Interview with Elizabeth Esse Kahrs - Runner Up in Winter 2010 Flash Fiction Contest

Once Elizabeth's high school English teacher asked the class to rewrite lead sentences to a short story they had analyzed, she was hooked.

She's worked as a columnist for Parent and Kids/Boston for the past eight years. An excerpt from her novel, The Trouble in Her Mirror, appeared in the Fearless Voices section of The Huffington Post. One of her short stories, "Sylvie Has Gone to the Deli," was featured on Lit 103.3's Fiction For the Ears. Elizabeth also has works published in Amarillo Bay, The Baby Journal, The Boston Globe, Shine, and Static Movement. Want to check out more of her pieces? Check them out at RedRoom.

Elizabeth grew up in suburban New York and currently lives outside of Boston. She's now revising her second novel.

If you haven't had the chance to read Elizabeth's story, "Nothing Left Unsaid," visit WOW! and linger through its words. You'll be glad you did!

WOW: Elizabeth, congratulations on the runner up honors in the Winter 2010 Flash Fiction contest! Nothing Left Unsaid has a delightful twist of playfulness coupled with serious undertones. How can writers establish a tone/mood and use it to keep the storyline progressing?

Elizabeth: Tone has to do with the intention of a story's words - it's really the voice of the work. I think the key with getting the voice down is to be authentic in what you're trying to say, be honest and consistent - you and your characters should always tell the truth. I love what Noah Lukeman says, "Strive to write from a place of truth and love." If you have the voice down, the words will follow.

WOW: That's excellent advice. Thanks for sharing it. Another important facet of storytelling is creating memorable and identifiable characters. Mother-in-law / daughter-in-law conflict can strain a relationship. Why is it necessary to create empathy with characters?

Elizabeth: I got the idea for Nothing Left Unsaid while browsing the book section in a local store. All the books were self-help books and the titles seemed funny to me, so I decided to write a story about two characters, at odds, communicating through book titles. I decided to use a daughter and mother-in-law as characters, (not because of my own relationship with my mother-in-law. We get along great!) but because of the inherent conflicts and difficulties within that relationship.

Empathetic characters are believable characters. If you can get the reader to understand where your character is coming from, to witness and feel what they are going through, even if the experience is foreign to them, they will happily go along for the journey.

WOW: What you say about creating a believable character is spot on! (chuckles) I'm glad your story isn't based on your relationship with the inlaws. Not everyone is so lucky, if you believe the media hype!

I find it interesting that you balance fiction writing and column writing. For you, how does that writing process differ?

Elizabeth: With a column, I'm typically trying to get an idea across in 400 - 800 words, so I've learned how to be concise. Also, throughout the years I've experimented with columns that really have more of a fiction-like flavor which has been a lot of fun. The process really doesn't differ. Writing is writing. I just try to get my ideas across in the best way possible.

WOW: And that's a good goal for writers in any genre! You've been lucky to have your work published in a variety of formats. I like the Fiction for the Ears idea. How can a recording of an author's work attract new readers?

Elizabeth: I was lucky to have my short story, Sylvie Has Gone to the Deli, featured on Lit 103.3's Fiction For the Ears. The host, Alan Vogel (and his wife!) read my piece aloud on air and it's available as a podcast on their website. I think trying to get your work out there in any format is beneficial in terms of promotion. Recently, Alan let me know that Sylvie is the most downloaded work on their site. Due to FCC guidelines, people can only hear the smutty version if they go to the website. I'm thinking maybe that has something to do with it.

WOW: Promotion is just another skillset a writer needs to plot. It seems like being successful in the writing game requires a writer to be a "total package" deal.

Most writers emulate other writers. I'm wondering if you would mind sharing authors who have made an impact on you and your writing?

Elizabeth: Oh, there are so many. One of my favorite books is Ordinary Peopleby Judith Guest. Anne Tyler's Accidental Tourist is genius at creating characters and telling a story. I recently read Jonathan Tropper's This Is Where I Leave You and I'm now a huge fan - extremely funny and so well written. Jenna Blum's Those Who Save Us fires on all cylinders and is just magnificent. Tish Cohen's Town House is a wonderfully funny and poignant book. I love stories with clean, crisp writing that doesn't call attention to itself and characters that jump off the page.

WOW: Wonderful suggestions and examples! I imagine our readers will want to check out these novels. Good readers make good writers, so what projects are you currently working on?

Elizabeth: I'm currently revising my novel. Soon, I'll put it away again for a period of time before opening it up and having at it again. I love revision. I think it's important to embrace revision. I heart revision! Revision is the book. I've learned (and keep trying to learn) not to rush things.

WOW: Yes, revision is the book! And sometimes, it's the most difficult part of the process. Elizabeth, you've offered such wonderful advice about the writing process, would you mind sharing your thoughts about entering contests for a writer who has never considering submitting a selection?

Elizabeth: Go for it. It's scary to put your work out there - but nothing ventured, nothing gained. Rejection should be viewed as part of the process. If you really want to be a writer, you need to keep moving forward.

WOW: Thanks, Elizabeth, and again, congratulations on this honor.

Interview by LuAnn Schindler. Follow LuAnn on Twitter - @luannschindler, on Facebook, or check out her website for her weekly news column.

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Leave a Comment Elizabeth Esse Kahrs, LuAnn Schindler, Nothing Left Unsaid, Winter 2010 Contest, Winter 2010 Flash Fiction Contest Runner Up

Interview with Wave Geber - Winter 2010 Flash Fiction Contest Runner-Up

Wave’s Bio:


I began writing my blog a few years ago, after spending enormous amounts of time in bed... Well, actually, there were a couple of years before that, after the diagnosis, when I spent enormous amounts of time (and money) playing online poker in bed...but eventually I got a grip, and began writing about my life, especially what it’s like to live with metastatic breast cancer...

The wavesworld blog has been one of the most rewarding and healing aspects of my life. I vent, I share, I hope, and I vent some more, through my posts...and my life is sweeter and less scary because of it...

Before all that, I earned a master’s degree in counseling psychology, was a licensed MFT, and always worked with inner city youth. I’m in my fifth decade now, OMG, and I hope to stay here on earth as long as possible...

If you haven't done so already, check out Wave's award-winning story, "my father's day", and return here for a conversation with the author!
 
WOW: Congratulations on placing in the Winter 2010 Flash Fiction Contest! How did you begin writing this story? Does it end the way you thought it would end when you began to write it?


Wave: well, i guess it's time for me to fess up to the truth about the fiction...it was only after i submitted my story, that i realized it was a FICTION contest...silly, of course, but it was too late...i just let it go, not expecting to make the top ten...when i discovered that i did, i began to worry. you see, my story was real. every drop of it. i wish i could say i changed the names, or something, but i didn't. i wrote it as a gift to my father in memory of his birthday. i posted it on my blog, but it was only part one that i submitted.

WOW: Whether as fiction or non-fiction, it is definitely a compelling story and we’re very happy you shared it with us. Is there a reason you chose to write your story without using capital letters, and if so, could you share why you’ve chosen this style?

Wave: the lack of capital letters began from the combination of experiencing them as useless, in general, and the enjoyment and ease of typing as quickly as my mind moves...of course, when i have to write a business letter, i'm all about the capitals.

WOW: Which authors/books most influence your writing?

Wave: at this moment i don't know what authors and books influence my writing. i write as i speak. i love to read, but the books i most love, are not in the style that i write.

WOW: Your bio says that posting on your blog has been one of your most rewarding and healing aspects of your life. Could you describe in more detail how writing has been a positive experience for you?

Wave: since the time i was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer to my bones, 5.5 years ago, many of my former physical outlets were limited. i spent a lot of time hanging around in bed. at first, i began to blog as a way of sharing my medical information with my friends and family...soon enough though, i realized that i wanted to share a lot more about my experience, including my personal history, relationships, and thoughts about life and death...i began to post more often and was happily surprised to learn that there were a lot of people interested in my experience of life. i love the process, and feel like i'm missing something when i don't post for a few days. it has been a tremendous relief and release for me to share my journey through the written word.

WOW: When I hear stories like this, I am again reminded of the mysterious powers of writing. I am so happy to hear that you have been able to tap into this power and find some relief through writing. What goals do you have for yourself as a writer, or what do you hope to accomplish as a writer?

Wave: in my ideal fantasy, my blog would become a book. i'd find a great editor, or a great editor would find me. since i've already lived past my expiration date, (knock wood) i don't have a tremendous amount of ambition for my writing beyond continuing the blog, and perhaps the book.

WOW: Keep writing – you never know what will happen! Thank you for the interview and your open, honest answers!

Interviewed by Anne Greenawalt (http://anne-greenawalt.blogspot.com/)

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Leave a Comment Anne Greenawalt, wave geber, Winter 2010 Contest

Interview with Laura Silver - Winter 2010 Flash Fiction 3rd Place Winner

Laura works as an administrator for the Audubon Society. Thanks to the oddities of American pronunciation, she gets to explain the difference between the Audubon, a 19th century bird artist, and the Autobahn, the no-speed-limit expressway in Europe.

A Brooklynite, Laura also volunteers for the Green-Wood cemetery. She also enjoys cooking and calligraphy.

Laura earned a degree in English from Tufts University and a Master's degree in Victorian Literature from Oxford University. While a student at Oxford, Laura rowed for Pembroke and Exeter colleges.

If you haven't had the opportunity to read Laura's story, Sights of Brooklyn, head over to WOW! and savor her words.

WOW: Laura, congratulations on receiving third place in WOW!s Winter 201o Flash Fiction contest. I always enjoy reading the winning entries and learning from each author's writing style. Your story, Sights of Brooklyn, is no exception! One of the interesting ties I noted between your fiction and real life is that the story is set in Brooklyn and you live there. How important is it for a piece to capture a sense of place, especially within the word limit confines of a flash piece?

Laura: Although it's not essential to a piece, especially a flash piece, setting can add greatly to a story. An exercise I've used is to strip the characters from an important scene and write only about the setting while still trying to evoke what happened there. (Describing a kitchen were someone will be murdered should probably be different than describing the kitchen where your grandmother will bake cookies.)

That said, Brooklyn was an essential choice for this story. Marianne's apathy and benumbed conscience are very much New York City character traits: in real life, just this April, a man was stabbed at 144th Street and bled to death on the sidewalk while dozens of people walked by, ignoring him. (Check out the New York Times story.) It's absolutely bone-chilling, and it's not like this is the first time it's happened. Phil Ochs wrote a song about it back in the 60's, "Outside of a Small Circle of Friends." Only in cities.

WOW: What a heartbreaking story! For me, Sights of Brooklyn makes a strong statement about humanity. What does Marianne discover about herself when she helps the man on the street?

Laura: I'm glad you asked this. I wouldn't say Marianne exactly "helps" the man on the street. It's a toss up whether or not she wants him to still be alive, because the scene is more frightening for her if he is alive. She calls 9-1-1, but that's more to salve her unease with her own conscience than to help him per sae. It's the sickening realization of this - that she doesn't connect with him as a human being until the last moment, when she's almost sure he's dead; that she's not acting as she does because she IS a good person but rather because she knows what a good person would do in the situation - that leads to her realization that she can't leave the city. Her minuscule victory against apathy is too important and it's what's needed here in the city.

WOW: I agree that apathy divides and conquers, and unfortunately, wins all too often. Writing can take on its own persona and demands. Would you share your writing process with our readers?

Laura: I wish I had one. I prefer setting days aside to do nothing but write, but with the reality of working and the necessity of errands, I tend to write in fits and starts when I can. Then when I have more time I come back to the pieces and find that some of them are terrible, but hopefully some of them will spark something.

WOW: Writing definitely becomes a balancing act. Good writers also spend a lot of time reading. You earned a Master's in Victorian Literature. How has that area of expertise helped your writing?

Laura: I'm fond of long sentences and archaic vocabulary, which probably comes from reading lots of older novels. Victorian books are written at a much slower pace than modern books - Dickens can spend three pages describing the London smog, and back then his readers just lapped it up. I think there's something valuable about realizing that you don't HAVE to follow the modern conventions - writing doesn't have to be soap operaesque melodrama and action all the time.

WOW: Wonderful advice! I'm going to remember that tidbit and put it to use. You mentioned Dickens. What authors influence you and your writing?

Laura: For my comic prose, I always go to the British humorists: Max Beerbolm, Saki, P.G. Wodehouse, and more recently Terry Pratchett. When it comes to humor, I'm definitely an anglophile - I'll defend the superiority of the original British version of the TV show "The Office" to the American version any day.

More traditionally, I love Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, Thomas Hardy (Selectively - I can't stand Jude the Obscure) . . . and I never get tired of reading Hester Thrale or James Boswell.

Before writing this story, I'd been reading a lot of Rex Stout (Nero Wolfe detective novels) and Ann Patchett. Maybe the idea for the plot came from the murder mysteries, and I only wish I'd absorbed a tenth of Ann Patchett's style.

WOW: Great influences, plus a couple authors I haven't read. I will definitely check out their work. Obviously, your reading choices have paid off! What projects are you currently working on?

Laura: I just finished a novella version of a mystery ("Death in Pieces") which needs to be expanded, but I'm going to take a break from it and do some more flash/short fiction. I have a draft of a novel set in 18th century London, but I've put it in a drawer for six years like Horace advises in his Ars Poetica. (I'm not serious, but it has been a long time since I've looked at it.)

WOW: (smiles) I'm not sure I could stay away from one of my projects that long. It sounds like you have several major projects to keep your creative juices flowing. Hopefully, you'll continue entering contests. What advice would you offer someone who is interested in starting to write flash fiction?

Laura: Write something every day. 500 - 1000 words really isn't that much, and there's nothing more important than building the habit of writing. Talent is worthless if you don't sit down and make use of it. It can be hard to generate ideas from staring out the window, so have sources of inspiration handy. A dictionary of quotations or a book of paintings can get your mind going. If that fails, open a novel, pick a random sentence, and write a new story around it.

WOW: Fantastic advice, Laura. Thank you for sitting down with The Muffin and sharing your views about writing. And again, congratulations on your successful story!

Interview by LuAnn Schindler. Follow her on Twitter @luannschindler or visit her website, http://luannschindler.com

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1 comment Laura Silver, LuAnn Schindler, Sights of Brooklyn, Winter 2010 Contest, Winter 2010 Flash Fiction Contest

Lauren Leatherman: Second Place Winner Winter 2010 Flash Fiction Contest

Congratulations to Lauren Leatherman, who won second place in WOW!'s Winter 2010 Flash Fiction contest with her story, "Summer Before Junior High."

Lauren is a writer living in Jersey City, NJ. Originally from Syracuse, NY, she received her MFA in fiction from New York University and is the author of the chapbook How To Lose It (Hamilton College, 2005). Most recently, one of her short stories was shortlisted for the Best New American Voices series. In addition to writing, Lauren is an avid runner and yoga enthusiast who regularly publishes articles about running, nutrition, and holistic health and wellness. She currently works in marketing and is at work on a memoir. You can also check her out on the Jersey City Running Examiner.

WOW: Lauren, thank you for joining us on The Muffin today. Let's talk about your winning piece. Where did you get the idea for "Summer Before Junior High?"

Lauren: There are two girls in my family--I'm the oldest. Anyone who is an older sister to a sister knows that an inherent competition exists between even the most loving sisters. In the case of my story, I wanted to convey the idea that sisters--often for unspecified reasons--will compete with one another or be critical of one another. The narrator of "Summer Before Junior High" feels the need to differentiate herself from her younger sister at this crucial point in her life. She's about to enter junior high--a pivotal time for girls, as they're beginning their transformation from child to young adult. The fact the narrator has experienced a kiss with an older boy means, to her, that she's breaking free from the confines of childhood. She's proud of this fact and critical of her sister for still being a kid, still being interested in boondoggle and "childish" trappings. She wants to distinguish herself from her sister as much as possible; yet, she's still inextricably tied to her, not just by blood but the deeper bond that sisters share. It's a complicated relationship, filled with love and misgivings, but most relationships between sisters are complicated.

WOW: You captured all of that so well and in so few words! Great job! You wrote this story in present tense, and it makes the reader feel like she is there with your two characters. Do you often write in present tense? Why or why not?

Lauren: I do write in present tense fairly often. I guess that's just the way my mind works. I really like the immediacy of present tense; like you said, it makes the reader feel as though she's part of the story, experiencing what the characters experience in real-time.

I do, however, thinks there is value to writing in past tense, too. In present tense, you sometimes feel as though you have to explain in minute detail exactly what your character is doing at every single moment in the text. This works well for short stories but can get kind of tedious with longer works.

WOW: Good point. I have read some novels in present tense, and it does take a very skilled author to pull it off. As in your story, when it works, it really works! What themes are you exploring in "Summer Before Junior High?"

Lauren: First and foremost, the complex bond between sisters. Also, the desire to grow up overnight, to leave behind childhood pastimes and become someone mature, exciting, desirable. I think a lot of girls nowadays feel the need to grow up quickly, internalizing cultural messages about how they should behave at, say, thirteen. I do think that hormones fuel this desire, too--you don't quite feel like a kid anymore, but you're keenly aware of the fact you're not a true adult, either. It's a weird limbo period, and you're bound to be confused, torn between a desire to be who you were at ten and a desire to change and become someone new and enticing.

WOW: Besides writing fiction, your bio also says that you are working on a memoir. Can you tell us a little about this project?

Lauren: My memoir is about my battle with anorexia, overcoming the illness and embracing the hard notion of being "healthy" again. Because I'm not a very linear thinker, I'm writing my memoir in a short story format--interconnected chapters that can still stand on their own.

WOW: That sounds fascinating, and what an important story to share. What is your writing routine like?

Lauren: Sporadic! I'm not very good at writing on a schedule. I normally write about three to four days a week, anywhere from 30 minutes to 6 hours. I have a full-time job, so that doesn't allow for writing during the day. I definitely take advantage of Sundays to write--I sort of reserve them as my "writing" days.

Weirdly, I write best when I'm surrounded by distractions. I find I do my best writing on my laptop at busy coffee shops. I'm not sure why, but it works for me!

WOW: That's actually not as weird as you think--I do the same thing. Sometimes, too much quiet is not good for the creative mind. (smiles) You have an MFA in fiction from New York University. How do you feel this degree prepares you for a writing career?

Lauren: I think an MFA in writing is an incredibly versatile degree. I went to grad school knowing that I loved to write and thinking I'd maybe pursue teaching or working in publishing. I got to teach while at NYU, and that was an amazing experience. When I graduated, though, I decided that I was more interested in working in marketing/communications while continuously writing creatively outside of work. A "writing career" can encompass many fields; strong, clear, compelling writing really is the backbone of so many professions.

WOW: Thank you, Lauren, for sharing a little insight into your story, your writing process, and your career. We wish you the best of luck in the future!

interview conducted by Margo L. Dill, http://margodill.com/blog/

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2 comments flash fiction contest winner, Lauren Leatherman, Margo L. Dill, Winter 2010 Contest

Corinne Mahoney, First Place Winner!

Corinne Mahoney, a native of Massachusetts, lives in North Carolina with her husband and three children. She received her BA in English from the University of Notre Dame and a Master’s in Library Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is a Knowledge Services Manager for a non-profit organization in the field of global health. She believes that writing can be transformative and would like to one day establish a non-profit fiction writing program for at-risk adolescent girls. Corinne was an avid writer throughout childhood and college, but found that life is full of excuses to set aside one’s dream. Her children and their beautiful, whacky imaginations have inspired her to put pen to paper again. Plus she says, “I expect my kids to pursue their dreams, so I better get going on my own.” Flash fiction is the genre of necessity for this full time working mother with three children 3 years old and younger, but a novel will come someday. Other neglected favorites include: traveling, hiking, and exploring local parks and restaurants.

interview by Marcia Peterson

WOW: Congratulations on winning first place in our Winter 2010 writing contest! How do you feel?

Corrine: Elated and honored. It’s an excellent motivator to keep writing, and it’s a privilege to see my work featured among such strong talent.

WOW: Can you tell us what encouraged the idea behind your story, Attempted Interview with Randall Clark Rural Community Oral History Project/Eastern State University Interview Declined?

Corinne: The phrase “we don’t talk about dead babies” wormed its way into my consciousness. When it didn’t go away, I knew there was a story to tell. I sat down, wrote that line and the rest came out. I was surprised by the trajectory the story took. I love, as a writer, when it feels as if the character is writing the story, as if you’re just along for the ride. Of course, the character never does a great job of editing, so I’ll take full credit there. That said, the story does touch on themes that I love to write about: grief, religiosity, parenthood, resilience, and the unspoken.

WOW: It's a powerful story. Good thing you followed up on that phrase! Have you always enjoyed the genre, and how did you learn to write great flash fiction?

Corinne: I love flash fiction. Even before I knew it was a genre, I found my short stories getting shorter and shorter. I prefer concise, intense writing, and I love to cut stories down to their core. Flash fiction leaves a lot up to the reader, and I like trusting the reader to fill in the details and context.

Cutting a piece down to a required word count is a great way to hone your editing skills. This story was originally around 950 words. I did a ruthless edit, but felt I could only get it down to 770. I almost didn't enter it. Those last 20 words were painful; I felt like I was taking a scalpel to the piece. In the end, though, it was a better story because of it.

WOW: Your painful editing process led to a winning story, so again, congratulations.

It's always interesting to learn about other people's writing routines. Could you tell us when and where you usually write? Do you have favorite tools or habits that get you going?

Corinne: I usually write at home when moments of inspiration magically coincide with my limited moments of free time. Between my job and three young kids, these moments are rare. I have not made my writing a priority over the last few years (ok, I’ll admit it—the last decade). With so many demands on my time, I have finally realized that I need to indulge my love of writing now or never. Life doesn’t slow down. So my New Year’s resolution this year was to write one story each month—not overly ambitious, but I needed a manageable goal. If an inspired moment doesn’t occur by the end of the month, then I sit down and write something anyway. I’m also trying to respect those lingering phrases that pop in my head instead of ignoring them. When inspiration comes knocking, I should probably answer the door. Deadlines, including contest deadlines, are a great motivator.

WOW: Sounds like a good plan. What one bit of advice would you give to other aspiring writers?

Corinne: Put your commitment to writing on par with your other commitments. I feel guilty or at least distracted if I sit down to write knowing I still have a looming deadline at work or a sink full of dirty dishes. Don’t consider writing time self-indulgent. I’m still working on this.

WOW: I think we all feel this way sometimes. Thanks so much for chatting with us today, Corinne! Before you go, do you have any tips for our readers who may be thinking about entering writing contests?

Corinne: WOW is the only contest I’ve entered so far (I’ve entered twice), and it’s been a great experience. Reading the winning entries was a great source of inspiration for me and also gave me confidence that my writing would be a good fit for this contest, so I would encourage others to do the same. Also, with flash fiction, especially if you have dialogue, read it out loud while you’re editing. It’s a great way to identify unnecessary words or awkward dialogue. Mostly, I encourage people to go ahead & enter. The only way to guarantee you won’t win is by not entering.

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For more information about our quarterly writing contest, visit: http://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php

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Leave a Comment Corinne Mahoney, first place winner, flash fiction contest winner, Winter 2010 Contest