Aside from writing, Elizabeth is a Nurse Practitioner who loves spending time with her kids and her four-legged antidepressants. She doubts any of her 6 adult kids have ever read her work – maybe her cat Seuss based on his pedigree.
----------Interview by Renee Roberson
WOW: Welcome back, Elizabeth! This time around we're discussing "A New Normal," which is such a powerful story because any of the scenarios you listed could have been pulled from real news headlines (and in some cases, probably were!). What was the process like for you, from the first draft to the final edits where you felt confident it was ready for submission?
Elizabeth: "A New Normal" borders on nonfiction - and I started it several years ago. My cousins both worked as teachers in Sandy Hook in 2012 when that horrific shooting took place, which hit close to home and heart, so I started there. Then, so sadly, the news headlines practically wrote the rest in the ensuing years. I am confident a work is ready for submission when I realize that tinkering with it too much would lose something. So, after writing so many stories now, I can tell when I am overthinking and over-editing. I also have a few friends who I've met on writing sites who are my beta readers, and they tell me often to - "...leave it alone and submit already or you'll ruin it!" It's a fine line writers walk. Editing is the tricky part, especially when there is a word count to adhere to - too little, too much, or just right? One thing I've learned with short stories is that every word has to count, and if I need to cut a chunk (killing my darlings). I believe it is fabulous work; I can put that paragraph in an e-file knowing I can always use it in another story, and the reader of the original story will never be the wiser.
WOW: I love that advice from your friends--sometimes it is possible to tinker with a piece too much! As an award-winning writer with an impressive list of publishing credits to your name, what advice would you give to any writer considering entering a contest for the first time, especially any of WOW's? What should they focus on with their piece of writing, whether creative nonfiction or flash fiction?
Elizabeth: They say, "write what you know" - and that is always a good place to start. It takes guts to put your name on something you created and put it out there for scrutiny. I have been fortunate over the past couple of years with short story contests and awards, but I can paper my walls with past rejections. It takes time and dedication to the piece you are writing, and if it bores you or you avoid getting to it, then it will do the same for the reader. I guess Nike has the best advice for this - Just Do It. The great thing about entering WOW is that for an extra $10, you get the best critique you've ever received from a professional - hands down. That has helped me improve so many of my stories.
WOW: I agree, the investment of a critique is so worth it! Having traditionally published three different books, do you have any tips for writers seeking that traditional pathway to publication?
Elizabeth: Traditional publishing has changed dramatically in the past decade. It has become easier to bypass the traditional route and self-publish or go with a smaller house. But again, if you choose the traditional route, get an agent. Join Query Shark and get help with your query letters. There are books on just about any genre. Currently, I am working with a friend on a children's book series, and I purchased Writer's Market for Children's Writers and Illustrators (Writers Digest series) because I do not have an agent that covers that genre. They are fairly massive volumes, and I always buy the hard copy rather than search online because I am old-fashioned in that respect, and I like to make notes in the margins and keep track with post-it notes of where I have submitted. These books are highly rated, have been around for decades, and a new one is printed yearly - it presents you with everything you need to find a good fit for your book.
WOW: All great pieces of advice! Are there any common themes you find yourself exploring in your writing?
Elizabeth: Honestly, I used to be a humor columnist and always leaned towards that style, but it seems that, judging by the awards I have won, judges like sad stories. Ones that really pull at the heartstrings. I may have become somewhat of a doom-and-gloom writer in the past couple of years, but that's okay because there is a market for nearly every well-told story - even humor.
WOW: You mention living with your “four-legged antidepressants.” I love that description! Have any of your pets “found" themselves in your recent work?
Elizabeth: I have a dog named Tag who was found at 4 weeks old on a military base, and I ended up adopting her - her name is derived from dog-tags, but they called her Tag for short. She is my pride and joy at only 9 months old now. I wrote a story for Reedsy - which is a great site for weekly story prompts, by the way. I titled it "Tag," about a Vietnam War soldier and his stray dog, and it actually won that particular week. She brought me a bit of luck! I have always had a dog or two - currently just Tag- and I have two cats who think they are dogs; they bark and fetch: Seuss and Monkey. And I did have a two-legged, foul-mouthed African grey that I had for 20 years and then donated to a veterans sanctuary so she could fly as she was intended to, but Woodstock appeared in several of my stories. He was comic relief for all of us. I find that all animals inspire me, and I do not believe I'd feel complete without at least one critter running around. In fact, as I type this interview, I have Tag at my feet, sound asleep. She also reminds me every 90 minutes that it is time to take a break and go for a walk so I get exercise squeezed in throughout the day.
WOW: I concur. If I don't have my pets around to chat with throughout the day, I get very lonely! They make excellent writing companions and I love that yours have made their way into so many of your stories. Thank you again for this conversation and giving us such a rich insight into the writing life, Elizabeth!
