fiction Contest<p> </p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpWjybjp_CpO5gIxFPo1XzEV-o2Tmlqdyb4GpzWRRHYhjAbx1NPqp79ecfvtFp4n2P4COeEzH3P9UUGuVSQa2gMKTLKFxnMXVPUhQCEXMQRBbWvOHau0DU4rcRWKeVlSbhT6LuPt16OUz-7DOGq3d_h6kywFfHEIrn2_PfP4W24oW_eZoa7CNiZg/s750/110-FE1-Fall23Contest-Gayle-Beveridge.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpWjybjp_CpO5gIxFPo1XzEV-o2Tmlqdyb4GpzWRRHYhjAbx1NPqp79ecfvtFp4n2P4COeEzH3P9UUGuVSQa2gMKTLKFxnMXVPUhQCEXMQRBbWvOHau0DU4rcRWKeVlSbhT6LuPt16OUz-7DOGq3d_h6kywFfHEIrn2_PfP4W24oW_eZoa7CNiZg/s320/110-FE1-Fall23Contest-Gayle-Beveridge.jpeg" width="256" /></a></div>Gayle Beveridge writes because she loves it. It is her radiant red-sky sunset, her budding spring flowers. It is bird song and a long walk in the bush. It is whatever she wants it to be. Gayle is a past winner of the Boroondara Literary Awards. Her work has appeared in Award Winning Australian Writing, The Umbrella’s Shade, Vegemite Whiskers and Mosaic. Gayle is passionate about writing, photography, sunsets, dogs, and chocolate and with Victoria’s beautiful Bass Coast, which she now calls home. In a past life Gayle was an accountant, (don’t hold it against her), but now she is free to write. <div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>----------<i>Interview by Renee Roberson</i> </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>WOW: Gayle, congratulations again, and welcome! <a href="https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/110-FE1-Fall23Contest.html" target="_blank">“Walk with the Woman”</a> explores how power dynamics between couples that can shift over time, sometimes for the worse. What inspired you to explore this topic? </b></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>Gayle:</b></span> I was keen to experiment with my writing and chose a style that instructs the reader— “Walk with the woman.” “Sit with the man.” I was looking to pair that bold style with a powerful theme, one that would carry the reader forward and excuse my temerity at telling them what to do. At the time, my local writing group’s weekly theme was ‘Green,’ which set me to thinking about what that colour symbolises and to jealousy. I wanted to address how jealousy can disguise itself as love, unrecognisable even to those who pursue it, and how important it is to shake off its shackles. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>WOW: What a great writing prompt! We see so many contest winners that have winning entries inspired by writing prompts or work produced in writing groups--I love that. You’ve been published multiple times in literary journals and anthologies. What themes do you often see appearing in your work? </b></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #0b5394;">Gayle: </span></b>I’ve dabbled with a variety of genres and themes, but most often return to contemporary fiction and to the emotional reactions of humans to difficult situations. The woman escaping domestic violence. A childhood bully repentant in adulthood. An asylum seeker clinging to the hope of something better. The empty-nester battling loneliness. A young child unable to comprehend his father’s death. An earthquake victim longing for help and the rescuer desperate to find him. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>WOW: When did you first know you were a writer? </b></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #0b5394;">Gayle: </span></b>Writing was something I enjoyed as a child. The concept of being a writer was an unfilled dream in early adulthood, a passion revisited in my fifties and serious pursuit in retirement. I think the burn to be a writer has always been there and always will be. I have long thought of myself as a writer; my aim now is to become a better writer and a great storyteller. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>WOW: What do you like to read for pleasure? </b></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #0b5394;">Gayle:</span></b> I read across genres and like the surprise of random choices. Jodi Picoult is a favourite. I admire her capacity to address contemporary societal issues and to integrate them into compelling stories. Australia’s Eliza Henry-Jones is a recent discovery and I can’t wait to read more of her work. Her mastery of pacing is superb. My copy of Tolkien’s "The Lord of the Rings" is a treasured volume. Tell me a good story and you have won me over. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>WOW: Do you have any advice for other writers wanting to explore flash fiction but are intimidated by the limited word count? </b></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #0b5394;">Gayle:</span></b> Embrace the word count; it requires you to think carefully about your story—what it is, and how you tell it. It will hone your storytelling skills, force you to focus what is important to the story and make careful choices about the words you use to tell it.</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>WOW: That's such great advice. Thank you again for stopping by today!</b></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p>(C) Copyright wow-womenonwriting.com</p>
Visit <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com">WOW<i>!</i> Women On Writing</a> for lively interviews and how-tos. Check out WOW<i>!</i>'s <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com/WOWclasses.html">Classroom</a> and learn something new. Enter the <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php">Quarterly Writing Contests</a>. Open Now!</div>Renee Robersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04404704068684231809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33612293.post-35898732472614603422024-03-11T01:30:00.000-07:002024-03-11T01:30:00.130-07:00Adriana by Leslie Hachtel: Reader Review Event & Giveaway <div style="text-align: left;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfOptR3dE-uhal-PhJclXj1Z-JevRpxBLUpPJR8rWX0uAazfkZ_VhemB-bYBO47KYevK3z61lthXVdZmagDe5S9YRUC1acxsWEbllmX-cZ78rznxXREnLKKi-pCyEUOF1JrwQkTkh8n-Gkr_D0P2PR3soJ8-7z-NoRd9WNgSRDzKaVt-nQhOLc8A/s2400/Adriana_eBook_HighRes.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Adriana by Leslie Hachtel" border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1575" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfOptR3dE-uhal-PhJclXj1Z-JevRpxBLUpPJR8rWX0uAazfkZ_VhemB-bYBO47KYevK3z61lthXVdZmagDe5S9YRUC1acxsWEbllmX-cZ78rznxXREnLKKi-pCyEUOF1JrwQkTkh8n-Gkr_D0P2PR3soJ8-7z-NoRd9WNgSRDzKaVt-nQhOLc8A/w263-h400/Adriana_eBook_HighRes.jpg" width="263" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Fans of historical romance will love our review event for <i>Adriana </i>by Leslie Hachtel. Join us as we celebrate the launch of Leslie's book. Read on to find out what our reviewers thought and more about the author. You'll also have a chance to win a copy of the book!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">But first, here's more info about the book:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div>Fleeing for her life, Adriana Booth has come aboard Robert Stuart's ship disguised as an old woman. She is smitten with the captain, so the night before they reach land, she discards her masquerade and sneaks into his cabin. In the morning she disappears, but he is determined to find her, which puts her life at risk.</div><div><br /></div><div>Can he save her? Can their love survive?</div><div><br /></div><div><div>Purchase a copy of this book on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Adriana-Leslie-Hachtel-ebook/dp/B0CP35YGDF/?tag=wowwomenonwri-20">Amazon.com</a>, <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/adriana-leslie-hachtel/1144437007" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a>, and <a href="https://bookshop.org/a/13964/9781733727877" target="_blank">Bookshop.org</a>. You can also add it to your <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/202770183-adriana" target="_blank">GoodReads reading list</a>.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><div><b>WOW's Readers Share Their Thoughts:</b></div></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>"This is a beautifully written book with dynamic details. It brings the reader into the story and they feel they are right there. The story is creative and interesting to read. I want to read more from this writer as well as this world she has created. I loved the historical elements of this book and the main character is easy to like. You want to follow her story." ~ Charity Bartley Howard</div><div><br /></div><div>"This book is well written and full of suspense and intense attraction between Adriana and Robert, that you can feel the moment they first meet on the ship. This fiery and fast-paced read is a must for historical romance lovers. Adriana is a character that proves her perseverance, not only to herself but to others as well. I can relate to her because she does whatever she can to survive and protect the ones she loves, even if it means leaving them. When Robert enters the picture, the raw animal magnetism leaps off the page in a way I was not prepared for. Some of called him swoon worthy and that description is a perfect description of how the character feels to the reader. The supporting characters also add so much to the story that you will remember and root for their stories as you read. Character development is the key in this read, which adds to the books overall unique way of storytelling. The story starts with continuous action, blends in romance and suspense leaving the reader voracious for more. If this were a movie or TV show, I’d watch it in a heartbeat! Don’t wait… Buy this book, you won’t regret it." ~ Stephanie Evans</div><div><br /></div><div>"I was excited to get the book <i>Adriana</i> by Leslie Hachtel and I could not wait to start to read it. It was worth the wait. I loved this book. I was hooked by the second page. <i>Adriana </i>is a descriptive book and a fast read. I quickly fell in love with the characters, especially the main ones. It was not hard to root for them. I like that the chapters were mainly short, especially with someone with a short attention span. If you like romance books, this one would be a good one for you." ~ Jill Sheets</div><div><br /></div><div>"A sweet and slightly spicy historical romance with characters you won’t soon forget. I loved Adriana’s grit and determination, and Robert was absolutely swoon worthy. But if I’m being totally honest, the supporting characters like Tate and Robert’s mother Elizabeth also found their way into my heart. (I would love to have tea with Elizabeth, she’s got some fire in her). You’ll be transported back centuries as you read this, and it’s like watching a TV drama unfold before your eyes. The characters are all unique, and well-developed. If you enjoy historical romances with an FMC who is strong, independent, and determined, you’re going to love this one!" ~ Liliyana Shadowlyn</div><div><br /></div><div>"<i>Adriana</i> is a must read Historical Romance that will draw you in and once you begin reading the story you will not want to put the book down nor will you want it to end. Adriana is someone I would like to meet because she is strong and doesn't let anything bother her. As for the man I would love to meet him because he is a real man's man and someone we could all fall in love with. If I was in a book club, I would recommend <i>Adriana</i> as a must-read book." ~ Glenda Cates</div><div><br /></div><div>"I was sent this book in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed this book! It was a fun, historical romance with some spice and mystery. I really liked the main characters, Adriana and Robert, and their love story." ~ Jamie W.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div><b>About the Author, Leslie Hatchel</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5-74ghqUAnBQZ6blzy26aEpFjvIS2n3ykF50MKvWVn3g4hGdT_NuQsDv-pUCH2udjwS8MsCHmk92N3TH9Vdb7IH5v2Fi5zPJMAHCMgsK-_ZAI4v-WeCMTvTEth9Q6K9cQfxg1Y4dn4qejbXkq2_8v_hE8A0bZHGm6Dym4LTSGF81Ff0YnTW52vQ/s320/IMG_0004%20(1).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="213" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5-74ghqUAnBQZ6blzy26aEpFjvIS2n3ykF50MKvWVn3g4hGdT_NuQsDv-pUCH2udjwS8MsCHmk92N3TH9Vdb7IH5v2Fi5zPJMAHCMgsK-_ZAI4v-WeCMTvTEth9Q6K9cQfxg1Y4dn4qejbXkq2_8v_hE8A0bZHGm6Dym4LTSGF81Ff0YnTW52vQ/s1600/IMG_0004%20(1).JPG" width="213" /></a></div><br /></div><div><div>Leslie Hachtel has been working since she was fifteen and her various jobs have included licensed veterinary technician, caterer, horseback riding instructor for the disabled and advertising media buyer, which have all given her a wealth of experiences.</div><div><br /></div><div>However, it has been writing that has consistently been her passion. She is an award-winning and Amazon bestselling author who has written seventeen romance novels, including twelve historicals and five romantic suspense.</div><div><br /></div><div>Leslie lives in Florida with her very supportive husband, and her writing buddy, Josie, the poodle mix.</div><div><br /></div><div>She loves to hear from readers!</div><div><br /></div><div>You can find her online at:</div><div><br /></div></div><div><div>Website: <a href="https://www.lesliehachtel.com/">https://www.lesliehachtel.com/</a></div><div>Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/lesliehachtelwriter/">https://www.facebook.com/lesliehachtelwriter/</a></div><div>Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/lesliehachtel" target="_blank">@lesliehachtel</a></div><div>Blog: <a href="http://lesliehachtelwriter.wordpress.com">http://lesliehachtelwriter.wordpress.com</a></div><div>Bookbub: <a href="https://www.bookbub.com/authors/leslie-hachtel">https://www.bookbub.com/authors/leslie-hachtel</a></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><i>--- Interview by Nicole Pyles</i></div></div></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #e6bf5a;">WOW:</span> I'm so glad to have you with us again! I love how you blend historical elements with romance. What kind of research did you do for
this book?</b> </div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #683b70;">Leslie:</span> </b>Whenever I write historical, there are so many elements that need be correct. That’s
sometimes difficult since there are some specifics left out no matter how much you search.
But I do the best I can. For <i>Adriana</i>, it was important to get the description of the ship
right and the details of life in the colonies. I want my readers to be immersed in the story
and not lose the thread because of some glaring inconsistency. So, I do hours of research in
the time period before I ever start to write. </div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #e6bf5a;">WOW:</span></b><b> That must have been fascinating research! That makes me wonder: are you a pantser or a plotter? Why?</b> </div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #683b70;">Leslie:</span></b><b> </b>I am definitely a pantser. But it’s not my fault. Once I create the characters, they seem to
take over. So, every time I’ve tried to plot, the characters tend to go in different directions.
So I just go with them. </div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #e6bf5a;">WOW:</span></b><b> That's a fun way to write.</b> <b>How do you generate ideas for plotlines and characters?</b> </div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #683b70;">Leslie:</span></b><b> </b>The strangest things seem to inspire me. For this book, it was the idea of a woman in
disguise sailing to the colonies. That she decided to become a cook on the ship just made
sense since many sailors thought women were bad luck on their boats. Unless of course,
she could make the journey better. And good food is an instant incentive. </div><div><br /></div><div>For other stories, it can be a headline (for my romantic suspense <i><a href="https://amzn.to/3TsTO5H" target="_blank">Payback</a></i>) or going to an
escape room (the kidnapping in <i><a href="https://amzn.to/43hmMsr" target="_blank">Bound to Morocco</a></i>) or being by myself and awake in the
middle of the night (<i><a href="https://amzn.to/3VbMv3E" target="_blank">The Dream Dancer</a></i>). Once I have an idea, the rest seems to grow
organically. </div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #e6bf5a;">WOW:</span></b><b> How cool is that! What advice do you have for authors considering self-publishing?</b> </div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #683b70;">Leslie:</span></b><b> </b>First, obviously, write a wonderful book. Then find a good (and by that I mean great) editor
and proofreader. If you want to compete in this market, you have to have a quality
product. And that means well-written and carefully crafted. Then find a talented cover artist
who captures the heart of your story. After that, the rest is easy. </div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #e6bf5a;">WOW:</span></b><b> That's so helpful!</b> <b>What advice would you have for authors who want to write romance? </b></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #683b70;">Leslie:</span></b><b> </b>Read romance. All genres. Then choose the ones that most appeal to you. And then read
more in that genre or genres. Understand how they are alike and how they are different.
And then find your voice. </div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #e6bf5a;">WOW:</span></b><b> Excellent advice. What are you working on now that you can tell us about? </b></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #683b70;">Leslie:</span></b><b> </b>Now I am working on Book Two and Three that come after <i><a href="https://amzn.to/3Vb0BlD" target="_blank">Come Back to Me</a></i>. The first
book ends with a cliffhanger and so there needed to be two more books.
These are time travel stories and the first one involves a modern woman who sees a portrait
of a man from Scotland in the 1500’s. Knowing he is her soul mate, she must find a way to
meet him. But true love is rarely easy. But then, what would you do to find true love?</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #e6bf5a;">WOW:</span></b><b> I can't wait! Thank you for joining us again. We're so glad to have you!</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhig_bj8tAog4EHxpXMVUBn8QcxuRoJZBf3eanGHXqM3BZfhPSiEC3LEFqgtPcpngzIdYB01YYyRMtErNWy8QxaJErzFXxUHovvyyYhnjS2vc7Rhy5vYOzX_UChUzKBkWXeQKda8gANvVeOM0GrIv92HgU5Kw2FWnjlEiD3mIotmEkLMYIP0GgS4w/s800/Adriana-Review-Event.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Adriana by Leslie Hachtel Review and Giveaway" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhig_bj8tAog4EHxpXMVUBn8QcxuRoJZBf3eanGHXqM3BZfhPSiEC3LEFqgtPcpngzIdYB01YYyRMtErNWy8QxaJErzFXxUHovvyyYhnjS2vc7Rhy5vYOzX_UChUzKBkWXeQKda8gANvVeOM0GrIv92HgU5Kw2FWnjlEiD3mIotmEkLMYIP0GgS4w/w640-h640/Adriana-Review-Event.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #e6bf5a;">*****</span> <span style="color: #683b70;">BOOK GIVEAWAY</span> <span style="color: #e6bf5a;">*****</span></span></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>Enter for a chance to win a copy of the novel <i>Adriana</i> by Leslie Hachtel! Fill out the Rafflecopter form below for a chance to win. The giveaway ends on March 25th at 11:59 pm CT. We will choose a winner the next day and announce in the widget and follow up via email. Good luck! </div><div><br /></div></div>
<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="4221b3a8344" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/4221b3a8344/" id="rcwidget_xxjyabwy" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p>(C) Copyright wow-womenonwriting.com</p>
Visit <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com">WOW<i>!</i> Women On Writing</a> for lively interviews and how-tos. Check out WOW<i>!</i>'s <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com/WOWclasses.html">Classroom</a> and learn something new. Enter the <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php">Quarterly Writing Contests</a>. Open Now!</div>Nicole Pyleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06920135146911951755noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33612293.post-23013201420617424832024-03-10T00:30:00.000-08:002024-03-10T00:30:00.132-08:00Interview with Kathryn Aldridge-Morris, Q1 2024 Creative Nonfiction Essay Contest Runner Up<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP4lBPmCsz9UEqKqMDQtnrMH0PF8GOLR0-y7LfqQfMCCsptgIurFRewwFkelkmfq-ZicOhg9d4iZLTwky8jbJcCMS4_6snrxZmoVIk0s5MC-uiJuCzshUuX-meTl-cN7Ux3MEpble6iDUtr9Q8SlNlTQLVTcT5GuGEpQEXPF3vlkz-sXXKqakp/s542/Kathryn-Aldridge-Morris.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="542" data-original-width="500" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP4lBPmCsz9UEqKqMDQtnrMH0PF8GOLR0-y7LfqQfMCCsptgIurFRewwFkelkmfq-ZicOhg9d4iZLTwky8jbJcCMS4_6snrxZmoVIk0s5MC-uiJuCzshUuX-meTl-cN7Ux3MEpble6iDUtr9Q8SlNlTQLVTcT5GuGEpQEXPF3vlkz-sXXKqakp/w184-h200/Kathryn-Aldridge-Morris.jpg" width="184" /></a></div><b>Kathryn Aldridge-Morris</b> is a writer from Bristol, UK. Her work has been widely published in journals and anthologies, most recently <i>Stanchion, Leon Literary Review</i>, and The Bath Flash Fiction Award anthology; and her story 'Electric Storm' was selected for the 2023 Wigleaf Top 50. She is the winner of The Forge 2023 prize for Creative Nonfiction and Manchester School of Writing’s <i>QuietManDave</i> 2022 prize for flash fiction. You can read more of her work at <a href="https://www.kamwords.com/">www.kamwords.com</a>. <div><br /></div><div><i>--interview by Marcia Peterson</i></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #e69138;">WOW:</span> Congratulations on placing as a runner up in our Q1 2024 Creative Nonfiction essay competition! What inspired you to write your essay, “<a href="https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/downloads/printable/110-FE1-Q12024EssayContest-Kathryn-Aldridge-Morris.html" target="_blank">Back Then, At Sea</a>?” </b><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #45818e;">Kathryn:</span> </b>I have a memory of when my son had just started preschool and we were living in Cádiz, Andalusia, in southern Spain. It’s a snapshot of the scene: me holding out my arms to embrace him, but not able to make him out from the other children because I’d just lost my prescription sunglasses. Not only that, but my clothes were wet and my hair was full of seaweed because we’d been kayaking and capsized a couple of hours earlier! For me, this encapsulates how my experience of mothering clashed so wildly with the expectations society has of mothers. At a surface level, I must have looked a mess to the other mothers and the teachers. But then, the concurrent story was, there I was, seaweed in my hair, fighting to help my son speak, fighting to help him realise his potential as a child, and mine as a mother. I started out describing the kayaking incident in the story where I’d lost my sunglasses, and the near drowning and helpless attempts at rescue became a metaphor for us finding a diagnosis and support for our son. The essay is an attempt to interrogate what’s underneath messy versions of motherhood. It’s an act of feminist writing. <br /><br /><b><span style="color: #e69138;">WOW:</span> </b><b>Besides creative nonfiction, you also write flash fiction, textbooks and more. How do you juggle the different types of writing that you do? Anything you can share about the process? </b><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #45818e;">Kathryn:</span> </b>I need to be in a very certain headspace when I sit down to write CNF or flash fiction as opposed to educational materials. I tend to immerse myself reading in the genre I’m about to write in to get into that zone. If I have a big work project to complete, I’ll often have to set aside my flash writing for a while – I do find it hard to switch between the forms. <br /><br />That said, there is some overlap in the skills you need to be able to write educational texts and flash fiction. I write textbooks and online materials in the field of English Language Teaching (ELT) and the process is creative in that I’ll need to create dialogues between characters to illustrate a particular grammar point, or a reading text for a comprehension task. Both flash and ELT writing require you to be able to write to a constraint, not only in terms of word limits but you’ll also need to include specific lexical items (think ‘word cricket’ in flash!) Perhaps this is why I was drawn to flash, rather than short stories. Having spent over a decade writing ELT materials before I started writing flash fiction, paring down my writing to the bare essentials was my go-to approach. <br /><br /><b><span style="color: #e69138;">WOW:</span> </b><b> What are you reading right now, and why did you choose to read it? </b><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #45818e;">Kathryn:</span> </b>I’m reading my contributor’s copy of ‘Awakenings: Stories of Body and Consciousness’ published by ELJ Editions and edited by Diane Gottlieb. I was thrilled when my essay ‘The Gallbladder Monologues’ was accepted to be included in such a stellar anthology. Highly recommend!! <br /><br /><b><span style="color: #e69138;">WOW:</span> </b><b> Can you tell us what projects are you currently working on? What can we plan on seeing from you in the future? </b><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #45818e;">Kathryn:</span> </b>I’m compiling a chapbook of fiction and working on a novella in flash which tells the wider story that we get a glimpse of in ‘<a href="https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/downloads/printable/110-FE1-Q12024EssayContest-Kathryn-Aldridge-Morris.html" target="_blank">Back Then, At Sea</a>’. I’m not in a rush to publish them. I’m waiting for the right contest or the right small press which is a perfect fit for my writing! <br /><br />If you want to read more of my writing, please check out my website: <a href="http://www.kamwords.com">www.kamwords.com </a><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #e69138;">WOW:</span> </b><b>Thanks so much for chatting with us today, Kathryn. Before you go, can you share a favorite writing tip or piece of advice? </b><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #45818e;">Kathryn:</span> </b>If your piece isn’t working or something’s missing, ask yourself where desire or need enters the story.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">***</div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p>(C) Copyright wow-womenonwriting.com</p>
Visit <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com">WOW<i>!</i> Women On Writing</a> for lively interviews and how-tos. Check out WOW<i>!</i>'s <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com/WOWclasses.html">Classroom</a> and learn something new. Enter the <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php">Quarterly Writing Contests</a>. Open Now!</div>Marcia Petersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00303375584867596482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33612293.post-41643471639373237012024-03-08T01:30:00.000-08:002024-03-23T11:30:19.647-07:00AWP ’24: It’s a Wrap! <div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMtL5nuovQ1_ZlIZBLDxt68KgAnu_9_O94VORna5f6aY-ZwQ9FB8rttUDGXBnzZwTf8QaT1QLKzve3bLFCC39q_mrq0OK3A4eKsEUgFzpnZ9zJEwlOBk0tsAHbVZnfpC2hk2mOcLJ44fgRnOCuFhyWCw4g-a7k7vxRS-DN5fibjf-U_muHHngITQ/s1130/Prague%20Group.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1130" data-original-width="851" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMtL5nuovQ1_ZlIZBLDxt68KgAnu_9_O94VORna5f6aY-ZwQ9FB8rttUDGXBnzZwTf8QaT1QLKzve3bLFCC39q_mrq0OK3A4eKsEUgFzpnZ9zJEwlOBk0tsAHbVZnfpC2hk2mOcLJ44fgRnOCuFhyWCw4g-a7k7vxRS-DN5fibjf-U_muHHngITQ/w482-h640/Prague%20Group.jpg" width="482" /></a></div>Three weeks ago, I attended my first <a href="https://www.awpwriter.org/awp_conference/" target="_blank">AWP conference</a>. It’s been on my radar for several years, as I’ve watched from afar my writing networks on Instagram and X discuss it, exchanging tips and quips. What they loved. What could have been better. How great the Keynote was. Which craft session they liked best. Which after-hours parties had the coolest vibe. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">It always seemed like a lot of fun. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I’m no stranger to large events. Having worked in the technology industry for 30 years, I’ve attended some “big boy” conferences, held in cavernous convention centers around the world that should require golf carts to navigate exhibition space. I’m talking big as in, 100,000 attendees. Bigger than many small cities. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">AWP’s 20,000 attendees, therefore? Walk in the park. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I plunked down my credit card for the $350 Early Bird conference fee, bought my airfare, and scheduled my hotel stay—conveniently, right next to the convention center, and connected by an interior Sky Bridge. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I was looking forward to AWP ’24—held in Kansas City, Missouri, last month—because it was going to get me out of dreary New England in February (though Kansas City ain’t exactly the Bahamas). But more so, I was looking forward to it because I had planned a reunion with several writers <a href="https://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com/2023/10/reevaluating-my-writing-path.html" target="_blank">whom I’d met in Prague</a> last summer during our monthlong writing residency. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">We gathered once more for our first night in Kansas City to break bread and reminisce about our Prague adventure from six months earlier. Though two of us had jet lag from early morning flights from either sides of the U.S. coast, we didn’t hesitate when Kella suggested that we cap off the night at a karaoke bar. I’ve been known to shatter eardrums, but I’m never one to say no when singing and beer are involved. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw38q_vHq-clp0A_i-I64kF__u4D8T1xraiEBIl9-qeL2Bd1kMtVQmr4Yc2cP-hbAgJkVG11tJY74e0veupv8QJnxsRc-QFYAEikxA2v3qDVUK5no67_o3CiDroGtNk8sYhrjBmfzXqxpvXZf98avhmag-XDOQQazZBHFpPgQkAM_L6uB3_3DE6w/s1428/OffKey_WOW.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="819" data-original-width="1428" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw38q_vHq-clp0A_i-I64kF__u4D8T1xraiEBIl9-qeL2Bd1kMtVQmr4Yc2cP-hbAgJkVG11tJY74e0veupv8QJnxsRc-QFYAEikxA2v3qDVUK5no67_o3CiDroGtNk8sYhrjBmfzXqxpvXZf98avhmag-XDOQQazZBHFpPgQkAM_L6uB3_3DE6w/w640-h368/OffKey_WOW.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Images: Ann Kathryn Kelly </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Offkey Karaoke Lounge is a Kansas City gem, tucked into the trendy Westport neighborhood. The hardest part of the night was not working up the courage to take the stage, but which song to perform, from Offkey’s impressive selection of hundreds of one-hit wonders. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Julia and I decided to start off with a duet: “Don’t Cha” by The Pussycat Dolls. The crowd grimaced at some of our high notes, but we earned enthusiastic applause for our dance moves under strobe lights. The night ended only when the Offkey staff announced Last Call at nearly 1:00 in the morning. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2yCUjCp69_zlGQP96jt5Cq5_Ay7C23jmociXUpyIegJaxM40NnxmVP_12PCQXbzYZlCITvOAOSC2v5d4v9D5XO0R06TJpgi2ukE_Q_VnxnNXCWdqYFmCIGJ2L662RRVh2k6vZc5T5Q2XuLBtbc52n8zRFTVIjYIabSFwIlJvhn4UBllRXs7gOJg/s936/OffKey_WOW%202.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="486" data-original-width="936" height="332" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2yCUjCp69_zlGQP96jt5Cq5_Ay7C23jmociXUpyIegJaxM40NnxmVP_12PCQXbzYZlCITvOAOSC2v5d4v9D5XO0R06TJpgi2ukE_Q_VnxnNXCWdqYFmCIGJ2L662RRVh2k6vZc5T5Q2XuLBtbc52n8zRFTVIjYIabSFwIlJvhn4UBllRXs7gOJg/w640-h332/OffKey_WOW%202.png" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Images: Ann Kathryn Kelly </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Compounded by the fact that I barely slept more than an hour that first night, it was a tough start to the conference. It could have been the echoes of Offkey renditions ringing in my ears, but more likely it was the typical bad night’s sleep that accompanies every first night I have when I travel. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The conference itself was illuminating, but not for the reasons I had anticipated. I thought the panel sessions and craft talks were going to be the highlight. Instead, I found it was the one-off conversations I had with fellow writers—while standing in line for coffee, or walking down the hall together—that was most valuable. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I shared my road blocks with creative nonfiction essayists and memoirists, and discovered they were working through many of the same issues. We traded tips on techniques, as well as titles of books we loved. We compared notes on which vendor booths to visit in the Book Fair. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I also had a wonderful opportunity to meet Diane for the first time, at a signing table. Diane is the editor of the anthology, <i>Awakenings: Stories of Body & Consciousness</i>. We met online last year, as she was curating essays. She selected my piece<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">—</span>"Outlasting Angie"<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">—</span>to be included. When the anthology published in October 2023, <a href="https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/95-FE-ELJ.html" target="_blank">I interviewed Diane</a> for the <i>WOW!</i> “Markets” newsletter. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">When we discovered we’d both be at AWP, we made plans to meet in real life inside the Book Fair, where ELJ Editions (the anthology’s publisher) had a table. I spent close to two hours with Diane, greeting visitors and signing the anthology. Such a fun and rewarding experience! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEU52BKLLa7YDkLPs4qIKIBBcqYwHId2KTkGN3kmB2vgEnymCByjt9sBXhIdN1by9q9NVJCyBjrZkgyQnQtDpbqC_hS5MjeVyYr7s3lKgMeFc4y3RbaAqaeCQ9d21hsHvMuuN5q54j42sSqktL4CTYBxgvDzW3__QwI3n57TqM_tFKr_dpvEbSjQ/s935/Book%20Signing_WOW%202.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="477" data-original-width="935" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEU52BKLLa7YDkLPs4qIKIBBcqYwHId2KTkGN3kmB2vgEnymCByjt9sBXhIdN1by9q9NVJCyBjrZkgyQnQtDpbqC_hS5MjeVyYr7s3lKgMeFc4y3RbaAqaeCQ9d21hsHvMuuN5q54j42sSqktL4CTYBxgvDzW3__QwI3n57TqM_tFKr_dpvEbSjQ/w640-h326/Book%20Signing_WOW%202.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyhr7Q32ArghALuTmJaleQeMQ3aX-HKusPbUrMTbqHay6ljWqvXTvJ3SdxpU8MOpzRfo3YajYVKD-Vhl9xHMgqfWXYroKZ1QL6pfVtEMaA4PDYnM4bHSdo-1zlfXBo6OXYKjWNzyNXnv4zjQcN-V7GltAIulF_McPlblBAcJGyxJ_9BWqP6SRK2A/s4032/Ann%20and%20Diane.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyhr7Q32ArghALuTmJaleQeMQ3aX-HKusPbUrMTbqHay6ljWqvXTvJ3SdxpU8MOpzRfo3YajYVKD-Vhl9xHMgqfWXYroKZ1QL6pfVtEMaA4PDYnM4bHSdo-1zlfXBo6OXYKjWNzyNXnv4zjQcN-V7GltAIulF_McPlblBAcJGyxJ_9BWqP6SRK2A/w400-h300/Ann%20and%20Diane.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Images: Ann Kathryn Kelly </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I also ran into a fellow writer and New Hampshire resident, whom I’d first met online through Instagram two years ago. Sarah and I live about 40 minutes from each other. This was the second time we met in person. We shared a wonderful tapas meal one night, and caught up. We also caught an Uber ride back to the airport after the conference ended, and shared the same flight back home. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnBsG3EG3ohhEQ5I9z9bTZnItvh5xB1bp1m9QP4He92HaaYVV0-8XfD5tHHOwsyytu1s8tC2pMu-FudwrFxbp7YakZjKOykAQo1_ccROx1k_ls8lz_7Ty4voL9SuZB7LFfty6viSfDDP5siP2Uzj6-Q6JHNHGTm0phmjAdaYVlg9kkwdm62czfUA/s4032/Ann%20and%20Sarah.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnBsG3EG3ohhEQ5I9z9bTZnItvh5xB1bp1m9QP4He92HaaYVV0-8XfD5tHHOwsyytu1s8tC2pMu-FudwrFxbp7YakZjKOykAQo1_ccROx1k_ls8lz_7Ty4voL9SuZB7LFfty6viSfDDP5siP2Uzj6-Q6JHNHGTm0phmjAdaYVlg9kkwdm62czfUA/w640-h480/Ann%20and%20Sarah.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh62n4TV9ukwqJrfDM3iH0WQBxYTaMOXsSHaIvznNEnI-ZbPv5_VNObZ6s_dobroSfozCnNcH8mhz-9yj4Flcq4kN53OylpSjV11LSaqadP4FmWOPoXbFb7ZmHilVLbs4pvW9q2rHFQZ37KJEQBawmFbIGJRJfwdxlHT8qEI5WTUqTQlMZ_KTjJPw/s935/Jazz%20Club_WOW.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="519" data-original-width="935" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh62n4TV9ukwqJrfDM3iH0WQBxYTaMOXsSHaIvznNEnI-ZbPv5_VNObZ6s_dobroSfozCnNcH8mhz-9yj4Flcq4kN53OylpSjV11LSaqadP4FmWOPoXbFb7ZmHilVLbs4pvW9q2rHFQZ37KJEQBawmFbIGJRJfwdxlHT8qEI5WTUqTQlMZ_KTjJPw/w640-h356/Jazz%20Club_WOW.png" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Images: Ann Kathryn Kelly </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">It was a whirlwind, but worthwhile, trip. In addition to good food and great company, there was nightlife that included bad singing, an industrial dance club, and a mellow booze basement with gorgeous chandeliers and a three-piece jazz ensemble in suits, straight out of the 1950s. There were also plenty of learning insights, and the best part of all: meeting new people. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I’d for sure consider attending another AWP conference. Next year’s host city is Los Angeles, and Karen—one of our Prague mates and an LA resident—is already asking us to circle our calendars.
In a city the size of LA, there <i>must</i> be an Offkey Karaoke cousin club. It’s on my list to research. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Ann Kathryn Kelly writes from New Hampshire’s Seacoast region. <a href="https://annkkelly.com">https://annkkelly.com</a></i></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p>(C) Copyright wow-womenonwriting.com</p>
Visit <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com">WOW<i>!</i> Women On Writing</a> for lively interviews and how-tos. Check out WOW<i>!</i>'s <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com/WOWclasses.html">Classroom</a> and learn something new. Enter the <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php">Quarterly Writing Contests</a>. Open Now!</div>Ann Kathryn Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07744027881939343583noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33612293.post-48495660486973532742024-03-07T01:30:00.000-08:002024-03-23T16:46:37.869-07:00Interview With Black Rose Writing Advertising and Marketing Executive, Minna L. Rothe<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/525d46b4e4b0e89bfe818e77/1612211603712-DZEVWCUXMSLOJY1DSRC0/Rothe%252C%2BM%2B%2528Pro%2529.jpg?format=300w" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Minna L. Rothe" border="0" data-original-height="191" data-original-width="191" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/525d46b4e4b0e89bfe818e77/1612211603712-DZEVWCUXMSLOJY1DSRC0/Rothe%252C%2BM%2B%2528Pro%2529.jpg?format=300w" /></a></div><br /><div>At WOW! Women on Writing, we love connecting with publishers and partnering with them to help their writers reach new audiences. Today, we wanted to highlight one of those relationships. You may recognize the name Black Rose Writing from several authors we've had on tour recently, such as <i><a href="https://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com/2024/01/what-happens-in-montana-by-kim-mccollum.html" target="_blank">What Happens in Montana</a> </i>and <i><a href="https://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com/2024/02/analyzing-prescotts-by-dawn-reno.html" target="_blank">Analyzing the Prescotts</a>.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><a href="https://www.blackrosewriting.com" target="_blank">Black Rose Writing</a> is well-known in the indie publishing world, and despite being a small press they have a big impact. One of their authors even hit the news by <a href="https://www.today.com/popculture/books/viral-tiktok-makes-debut-author-bestseller-shawn-warner-rcna93943" target="_blank">going viral</a> thanks to a rare encounter from TikTok user. We connected with Minna L. Rothe, the <a href="https://www.blackrosewriting.com/meettheteam" target="_blank">advertising and marketing executive</a> with Black Rose Writing to deep discuss topics about marketing.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLJMGIBGn5Tv1eyTauxNnG25ZhI-Sam5bnLSYZKfFWTOsaSF9DCAtCAdne74p1e-8-cuKas18Ktx6z1rUwZzkIZDiUgMghvkXcxfse3wldm7uzJiJl8Vy5jQRG6-bhyphenhyphenilpWBSEu30-k20I8zwLFuxWc-PFQWOyqx71_ORzECcu8Y8mXrRrqtf8sQ/s1500/Black+Rose+Writing+Logo+(Dark).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Black Rose Writing" border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="1500" height="107" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLJMGIBGn5Tv1eyTauxNnG25ZhI-Sam5bnLSYZKfFWTOsaSF9DCAtCAdne74p1e-8-cuKas18Ktx6z1rUwZzkIZDiUgMghvkXcxfse3wldm7uzJiJl8Vy5jQRG6-bhyphenhyphenilpWBSEu30-k20I8zwLFuxWc-PFQWOyqx71_ORzECcu8Y8mXrRrqtf8sQ/w320-h107/Black+Rose+Writing+Logo+(Dark).png" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>---<i> Interview by Nicole Pyles</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><div><b><span style="color: #c27ba0;">WOW:</span> Can you tell me a bit about your background and your role at Black Rose Writing.</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><span style="color: #741b47;">Minna:</span> </b>I have a degree in Mass Communications with a focus in Public Relations. I had a very long, successful career in the Insurance Industry while also working as a consultant for Black Rose Writing on an as-needed basis since its creation in 2006, and moved into the full-time position of Advertising and Marketing Executive in 2021.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #c27ba0;">WOW:</span></b><b> Awesome. I love that you and your husband are working together at BRW. How did you come to join him at his company? Were you there from the beginning?</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><span style="color: #741b47;">Minna:</span></b><b> </b>Yes, I encouraged Reagan to create Black Rose Writing when it was just an idea, and have been 'in the shadows' at BRW since the beginning, working as a consultant to assist with the business side of things.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #c27ba0;">WOW:</span></b><b> I feel like so much has changed about the book world over the years. What have you noticed in your time in the industry?</b></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #741b47;">Minna: </span></b>The introduction of eBooks and their growth, as well as audiobooks and their rise in popularity. Now, AI's influence on creating books, writing text, and generating images... The evolution of the book world continues to be very exciting. We do our best to maintain a level of flexibility with the ever-evolving book world.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #c27ba0;">WOW:</span></b><b> AI definitely has had an impact on the writing world. Black Rose Writing made a big splash in the news when one of your authors went viral during a book signing! Were you expecting anything like that to happen? What was the aftermath of that moment?</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><span style="color: #741b47;">Minna:</span></b><b> </b>We never expected anything like what happened this past summer, but we always maintain a level of optimism because of the hard work the BRW team puts in for our authors.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #c27ba0;">WOW:</span></b><b> That's always good. What kind of tools should authors have to make sure the marketing of their book is a success?</b></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #741b47;">Minna:</span></b><b> </b>In a very technology-dependent society, social media can be an amazing tool for authors to assist in marketing their titles. Also, being willing to put themselves in a position to reach out to people about purchasing and reading their books, and being personable and charismatic at promotional events such as book signings, etc.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #c27ba0;">WOW:</span></b><b> Social media is very important. How much should authors prepare for the marketing of their book?</b></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #741b47;">Minna:</span></b><b> </b>A LOT! When an author and BRW work together to market their title, it absolutely gives the book the best chance for success.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #c27ba0;">WOW:</span></b><b> So true! When is the best timing for book promotion?</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><span style="color: #741b47;">Minna:</span></b><b> </b>Once a book is in production, there are marketing steps throughout the process. At BRW, we provide our authors with timelines and 'Launch Checklists' to help maximize the dos and don'ts leading up to their release date and post-publication.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #c27ba0;">WOW: </span>That's helpful!</b> <b>If authors were to invest $100 in a specific marketing or advertising area, what would you tell them to invest in?</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><span style="color: #741b47;">Minna:</span></b><b> </b>For a smaller budget, it would be in eBook promotions (Free or $.99), or something along the lines of a Goodreads Giveaway or NetGalley listing.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #c27ba0;">WOW:</span></b><b> Good tip! I talk to authors all the time about where to invest their money in terms of promoting their book. What do you think is the best place for authors to focus their attention?</b></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #741b47;">Minna:</span></b><b> </b>eBook promotions are great for improving their landing page for Amazon Kindle, then once they have 25-50+ reviews, they should consider testing paid ads on platforms such as Facebook and Amazon.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #c27ba0;">WOW:</span></b><b> That's a good idea. Social media continues to be an important part of authors connecting with readers. For the author who simply doesn't know where to begin, any advice you'd share?</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><span style="color: #741b47;">Minna:</span></b><b> </b>Start by creating accounts on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and/or X to begin posting about their title and themself as an individual. Not necessarily personally, unless they want to, but as an author. Society really enjoys being able to relate to others, so explaining how the author came up with the concept for their title, the processing of writing or developing their characters, etc. may all be ideas for initial posts. Eventually, authors can post about book signings or promotions, or post reviews that they have received.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #c27ba0;">WOW:</span></b><b> Great tips! What has been the best avenue for success that you have seen with the authors you've worked with?</b></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #741b47;">Minna:</span></b><b> </b>Amazon and Facebook ads have proven successful, as well as BookBub Featured Deals and Kindle Countdown Deals (paid promotions at $.99).</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #c27ba0;">WOW:</span></b><b> Any lasting thoughts you'd like to share with our readers?</b></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #741b47;">Minna:</span></b><b> </b>It is never too early or too late to start! The time is NOW! Also, before your title begins production, begin asking other authors, mentors, professionals with designations, etc. to read and provide honest, detailed reviews of your manuscript. Society as a whole uses product reviews on which to base their purchases... reviews are a must!</div></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #c27ba0;">WOW:</span></b><b> They definitely are! Thank you for your time. We appreciate your partnership with WOW and look forward to promoting more titles.</b></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #741b47;">Find out more about Black Rose Writing:</span></b> <a href="https://www.blackrosewriting.com" target="_blank">https://www.blackrosewriting.com</a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p>(C) Copyright wow-womenonwriting.com</p>
Visit <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com">WOW<i>!</i> Women On Writing</a> for lively interviews and how-tos. Check out WOW<i>!</i>'s <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com/WOWclasses.html">Classroom</a> and learn something new. Enter the <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php">Quarterly Writing Contests</a>. Open Now!</div>Nicole Pyleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06920135146911951755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33612293.post-70553283125398081612024-03-06T01:30:00.000-08:002024-03-06T07:18:26.564-08:00Book Launch Giveaway: Angeline by Anna M. Quinn<div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe6uJnSxfPZxbjZxEleK6Y9P4FhgJmZ6W7XuuImzo2QGJyKf-AtAdS5kUA8UeJbBLihDzFK01_mLcK64YTSp6Bhp_RVypTP4hCZoCD9JEspX0hVcnZp7Shm9nljvJE2En59hNVzNwiCTA5_9JGGaXGHfxmC8IafRQRjFfYVYk-zILQ9dwyF-Effw/s800/Angeline-Giveaway.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Angeline by Anna Quinn Giveaway" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe6uJnSxfPZxbjZxEleK6Y9P4FhgJmZ6W7XuuImzo2QGJyKf-AtAdS5kUA8UeJbBLihDzFK01_mLcK64YTSp6Bhp_RVypTP4hCZoCD9JEspX0hVcnZp7Shm9nljvJE2En59hNVzNwiCTA5_9JGGaXGHfxmC8IafRQRjFfYVYk-zILQ9dwyF-Effw/w640-h640/Angeline-Giveaway.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />Today, we are excited to announce the paperback launch of Anna M. Quinn's book <i>Angeline</i>. Make sure you <a href="https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/96-FE-Anna-Quinn.html" target="_blank">check out her interview with us</a>, where she talks in-depth about her characters, writing process, and everything that went into this gripping novel.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The paperback of her book just went live and we're excited to celebrate that with you by hosting a giveaway. But first, we wanted to share a bit more about the book:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #a500b0; font-size: large;">About <i>Angeline</i></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div><b>A moving, lyrical, melancholy, and spiritual novel by the acclaimed author of <i>The Night Child</i>, in which Sister Angeline, unwillingly sent to a radical convent and confronting her tragic past, asks the deep question, follow your heart or follow the rules?</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnWHjtkutF80U_pm7n5_eDZ3Ex6BQYRmPis8qYl4KkrLX5-l1ygoEZvl4GL6la52G-bzhMxkhg8GLeTUdL_GSSvYy7ZzyzMo0owGZIbs-yolRCQC2Yo4Ic-ZySqoYgwRg0XGlEZJP0bOX9o_Vhi2lRfC4pCZLbkQc_5yXjq_e5wsr2LbkX6ClGkQ/s1024/hc-Angeline.webp" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Angeline by Anna M.Quinn" border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="749" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnWHjtkutF80U_pm7n5_eDZ3Ex6BQYRmPis8qYl4KkrLX5-l1ygoEZvl4GL6la52G-bzhMxkhg8GLeTUdL_GSSvYy7ZzyzMo0owGZIbs-yolRCQC2Yo4Ic-ZySqoYgwRg0XGlEZJP0bOX9o_Vhi2lRfC4pCZLbkQc_5yXjq_e5wsr2LbkX6ClGkQ/w293-h400/hc-Angeline.webp" width="293" /></a></div>After surviving a tragedy that killed her entire family, sixteen-year-old Meg joins a cloistered convent, believing it is her life's work to pray full time for the suffering of others. Taking the name Sister Angeline, she spends her days and nights in silence, moving from one prayerful hour to the next. She prays for the hardships of others, the sick and poor, the loved ones she lost, and her own atonement.</div><div><br /></div><div>When the Archdiocese of Chicago runs out of money to keep the convent open, she is torn from her carefully constructed life and sent to a progressive convent on a rocky island in the Pacific Northwest. There, at the Light of the Sea, five radical feminist nuns have their own vision of faithful service. They do not follow canonical law, they do not live a cloistered life, and they believe in using their voices for change.</div><div><br /></div><div>As Sister Angeline struggles to adapt to her new home, she must navigate her grief, fears, and confusions, while being drawn into the lives of a child in crisis, an angry teen, an EMT suffering survivor's guilt, and the parish priest who is losing his congregation to the Sisters' all-inclusive Sunday masses. Through all of this, something seems to have awakened in her, a healing power she has not experienced in years that could be her saving grace, or her downfall.</div><div><br /></div><div>In <i>Angeline</i>, novelist Anna Quinn explores the complexity of our past selves and the discovery of our present truth; the enduring imprints left by our losses, forgiveness and acceptance, and why we believe what we believe. Affecting and beautifully told, <i>Angeline</i> is both poignant and startling and will touch the hearts of anyone who has ever asked themselves: When your foundations crumble and you've lost yourself, how do you find the strength to go on? Do you follow your heart or the rules?</div><div><br /></div><div><b>You can purchase a copy on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Angeline-Anna-Quinn/dp/B0B5PDRTML/?tag=wowwomenonwri-20" target="_blank">Amazon</a>, <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/angeline-anna-quinn/1141761931" target="_blank">Barnes and Noble</a>, or <a href="https://bookshop.org/a/13964/9798212876667">Bookshop.org</a>. You can also add it to your <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/63392855" target="_blank">GoodReads reading list</a>.</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><span style="color: #a500b0; font-size: large;">About the Author, Anna M. Quinn</span></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEJRsWvTThMTx0kOb9cM1_XniwWoZeM0_AsHiSHe_nM3twviObk_zgey4RaCqLGf2DCFXogx6f5hKsKJVX9csT1Co4viwAT7Yu10h6tSJ1vXgRs9V4zyur5xg_slJja8SJbgvQx6il2-zBtpio_JojqHPDvJMxSXxjCaRA2Gw7jUJ9gJq7PgqzNA/s300/anna_author_picture_.webp" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="200" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEJRsWvTThMTx0kOb9cM1_XniwWoZeM0_AsHiSHe_nM3twviObk_zgey4RaCqLGf2DCFXogx6f5hKsKJVX9csT1Co4viwAT7Yu10h6tSJ1vXgRs9V4zyur5xg_slJja8SJbgvQx6il2-zBtpio_JojqHPDvJMxSXxjCaRA2Gw7jUJ9gJq7PgqzNA/s1600/anna_author_picture_.webp" width="200" /></a></div><br /><div><div>Anna Quinn is the author of <i>The Night Child</i>, (Blackstone, 2018) listed as #1 Best Real Psychological Fiction on Goodreads, and Ingram’s 2018 Best Book Club Book. Her second novel, <i>Angeline</i>, (Blackstone) was released Feb. 7th, 2023. Quinn’s writing has appeared in <i>Psychology Today</i>, <i>New York Times Book Review</i>, <i>Medium</i>, <i>Writer’s Digest</i>, and the <i>Alone Together Anthology: Love, Grief, and Comfort in the Time of COVID-19</i>. When she isn’t writing, she’s reading, teaching, kayaking or hiking somewhere on this beautiful planet.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>Find her online at:</div><div><br /></div><div>Website: <a href="https://annamquinn.com/">https://annamquinn.com/</a></div><div>Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/anna.quinn.9277">https://www.facebook.com/anna.quinn.9277</a></div><div>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/annaquinnpt/">https://www.instagram.com/annaquinnpt/</a></div><div> </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9CpS4Fex26EtCg2suqzPbfx7Uskwa1URZAJi1NptgbtR7QzcWiPvJSgM6gQKQ0q2DKJ7_BtrKjDD_m1Jrl4xLBig_QwSyLYXe9XizrqA3uCWqJo6EGkGBq6GRMEqtcIyON-OAy5EaOBeqUrz81SnpG2fKBIYpMBANKiIgPCqJsl5kJfKinsFYpA/s800/Angeline-Anna-Quinn-Quotes.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Angeline by Anna Quinn" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9CpS4Fex26EtCg2suqzPbfx7Uskwa1URZAJi1NptgbtR7QzcWiPvJSgM6gQKQ0q2DKJ7_BtrKjDD_m1Jrl4xLBig_QwSyLYXe9XizrqA3uCWqJo6EGkGBq6GRMEqtcIyON-OAy5EaOBeqUrz81SnpG2fKBIYpMBANKiIgPCqJsl5kJfKinsFYpA/w640-h640/Angeline-Anna-Quinn-Quotes.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #208fb4;">*****</span> <span style="color: #be3dc5;">BOOK GIVEAWAY</span> <span style="color: #208fb4;">*****</span></span></b></div><div><br /></div><div><b>We have 3 copies to give away!</b> Enter to win a copy of the novel <i>Angeline</i> by Anna Quinn. Fill out the Rafflecopter form for a chance to win. The giveaway ends March 19th at 11:59 pm CT. We will choose a winner the next day and announce in the widget and also follow up via email. Good luck!</div><div><br /></div></div>
<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="4221b3a8342" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/4221b3a8342/" id="rcwidget_2arbvf8s" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p>(C) Copyright wow-womenonwriting.com</p>
Visit <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com">WOW<i>!</i> Women On Writing</a> for lively interviews and how-tos. Check out WOW<i>!</i>'s <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com/WOWclasses.html">Classroom</a> and learn something new. Enter the <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php">Quarterly Writing Contests</a>. Open Now!</div>Nicole Pyleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06920135146911951755noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33612293.post-7311426197540758332024-03-05T00:30:00.000-08:002024-03-05T00:30:00.149-08:00Interview with Myna Chang , First Place Winner in the Fall 2023 WOW! Flash Fiction Contest<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCRrkjDuZCnzGd43dVq4hVp4U4BBCZfB5v451LXc79OgjzFmZfwi9wVm2mFpPLsoWPyj-ULi4adGDktRHfVAKbZ1Iqsn2oD9r_1mTP6oaU6thhQSNa9s-TmZWBhr7Wbi7B_X8Rhsodsfv18bruUOURCNycPLQztpIopK22U39KUOB9YEw3cDBi/s662/Myna-Chang%20Feb%202024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="662" data-original-width="600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCRrkjDuZCnzGd43dVq4hVp4U4BBCZfB5v451LXc79OgjzFmZfwi9wVm2mFpPLsoWPyj-ULi4adGDktRHfVAKbZ1Iqsn2oD9r_1mTP6oaU6thhQSNa9s-TmZWBhr7Wbi7B_X8Rhsodsfv18bruUOURCNycPLQztpIopK22U39KUOB9YEw3cDBi/w181-h200/Myna-Chang%20Feb%202024.jpg" width="181" /></a></div><b>Myna Chang </b>(she/her) is the author of <i>The Potential of Radio and Rain </i>(CutBank Books). Her writing has been selected for <i>Flash Fiction America</i> (W. W. Norton), <i>Best Small Fictions</i>, and <i>CRAFT</i>. She has won the Lascaux Prize in Creative Nonfiction and the New Millennium Award in Flash Fiction. She hosts the Electric Sheep speculative fiction reading series. Find her at <a href="https://mynachang.com/">MynaChang.com</a>, or on Twitter or Bluesky at @MynaChang.<div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>---interview by Marcia Peterson</i><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #f6b26b;">WOW: </span>Congratulations on winning first place in our Fall 2023 Flash Fiction competition! What inspired you to write your story, “<a href="https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/downloads/printable/110-FE1-Fall23Contest-1st-printable.html" target="_blank">Firefly Boys</a>?”</b><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #e06666;">Myna:</span> </b>One of my goals last year was to create male protagonists who demonstrate healthy emotional relationships and supportive parenting. “Firefly Boys” began with a contest prompt: “you find a wild animal on your way home.” I thought about wild animals and worthy fathers and homes, and somehow ended up with magic fireflies. It doesn’t make much sense now that I’m typing it out!<br /><br /><b><span style="color: #f6b26b;">WOW:</span></b><b> It doesn't have to make sense, it's a good story! What advice would you give to someone wanting to try writing flash fiction for the first time?</b><br /><b><span style="color: #e06666;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="color: #e06666;">Myna: </span></b>Find the spark in your story—the thing that most excites you about the idea. How does your character change in that moment? Focus on that change.<br /><br /><b><span style="color: #f6b26b;">WOW:</span></b><b> How do you find or make time to write?</b><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #e06666;">Myna: </span></b>It’s tough. I do a lot of writing-related work; editing, hosting readings, leading a discussion group. Sometimes I’m too drained from those activities to produce anything new. I try to schedule slots of writing time in my schedule, and I’m learning to say “no” to new projects. I also find motivation in contest deadlines.<br /><br /><b><span style="color: #f6b26b;">WOW: </span></b><b>What are you reading right now, and why did you choose to read it?</b><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #e06666;">Myna: </span></b>I’m savoring the flash stories in the 2023 edition of <i>The Best Small Fictions</i> anthology. I’m on the BSF staff, so I’ve already read many of these stories, but it’s so much fun to see them all gathered together. There are so many spectacular writers in the flash community. These stories inspire me!<br /><br /><b><span style="color: #f6b26b;">WOW: </span></b><b>Thanks so much for chatting with us today, Myna. Before you go, can you share a favorite writing tip or piece of advice?</b><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #e06666;">Myna: </span></b>Advice that is repeated every week in my flash group: submit that story! Get your work out there for editors to see, and if you receive a rejection, send the story out to the next publication on your list!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">***</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p>(C) Copyright wow-womenonwriting.com</p>
Visit <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com">WOW<i>!</i> Women On Writing</a> for lively interviews and how-tos. Check out WOW<i>!</i>'s <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com/WOWclasses.html">Classroom</a> and learn something new. Enter the <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php">Quarterly Writing Contests</a>. Open Now!</div>Marcia Petersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00303375584867596482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33612293.post-57773533624214043522024-03-04T01:30:00.000-08:002024-03-04T01:30:00.135-08:00B.O.A.T. by Alexandria Pall: Reader Review Event & Giveaway<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhulDd2CrmFht8KO-W8pYWkNdbioK2ZttpXuevYUQo9lqGSHGJWNr0wG7ypvld1GMd_6iNmhAdIm04Tq0M1Ayq0iFjSAGarbqR633bj-_3tDtXE_chRLYXZb67skzcsvvDE1WWDyK5BuWWfBWVzq9kLtu_RHk1pO752RAJO8Zm0A7v5CWMudZ76Pg/s466/71iU+CgLDrL._SY466_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="BOAT by Alexandria Pall" border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="311" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhulDd2CrmFht8KO-W8pYWkNdbioK2ZttpXuevYUQo9lqGSHGJWNr0wG7ypvld1GMd_6iNmhAdIm04Tq0M1Ayq0iFjSAGarbqR633bj-_3tDtXE_chRLYXZb67skzcsvvDE1WWDyK5BuWWfBWVzq9kLtu_RHk1pO752RAJO8Zm0A7v5CWMudZ76Pg/w268-h400/71iU+CgLDrL._SY466_.jpg" width="268" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Today, I'm excited to announce a special reader review event with Alexandria Pall. Our readers will share their thoughts about her incredible paranormal romance, <i>B.O.A.T</i>. You'll also have a chance to win a copy of this incredible book.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">But first, here's more about Alexandria's book:</h3><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div>Seventeen-year-old April has spent her childhood in therapy, learning to dismiss her imaginary friends as just that: imaginary. Now, as a college freshman, she hopes to leave behind the whispers and cruel rumors that have plagued her for years.</div><div><br /></div><div>When April begins to embrace her newfound independence, her world is turned upside down when she crosses paths with Tommy and Bobby, two figures her therapist insisted were figments of her imagination.</div><div><br /></div><div>Nineteen-year-old Tommy has spent his life waiting for a mission that has haunted him. April’s reappearance shatters his reality, prompting him, April and Bobby to uncover a hidden truth that will change everything.</div><div><br /></div><div>The trio must unite to fulfill their destiny. But an ominous force is closing in on them, one that will stop at nothing to prevent them from completing their mission. The stakes grow darker, threatening not only their lives but the wellbeing of future generations.</div><div><br /></div><div>With time running out and the world’s fate hanging in the balance, fitting in will be the least of April’s concerns. She will need to confront the demons of her past and present, fighting for what she cherishes most.</div><div><br /></div><div>Publisher: FriesenPress</div><div>ISBN-10: 1039189369</div><div>ISBN-13: <span style="white-space: normal;">978-1039189355</span></div><div>ASIN: B0CPTBMJZK</div><div>Print Length: 386 pages</div><div><br /></div><div>Purchase a copy on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/B-T-Alexandria-Pall-ebook/dp/B0CPTBMJZK/?tag=wowwomenonwri-20" target="_blank">Amazon</a>, <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/book/1144463080" target="_blank">Barnes and Noble</a>, or <a href="https://bookshop.org/a/13964/9781039189355">Bookshop.org</a>. Be sure to add it to your <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/203553292-b-o-a-t" target="_blank">GoodReads reading list as well.</a></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgtQqgz4Gt3m5bSu2byjSF8iA6gMYK0pSjkbYSAbp3LRGuFHhE88Q_ZTeLr-Tb2PAfmBXmCGz7lFCiclCEhc8oPhcR-v5R-RlpK7WOQfxb96uKhi6Sa-mX8GfUa-x-S3muw-IrrEmciDfwmqcKhlxu6ES1WM2Wa4xWad3agnKy69kisIRWT_bqgg/s800/BOAT-Reader-Event.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="B.O.A.T. by Alexandria Pall Reader Reviews" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgtQqgz4Gt3m5bSu2byjSF8iA6gMYK0pSjkbYSAbp3LRGuFHhE88Q_ZTeLr-Tb2PAfmBXmCGz7lFCiclCEhc8oPhcR-v5R-RlpK7WOQfxb96uKhi6Sa-mX8GfUa-x-S3muw-IrrEmciDfwmqcKhlxu6ES1WM2Wa4xWad3agnKy69kisIRWT_bqgg/w640-h640/BOAT-Reader-Event.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Here Is What WOW's Readers Thought</h3><div>"This is such a fantastic read - engaging is probably the best word to describe the experience. I enjoyed the characters and storyline as well as Pall's writing style. I would be interested in other books by this author and felt “B.O.A.T" was a relaxing reading experience!" ~ Crystal Otto</div><div><br /></div><div>"This isn't the type of book I normally read but I did find the premise interesting. Also, because the main character has a history of mental illness there is always the question of what is real and what is a creation of her mind. There were new revelations throughout the book that made me want to keep reading to unravel this puzzle. In fact, this entire book felt like a puzzle (which I love). Instead of just passively reading to find out what happens, I was drawn into the puzzles the characters were trying to solve, trying to figure out what the solutions were, what things meant, what was real or imagined. I wonder if Pall will be writing more about this hidden community?" ~ Jodi Webb</div><div><br /></div><div>"What a fascinating read! There isn't enough books that talk about imaginary friends and the possibilities that they are indeed very real. I loved what the author did here. Her character development was strong, and it kept me guessing the whole way through. I am definitely hoping the author writes more in this series. If you love puzzles and intrigue, I think you'll love this book." ~ Nicole Pyles</div><div><br /></div><div>"B.O.A.T is the author debut of Alexandria Pall. Overall it was a good read. If you like Young Adult fiction, which many adults do, and easy to follow wording, then you’ve found your book. By ‘easy to follow wording’ I don’t mean simple, I mean Pall doesn’t try to cram unnecessary words in where simpler is sometimes better. (So King says, well in his own words.)...</div><div><br /></div><div>...You have three friends... former friends... new friends? We meet our female protagonist, April, first. She’s been led to believe that the voices she’s heard and the imaginary friends she knew means she mentally unstable. Then the doors open, the slow motion begins, flips of hair, and the heavens rain down on her world.</div><div><br /></div><div>That means those imaginary friends of hers are now on the same campus as she is. Coincidence?</div><div><br /></div><div>You might find you become attached to supporting cast members and want more of them. That’s up to Pall if she wants to do another book.</div><div><br /></div><div>The story will lead you one way only to throw you another. Twists, turns, and flips make for an entertaining read..." ~ Ronovan H.</div><div><br /></div><div>"As someone who has 'talked to herself' for years, having what are considered imaginary friends being real is interesting. A nice coming-of-age story pitting 3 friends against...? Enjoyable read and being passed on to a 'real' 17 year old who would probably enjoy the story too." ~ Judy Hudgins</div><div><br /></div><div>"B.O.A.T. is a captivating book that held my attention through the whole thing. I love the plot twist, and the book is well-paced. You do not have to worry about getting lost as you read the book. "B.O.A.T." is a wonderful read, with well-developed and interesting characters...[It] is Alexandria Pall's first novel, and I can not wait to see what she writes next." ~ Jill Sheets</div><h3 style="text-align: left;">About the Author, Alexandria Pall</h3><div style="text-align: left;"><div>Everyone starts somewhere. This is Alexandria Pall’s first novel. Follow her online at<a href="https://www.alexandriapall.com/" target="_blank"> https://www.alexandriapall.com/</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #fff133;">*****</span> <span style="color: #236781;">BOOK GIVEAWAY</span> <span style="color: #fff133;">*****</span></span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>Enter to win a print copy of B.O.A.T. by Alexandria Pall! Fill out the Rafflecopter form below for a chance to win. The giveaway ends March 17th at 11:59 PM CT. We will randomly draw a winner the next day via Rafflecopter and follow up via email. Good luck!</div><div><br /></div></div>
<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="4221b3a8343" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/4221b3a8343/" id="rcwidget_sbe3pjzt" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p>(C) Copyright wow-womenonwriting.com</p>
Visit <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com">WOW<i>!</i> Women On Writing</a> for lively interviews and how-tos. Check out WOW<i>!</i>'s <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com/WOWclasses.html">Classroom</a> and learn something new. Enter the <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php">Quarterly Writing Contests</a>. Open Now!</div>Nicole Pyleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06920135146911951755noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33612293.post-29469660611450223932024-03-02T22:30:00.000-08:002024-03-02T22:30:00.130-08:00Interview With Ann Frawley Fiegen, Runner Up in the Quarter One 2024 Nonfiction Essay Contest<p>Congratulations to Ann Frawley Fiegen of Evanston, Illinois and <b><i><a href="https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/downloads/printable/110-FE1-Q12024EssayContest-Ann-Frawley-Fiengen.html" target="_blank">The Plum Pie Lady, Paula and Me </a></i></b>- and to all of the other contestants and winners of the <a href="https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/110-FE1-Q12024EssayContest.html" target="_blank">WOW! Women on Writing Quarter 1 2024 Essay Contest! </a></p><p>Today I'm excited to interview Ann Frawley Fiegen, runner up in the Quarter One WOW! Nonfiction Essay Contest. Before we get to our interview, make sure you check out her essay, <b><i><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/33612293/2946966061145022393#">The Plum Pie Lady, Paula and Me,</a></i></b> first. Then come on back!
But first, here's a bit about Ann Frawley Fiegen: </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/assets/110-FE1-Q12024EssayContest-Ann-Frawley-Fiegen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/assets/110-FE1-Q12024EssayContest-Ann-Frawley-Fiegen.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>Ann Frawley Fiegen is a happily retired mother of three, grandmother of six, who at long last has the time to write at will. She writes primarily memoir to serve as legacy for her grandchildren so that they can one day know a bit of who she was apart from her role as their GiGi, and occasionally a bit of poetry to satisfy her soul.</p><p> …………..interview by Crystal J. Casavant-Otto </p><p><br /></p><p><b>WOW: Thank you Ann for taking time to sit down and chat with me today - our WOW! Readers will most definitely enjoy learning more about you and your craft. Congratulations on being one of the Runners Up in the 2024 Quarter One Nonfiction Essay Contest! Let’s get right down to it. You wrote such a touching and personal essay - what is the take-away you'd like readers to gain from <i>The Plum Pie Lady, Paula, and Me</i>? </b></p><p><b><span style="color: #800180;"> ANN: </span></b>When my beautiful friend died, I was devastated. The tapestry of our lives was woven together so tightly that I couldn't imagine my life without her. Writing the piece was cathartic for me. It allowed me the opportunity to share an idea of who she was with everyone who might one day read it.
We women are able to form friendships the breadth and depth of which surpasses those formed by men. It is a special gift that we share, and one for which we all need to be grateful. It is my hope that anyone who reads this piece comes away with an increased awareness of this gift as well as with a glimpse of the beautiful person who was my friend. Our friendship was too precious to me to be able to let it go. By writing this piece I didn't have to. </p><p><b> WOW: Dearest Ann - I think you said that so eloquently. As women, friendships become so deep and important. Thank you for sharing a bit of your friendship and your friend with us. Friends and support are/is important regardless of our craft, but as writers, something else that’s important is journaling and writer’s groups so let me ask, have either of these things (along with strong friendships) played a role in your life and your craft? </b></p><p><b><span style="color: #800180;"> ANN: </span></b>I belong to two writers' groups, and believe that they are vital to my growth and development as a writer. We writers are a strange group. We often see things differently than the rest of the world, and sharing time and space with those who share our passion is priceless.
One of my groups has open membership so we are constantly meeting new writers and sharing in their work. Membership in the other group is constant. We have been together for several years and have become quite familiar with our individual strengths and weaknesses.
Both groups are supportive and nurturing and provide invaluable critiques that serve to enhance our work. As an added bonus, both groups have self-published collections of our memoir, fiction and poetry. </p><p><b> WOW: Open membership - I love that! You are absolutely right, we are an odd group - I don’t know many groups who would be open to this next (very weird) question, but I know you’ll have a great answer: 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? </b></p><p><b><span style="color: #800180;"> ANN:</span></b> If somehow I were given the opportunity to address my younger self, I would tell her to care more about living her life to the fullest rather than being so concerned about what others think. Women my age were made to place too much importance on the opinions of others. Our inordinate concern for what people might think of our actions often precluded our living our best, most authentic lives. I sometimes wonder what we might have accomplished as a generation of women had we been encouraged to be all that we could be without being concerned about the opinions of others. </p><p><b> WOW: That’s the very advice I give to my children - I love it! Speaking on not being concerned about others - I find that my writing space looks very different than what may have been thought a typical writing space a generation ago. What about you? Where do you write and what does your space look like? </b></p><p> <b><span style="color: #800180;">ANN:</span></b> I really don't have a writing space. My process precludes it. It all begins with an idea that rattles around in my head for some time before I actually put pen to paper. A title might come to me, or maybe a sentence that I like, or a memory that I want to share. When this happens, I make notes on whatever is available, be it a paper napkin, the back of an envelope or store receipt, or ideally a small notebook that has somehow found its way into my purse. When I feel I have enough material, I gather my scribbled notes and sit down in the first place available and write the piece (usually in one sitting).
There was a time when I tried to be more organized about my writing. I cleared off a desk, unwrapped a yellow legal pad, sharpened some pencils, lit a candle, and pretended I was Emily Dickinson. After what seemed like a very long time of sitting there without producing a single word, I blew out the candle and reverted to my old ways. Admittedly this is far from ideal, but it works for me. </p><p><b> WOW: Your space may be far from ideal (in your own words), but it’s working - roll with it! As our time comes to a close, I have to ask: What’s next for you? What are your writing goals for 2024 and beyond? </b></p><p><b><span style="color: #800180;"> ANN: </span></b>My writing goal at this point in my life is to create a body of work to serve as a legacy for my grandchildren. I have had the privilege of having them close to me from the time each of them was born, and have been gifted with a wealth of time shared with them over the years. I am proud to be their GiGi, and treasure that role that I have played and continue to play in their lives. It is also important to me that they know a bit of who I was and am in addition to being their grandmother, and hopefully this goal will be accomplished by their one day reading my work. </p><p><b> WOW: What a lovely gift for your family - I absolutely love this so much!
Thank you again for your submission, your honesty, and your time. Congratulations on being one of our runner ups and we certainly look forward to reading more from you in the future! </b></p><p><br /></p><p>Interviewed by Crystal J. Casavant-Otto who just keeps on keeping on and can be found <a href="https://bringonlemons.blogspot.com/">blogging </a>and sharing on social media hashtag #raisingkidsandcattle #shelovesgodandsheridesgoodhorses #thankfulgratefulblessed </p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b> Check out the latest Contests: </b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php">http://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php</a></b></span></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p>(C) Copyright wow-womenonwriting.com</p>
Visit <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com">WOW<i>!</i> Women On Writing</a> for lively interviews and how-tos. Check out WOW<i>!</i>'s <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com/WOWclasses.html">Classroom</a> and learn something new. Enter the <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php">Quarterly Writing Contests</a>. Open Now!</div>Crystal Ottohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04558791553982282393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33612293.post-5392245072824698392024-02-29T00:00:00.000-08:002024-02-29T07:04:47.998-08:00My True Crime Notebook<p> </p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGu4H2_AEYwg_6BE0XRjSNglfqP4GcecCNUwVES1quQ1t7zP_ktC33VRoI4QUKPRv8OWq7623_4y9moxdaCeSJ_9JIvAwX0476HmZ1bnGFIo1yLkRdxip-rcXJ4loo4GLOzCp3j0HXzJei5fkbWJfQ4Xx1KTeixQBwD-BWXoFuypBTrqJK6momWg/s2016/true%20crime%20notebook.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGu4H2_AEYwg_6BE0XRjSNglfqP4GcecCNUwVES1quQ1t7zP_ktC33VRoI4QUKPRv8OWq7623_4y9moxdaCeSJ_9JIvAwX0476HmZ1bnGFIo1yLkRdxip-rcXJ4loo4GLOzCp3j0HXzJei5fkbWJfQ4Xx1KTeixQBwD-BWXoFuypBTrqJK6momWg/s400/true%20crime%20notebook.jpg" /></a></div>
I have one of those journals I got as a gift with a positive affirmation stamped on the front cover in cursive. It tells me how beautiful, smart, and talented I am and says I am going to do amazing things. But if you open the notebook, you might be surprised at what you find jotted down on the pages. <div><br /></div><div>This journal has become my true crime notebook. </div><div><br /></div><div>The first page has a post-it note where I’ve written “NC/SC John and Jane Does,” a note, no doubt, I wrote as it came to me and didn’t have the notebook nearby. The opening pages hold the original outline for my true crime podcast, “Missing in the Carolinas,” along with ideas for the first four episodes. I have domain name ideas for the eventual corresponding website, marketing, surveys, and merchandise items. </div><div><br /></div><div>I’ve jotted down notes from various episodes of true crime shows and documentaries. Most of the time my entries are brief, as I’m usually writing them down before I forget amid working on something else. </div><div><br /></div><div>While studying a cold case from North Carolina, I came across an archived article from August of 1984 in The Charlotte Observer with the headline, “Henry Lee Lucas ties to SC crimes (alleged).” Beside that I wrote, “Netflix documentary “The Confession Killer” about Henry Lee Lucas.” These notes turned into Episode 46: <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/missing-in-the-carolinas/id1511309373?i=1000582645586">A Review of “The Confession Killer.” </a></div><div><br /></div><div>This past fall, I wrote: “Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month/November/Heddie Dawkins/High Point.” Often the pages feature a brain dump, where you can tell I’ve had a brainstorm session to try and plan content for the next few months. I’ll list out national holidays and awareness weeks and months to tie in content, such as with Ms. Dawkins, who was featured in <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/missing-in-the-carolinas/id1511309373?i=1000637936771" target="_blank">Episode 73: Missing Senior Citizens from the Carolinas. </a></div><div><br /></div><div>While researching one case, a news brief in an old newspaper article caught my eye and I wrote: “Murder solved in Flat Rock. 16-year-old Pamela Denise Durham was shot and killed by a former Broadway performer, 64-year-old Wilton Clary. He was her voice instructor.” This turned into <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/missing-in-the-carolinas/id1511309373?i=1000644762801" target="_blank">Episode 85: Denise Durham, Shelby Wilkie, and Marissa Carmichael. </a></div><div><br /></div><div>If I ever lost this notebook and someone outside of my family picked it up, I have a feeling they would be intrigued, and hopefully not horrified. But my true crime notebook never lets me down. When I’m having a day where I’m not sure what to write about next on my blog or need ideas for a podcast script, I can flip open the notebook, scan it, and quickly have two or three ideas. One of the last entries in it so far has the name of a serial killer in Charlotte, N.C. who murdered eleven Black women in the Carolinas before police realized what the common denominator was—many of the victims had worked with the man at a local fast food restaurant. And he was caught during the month of March, so I think I know what I’m working on next.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj50ePLjWgC8lqGNAl5tDawhOZdiFnxRu3deZYNYK0pOA3DYI-LWg0skrhLJvOomPgg4D5OXyMjt6qnmWV0gFaTlvrrCB-kJa2tHqvd3P_hCK3mwXtxrQyW4l1WcEecgeYTuZahEtnSCOueIvjN32BZrriJ_OUs2fsV0qVjvps1lGVWZIIrN2iiEA/s8256/2540.jpg" style="clear: left; display: block; float: left; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><i><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="5504" data-original-width="8256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj50ePLjWgC8lqGNAl5tDawhOZdiFnxRu3deZYNYK0pOA3DYI-LWg0skrhLJvOomPgg4D5OXyMjt6qnmWV0gFaTlvrrCB-kJa2tHqvd3P_hCK3mwXtxrQyW4l1WcEecgeYTuZahEtnSCOueIvjN32BZrriJ_OUs2fsV0qVjvps1lGVWZIIrN2iiEA/s320/2540.jpg" width="320" /></i></a></div><div><br /></div><i>Renee Roberson is an award-winning writer and host/creator of the podcast Missing in the Carolinas. She will be teaching a webinar called “Introduction to True Crime Writing” on March 14. Learn more about the webinar, which offers the option to pitch a true crime article or project idea to Renee, <a href=" https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/classroom/ReneeRoberson_TrueCrimeWriting.php" target="_blank">here</a>.</i></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p>(C) Copyright wow-womenonwriting.com</p>
Visit <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com">WOW<i>!</i> Women On Writing</a> for lively interviews and how-tos. Check out WOW<i>!</i>'s <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com/WOWclasses.html">Classroom</a> and learn something new. Enter the <a href="https://wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php">Quarterly Writing Contests</a>. Open Now!</div>Renee Robersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04404704068684231809noreply@blogger.com1