Interview with Pam Maddin Baker, Winter 2018 Flash Fiction Runner Up

Today we are chatting with Pam Maddin Baker, one of the runners up in the Winter 2018 Flash Fiction contest. If you haven’t had the chance to yet, “The Fire,” then come back and read her interview below.

Pam’s Bio:

After recently retiring from three decades of teaching in both elementary and high school, Pam realized she no longer had a captive audience to listen to her stories. So, needing to continue her passion, she decided to start writing them down. Her degrees in Theater Arts and English Literature have proven useful in developing believable characters and composition. She also relies on family and friends who are always willing to provide feedback on her work. Thanks to all that support, she has been published online in the magazines, Story Quilt, and Canadian Stories, as well as in previous WOW! flash fiction contests. She is an avid member and contributor to TheNextBigWriter community and Ottawa Independent Writers group.

Pam has a strong passion for social justice issues and animal rights. These themes weave themselves into much of her writing. She often finds inspiration for stories while riding her bike around her home city of Ottawa, Canada or as a snowbird in the ocean city of Venice, Florida. Luckily, she doesn’t try to write them down until she stops riding.

Visit her website at writingmylifeawayblog.wordpress.com.

WOW: Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with us today! I was so moved by your story “The Fire.” What was the inspiration behind your story?

Pam: "The Fire” is based on an event that happened in my home city of Ottawa, Canada. Just days after a new park had been completed for the children of a disadvantaged neighbourhood, a young man was tragically shot and killed in a gang murder. The shooting was particularly shocking as it occurred just as the children were arriving home from school. Local residents were horrified by the act, but the next day a group of mothers in the community organized a protest. I was very touched by their bravery. Despite the possible danger of even being out on the street, they decided to speak out and demand changes for the security of their neighbourhood. Many of them had already fled their own countries to escape war and violence. I decided to write the story from the point of view of one of the women who had escaped war in Somalia. I researched what might have happened to her before she came to Canada and tried to imagine how she would have acted and felt.

WOW: That is absolutely incredible you based this on a real event that happened. So, you mentioned in your bio that you have a passion for social justice. How does that passion influence your writing?

Pam: When I write about situations that are unjust, I feel more powerful in dealing with the issues. I hope the story leads other people to empathize with the characters in the story. Having to flee a home country, living in poverty, dealing with gun violence — these are the realities for many people who are just trying to do their best to make a good life for their families. Writing is my way of expressing support for those that need it.

WOW: I love that you use your writing to show support for those in unjust situations. And I couldn’t help but notice your story coincides with a troubling theme of shooting violence that seems to be happening more and more. What do you hope people take away from your story?

Pam: My story takes place in Canada where the laws for purchasing and carrying firearms are more restrictive than those in the United States. Yet, gun violence is currently on the rise in our cities. Communities are trying to stand up to the violence and demand better supports. Acknowledging the problem is an important step towards solving it. Children have the right to live and play in a safe community. We need to do whatever is possible to protect that security.

WOW: I absolutely agree. 100%. So, what are your writing goals? What are you working on at the moment?

Pam: Currently, I’m exploring different styles of writing. I am really enjoying focusing on short stories and flash fiction. I also have a couple of larger projects I 'm working on. One is a novel about a young Maya woman in Mexico struggling to support her family. Another is a memoir recounting times growing up with one of my best friends. She passed away from cancer and I find the writing a good way for me to express my feelings and preserve my memories of her.

WOW: What a way to honor your friend! I love how you use your writing for a greater purpose, whether it’s to honor someone or help people find justice. What advice do you have for writers interested in writing flash fiction?

Pam: Flash fiction can be a lot of fun! Telling a full story within such a tight word limit is difficult, but it pushes the author to keep the writing concise. Finding the right words and images is part of the challenge of creating an emotional impact. I find it invaluable to have someone listen to my story and give feedback on what works and what could use revision. I am lucky to have some dependable friends who listen tirelessly to my many edits. (My thanks to Gary, Joann and Victoria!)

Having supportive people who will read and give you feedback means so much! Thank you again for taking the time to chat with us today and congratulations on your story.

Be sure to find Pam over at her blog writingmylifeawayblog.wordpress.com

--  Interview by Nicole Pyles

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1 comment 2018 Winter Flash Fiction Contest, contest winner, Pam Maddin-Baker, Runner up

Interview with Winter 2016 Flash Fiction Runner-Up, Pam Maddin-Baker

Pam received her Bachelor of Education in Theatre Arts and English and was lucky enough to share both of these passions with her students for 28 years. She has recently retired from teaching, but still cultivates a lifelong love of learning. Her reading and writing these days are for personal enjoyment. She is currently working on a historical fiction novel set during the Zapatista uprising in Mexico. She also enjoys writing short stories and flash fiction. She is particularly interested in issues of social justice and women’s issues. Pam’s other passions are spending time with family and friends, caring for animals, and riding her bike around the many trails of her home city, Ottawa, Canada.

If you haven’t read Pam’s story, “Snow Boy,” and read this story about family and love, loss and moving forward.

WOW: As a teacher, you shared your love of theatre and English with your students. How does this background impact your writing?

Pam: As a writer, I am very lucky to have a background in theatre and English literature. I have a lot of training in acting, and that means I have experience imagining and creating back story and motivation for a character. When I am creating characters for a story, I am constantly imagining their history, the way they would feel, and what that makes them do or say in the narrative.

My love of literature, everything from Shakespeare to Game of Thrones, has allowed me to explore a wide of variety of writing styles and learn to have confidence in my own style and voice. My students have also taught me a valuable lesson: Every reader responds uniquely to a piece of writing. Not everyone is going to like a piece of writing, and that is okay.


WOW: You seem to write for many different readers – you’re working on everything from a historical fiction novel to short stories and flash fiction. What motivates you to write such a variety of pieces?

Pam: Ideas for stories are always popping into my head. Some of those ideas are best told in a short piece of writing. But others keep coming back and developing in my imagination. I feel the need to continue exploring them.

That is how my novel began to take form. It actually began as a flash fiction piece about a Canadian woman on vacation in Mexico. She meets an impoverished Mayan woman the same age as herself and is amazed by her strength. The story would not leave my thoughts and now it has grown into a full novel centered round the Zapatista revolution in 1994.

I just keep following my characters and let them lead me through a story until the end!

I am always working on the craft of writing. Learning through doing is an ongoing and important goal for me. My novel is research and on the job learning. Flash fiction helps me explore telling a story when every word is important…and counted.

WOW: What inspired this particular piece, Snow Boy?

Pam: I was moved by the recent understanding that a child who is born after the loss of another child is sometimes called a rainbow baby. In the real world, a beautiful and bright rainbow follows a storm and gives hope of things getting better. The rainbow is more appreciated having just experienced the storm in comparison.

Snow Boy developed from the complicated mix of joy and guilt that a mother would feel after losing a child and then finding out she was pregnant again. She would want to be excited about this new life, but also respectful toward the life that is no longer here. I wanted to explore how the lost child would have been happy for the mom.

WOW: How did Snow Boy change between the initial idea and the finished story?

Pam: I actually submitted this story to WOW twice! The first time I asked for a critique and received some excellent advice. I developed the character of Sherry more and explained more of her past. I tried to make her relatable to the reader, rather than "she could be anyone".

I also decided to let the reader imagine what happened to her child rather than impose a story. The loss was the important aspect of the story, the “how” was not as necessary.

WOW: What advice do you have for writers who are new to flash fiction but are thinking about entering one of the WOW contests?

Pam: Trust your reader. Your reader doesn't need to know everything, it is fun for them to figure out the back story of even put their own experience into the story. But you need to give enough information so it is clear why the story is happening. Ask yourself, What does the reader need to be told? What can be implied through words or actions? A reader loves to be surprised as well, so have an interesting ending.

Also, don't be discouraged. Remember that writing is subjective. Everyone has a different opinion about what is good. Tell your story as best you can and be proud of it!

WOW: Thank you for giving our readers a look into how you create your characters as well as the surprising link between WOW and Snow Boy.  I know I speak for the whole community when I say that I hope we see more of your writing out there in the world!

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1 comment 2016 winter flash fiction contest, Contestant interview, Pam Maddin-Baker, Sue Bradford Edwards