Meet Summer 2016 Flash Fiction Runner Up Linda A. Rich

Linda is a Human Resources/Organizational Development professional who worked in predominately male industries for the last 30 years as a manager and trainer. She married young and then, as a single mother, went back to school at night for a BS Degree while raising three sons and traveling for business. “Lost and Found” is a story she pulled out and brushed off from a cache of several stories she wrote for a Creative Writing course.

After retiring, she was determined to write an historical novel with strong women protagonists and wrote and self-published A Most Unlikely Spy, a World War II novella. The book centers on an American Woman who was house sitting in Honolulu in December 1941. After watching bombs detonate all around her and seeing so many deaths, she volunteered to stay and serve as a code breaker at Station HYPO near Pearl Harbor. After her comrade was murdered, she tracked the lineage of the primary suspect and located his estranged mother at an internment camp in California. The two form an unlikely bond when they begin to track the killer that links them, knowing that he might find them first. The book was extensively researched and included many actual events and characters interwoven throughout and was subsequently re-written and expanded into a full novel, yet unpublished.

She’s currently writing a second historical novel based on an actual group of American women during World War I called the Hello Girls who volunteered to serve as telephone operators on the front lines of France.

Visit her website www.richstories.net to learn more.

Interview by Crystal J. Casavant-Otto

WOW: Congratulations on being a runner up in our Summer 2016 Flash Fiction competition with your great submission Lost and Found! You're a real go-getter. I'm exhausted just reading your bio - you've accomplished so much. What is the key to balancing all the demands on your time (and finding time to enter flash fiction competitions)?

LINDA: You know, at the time that I was doing most of that, it didn’t seem that intense but on looking back, I wonder how I did it, too! Now as a part-time consultant working from home, I feel like I have all the time in the world. Everything’s relative, I suppose. I do want to share with you that in 2014 I attained a goal that has been part of my life for decades: I wrote and self-published an historical novella entitled, A Most Unlikely Spy. My story revolves around two strong women, One Japanese (Arisu/Alice) and one American (Eddy), who, during World War II, form an unlikely bond as they track down a Japanese spy. The events depicted in the book are all true; the interactions with my fictional characters are entirely made up! I have a website that is, for now, a weak link in my efforts to market and it can be found at richstories.net. I have wonderful photographs of women during both WWI and WWII, many of which pertain to my stories, but I haven’t been able to keep it updated.

WOW: You must have a great routine to help keep you on track. What is your writing routine? Do you have a particular time of day, length of time, location, etc...that you feel helps you stay productive?

LINDA: My writing routine at the time of writing my novella was to arise very early (3am) or stay up through the night and write before I did anything else or anything else distracted me. After publishing the E-book-kindle edition and softback book through Amazon’s CreateSpace, I received positive reviews from the readers that were included at the site of my book but what I didn’t realize was how much an author must do to get the word out! I will do things differently if I decide to self-publish my next book, The Hello Girls-a Novel, a story based on an actual group of courageous women who trained as telephone operators during WWI and volunteered to be sent to the front lines in France when the U.S entered the war.

WOW: Your definition of early and mine are totally different. I’m in awe of your drive and dedication. Truly. I may just need to take some of your advice to keep me accountable.
Speaking of accountability, how do you feel about writer’s groups for example as a way to help authors improve their craft or remain accountable?

LINDA: Any manuscript can be improved with solid feedback. I retired to a remote area in Nevada and although I joined a writer’s group out of Las Vegas, the commute of 160 miles round trip makes it difficult to attend. I’m now using “readers” that I work with through the internet and receive good feedback from them.

WOW: That’s an excellent solution for such a lengthy commute. Thank goodness for the internet! I loved your flash fiction submission “Lost and Found” – where can readers find out more about that story and the characters?

LINDA: My flash fiction story "Lost and Found" came from my imagination. However, when I was a girl, my mother was often bedridden, and I took over care of our home during those times. I left home as soon as I turned 18, and it is likely, I think, that the story came from some emotions I was still dealing with as an adult. Maybe this is sharing too much!

WOW: Is there such a thing as sharing too much? I work with a lot of memoirists – can you tell?

I’m glad you brought up your family. That leads me into our last question: Who has been most influential in your writing career and why?

LINDA: The “who” in your question “who has been most influential in your writing career,” is really a “what.” I have been a voracious reader since I can remember and after reading a book, I wanted to write a book like it. I read many historical novels as a young girl, which I continue to read, but I also read many other genres. I spend as much time reading as I do writing, including the research that I do for my books. Reading has been most influential in my desire to write.

WOW: Thanks so much for chatting with us today, Linda! Congratulations again and best wishes to you all your future projects!

Our Winter Flash Fiction Contest is OPEN

For details and entry, visit our contest page.

Read More »

2 comments 2016 Summer Flash Fiction Contest, Contestant interview, flash fiction, Linda A Rich, Lost and Found, Runner up, short story, writer inspiration

Interview with Rose Kleidon: Summer 2016 Flash Fiction Contest Runner Up

Rose’s Bio: Rose Kleidon considers herself fortunate to be a citizen of both today and yesterday. She invites others to travel through history with her, seeing amazing connections with earlier generations and with the great diversity of humanity. Professor Emeritus of the University of Akron, Kleidon taught English, Speech, Technical Writing and Advertising Copywriting. She is a member of the Historical Novel Society and Historical Writers of America and will be a presenter at the 2017 Unicorn Writers’ Conference. The author of two textbooks, her debut novel is with an agent, and the sequel is in process, books that can be previewed at www.rosekleidon.com. Kleidon is a graduate of Illinois Wesleyan University and the University of Illinois; she did additional academic work at Illinois State University, Northern Illinois University and Northwestern University. She is a businesswoman, the founder of three companies, as well as a mother, grandmother, genealogist, sailor, gardener (the designer of an historically accurate herb garden for the Western Reserve Historical Society), an award-winning baker, and a fiber artist.

If you haven't done so already, check out Rose's award-winning story "Last Man Out" and then return here for a chat with the author.

WOW: Congratulations on placing in WOW’s Summer 2016 Flash Fiction Contest! What was the inspiration for your short story, or what prompted you to write it?

Rose: I like to package history lessons inside stories. In this case, I wanted readers to realize how often pre-industrial cities went up in flames, and that when they did, there was little or no help coming. You had better be prepared to save yourself, even if that meant putting yourself on the line.

WOW: Excellent. That puts a lot at stake in a very short space. I understand that you’ve written a novel, too. What can you tell us about your debut novel?

Rose: 1836: Into a Land Too Fabulous traces a family's long, dangerous immigration from Prussia to America at a time when the journey was made by sailing ship and took months. The novel is based on the true story of my great-great-grandparents' immigration, for which I have several remarkable private documents.

WOW: That must have been an amazing experience to uncover those documents and piece together their story! What do you enjoy the most and/or the least about writing?

Rose: Discovery! When I research thoroughly and imagine deeply, I can begin to grasp a different time and place and live another life. Those moments of insight are worth a great deal to me. I am speaking at a writer's conference in a few months where I will try to explain how I do this.

WOW: Excellent. Good luck at the conference! What are you reading right now, and why did you choose to read it?

Rose: I just re-read War and Peace, which I chose because the historical figure on whom my main character is based survived Napoleon's disastrous Moscow campaign, and no one tells the story of that invasion better than Tolstoy. Besides, I need excellent writers to keep inspiring me.

WOW: Re-reading a novel of that scale and scope takes dedication. I’m impressed! If you could give other creative writers one piece of advice, what would it be and why?

Rose: Everything depends on the quality of the sentence. Everything.

WOW: Thank you. Anything else you’d like to add?

Rose: It's nice to be recognized, but, like dancing or playing the piano, writing is its own reward.

WOW: Thank you for your thoughtful responses. Congratulations again, and happy writing!

Interviewed by Anne Greenawalt, who keeps a blog of journal entries, memoir snippets, interviews, training logs, and profiles of writers and competitive female athletes.

Read More »

2 comments 2016 Summer Flash Fiction Contest, Anne Greenawalt, Rose Kleidon, Runner up

Meet Flash Fiction Runner Up, Emily Keener!

Having spent nearly every summer of her young life stuffed in a tent with her mom and brothers, Emily Keener feels most alive when she’s outdoors and slightly out of her comfort zone. She’s worked as an educator at parks and nature centers across the country and now makes a living as an instructional designer. Emily has always enjoyed writing—from journaling in the woods as a kid to sketching silly stories for her niece and nephews—and one day she hopes to break into the children’s nonfiction market. She also dreams of writing interpretive material for the National Park Service. Last year, she and her husband welcomed a beautiful baby girl, who loves to caw at the birds flying over their home near the Mississippi River.

Interview by Sue Bradford Edwards

WOW: What was the inspiration for Release Mission?

Emily: I should tell you right away that it entering WOW's flash fiction contest was a big move for me. It was the first time I had entered a fiction writing contest and my palms were actually sweating when I hit submit! Still, it felt good ... like a release. But, lucky for me, I made it out alive.

Last year I overheard some college students talking about a caged animal "freaking out" when it was released into the wild. They were saying captive animals forget how to be wild. It made me think about a young man from my home town who tried to jail break an animal from the zoo. He was caught and incarcerated. It made me think of all the well-intentioned, but maybe ill-conceived, plans we have when we're young, especially when we're young and radical, and how we can be so sure that our guts are our best guides. That was the inspiration for Release Mission.

WOW: I’m so glad you worked up the courage to enter the contest. Can you tell our readers how the story evolved from first idea to story submission?

Emily: When I started writing, I got carried away with all the details about the snowy owl - what he looked like, where he came from, where he was. The "flash" part of flash fiction was quickly falling apart. So, I scrapped most of that.

I started writing a new character, Rachel, who eventually did a better job of getting the story off the ground. She let me get to the point from the first paragraph; rather than starting with details about the owl, I started with her alone in the woods, preparing for her mission. Rachel also let me show the role humans played in the bird's life much more efficiently than a third person narrator alone. Her intervening hand was like the hand that removed the bird from his home, the one that cared for him in captivity, the one that might have tried to reach in his cage for a pet.

WOW: The addition of that character really shaped the story. How did you decide what to include in the story (details about guard’s routine) and what to leave out (details about the main character)?

Emily: So many details were left out of this story in the end. I knew it was time to start chopping when I kept going beyond the word limit and Rachel hadn't even moved from her post outside the zoo. I kept thinking, how am I going to get her out of there with this bird? That was the question that kept bringing me back to the cutting board. It helped me see that I did not need to share much about the guard, other than the details that would allow Rachel to know when to move: his routine and his jingling keys. Everything else could go.

I also felt like readers should know where Rachel was coming from - why did she want to free a bird in the first place? I wanted people to see she wasn't a total weirdo, just a little misguided. I included enough background to show her motivation for releasing the bird, and for not backing out, which is why I thought her belonging to an environmental group was important. People seem more likely to carry out an outrageous act when others are rooting them on, or when others feel let down by their inaction. I wanted to show what was pushing Rachel to do something that might seem a little crazy.

WOW: Giving that part of her background definitely helped the reader understand her motivation. I How does your personal experience in the outdoors impact your writing?

Emily: My background in the outdoors has focused my writing habits on nature, mostly because that's where I like to pay attention! I like to write about the things going on outside - squirrel exchanges, bird attacks, ant interactions, and the like. Birds are fun to watch because they chatter and socialize and sometimes do shocking things, like bully each other and torment other animals. It's fun to look out the window and wonder what's going on in this great, big breathing world where you cannot always understand the language, yet somehow you find meaning.

WOW: In your bio, you reveal that you want to publish children’s nonfiction as well as write interpretive material for the Park Service. Can you tell us more about each of these goals?

Emily: I enjoy writing nonfiction because it reminds me that some of the most beautiful, surreal parts of this world are not fantasy at all. In my uncensored thoughts and notes, I tend to anthropomorphize and sometimes I think of myself and the human experience as separate from the rest of the world. I know it's illogical, but sometimes that's where thoughts go. So, nonfiction is like an exercise for me. It helps me get into a more scientific mindset because it involves research, fact-checking, testing ideas, collaborating with experts - all are good ways to learn something new and get out of your own head for a while.

Writing for the National Park Service is one of my dreams. When I was young, my mom and grandparents would take us to national parks each summer. When we saw a roadside sign or exhibit, we would stop for a stretch and read and wonder together. These are the greatest memories I have. This is why I treasure our national parks and monuments and why I hope to one day write a piece (or more!) with the NPS. But, it's also something I need to work on. I have taken some interpretive writing courses, written out a list of possible avenues for these kind of writing projects, sent out a few probing messages to organizations that contract with the parks, but I haven't quite hit the target.
There's a Sesame Street bit that talks about "the power of yet." It just hasn't happened yet.

Well, I guess you can tell I live with a toddler. I'm referencing Sesame Street in adult conversations. Oh my.

Other than writing a few magazine pitches and an article here and there, I'm about as green as they get when it comes to writing nonfiction for children. I'm actually considering taking your nonfiction class on the subject this spring, because I think I could benefit from understanding the market better. In the end, though, I know I need to write and write a lot! I'm not doing the best job of that right now. But, I'm really great at rejection - ha! - and learning from feedback, so I'm well on my way.

***
Our Winter Flash Fiction Contest is OPEN.
For details and entry, visit our contest page.

Read More »

1 comment 2016 Summer Flash Fiction Contest, flash fiction, interview, Sue Bradford Edwards, writing nonfiction

Meet Flash Fiction Runner Up, Shelley Wood!

Shelley Wood is a medical journalist and aspiring fiction writer. Her work has appeared or is forthcoming in the Antigonish Review, Room, the Nashwaak Review, the New Quarterly, carte blanche, F(r)iction, the Cobalt Review, and Bath Flash Fiction. In 2016, she won the Tethered by Letters F(r)iction contest and the Frank McCourt prize for Creative Nonfiction. She divides her time between a job in New York City, and a man and dog in Kelowna, Canada. Find her at shelleywood.ca and on Twitter as @shelleywood2.

interview by Marcia Peterson

WOW: Congratulations on your top ten win in our Summer 2016 Flash Fiction competition! What inspired you to enter the contest?

Shelley: I read a blog post listing some of the best flash fiction contests and WOW was one of them so I thought I’d give it a whirl. I’ve only really started paying attention to flash fiction in the past year and I love the challenge of telling a small, surprising, story in so few words. I’m a terrible poet, but I like to think flash fiction is helping me get closer. Also, any spare time I’ve had for fiction-writing these days has gone into a new draft of my novel-in-progress, which feels so sprawling and unwieldy. It was a real pleasure to take a break and work on something tiny and tight.

WOW: Can you tell us what encouraged the idea behind your story Mourners at the Grave of the Other Dr. Johansen?

Shelley: I attended the funeral and reception for a friend’s father earlier in the year, which was moving and sad. At the end of the evening some of us stood around swapping quirky memories about funerals and loved ones we’ve had to say goodbye to, the kind of thing you do to raise the spirits of those grieving—everyone standing around laughing softly and wiping at their eyes. My friend told the story of his late father attending a funeral years earlier of a man with the same name. It made me want to write something that captured the same mix of sorrow, loneliness, introspection, and zany coincidence. The looming WOW deadline was impetus to try.

WOW: What key elements do you think make a great piece of flash fiction?

Shelley: The best flash fiction I’ve read includes minimal shifts of scene, an absolutely consistent voice, and ideally a single pivotal character. I’ve had three flash fiction stories published and what I’ve realized is that all three are character studies that twist abruptly at the end, ideally bringing the reader back to some element of the story she’d passed over earlier without realizing how much that detail mattered.

Also, I’m a sucker for really precise language that can capture a gesture or a scene in as few words as possible and make it seem sharp and simple. Done poorly, this just looks verbose and showy, but when I see it done well, it’s like a compact, sparkling jewel.

WOW: So what’s it like dividing your time between New York City and Canada? You must have favorite things about each place.

Shelley: It is amazing—I’m lucky to have the job I do—although it makes for a lot of to-and-fro across the continent. I love the big-city feel of New York, walking through busy streets to get to my office in a part of town where I couldn’t afford rent if I actually lived there full-time. The energy and rush of the city, the diversity, the food and theatre, the layers and layers of life: it’s amazing.

In Canada, I live in a small-ish city in the interior of British Columbia with mountains and a lake, and most important, my husband and dog. As much as I love running the reservoir in Central Park, I’ll take a rocky trail in the Coastal mountains any day of the week.

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

Shelley: Read writing tips and advice! Every time I read those “Top 10 Tips from Successful Writers” I realize everyone struggles with the same problems and the same crushing self-doubt. The ones who succeed push all that aside, put their heads down, and work hard to get better.

***

Our Winter Flash Fiction Contest is OPEN
For details and entry, visit our contest page.

Read More »

1 comment 2016 Summer Flash Fiction Contest, Contestant interview, flash fiction, flash fiction runner up, Marcia Peterson, Shelley Wood, writer inspiration, writing tips

Meet Summer 2016 Flash Fiction Runner Up Arlana Kurtz

Arlana Kurtz is a writer of speculative fiction. She cut her teeth early on horror, fantasy, and sci-fi with C.S. Lewis, the Goosebumps series, and the movie Poltergeist (which she called ‘Polka-Dot’. She was five). In 2011, she returned to school and earned her BFA in Creative Writing in Entertainment from Full Sail University. She is a member of Second Draft, a local writing group who are determined to write in every library in the city. She lives in Louisville, KY with her husband and two kids. She is currently working on her first novel, a fantasy, and various short stories. You can find her on Facebook and Twitter @ArlanaKurtz.

Interview by Crystal J. Casavant-Otto


WOW: Congratulations on being a runner up in our Summer 2016 Flash Fiction competition with your story Touch of  a Lie! Where do you find the time? After reading your bio, I’m exhausted. How do you balance mom life, a writing career, and all the other demands on your time?

ARLANA: Balancing is a hard act. I’m honestly not sure if it’s even possible! I’m fortunate enough that my kids are older (14 and 15), so there’s a lot of driving them around and waiting. I try to do as much writing as possible in those times. As long as I have my headphones, music, and at least a notebook and a good pen, I can pretty much write anywhere.

With my job, I work four ten-hour days, so I have three days off. In theory, it means I have three days of writing time. In reality, well, let’s just say I’m trying. Some weeks will be good and I’ll accomplish quite a bit, and then other weeks, I’m lucky if I get a grocery list written. Instead of getting mad at myself for not writing, I start over. What can I do today? For me, it’s not so much about balance as it is about learning how to set up and follow through with a daily schedule. I have a monthly calendar at my desk with monthly goals written out. They usually consist of a daily word count for my novel and a goal for whatever short story I’m working on, as well as social media and blog posts. Jamie Raintree has an excellent Writing and Revision Tracker on her website (http://jamieraintree.com) that I love. It’s so easy to use and really organized. I highly recommend it!

WOW: Sounds like you are always busy – working on something. Tell us more about the novel you are working on. When do you expect it to be ready? What are your plans for publishing?

ARLANA: My novel is a fantasy called Technically Magic. I got the idea during a genre class I was taking in 2012. At first, it was a sort of fantasy Romeo and Juliet, where Romeo was from a sci-fi world and Juliet was from a fantasy world. I really wanted to know how those people would mesh. The story evolved from there and now focuses on a whole group of people. There’s a quest and even a dragon.

I’m currently working on the second draft and plan to go through a few more drafts before sending it out anywhere. I’m hoping to have it finished and ready to go by the middle of 2017. As far as publishing goes, I haven’t totally decided. Self-publishing seems to be the most lucrative, but I’m hesitant. I’ll do more research and make that decision when I actually have a completed manuscript.

WOW: I admit it, I did my homework on you Arlana. If you don’t mind my asking, your writing group, "Second Draft" sounds like an interesting group. What drew you to this particular group and what are your thoughts on writing groups in general? What is important to you when looking for a group? Any tips on what to avoid?

ARLANA: The Second Draft Writing Group is awesome! I am a passionate advocate for good writing groups. We meet two to three times a month at local libraries and do all of our communicating through Facebook Messenger. Most of these people I’ve known for years through other writing groups and, for one reason or another, we split off and formed this group. We mostly write different genres and we trust each other. Our focus is on making the story better, not cutting each other down.

I think writing groups are very important as a writer. When looking for a group, see if you can check it out first before you commit. Look for things like how they provide feedback. Is it helpful? How in depth is it? If you need help with a specific thing (such as dialogue), can you talk about just that? It’s really about finding a group of people you trust that challenges you to grow as a writer.

WOW: Talking about trust and how important it is; those we trust are often most influential. Who has been most influential in your writing career?

ARLANA: I’ve been writing most of my life and my family and friends have always been supportive. I have a few writer friends and a sister that I send stuff to read and give me feedback outside of my writing group, and that helps tremendously.

Besides family and friends, the books I read, movies I watch, and music I listen to, mostly influence my career. Stephen King is one of my favorite writers, and although I didn’t start reading him until I was in my 20s, he was a guiding light in shaping how I wanted to write. He’s great at constructing a story and sucking you into that world. Neil Gaiman is another writer I studied in college because he has his hands in a bit of everything: novels, short stories, and television and comic scripts. I want to do that!

The biggest thing that’s recently shaped my career is the 2016 Imaginarium Conference in Louisville, KY. It was three days of nothing but panels for writers by writers. The writers ranged from strictly self-published to a mix of traditional and self-published. They talked about everything from having a social media presence to writing short stories and so much more. It was the first time I’d really seen or talked to real working writers. It was a tangible moment for me, kind of like seeing the behind the scenes workings of a play.

WOW: Advice from fellow writers seems to be incredibly helpful in moving us forward as well as helping boost our self esteem. What advice do you have for young writers?

ARLANA: For the young writers out there, know that a writing career is hard, despite how easy it is to put a book online. There’s a lot more to it than just sitting with your notebook or laptop and writing a story. You have to be willing to learn the craft side, too. The grammar, the dialogue, the structure of a story. Nowadays, you have to know how to sell yourself as a brand. My advice is to take a few marketing courses. Learn as much as you can. Be open to ideas, but trust your gut when that idea feels wrong for your story. Read. A lot. Everything you can get your hands on. My sisters and I would fight over the cereal boxes because I wanted to read them. Don’t be afraid to make waves or to put yourself out there. Jump at opportunities when they arise, no matter how scared you are. Accept that you are going to fail at some point, but that’s okay. Just keep going. You have to put your time in. And, of course, join a good writing group, even if it’s one you start yourself. It will make all the difference in your writing.

WOW: Thanks so much for chatting with us today, Arlana! Best wishes to you on Technically Magic and all your future projects!

Our Winter Flash Fiction Contest is OPEN

For details and entry, visit our contest page.

Read More »

2 comments 2016 Summer Flash Fiction Contest, Arlana Kurtz, Contestant interview, flash fiction, Runner up, short story, Touch of a Lie, writer inspiration

Interview with K.W. Oxnard, Runner Up in the Summer 2016 Flash Fiction Contest

K. W. Oxnard’s fiction has appeared in many literary journals such as Story, 34th Parallel, TatlinsTower.com, GlobalGraff.Mag and Reed, and she is a regular op-ed columnist for the Savannah Morning News. A twelve-time recipient of fellowships to the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, she has also been a finalist in the following contests: the 2015 Southwest Review’s David Nathan Meyerson Prize for Fiction; the 2014 River Styx Schlafly Beer Micro-Brew Micro-Fiction contest; and the 2002 Sarabande Books Mary McCarthy Prize in Short Fiction. She was also was a semifinalist for the 2015 Lascaux Review Prize in Flash Fiction and the 2002 Pirate’s Alley Faulkner Prize in the Novel.

Her writing has also appeared in several anthologies, including the essay “Babyquest” in DESIRE: Women Write About Wanting from Seal Press; a short story, “Latitudes,” in NOT WHAT I EXPECTED: The Unpredictable Road from Womanhood to Motherhood from Paycock Press; and the op-ed “Livin’ Like Larry” in TEXTING: Clear Communications for Various Contexts from Armstrong Atlantic State University.

A graduate of New York University’s MFA Program in Fiction Writing, Oxnard has taught writing at NYU, Harvard Extension School, Radcliffe Seminars, University of Southern Maine and Armstrong State University. In 2004 she moved back to her hometown, Savannah, Georgia—land of Flannery O’Connor, Johnny Mercer and her ancestors, full of ghosts both benevolent and literary—where she lives and writes surrounded by Spanish moss and memories.

You can learn more about K. W. Oxnard on her Facebook author page. And you can find her latest publication, a personal essay entitled “My Life in Scars,” in 34th Parallel Magazine.

She writes under the pen name K. W. Oxnard, but her friends know her as Katherine. Read her winning entry, “The Fox Coat,” here and then come back to learn more about her take on writing. 

WOW: First of all, congratulations! This piece was so different from most of what I’ve seen among the flash fiction entries. What was your inspiration for “The Fox Coat?”

Katherine: I've been writing fiction for nearly 27 years now, and each story, essay, novel or op-ed seems to spring from a surprising new place.  "The Fox Coat" emerged during a class I took here in my hometown of Savannah, Georgia, taught by a good friend of mine, who invited us to try a genre we'd never attempted before.  I love westerns, so I thought, "Why not?"  I wanted to explore the classic saloon showdown, but with a twist.  

Side note about the class: though I hold an MFA in creative writing from New York University and have been publishing short fiction for over two decades, I decided to take my friend's course because I felt my work could use some fresh insights and inspiration.  So even if you think you know everything--even if you've published multiple books and have won awards--I highly encourage you to take more courses, try new approaches in your writing.  It can be revelatory.

WOW:  How did the piece change from idea to finished story?

Katherine: The story came to me pretty much full-blown, which is my usual process.  Seems I write a lot in my head before I ever type a word. 

But in flash fiction, compression is the name of the game.  So while in earlier drafts I wrote more about Lulabell, more about the saloon, more about Miss Ada, all of that had to go to get it under 500 words.

WOW:  I’m impressed by anyone who can do this.  Flash fiction is so short. How do you decide which details to include and what to leave out?  

Katherine: I wish revision and cutting did not feel like a severe haircut in winter--like exposing one's face and scalp to penetrating winds and icy rain--but it always does.  Try as I may, I never get to my word count goal in one pass. 

As I said above, drafting comes easily to me.  I spew words the way a used car salesman offers up air fresheners and spare tires.  But to hone a piece until it feels truly polished, I have to tinker, walk away for a few hours, tinker more, walk away for a few days, tinker more, walk away for as much as a month.

WOW:  Most of us want to finish now, but you’re telling us that shortening the process doesn’t always work. You write both short fiction and short nonfiction. How does writing flash fiction compare to writing essays and op-ed pieces?

Katherine: Flash fiction is a snapshot of a character, a moment in his or her life illuminated as if by lightning or a flashlight.  I love the genre for that reason.  You get in, you get out, and you almost experience a kind of whiplash because the emotional impact happens so quickly.  I like being forced to compress a story.  It's a delicious challenge.

Op-eds have a similar intensity to me, though of course their goal is not to reveal character but to persuade--though I'm not sure I have ever changed any minds with my opinion pieces!  But the revision process is the same as for flash fiction; most of my op-eds have to weigh in under 750 words.

With essays, I can take my time.  I explore a theme, sometimes personal, sometimes political, following it wherever it leads.  My most recent essay, "My Life in Scars" in 34th Parallel Magazine, came about during a pedicure, when the aesthetician asked how I had acquired a pretty nasty scar on my left foot.  That made me think about other scars that led to other stories.  And suddenly I came up with the idea of a mini-memoir told through the scars all over my body.  The first draft was over 10,000 words, but my writing group convinced me to cut it to 6,000, and it found a home pretty quickly after that.

WOW: As we head into a new year of writing, what do you hope that our readers take away from this interview?

Katherine: Hmmmm.  I am feeling pretty sad and scared about 2017 and the next four years.  Writing, journalism, reporting and criticism are under attack as never before.  It's an especially tough time to be a woman writer, I think.

That said, I guess I hope that my take on writing might offer a fellow scribe something of use.  Every writer adheres to a different process.  My way of cogitating and stewing on a story for days, weeks and months before coughing up a manuscript in a matter of hours will not work for everyone.  So find your method.  Own it.  Don't let anyone tell you it's weird or wrong.  It ain't.  It's your way, damnit!  Write, read, write some more, read some more, and find some readers who get your work.  Then just keep at it.

WOW:  Find the method that works for you and own it.  That’s the type of advice that can make a big impact if we put it into effect. Thank you for taking the time from noodling over your next story to share your process and thoughts with us, Katherine!

Read More »

2 comments 2016 Summer Flash Fiction Contest, K.W. Oxnard, Katherine Oxnard, Runner-up, Sue Bradford Edwards

Interview with Michelle Rene: 3rd Place Winner of the Summer 2016 Flash Fiction Contest

Michelle’s Bio: Michelle grew up in Texas and spent as much of her time either in a museum or a book. History, art, music, writing, anything was fair game. While most girls were writing about boys in their eighth grade diaries, Michelle penned her very first two-hundred-page novel by hand. No one should ever read that novel. Really, it’s terrible. She graduated from the Ringling College of Art and Design with her BFA in Illustration. She grew her art career as a production artist, painter, sculptor, designer, and video game artist. All along, what she really wanted to do was write. It was her passion and the thing she felt she was destined to do, so she decided she would focus on that instead. Since that epiphany, Michelle has had two novels, one novella, a novelette, and a short story published. Her historical fiction novel, I Once Knew Vincent, has won three different indie awards. Michelle didn’t stray too far from her video game days. Her game, Danielle’s Inferno, is set to release in November of 2016 with One More Story Games. Recently, she signed a contract with Amberjack Publishing to publish her novel, Hour Glass, in February of 2018. Michelle now lives in Dallas with her husband, son, and ungrateful cat. To learn more about her and follow her on social media, check out her website www.michellereneauthor.com.

If you haven't done so already, check out Michelle's award-winning story "Not Yet" and then return here for a chat with the author.

WOW: Congratulations on placing third in the WOW! Summer 2016 Flash Fiction Contest! What was the inspiration for your short story, or what prompted you to write it?

Michelle: "Not Yet" was especially close to me because unlike a lot of my work, this one was inspired by an event in my own life. I had c-section with complications when my son was born, and the whole experience was so surreal and unnatural I felt I had to channel that somehow into a story. I loved the challenge of taking a moment so complicated and weaving into a work of flash fiction. Even though it was fiction, the truth in it felt very cathartic.

WOW: Yes! I’ve also experienced how healing it can be to fictionalize true events to re-experience and understand them. Can you describe the epiphany that helped you realized your calling as a writer?

Michelle: I am an artist by training and education. Since I was little, I always wanted to be both a writer and an artist, but I chose art when I away at college because believe it or not, I thought I had a better chance at a job. It turned out to be true, and I worked as a professional artist for years. The problem was working for other people left me feeling empty. I was using my art to tell their stories. I wanted to tell my own, and what is any creative endeavor if not to tell a story? I started focusing on my writing, and after I had my son, I devoted myself full time to it.

WOW: That’s inspiring that you realized what you wanted and went after it. What do you enjoy the most and/or the least about writing?

Michelle: I enjoy those days you just get lost in what you're writing. You sit down to write and before you know it, it's dinner time in the blink of an eye. I love sending myself somewhere else to feel someone else's emotions for a while. The act of writing allows me to be a more empathetic person, and I love learning new things about the human story. What I like the least is not being able to write. My muse is a slightly abusive one. She likes to follow me around with a bell calling "SHAME" whenever I'm not writing. It can drive me nuts.

WOW: Oh yes. I think your muse must have siblings who follow many of us around with that same message, ha ha! What are you reading right now, and why did you choose to read it?

Michelle: I am currently about to start The Orphan Mother by Robert Hicks because my agents told me I should. They are like close friends, and whenever they have something beautiful for me to read, I always do.

WOW: How wonderful to get those beautiful recommendations. If you could give other creative writers one piece of advice, what would it be and why?

Michelle: It would be don't listen to advice, even mine. I see a lot of people try to tell aspiring authors what to do, and the thing is, it's different for everyone. Lots say, "Write something every day." I can tell you right now that doesn't work for me. I'm a binge writer, and that's what works for me. People say, "Read as much as you can," and while I personally subscribe to that idea, it doesn't work for everyone. One writer I know can't read anything while he's writing because he can't help but to write just like the author he just read, and it doesn't feel original. You as a writer will get a barrage of advice, feedback, criticisms, and notes. Listen to it, sit with it a while, and if nothing feels right for you, don't do it.

The only universal piece of advice I've ever found to be true is don't give up. I've won awards, but for every award I won, there are twenty I didn't even place in. The only way to succeed is to try. If you give up, you've already lost.

WOW: Fantastic advice. Thank you. Anything else you'd like to add?

Michelle: Success stories usually go something like this, "Her book was rejected dozens of times before it was published. Look at how she proved them wrong!" For every success story, even small successes, people tend to focus on the people who stood in a writer's way. The part that no one sees are the people who lifted the writer up. The group of family, friends, and colleagues who didn't give up on them. I'm so very thankful to my group. They never tire of lifting me up.

WOW: Thank you so much for your inspiring responses. Congratulations again, and happy writing!

Interviewed by Anne Greenawalt, who keeps a blog of journal entries, memoir snippets, interviews, training logs, and profiles of writers and competitive female athletes.

Read More »

1 comment 2016 Summer Flash Fiction Contest, 3rd Place Winner, Anne Greenawalt, Michelle Rene

Interview with Tara Lynne Groth, 2nd Place Winner in the 2016 Summer Flash Fiction Contest

Tara Lynne Groth writes short fiction and poetry. Her work has appeared in multiple journals and one of her poems was selected to inspire two community art sculptures in 2014. She received honorable mention in fiction in the 2015 Carolina Woman Writing Contest and was a semifinalist for the 2015 and 2016 James Applewhite Poetry Prize. She is an alumnus of the Southampton Writers Conference. Her blog, Write Naked, is a place where she breaks down the misconceptions people have about being a full-time freelancer. She tweets at @WriteNaked. More at www.taralynnegroth.com.

Read Tara's winning entry here and then come back to learn more about this prolific writer!

-----interview by Renee Roberson

WOW: Your winning entry, "Who Am I?" has quite the twist ending. How did you come up with the idea for the story, and what was your revision process like?

Tara: I got the idea for the story from a work injury my husband experienced years ago. The idea of having metal stuck in your eye really stuck with me and I wanted to use it in a story. I explain more about that here. The first draft of the story came about in one sitting--at a write-in I hosted in Asheville, North Carolina. After a few tweaks I sent it to my critique group (twice) and made more adjustments after the story didn't place in a contest. Since I love writing short fiction I'm always trying to convey a story in as few words as possible, so my revision process usually focuses on eliminating extemporaneous words, condensing sentences, and making dialogue push the story forward

WOW: A great example of how important it is to keep revising!  Write Naked, celebrated five years in 2016, and now pays writers for guest posts and sells sponsorships to advertisers. What are some of the ways you worked on growing the blog from its inception?

Tara: When I first launched Write Naked I immediately offered paid opportunities for guest bloggers. As a professional writer, I understand the importance and value in compensating writers. At the time I could only afford to pay $25 per post, but after a few months I had not received a single pitch. So I decided to run a special: $100 per post. That got the attention of writers! After a three-month promo period I reverted back to the standard fee. I raised the rates three years later. Right now I offer $50 per guest post, and $200 if I'm particularly impressed. When I receive pitches I look at the potential contributor's writer platform and generally (not always) select a guest blogger who has a large presence that can help grow recognition for Write Naked. Aside from compensating writers, I have a consistent series of posts that subscribers and new visitors grow to rely on. I feature an interview series 200 Words With So-and-So, provide Behind the Pen review of what didn't make the cut in an article or freelance lessons I learned from a client. The Day-in-the-Life series has been one of the most popular; it offers a window into the hectic real world of freelancing. I also participate with many events so I try to mention my blog when I introduce myself. I look for guest blog opportunities throughout the year and that helps tap into other audiences. On social media I use the hashtag #writenaked and my handle is @writenaked so that helps grow awareness too.

WOW: Sounds like a clever use of marketing, and I have a feeling you'll have a flood of new visitors after this interview goes live. As a speaker for various writing workshops and conferences, one of your suggested topics is "Aromas and Creativity." Can you tell us a little more about that?

Tara: A few years ago I was walking in downtown Raleigh and stopped in a shop that sold essential oils. While I wasn't aware at the time of the powerful health benefits and uses of the oils, as soon as I started smelling them I had ideas for stories and the smells triggered memories. I told the shop owner how inspiring the oils were and how fun it would be to do a writing workshop--and she agreed! She showed me a space in the back of the store that was perfect for a small group of writers. Before the first class she researched the properties of oils and developed a 'creativity blend' (or potion as I like to call it!). Then during the workshop everyone gets to create their own blend. We've held a handful of Aromas and Creativity writing workshops over the years--and I'm currently shooting for a date in the spring of 2017 for the next one in Raleigh.

WOW: Hmm. Sounds like something I might have to check out, since I'm not too far from Raleigh! You have also founded two different groups for writers, Triangle Writers and Asheville Writers. What are some of the events writers can take advantage of with these organizations?

Tara: Triangle Writers is located in the Raleigh-Durham area of North Carolina and has a few critique groups that meet regularly. I host critiques, write-ins, seminars, workshops (like the Aromas and Creativity), retreats, and open mics. Asheville Writers is focused more on the career and professional sides of writing. I lead book marketing classes, publishing seminars, write-ins, and events related to the business of being a writer. Since I live close to Chapel Hill I'm not as present with my Asheville group, so I try to organize events each quarter there. In 2016 I started creating teleseminar versions of some of my classes, so anyone can attend from anywhere.

WOW: In addition to writing short fiction and poetry, you are also an accomplished journalist and SEO content writer. How do you balance your schedule and the different types of writing you do each day?

Tara: Ah, balance, wherefore art thou? I lead a highly regimented life. Before I go to sleep I organize the next day by the half hour. I know exactly what I'll work on and what I'll finish the next day. Once I have a deadline I put a hard deadline (usually a few days or a week before) in my calendar, then weekly/monthly countdown deadlines to reinforce it. With my freelance SEO content writing, some of that work is unpredictable. I have my anchor clients and I know how much time they require each month, but often one-time projects come through, so my days are stretched thinner then. In 2016 I stopped offering 1-hour free initial consultations. I reduced my initial consult to 15 minutes and that significantly freed up my time. I've also come to learn how and when I work best. Mornings are most productive for me so I get up early and spend time on the mentally-taxing writing then. I schedule all phone conferences and meetings in the afternoons whenever possible so that I'm not interrupted. This does not work for everyone. I encourage all writers to find what works for them and be patient in learning.

WOW: Great advice for us all. Thank you so much for taking the time to be with us here today, Tara!

Read More »

2 comments 2016 Summer Flash Fiction Contest, 2nd place winner, Contestant interview, Renee Roberson, Tara Lynne Groth, writing advice

Meet Summer 2016 Flash Fiction Winner, Linda Peters!

Linda Peters is a writer and speaker based in Long Beach, California. As an active blogger, Linda writes AndroidAfterForty.com, a collection of lifestyle articles that help people who didn’t grow up with computers to successfully navigate today’s technology and impress their grown children.

Linda’s first book of flash fiction, Somewhere to Turn: stories (written as Linda Courtland) is included in the Seaborne Library’s Flash Fiction Special Collection, which was compiled by the directors of the International Flash Fiction Association (IFFA) at the United Kingdom’s University of Chester. Linda is also the author of Way of the Whale: A Novel (2014), a story about finding peace from the point of view of a captive killer whale.

In 2016, Linda and her husband Tom Peters co-authored Our Socially Awkward Marriage: Stories from an Adult Relationship on the Asperger’s End of the Autism Spectrum, a collection of flash memoir stories about the effects of Asperger’s Syndrome on their relationship. Together, Linda and Tom write and lecture about relationships, health and disability issues. They also do business writing, strategic planning and grant consulting for nonprofits and arts organizations through their company, Peters Communications. Follow Linda on Twitter at @WayOfTheWhale.

interview by Marcia Peterson

WOW: Congratulations on your first place win in our Summer 2016 Flash Fiction competition! What inspired you to enter the contest?

Linda: Thank you so much!

I’ve followed WOW! for many years. In 2008, I entered the WOW! Winter Flash Fiction contest (as Linda Courtland) for the first time and my story, "Change Management," won second place.

I drifted away from flash fiction and wrote a novel about a captive killer whale and also co-wrote a book of essays about Asperger’s Syndrome and relationships with my husband Tom Peters. And I kept reading WOW!’s newsletters.

When the Summer 2016 Flash Fiction contest was announced, I read the bio for guest judge Stephanie Fretwell-Hill of Red Fox Literary and thought my writing might be a good fit. I edited Difficult Relatives down to meet the word count, crossed my fingers, and sent the story off through the ether for judging. I’m so glad that I did.

WOW: Can you tell us what encouraged the idea behind your story, Difficult Relatives?

Linda: I’ve always loved nature and am concerned about what’s happening to the planet right now. If I toss an empty plastic water bottle into a regular garbage can, I can’t help but think, “Hmm, what would the Earth have to say about that.” It wasn’t much of a stretch to give the Earth a voice.

WOW: What’s your revision process like? How much editing did you have to do on your flash fiction piece?

Linda: I had a writing teacher once who forced us to eliminate all adverbs from our writing and he’d only tolerate the occasional adjective. It was a great experience and it turned me into a ruthless editor. When you have to convey information with only nouns and verbs, you’re forced to find unusual ways to tell your story. All these years later, I’m still brutal with modifiers.

WOW: We’d love to know more about your writing routines. Could you tell us when and where you usually write? Do you have favorite tools or habits that get you going?

Linda: I know it sounds cliché but my stories usually start as a flash of inspiration. When an idea grabs me, I work best when I can take it and run—just sprint to the finish line and then wait until the next idea takes hold. To keep track of ideas as they occur, I still use pen and paper, but if I’m out and about, I’ll use my smartphone to jot down a sentence or two and then email it to myself.

In terms of place, it doesn’t much matter where I am because the story is being told inside of my head. I just scribble it all down. A lot of writers set aside a certain number of hours each day to write, taking a marathon approach to their craft, but that type of routine has never worked well for me.

WOW: Thanks so much for chatting with us today, Linda! Before you go, do you have any tips for our readers who may be thinking about entering writing contests?

Linda: You’re welcome!

I do have some advice: Don’t let fear stop you from expressing yourself. We’re all scared to put our work out there to be judged. It’s totally normal to panic about sharing your stories with strangers. The challenge is to find a way to do it anyway.

***

Our Winter Flash Fiction Contest is OPEN
For details and entry, visit our contest page

Read More »

3 comments 2016 Summer Flash Fiction Contest, Contestant interview, first place winner, flash fiction, Linda Peters, writer inspiration