Flash Fiction Friday 37: Dreams by JD Mader

Welcome to Flash Fiction Friday and the thirty-seventh piece of flash fiction in this series. This week’s is a 210-worder entitled ‘Dreams…’ by my regular guest San Francisco-based JD Mader.

Dreams…

Fevered, I wrap myself in lies and absolutions.  I am not what I am, but a sum of the sad cliches that have led me onward.  Truth falls around me, gathering at my feet like a technicolor dream coat.  You lie?  Of course you lie.  I lie?  Sometimes, indeed, I do.  I am made of thatch and rosemary.  I am hidden from your view and lost in a forest of deceit.  I want nothing.  I need nothing.  Shadows morph into phantasms too dire to contemplate.  I tear at my skin.  I am on a quest for destruction.

Green pastures.  I remember them well.  They are memories, crushed now with skyscrapers, ash, and soot. All has been sullied.  Nothing pure remains.  I feel the needle deep in my vein and hold on for one more day.  One more chance to betray myself.  I will take it gladly.

You think I don’t remember.  But I do.  In bits.  In drabs and scraps.  I remember summer fields of alfalfa and innocence.  They mock me now.  They disgust me.  I will lie in my room.  I will let the weight of lost abandon press upon my chest.  I will try to breathe and fail and my heart will pound with the sound of defeat.

Thank you, JD.

JD Mader is a teacher and writer / musician based in San Francisco. 

He has been fortunate enough to encounter many giving and inspiring people in his life. 

He hopes to repay the debt.

And to make enough money with his writing to buy a house.

His website is http://www.jdmader.com where you can read more of JD’s writing and if you’d like more (and why wouldn’t you?) his novel Joe Café is available here.

 

If you’d like to submit your 1,000-word max. stories for consideration for Flash Fiction Friday take a look here.

The blog interviews will return as normal tomorrow with non-fiction memoirist Carol Anita Ryan – the four hundred and eighty-eighth of my blog interviews with novelists, poets, short story authors, bloggers, biographers, agents, publishers and more. A list of interviewees (blogged and scheduled) can be found here. If you like what you read, please do go and investigate further. And I enjoy hearing from readers of my blog; do either leave a comment on the relevant interview (the interviewees love to hear from you too!) and / or email me.

You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything… and follow me on Twitter where each new posting is automatically announced. You can also read / download my eBooks and free eShorts at Smashwords, Sony Reader Store, Barnes & Noble, iTunes Bookstore, Kobo and Amazon, with more to follow. I have a new forum and you can follow me on Twitter, friend me on Facebook, like me on Facebook, connect with me on LinkedIn, find me on Tumblr, complete my website’s Contact me page or plain and simple, email me.  I also now have a new blog creation service especially for, but not limited to, writers.

Unfortunately, as I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t review books but I have a feature called ‘Short Story Saturdays’ where I review stories of up to 2,500 words. Alternatively if you have a short story or self-contained novel extract / short chapter (ideally up to 1000 words) that you’d like critiqued and don’t mind me reading it / talking about and critiquing it (I send you the transcription afterwards so you can use the comments or ignore them)  on my ‘Bailey’s Writing Tips’ podcast, then do email me. They are weekly episodes, usually released Monday mornings UK time, interweaving the recordings between the red pen sessions with the hints & tips episodes. I am now also looking for poetry for Post-weekend Poetry.

 

5PM Fiction 001: Life in the Old Dog

Welcome to the first of a new series: 5pm Fiction.

Late April 2011 I discovered http://StoryADay.org and the project that is to write 31 stories in 31 days. Anyone who knows me or follows this blog, knows how passionate I am about short stories so my clichéd eyes lit up at this new marvel. And just a few days later there I was, breathing life into new characters. This went on to become (with some editing of course) my 31-story collection eBook Story A Day May 2011.

I was nearing completion of the 2012 project (which will become another eBook in the not too distant future) when I decided that I didn’t want to stop at the end of May so 5PM Fiction was born. I put a load of prompts on the 5PM Fiction page and today’s prompt was to write a second-person short story where Norma is going through her handbag and makes a startling discovery, so here is my 447-worder.

Life in the Old Dog

Condoms. Why are there condoms in your handbag? You look at the outside again to make sure it’s your bag. You knew it was when you opened it and the rest of the contents are yours but these certainly aren’t.

Your mind races for clues. The only other person to go near the bag was Albert and he’d have no use for condoms. As far as you’re aware he’s never cheated on you and anyway, he’s so short-sighted and deaf he’d never notice or hear if anyone was… what’s the phrase the youngsters use today?… ‘hitting on’ him.

You’re always so fastidious about leaving your bag unattended, ever since being cautioned at the airport when Albert took you to Paris for your 40th wedding anniversary. Not cautioned, he’d say, warned, but it felt like they were the police, with their uniforms and polished shoes.

Today, the only time you went out was to go to the supermarket then the garage for petrol. You’d filled the trolley while Albert sat in the café then you’d filled the car while he queued to pay. Then he’d thrown the receipt and some chocolate in your bag. The chocolate you’d picked out when you’d got home, put it to one side on top of the washing machine while he parked the car, and that’s when you’d found the condoms.

The receipt, you remember, will explain all. Chocolate… petrol… condoms. So it was Albert. You look up to the ceiling to avoid the tears you know you want to cry but you won’t give him the satisfaction. You know he’s not bought them for you, you stopped having babies years ago, so if they’re not for you…

The threat of tears turns to welling anger and you have your arms crossed when he walks into the kitchen from the garage.

He looks at the contents on top of the washing machine and smiles. “Great. Fancy some?”

You frown so he continues. “Chocolate? It’s Fruit & Nut, your favourite.”

“And these?” you ask, holding up the packet of condoms.

“I know,” he says. “I’ve tried giving up. I didn’t think you’d mind if I only got a pack of ten.”

“Ten?”

“I’ll make them last. I chose a different brand to normal.”

“Normal!”

“These are supposed to be better for you.”

You’re about to throw them at him when he continues. “Low tar.”

“What?”

“Cigarettes. I shouldn’t, I know.”

“These aren’t cigarettes, Albert!”

“Aren’t they?”

“No, Albert. These are condoms.”

“They are? Why did she give me condoms?”

You burst out laughing at his pained expression, like the little boy you remember from school.

Albert winks, takes your hand and leads you upstairs.

You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything… and follow me on Twitter where each new posting is automatically announced. You can also read / download my eBooks and free eShorts at Smashwords, Sony Reader Store, Barnes & Noble, iTunes Bookstore, Kobo and Amazon, with more to follow. I have a new forum and you can follow me on Twitter, friend me on Facebook, like me on Facebook, connect with me on LinkedIn, find me on Tumblr, complete my website’s Contact me page or plain and simple, email me.  I also now have a new blog creation service especially for, but not limited to, writers.

Unfortunately, as I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t review books but I have a feature called ‘Short Story Saturdays’ where I review stories of up to 2,500 words. Alternatively if you have a short story or self-contained novel extract / short chapter (ideally up to 1000 words) that you’d like critiqued and don’t mind me reading it / talking about and critiquing it (I send you the transcription afterwards so you can use the comments or ignore them)  on my ‘Bailey’s Writing Tips’ podcast, then do email me. They are weekly episodes, usually released Monday mornings UK time, interweaving the recordings between the red pen sessions with the hints & tips episodes. I am now also looking for flash fiction (<1000 words) for Flash Fiction Fridays and poetry for Post-weekend Poetry.

 

Author interview no.387 with writer Myra Sherman

Welcome to the three hundred and eighty-seventh of my blog interviews with novelists, poets, short story authors, biographers, agents, publishers and more. Today’s is with literary fiction author Myra Sherman. A list of interviewees (blogged and scheduled) can be found here. If you like what you read, please do go and investigate further.

Morgen: Hello, Myra.

Myra: Hello Morgen. Thanks for including me on your blog. I’m thrilled to appear here.

Morgen: Oh you’re so welcome, thank you for taking part. Please tell us something about yourself, and how you came to be a writer.

Myra: In my non-writing life I’m a clinical social worker, with extensive experience in mental health and criminal justice. My writing began as an extension of my clinical work, and focused on giving voice to people who are largely ignored or forgotten. I began attending workshops and conferences to improve my skills, including the Tin House workshop and The Summer Literary Series in Kenya. And joining a local writer’s group was extremely beneficial. I published my first short story in 2006 and my first book in 2011.

I feel fortunate to live in Northern California, where I divide my time between Berkeley and Lake County.

Morgen: Your work sounds as if it might impact your writing, what genre do you write?

Myra: I generally write literary fiction. But I’ve just completed the first draft of a dystopian novel that might be considered science fiction.

Morgen: What have you had published to-date?

Myra: My debut short story collection, JAILED, was published by Desperanto Press in 2011.

Morgen: I love short stories and have just finished writing 31 stories in 31 days – hard work but fun. Have you had any rejections? If so, how do you deal with them?

Myra: Yes, many rejections. I’ve never met a writer who didn’t have rejections. It’s a part of writing and being published. After the momentary sting, I try to remember it’s not personal, but rather a matter of taste.

Morgen: I’ve ‘met’ a few (interviewed them on my blog) but that’s mainly because they’ve either not submitted or written a small amount and had it all published. Have you won or been shortlisted in any competitions?

Myra: Yes. I was a finalist for the Moment-Karma Short Fiction Award in 2006, The SLS-Kenya Fiction Contest in 2006, and Glimmer Train’s Best Start Contest in 2009.

Morgen: I’ve not heard of the first two but have Glimmer Train (a lovely name). Do you have an agent? Do you think they’re vital to an author’s success?

Myra: I don’t have an agent at this time. My collection was published by an independent press, and I worked directly with them. As I begin to consider publication for my novels, I hope to have an agent. I think agents are valuable, but not necessary for an author’s success.

Morgen: Most do earn their keep but I’ve had mixed reviews by authors on the ones they’ve had. They’re certainly going to know the industry better than most authors. Are your books available as eBooks? Were you involved in that process at all? Do you read eBooks or is it paper all the way?

Myra: JAILED is available as an e-book from both Amazon and Barnes & Noble. (Kindle and NOOK.) I wasn’t involved in the process. I still read paper, but e-readers are great for travel.

Morgen: Aren’t they. I love having 400+ books wherever I go. Do you have a favourite of your books or characters? If any of your books were made into films, who would you have as the leading actor/s?

Myra: Zelna in Jail Work, a short story included in JAILED, is one of my favourite characters. Another is the narrator of my novel MOCKINGBIRD BLUES, Mother Mary. I’d choose Sandra Bullock for Zelna, and Meryl Streep for Mother Mary.

Morgen: Both great choices. Did you have any say in the title / covers of your books? How important do you think they are?

Myra: I chose the title JAILED. Desperanto Press designed the book cover, but I had the final say. I think both are very important, in terms of catching the reader’s eye and giving a first impression of the book.

Morgen: I did chat with someone the other day who says they aren’t interested in a book unless it has a good cover (yours is great). I love titles myself but poor ones haven’t put me off, although I do tend to go for the eye-catching first. What are you working on at the moment / next?

Myra: I’m currently working on two novels. The final revisions of MOCKINGBIRD BLUES, the story of an older homeless woman who is charged with, and jailed for, a murder she doesn’t remember.   And I just finished the first draft of a dystopian novel, tentatively titled GREEN SKY, that focuses on character and change in times of crisis.

Morgen: I like the sound of those. Do you manage to write every day? Do you ever suffer from writer’s block?

Myra: I try to write most days. But breaks can be helpful, particularly in the time between the initial writing and revision, in terms of a fresh eye. Writer’s block was a problem when I first started, and didn’t know what to ‘say’. It seems to be less of an issue when writing longer works.

Morgen: I have more ideas than I can cope with although I started writing a story a day in May (for Story a Day May). Do you plot your stories or do you just get an idea and run with it?

Myra: I get an idea and run with it. I have a general idea about the ending, but getting there happens without plotting.

Morgen: I love that (where the characters invariably take over). You mentioned your short stories briefly, do you write any non-fiction or poetry?

Myra: I have several essays and over thirty short stories that have been published in print or online literary magazines. Links to my short writing are available on my website and my Facebook page.

Morgen: Do you do a lot of editing or do you find that as time goes on your writing is more fully-formed?

Myra: I continually edit. I go back to the previous day’s work, and revise. I edit each chapter as it’s completed. I edit the entire book when it’s done. Usually I’m not making major changes, just finding the right words, and eliminating areas that don’t advance the story.

Morgen: Me too and it’s amazing what your eyes pick up every time you go through something. Do you have to do much research?

Myra: My short stories are largely placed in jail and mental health settings, and loosely drawn from my work experience. I was the mental health director of a San Francisco Bay area county jail, and used that setting for my collection and first novel. My second novel is a dystopian; set in rural Northern California, an area I’m familiar with. But I still had to do a fair amount of research to make it realistic.

Morgen: Because if you don’t someone will pick up on it. What point of view do you find most to your liking: first person or third person? Have you ever tried second person?

Myra: I’ve used all three. The stories in my collection are written in first and third person. I wrote one short story using second person. I like second person, but found most editors don’t. It was finally published in Inkspill Magazine in July 2010. My first novel was written in first person, the second in third.

Morgen: I love second person but agree that most other people don’t, which is a shame but it’s definitely an acquired taste. Do you have pieces of work that you think will never see light of day?

Myra: All of my short pieces have been published. I hoping my novels will, but one can never be sure.

Morgen: You could always eBook them. What’s your favourite / least favourite aspect of your writing life? Has anything surprised you?

Myra: After a good writing day, I have a sense of completion and satisfaction that is very rewarding. Having something accepted for publication is great for validation. But sometimes writing seems very lonely. And I often question whether the hours spent in front of a computer are worth the effort.

Morgen: The computer just eats time, doesn’t it. I quite like being alone although I have a dog so he’s great company. What advice would you give aspiring writers?

Myra: Don’t give up. Make writing a priority. Connect with other writers for support.

Morgen: Absolutely. Are there any writing-related websites and/or books that you find useful?

Myra: I’ve found the Zoetrope Virtual Studio very helpful for connecting, and having work reviewed. Some excellent writers can be found in the wings and private offices.

Morgen: Are you on any forums or networking sites? If so, how valuable do you find them?

Myra: In addition to Zoetrope, I’m active on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads and Linked-in. I find these sites invaluable for developing relationships and promoting one’s work.

Morgen: LinkedIn is probably how we met. Where can we find out about you and your work?

Myra: My website is at www.myrasherman.com. My Facebook author page is at Facebook Page Myra Sherman.

Morgen: Is there anything else you’d like to mention?

Myra: Just to thank you for your wonderful blog. Since subscribing I look forward to receiving your emails / author interviews.

Morgen: Ah, thank you so much. It’s a LOT of work (a full-time job in fact) but enjoy it and I’m so grateful to everyone who takes part because it wouldn’t be what it is without my guests. Thank you, Myra.

I then invited Myra to include an extract of her writing and this is from JAILED – THE JEWEL OF OAKLAND…

Since my release from jail, I feel lost. I spend my days exploring, trying to find myself. My manicured nails match my Aruba blue cashmere scarf. I wear Lancôme Merlot lipstick and silver bangles, but still feel dull. 

Lake Merritt is new to me, nestled between Grand and Lakeshore Avenue, an unexpected urban discovery. 

“I’m Peter,” the sweet blond man at the tobacco shop on Grand says.

He calls Lake Merritt the jewel of Oakland.

“You have to see it at night, lit up,” he says.

“If I’m still around,” I say.

Standing in front of his shop, I smoke three guilty Salem Lights in rapid succession before giving the pack to a homeless guy panhandling on the corner. Then following Peter’s directions, I walk two blocks to Lakeshore. I cross over to Peet’s, and after ordering a double macchiato, sit at the counter facing the street. Sipping coffee and inhaling the rich caffeinated atmosphere, humid warm and inviting, so unlike the cold sterility of the jail, I can almost forget.

It’s December 23rd and the winter day is ending. Lakeshore is adorned for the holidays with tinselly stars that transform the lamp-posts to angel’s wands.  When I left the jail last week, there was an artificial flocked pine tree in the lobby, decorated with golden bells and crimson balls.

I don’t want to think about the jail, but it keeps coming back.

Myra Sherman received a Master’s in Social Welfare from the University of California, Berkeley and is a licensed clinical social worker in California. Her fiction and essays have appeared in numerous literary journals such as Ars Medica, 580 Split, Fifth Wednesday Journal and the Medulla Review. Her short story collection JAILED was released December 6, 2011 and is available from Desperanto Press. More about her writing and contact information can be found at myrasherman.com.

If you are reading this and you write, in whatever genre, and are thinking “ooh, I’d like to do this” then you can… just email me and I’ll send you the questions. You complete them, I tweak them where appropriate (if necessary to reflect the blog ‘clean and light’ rating) and then they get posted. When that’s done, I email you with the link so you can share it with your corner of the literary world. And if you have a writing-related blog / podcast and would like to interview me… let me know.

You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything… and follow me on Twitter where each new posting is automatically announced. You can also read / download my eBooks and free eShorts at Smashwords, Sony Reader Store, Barnes & Noble, iTunes Bookstore, Kobo and Amazon, with more to follow. I have a new forum and you can follow me on Twitter, friend me on Facebook, like me on Facebook, connect with me on LinkedIn, find me on Tumblr, complete my website’s Contact me page or plain and simple, email me.  I also now have a new blog creation service especially for, but not limited to, writers.

Unfortunately, as I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t review books but I have a feature called ‘Short Story Saturdays’ where I review stories of up to 2,500 words. Alternatively if you have a short story or self-contained novel extract / short chapter (ideally up to 1000 words) that you’d like critiqued and don’t mind me reading it / talking about and critiquing it (I send you the transcription afterwards so you can use the comments or ignore them)  on my ‘Bailey’s Writing Tips’ podcast, then do email me. They are weekly episodes, usually released Monday mornings UK time, interweaving the recordings between the red pen sessions with the hints & tips episodes. I am now also looking for flash fiction (<1000 words) for Flash Fiction Fridays and poetry for Post-weekend Poetry.

 

Guest post: Does It Really Pay to Get Your Manuscript Critiqued? by CS Lakin

Tonight’s guest blog post, on the topic of critique is brought to you by C.S. Lakin.

A Help or a Hindrance— Does It Really Pay to Get Your Manuscript Critiqued?

Critique. Just the word alone makes authors cringe. Why? Because it reminds us of another word that has a negative connotation: criticism. Yet, as authors we understand the need to have another pair of eyes look closely at our manuscript and give us constructive advice and direction so we can make our book the absolute best it can be. But an unprofessional, misguided, or inconsiderately toned critique can cause great heartache and discouragement, so should we really risk our already fragile writer’s ego and let someone tear our precious work apart? Will a good critique be worth not just the money but the emotional cost?

Some copyeditors claim you should never get a critique because it is entirely subjective. They say all you need is to get your book edited by a copyeditor and fix all the grammatical mistakes. And it’s true that getting a thorough copyedit is essential. But few writers think about getting their book critiqued first. However, in my twenty-five years of experience with writing novels, becoming a multi-published author, and working professionally as a copyeditor and writing coach in the publishing industry, I have come to conclude that most authors—whether a new writer or seasoned published author—need a critique and preferably in the early draft of their manuscript.

But Critiques Are Subjective!

Sure, critiques are subjective. But when your novel or nonfiction manuscript lands on a literary agent’s desk, or is placed in an acquisition editor’s hands, it will be read subjectively as well. But here’s the thing authors need to understand: a professional in the publishing industry will temper a subjective read with years of experience; an understanding of current market needs and trends; establish or accepted writing styles, structure, and formatting; and a honed sense for an original and compelling writer’s voice. There is no such thing as an objective critique, but that should not be an issue. Getting an insider’s take on just how well your book holds up is invaluable and can save you months or even years of submitting a flawed manuscript and getting back dozens of rejections without knowing why—leaving you more discouraged than ever.

When you look for someone to critique your “baby”, I would encourage you to look for someone who is not only interested in helping you make your book shine but wants to help you make it all you envision. A supportive critiquer will encourage you, instruct you, and help you along this rocky road. A good critique should not come across as a nice pat on the back with a few muttered words like “Good job. Keep it up.” It should thoroughly address all the major elements in your novel or nonfiction manuscript, and preferably using an annotated style (with comments along the margins of each page) rather than just an overall summary at the end of your manuscript or in a separate document.

However, we as writers grow attached to our words, and an insensitive editor can cause a lot of pain. More than one author friend or client has cried to me in anger, frustration, and a readiness to give it all up after being handed an insensitive critique. Often these critiques are full of negative remarks with little constructive advice, examples of how to reword a sentence better, or explanations as to why a passage does not work well. It takes courage to hand your project over to someone—this book you’ve spent months or perhaps years writing, sweating over, all the while second-guessing yourself and the merits of your book, only to have someone heartlessly rip it to shreds. For that’s our greatest fear—that despite all our hard efforts, we may have produced something that should go in the round file.

Be Ready to Work

I find the greatest satisfaction in helping my clients with their manuscripts. I have seen some of the worst manuscripts—poorly constructed, wordy, almost unreadable—turned into beautiful, well-crafted books that their authors are proud of. I have gone on to see many of my clients get agents, land contracts, and get published because they were willing to work hard to take their rough work and perfect it to the best of their ability. These authors show they are dedicated and willing to learn and listen. But I wonder how many (or few) of them would have dug in to their necessary revisions had they been treated insensitively by a critique. Of course, there is no guarantee that if you follow all the suggestions in your critique that you will get an agent or land a book contract. So many variables affect those outcomes. But applying yourself to make the changes suggested in a good critique will stretch you and teach you how to be a better writer, and as you apply the things you learn, your chances of reaching your dreams will improve immensely.

Do I Really Need One?

Your critique will give you the help you need to get your manuscript or proposal in shape. Your book is competing with hundreds of thousands of others to grab the attention of an agent or publishing house, so you want to do everything you can to make sure your proposal, query letter, synopsis, and book stand out from the rest.

So, if you’ve decided maybe you do need to take this first step, do some research and ask possible editors you are considering hiring for testimonials from clients. Start a dialogue with the editor to see how friendly, accommodating, understanding, and compassionate he or she comes across. And take a look at their concrete experience and influence in the publishing industry. However, don’t expect them to drop everything and answer dozens of e-mails packed with lengthy questions. Don’t expect them to be available to talk on the phone either. Often clients, in their need to be assured an editor will be right for them, expect the editor to push aside whatever she is doing at any given moment to attend to their needs and questions. A potential client wants to feel safe and needs to build a measure of trust with the professional she is dealing with, and that’s understandable. But we editors are busy—not just editing but with our personal lives as well, just as are doctors, dentists, and nurses.

So once you find an editor that seems a good match, send her your manuscript and let her do her job. Answer any questions he may have to better help her understand your objectives in your story. If you can provide her with a synopsis or story summary (for a novel) or a book proposal (nonfiction), that’s a great help. Then, when your critique is done, take all the suggestions to heart and make the changes you feel will best suit your writing style and story. Not every comment included in your critique will work for you. But you’re the author and it’s your book, so weigh each suggestion and trust your intuition. As long as you keep your mind and heart open to ways to improve, your critique will feel less like criticism and more like a gift.

Learn to Give Constructive Critiques

Often, writers will join critique groups or get a critique partner, and having some great author friends who are good at giving constructive suggestions can be a real blessing. They get familiar with your style and know your voice. And because they know you as well, they can often spot areas in your writing that just don’t sound right, or where you could do better. But have you thought about your role as a critiquer and what kind of advice you want to give? The adage “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” really applies here. Do you really want someone to read your chapters and just say “good job” without being honest about the problem areas they see? On the other hand, even though you want them to point out your weaknesses, you certainly don’t want them to be tactless. You would like them first to say something encouraging, point out the good aspects of your writing, then be polite and share kindly what they think might need fixing. We all have egos, and we can often be very sensitive to criticism, even when it comes from a friend. In fact, even more so when it comes from a friend. However, we need to separate friendship from critique. Don’t kill the messenger if they give you a distasteful message.

And so with these thoughts in mind, be the same kind of critiquer that you want others to be. The first thing I learned from my editing mentor is this: Always start with praise. Find things to compliment, and be honest about those things—don’t just randomly throw out a few nice words and then dig in with what’s wrong. Seriously look at the commendable aspects of those chapters and say some encouraging things about how well those elements worked. And then when you get ready to offer helpful suggestions, be sure your tone is uplifting and not harsh.

If you want to help critique another’s work and would like a helpful checklist of all the major elements to cover (for fiction), you can copy and paste this list into a document and use it—useful not just for critiquing others’ work but also your own: http://critiquemymanuscript.com/checklist-for-critiquing-a-novel

Finding a wonderful editor and critiquer to help you along in your writing journey is a real blessing. Maybe it’s time to take the plunge and get the help you truly need. And hopefully, by choosing just the right editor and taking just the right attitude toward the suggestions given, your critique will be a help, not a hindrance, to you.

That was great, thank you. And I totally agree. I would always have a second opinion on anything I put out for sale. A reader is putting their faith that I have made it the best that it can be.

C. S. Lakin is the author of twelve novels, including the fantasy series, “The Gates of Heaven”, with the first three books now out in stores and online in multiple formats. She also writes contemporary psychological mysteries, with her Zondervan contest winner, Someone to Blame, having been released last October.

She works as a professional copyeditor and writing coach and loves to teach on the craft of writing. Her new websites are dedicated to critiquing fiction (www.CritiqueMyManuscript.com) and building community to help survive and thrive in your writing life (www.LiveWriteThrive.com). Come join in by following @livewritethrive on Twitter. You can read more about her at www.cslakin.com.

If you would like to write a writing-related guest post for my blog then feel free to email me with an outline of what you would like to write about. If it’s writing-related then it’s highly likely I’d email back and say “yes please”.

The blog interviews return as normal tomorrow morning with literary fiction author Myra Sherman – the three hundred and eighty-seventh of my blog interviews with novelists, poets, short story authors, bloggers, autobiographers and more. A list of interviewees (blogged and scheduled) can be found here. If you like what you read, please do go and investigate further. And I enjoy hearing from readers of my blog; do either leave a comment on the relevant interview (the interviewees love to hear from you too!) and / or email me.

You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything… and follow me on Twitter where each new posting is automatically announced. You can also read / download my eBooks and free eShorts at Smashwords, Sony Reader Store, Barnes & Noble, iTunes Bookstore, Kobo and Amazon, with more to follow. I have a new forum and you can follow me on Twitter, friend me on Facebook, like me on Facebook, connect with me on LinkedIn, find me on Tumblr, complete my website’s Contact me page or plain and simple, email me.  I also now have a new blog creation service especially for, but not limited to, writers.

Unfortunately, as I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t review books but I have a feature called ‘Short Story Saturdays’ where I review stories of up to 2,500 words. Alternatively if you have a short story or self-contained novel extract / short chapter (ideally up to 1000 words) that you’d like critiqued and don’t mind me reading it / talking about and critiquing it (I send you the transcription afterwards so you can use the comments or ignore them)  on my ‘Bailey’s Writing Tips’ podcast, then do email me. They are weekly episodes, usually released Monday mornings UK time, interweaving the recordings between the red pen sessions with the hints & tips episodes. I am now also looking for flash fiction (<1000 words) for Flash Fiction Fridays and poetry for Post-weekend Poetry.

 

Story A Day May 2012: May 31st – Parallel Bars

Late April 2011 I discovered http://StoryADay.org and the project that is to write 31 stories in 31 days. Anyone who knows me or follows this blog, knows how passionate I am about short stories so my clichéd eyes lit up at this new marvel. And just a few days later there I was, breathing life into new characters. This went on to become (with some editing of course) my 31-story collection eBook Story A Day May 2011.

And here we are a year later doing it all over again. Today’s prompt was to write a story about a best friend (“and make us love the hero”) and give it a kick-ass ending. Not sure about the latter but here goes my 609-worder.

Parallel Bars

A hero doesn’t have to rescue people from a burning building. He, or she, doesn’t have to develop a miracle cure. Anyone can be a hero and sometimes it takes something very small to been seen as one; a small gesture, small talk, a small step.

Being told she’d never walk again made Abbie all the more determined. She’d known the risks when she signed up, headed out to a country she could barely spell, in heat she’d not been prepared for. Sun bathing was nothing compared to this. No sun cream manufacturer made a factor that would go this high but she loved every second, the camaraderie she’d never known, even being one of seven siblings and it was their strength she found when she got home, badly injured with months of physio training ahead of her.

The two metal poles stretching out reminded her of the parallel bars she’d used at school, only then she’d bounded up to them, performing twists and somersaults like she’d later do in diving competitions.

“Twenty minutes today,” Jack told her nonchalantly as if that would be easy. It had been fifteen minutes yesterday, ten the day before. She’d wanted to give up at five.

He’d let go once she’d grabbed the poles, them supporting her thin frame, then he’d stood back, waiting for her to move. She wanted to cheat, pull her legs along with her hands but she’d tried that, alone in her specially-adapted bedroom and with nothing to support her had collapsed in a heap.

Now, she wanted to look around the room at her friends, some newer than others, do anything but walk. Except that’s all she wanted to do, just a simple action that so many take for granted, that she had.

“Any time you like,” Jack said winking. “We’ve got all day.”

Abbie knew that wasn’t true, that his time was precious, that there were others booked in after her. So she breathed in, until her lungs felt they had no more space, and grunted her way to a slow, arduous, painful first step.

“Good,” Jack said and moved to the end of the beams so unless she looked down or away, he’d been in her line of sight, like an enemy in the warzone. “Don’t stop,” he said when she’d paused too long.

She took another lungful of air and twisted her body to guide her left foot forward. Her arms were already beginning to ache so she slacked off her grip and felt herself falling.

“Grab, Abbie!” Jack shouted and she grabbed the bars, keeping herself upright.

“Keep going,” he said and she repeated her method, putting out her right foot. “Now that wasn’t so difficult was it,” Jack said, smiling at her.

“Easy for you to say,” she growled.

“Yes, it is. But you keep doing that and I won’t need to.”

Abbie gritted her teeth and took another step, swinging her hips to aid her momentum. As she edged closer, Jack backed away. “I’m not going off the end,” she said, when he’d stopped a few feet away.

“I know but with hips like that you’ll need some room to turn round.”

“You cheeky git!”

“Gets you moving.”

It was then Abbie realised she was at the end of the bars. Remembering her technique from the previous days she swung herself round, ignoring the pain that shot up her body, and grabbed the bars as her knees started to buckle.

As he walked back to the other end, Jack started clapping. Abbie blushed and concentrated on gripping the bars for the return journey… to Jack, her best friend, former comrade and husband-to-be.

***

You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything… and follow me on Twitter where each new posting is automatically announced. You can also read / download my eBooks and free eShorts at Smashwords, Sony Reader Store, Barnes & Noble, iTunes Bookstore, Kobo and Amazon, with more to follow. I have a new forum and you can follow me on Twitter, friend me on Facebook, like me on Facebook, connect with me on LinkedIn, find me on Tumblr, complete my website’s Contact me page or plain and simple, email me.  I also now have a new blog creation service especially for, but not limited to, writers.

Unfortunately, as I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t review books but I have a feature called ‘Short Story Saturdays’ where I review stories of up to 2,500 words. Alternatively if you have a short story or self-contained novel extract / short chapter (ideally up to 1000 words) that you’d like critiqued and don’t mind me reading it / talking about and critiquing it (I send you the transcription afterwards so you can use the comments or ignore them)  on my ‘Bailey’s Writing Tips’ podcast, then do email me. They are weekly episodes, usually released Monday mornings UK time, interweaving the recordings between the red pen sessions with the hints & tips episodes. I am now also looking for flash fiction (<1000 words) for Flash Fiction Fridays and poetry for Post-weekend Poetry.

 

Author interview no.386 with writer Edward R Yatscoff

Welcome to the three hundred and eighty-sixth of my blog interviews with novelists, poets, short story authors, biographers, agents, publishers and more. Today’s is with author Edward R Yatscoff. A list of interviewees (blogged and scheduled) can be found here. If you like what you read, please do go and investigate further.

Morgen: Hello, Edward. Please tell us something about yourself, where you’re based, and how you came to be a writer.

Edward: I live in Beaumont, Alberta, just outside of the provincial capital Edmonton.  I’ve always loved to read.  I taught my three children to read at an early age and back then found children’s chapter books lacking in many ways.  Just from my boyhood in the Niagara Peninsula in Ontario I knew I had better stories.  I jotted down incidents, situations, and people from back then.  Next was stringing them together in a story.  Same as my firefighting stories from throughout my career from firefighter to captain.

Morgen: I love that – Toni Morrison is quoted as saying “If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.” What genre do you generally write and have you considered other genres?

Edward: I suppose juvenile has taken the majority of my time.  Jumping into other genres right now would be crazy as I have enough on the go.

Morgen: I know that feeling but I can’t seem to stick to one genre unless ‘dark’ counts. What have you had published to-date? Do you write under a pseudonym?

Edward: No pseudonym, although I considered it.  There used to be a stigma attached to multi-genre writers criticized on one or the other or not being able to do both good enough, but I don’t think that exists any longer.  To date, I’ve written 5 juvenile / middle grade eBooks and am working on a 3rd firefighter novel Final Response.  Another juvenile VooDoo Boy is in the works.  Presently, 5 books are available online.  I have published YA short stories and travel articles, winning competitions in both categories.

Morgen: Back in November I interviewed Kurt Kamm who has written firefighting novels. Have you had any rejections? If so, how do you deal with them?

Edward: A writer needs rejections if only to put him / her in their place.  It makes them realize their work is not the thing of beauty their spouses and friends told them it was.  I’ve posted many of my rejections–good and bad–on my website yatscoffbooks.com. If you read them you’ll know why I went to eBooks.

Morgen: You mentioned winning competitions, could you elaborate a little?

Edward: Won a trip for Deep Sea Fishing 101 in a travel competition in Sun Newspaper chain in Canada, placed honorable mention for a fiction piece in Polar Expressions Publishing, was included in 1997 Canadian Library YA Book of the Year (Thistledown Press).

Morgen: Well done. Do you have an agent? Do you think they’re vital to an author’s success?

Edward: Actually I’ve had a few agents for short periods: one couldn’t sell anything, another was a scam in Florida, and one in NYC was anal about editing.  One died.  I’m baffled at what they want and ultimately what they choose: “…character is too complex for the age group”  “…your protagonist is too simple, a cardboard cut-out…”(same character).  I believe getting an agent and getting published is simply luck and timing.  It’s like art on the wall: I love it and have the money to buy it.  But you may hate it and would as soon burn it.

Morgen: It sounds like you were so unlucky and yes, I feel the same about art. You mentioned some of your books are available as eBooks, how involved were you in that process? Do you read eBooks or is it paper all the way?

Edward: All my novels are, and will be, available online.  I did all the required extensive formatting and my oldest son, an industrial designer, put together the cover art from my photos.  I read both formats, but when I travel it’s mainly eBooks to save space.  You can leave a paperback overnight beside the pool and it’ll be there in the morning.  Haven’t tried that yet with a Kindle.

Morgen: I guess it depends where you go, but I have a month-old Kindle Touch so wouldn’t like to try it. How much of the marketing do you do for your published works or indeed for yourself as a ‘brand’?

Edward: My youngest son in South Korea started me off with a website and getting involved in promotions on Goodreads.  The promotion was a free book Old Flames with a promise of an online review.  Very few readers took the time to review it.  Right now, and until June, I have a .99 cent juvenile promotion to introduce my readers to that genre.  I could probably do more but find I’d rather put my energy into writing right now.  I do Tweet  @ERYatscoff and post stuff on my blog if it’s to do with writing.  I have several short stories and some photos posted there, too.  I’ve also contributed columns to Storytime Standouts which is about young readers.  My 18-month-old granddaughter is very interested in books and I’m finding it interesting how she grows into it.

Morgen: It’s all a time juggle isn’t it. They say money can’t buy you happiness but it certainly can’t buy time and most of us could do with more hours in our days. Do you have a favourite of your books or characters? If any of your books were made into films, who would you have as the leading actors?

Edward: I loved writing Archie’s Gold a juvenile about Archie Crane, a tough shoeshine boy working the mean streets.  It’s a suspense / mystery and has many characters from my childhood in the setting of my hometown in Welland, Ontario.  Selling it was a huge let down as Tundra Books in Toronto gave me a verbal promise it would be listed on their 2007 fall list, then 2008 spring list, then, 2008 fall list, etc. then dropped without telling me as I waited patiently.  This, after they said they were “…high on it” and would likely be entered for several awards.  It proves that a verbal contract is only as good as the paper it’s written on. In my firefighter novels Dennis Quaid would play Captain Gerry Ormond.

Morgen: Dennis Quaid was in one of my favourite films, one that many have never heard of: Frequency. Did you have any say in the title / covers of your books? How important do you think they are?

Edward: Covers are important.  I believe they should try and evoke some imaging from at least some area of the book.  Yes, I do have complete control over mine.  My 3rd FF eBook began as Fire and Ice, until I searched the title on Amazon.  There are hundreds of books with the same, or variations of that title.  I scrapped that one and my writers group figured Too Late For Spring would be good because of it’s fitting name.  Then my wife said it sounded like a gardening book.  I thought about it and agreed.  Now it’s Final Response but I’m still not quite sold on it.  If anyone reads the synopsis on my website I’d welcome any ideas.

Morgen: What are you working on at the moment / next?

Edward: Final Response my 3rd firefighter novel is in final editing.  Spring and summer are coming and I hit the outdoors pretty good: fishing, boating, camping, etc. so hopefully it’ll be out by fall. Voodoo Boy is a new juvenile / middle grade about nasty citizens, dark secrets, and a clever boy manipulating a bully to get revenge on them.  I’ve got three chapters done on that one.  In my writers group The Blob…In My Shoes a juvenile, is running the gauntlet and should be available by Christmas.  This story underwent several wholesale changes including switching to as first person on the advice of a prominent publishing house who later changed their mind after I did all the work.

Morgen: Oh dear. I guess it makes you think about point of view. I converted the first 102 pages of a script I did for Script Frenzy April 2010 to the start (37 pages) of a lad lit novel – that was certainly an interesting exercise. Do you manage to write every day?

Edward: Fall, winter, and spring, are my best writing times for original projects.  Editing is done all year in bits and pieces.  I take great pains in editing.  I find it strange how after my fifth or sixth draft and then passing it through my writer’s group there are still minor mistakes.  Some kind of phantom must plague my work.

Morgen: I find that too unless I leave something for a while and then there are things my brain passes off as something else so I always have at least one first reader or editor. Do you ever suffer from writer’s block?

Edward: I’ve never had writers block.  Give me a topic and I’ll write you a flash fiction right now.

Morgen: I’m the same and am just finishing Story a Day May today and will have written 31 stories in 31 days. The majority are flash fiction and the prompts were much harder than last year but it’s spurred me on to keep going with a new 5PM Fiction slot on this blog. Do you plot your stories or do you just get an idea and run with it?

Edward: I work very hard in establishing the first chapter.  It puts me on the road toward a finish that I never envisioned, surprising me.  The process of creativity is fascinating.  Characters and events shape my story and lead me on.  I know many writers use software: click to add suspense, click to speed things up, etc. and I like to think I can tell one when I read it.

Morgen: I’ve not heard of that. My goodness, I’m not sure I’d like that. The fun of writing is the writing. You’ve just mentioned characters, do you have a method for creating yours, their names and what do you think makes them believable?

Edward: My characters are always unsure of themselves, even my firefighter captain who is caught out of his element more than a few times.  When in uniform he’s a lion, when out of it he can be sometimes very ordinary, but he reluctantly comes up big.  My boys are the same, basically unassuming, but determination, smarts, and grit drive them on through their problems.  They are picked on and sometimes brutalized with no backup, or magic wand, or talking creature to turn to.  They don’t have any kind of special power.  It’s old fashioned I know, but kids have to live in this world and sort through their own lives, usually on their own for better or worse.

Morgen: I think it’s a great idea to keep it real. Every story has to be believable, fantasy or otherwise. Do you write any non-fiction or poetry?

Edward: I’m not thrilled with poetry although Haiku is great.  Non-fiction is travel articles.

Morgen: Ah yes. I say I don’t ‘get’ poetry but do like Haiku, and Fibonacci because they’re quite simple but show mine to a poet and they’d probably tear it to shreds. Do you do a lot of editing or do you find that as time goes on your writing is more fully-formed?

Edward: Like Malcolm Gladwell says in TIPPING POINT: he reckons 10,000 hours in a discipline is the point where many begin to achieve success.  I’ve done at least that.  As time goes on I do require less editing.

Morgen: I’d say I spend about 10 hours a day on blog-related issues on my computer each day (far too much, I know, mostly emails) so times that by 14 months and I’m about half-way. It sounds like you’re writing what you know, do you have to do much research?

Edward: Some for my firefighter novels on the Red Mafiya and guns.  After 30 years in the fire service, I reached a confidence and competency in command and control operations and squelching most of my fears.  In one of my upcoming juveniles The Far Bank which is set in my hometown along the Welland Canal, I had to find some measurements on the canal and the size of the boats plying the Great Lakes.

Morgen: That sounds like fun research. I’ve set most of my longer pieces around where I live. It makes it easier to picture places although the internet is a great boon to writers today. What point of view do you find most to your liking: first person or third person?

Edward: I like 1st person for my juveniles and third person ‘close’ for my adult novels.  I like reading one-sided angles as I’d rather not know what the bad guys are plotting until they make their move.

Morgen: Do you have pieces of work that you think will never see light of day?

Edward: I think one fiction piece from many years ago.  It had a storyline of a moon mission and aliens up there caught accidently on a photo and the furore it caused on earth when one astronaut never came back.  There’s been a movie lately on something similar, Apollo 18 I think.

Morgen: There are supposed to only be seven basic plots so I think you can be forgiven for writing something already done. West Side Story was a Romeo & Juliet remake. What’s your favourite / least favourite aspect of your writing life? Has anything surprised you?

Edward: My favorite is writing juvenile / middle grade.  Squeezing my brain has wrung out a lot of old memories, some good, some bad.  Least favorite is not getting even 5% of readers to write a review after offering Old Flames for free back in November.  The emergence and strength of eBooks has surprised me.  I was prepared to continue on, getting rejections, hopeful as ever until the Tundra Books thing I’ve mentioned.  That was the last straw.

Morgen: They say what knocks us down makes us stronger and a successful writer is one who didn’t give up and you being here today proves that you’re not. What advice would you give aspiring writers?

Edward: First and foremost is to write it, get it on paper.  Then secondly, editing.  Join a writers group or form a writers group.  You need honest feedback.  A writers group instils discipline to get something written for the next meeting.  If you play guitar by your lonesome in the basement you may think you’re Eric Clapton (so do friends and relatives), but you’re not.  You’ve got to take it out and work with other musicians to truly be proficient.  Everyone wants to be a writer, but few really put the time into proper editing, and that’s the knock on eBooks.  A bad review might stay online forever.  Self-editing is not that difficult, there’s plenty of advice online about it, including my quick methods.  Don’t ever show your 1st draft to anyone, it’s too raw and crappy, and invites cruel remarks which may damage your ego and encourage you to quit altogether.  A joke I came across with editing meanings:

A secretary got an expensive PEN as a birthday gift from her boss.  She sent her boss a ‘Thank You’ note via SMS. The wife read the text and angrily shows her husband the message:

“Your penis wonderful, I enjoyed using it last night. Thanks.”  Spaces are essential. The devil is in the details.

“Books aren’t written – they’re rewritten. Including your own. It is one of the hardest things to accept, especially after the seventh rewrite hasn’t quite done it.” ― Michael Crichton

Morgen: I love that. I have a couple of edits to go on most of mine then. (And I used to be a secretary, never received a pen as a gift) If you could invite three people from any era to dinner, who would you choose and what would you cook (or hide the takeaway containers)?

Edward: Tarzan because like all of us, “Tarzan no like grammar.”  My grandfather, George, who was a big shot in town: smoked big cigars and drove fancy cars.  During prohibition he was a rum-rummer in the Detroit area which probably developed his mean streak.  I’d serve rum soaked chicken.  Ho-Chi Minh is an overlooked world leader, rarely mentioned when pivotal historical figures are discussed.  My wife and spent last winter in SE Asia and the trip turned out to be a huge cultural and historical trip.  Uncle Ho had the temerity to go up against the mighty U.S. military and he persevered.  What on earth possessed him to think he could do that?  I think Gloria’s apple pie would do for him.  Toss up here: Ferdinand Magellan, Captain Cook, or Sir Francis Drake.  All circumnavigated the globe at a time of myths and fear of the unknown.  I think a spread of Canadian bacon, Shanghai noodles (my recipe), a bowl of Humus or Poi, Kim-Chee, and Tandoori Chicken.

Morgen: Maybe two dinner parties then. You’ve just quoted Michael Crichton but is there a word, phrase or another quote you like?

Edward: “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” – Martin Luther King 1963

In this day and age these people are here but you have to look for them.  Too bad political leaders don’t subscribe to this.

Morgen: Are you involved in anything else writing-related other than actual writing or marketing of your writing?

Edward: My writers group.  They’ve provided me with discipline, honest advice, competent editing, and are a real outlet for creativity and writing humor.  Do we take ourselves seriously?  Yes and no.  Our skins are thick enough to bear a monthly whipping.  Sometimes I do smaller home renos for winter escape money.

Morgen: I run or belong to four groups and they’re great. I can’t imagine quitting them regardless of what happens career-wise. What do you do when you’re not writing? Any hobbies or party tricks?

Edward: I read a lot.  I like to break up my thriller / suspense / mystery reading with a good non-fiction or historical fiction.  I fish for trout and walleye, float my boat down the beautiful North Saskatchewan River.  In the winter, I work out and swim once a week at the local community center.  Since retiring I spent at least a month in warmer climes.  Any books I read I post on Goodreads and another book review site eBook reviews R’us where anyone can also post reviews.

Morgen: I know Goodreads but the other is a new one to me. Are there any writing-related websites and/or books that you find useful?

Edward: I usually pop into Goodreads or Linked-In at their specific eBook / writing / reading areas.

Morgen: LinkedIn is great (and probably where we first met). What do you think the future holds for a writer?

Edward: A brave new world.  More power and control for writers.  Hopefully, we’ll see a few gatekeepers with minimum standards at online sites to, at the very least, sift through poorly-edited manuscripts.  Many, many famous writers had rejections but stuck with submitting because they had no other option.  These days with eBooks, how many rejections will an author tolerate before going online?  This begs the question of where the next famous writers will come from.  The answer is surely, from eBooks.  Agents and publishers will, more and more, peruse eBook sites to discover talent, even though they’ll only get half the rights (hardcopies) and be forced to put more money into marketing new authors, which is becoming less and less these days.  The Chapters Indigo chain in Canada now gives new authors 45 days to sell and cultivate a following–the time period from initially ordering the book, making actual shelf time even less.

Morgen: I still think reviews will be the making of some books – an author can only have so many friends. Where can we find out about you and your work?

Edward: My website www.yatscoffbooks.com I’ve posted short stories there, too.

Morgen: Is there anything else you’d like to mention?

Edward: I have one juvenile eBook Out on a Limb available for .99 cents, a special promotion for a limited time.  I’m trying to get more readers interested in my juvenile stories, hoping they’ll eventually check out the others.  What I can’t understand is so many eBook authors undervaluing their work by continually offering their longer stories for .99 cents.  It brings all books down.  Readers will come to expect all eBooks to be cheap, putting more expensive ones in an unfavorable light.

Morgen: I think a balance is best; .99 for something short but longer works for slightly higher. I don’t agree with some authors charging almost as much for an eBook as a paperback when the manufacturing costs are vastly different. Is there anything you’d like to ask me?

Edward: Your site is so full, how do you find the time to do all you online?  You can’t be working full-time.  The little bit I do takes plenty of time as it is, but I’m retired from full-time work.  There’s no advertising on your site.  How do you make some coin?

Morgen: I was working part-time but left mid-March and boy, has the time flown. I don’t make a penny (or a cent) out of my blog (and vigorously want to avoid third-party advertising that devalue (in my opinion) some sites) but see it as a marketing tool for me as a ‘brand’ and for my eBooks (when I finally get the novels online!). I enjoy it so I don’t mind. Thank you, Edward. It’s been great speaking with you.

Edward has circled the globe counter-clockwise on the hippie trail, worked as a paperboy, grocery clerk, sales rep, iron worker, framer, painter, mink ranch hand, assembly line rubber plant worker, cherry picker, framer, freelance astronaut (no offers), boilermaker apprentice, various sales jobs, delivery driver, and career firefighter and officer.  Now, he’s retired leaving Edmonton Fire Rescue as a station captain after 32 years. He lives in Beaumont, AB. with his Gloria. He writes, travels extensively, does a bit of fishing and boating, drinks demon rum, manages a writers group, does occasional renos, repairs everything he has that’s wearing down or breaking, and manages to escape winter at least for a month every year.

If you are reading this and you write, in whatever genre, and are thinking “ooh, I’d like to do this” then you can… just email me and I’ll send you the questions. You complete them, I tweak them where appropriate (if necessary to reflect the blog ‘clean and light’ rating) and then they get posted. When that’s done, I email you with the link so you can share it with your corner of the literary world. And if you have a writing-related blog / podcast and would like to interview me… let me know.

You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything… and follow me on Twitter where each new posting is automatically announced. You can also read / download my eBooks and free eShorts at Smashwords, Sony Reader Store, Barnes & Noble, iTunes Bookstore, Kobo and Amazon, with more to follow. I have a new forum and you can follow me on Twitter, friend me on Facebook, like me on Facebook, connect with me on LinkedIn, find me on Tumblr, complete my website’s Contact me page or plain and simple, email me.  I also now have a new blog creation service especially for, but not limited to, writers.

Unfortunately, as I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t review books but I have a feature called ‘Short Story Saturdays’ where I review stories of up to 2,500 words. Alternatively if you have a short story or self-contained novel extract / short chapter (ideally up to 1000 words) that you’d like critiqued and don’t mind me reading it / talking about and critiquing it (I send you the transcription afterwards so you can use the comments or ignore them)  on my ‘Bailey’s Writing Tips’ podcast, then do email me. They are weekly episodes, usually released Monday mornings UK time, interweaving the recordings between the red pen sessions with the hints & tips episodes. I am now also looking for flash fiction (<1000 words) for Flash Fiction Fridays and poetry for Post-weekend Poetry.

 

Author Spotlight no.89 – Fran Metzman

Complementing my daily blog interviews, today’s Author Spotlight, the eighty-ninth, is of short story author Fran Metzman.

Fran Metzman, author, had a short story collection published, February 1, 2012 (Wilderness House Press) and was nominated for a Dzanc Books award, “Best of the Web” 2009. In addition to invitations to speak on panels of various writing conferences (such as; Philadelphia Stories and Marymount Manhattan College), she has given workshops at various universities such as Temple University, Bryn Mawr College, Penn State, and many others. Also, she presently teaches creative writing/memoir workshops at Temple University’s Adult School. At Rosemont College, she taught publishing skills to grad students. As a fiction editor for two literary journals, Schuylkill Valley Journal and The Wild River Review, she selects and edits the submissions. In addition, she writes articles for http://wildriverreview.com/metzman entitled, “The Age of Reasonable Doubt” which deals with mature dating/relationships and aspects of society that influences all relationships (sometimes tongue in cheek).  

And now from the author herself – I asked her what inspires her, what she likes to read, how food influences her writing and what advice could she give aspiring authors…

I’m inspired to write because I want to make sense of the chaos I find in the world. What makes people behave the way they do? I have always been fascinated with the motivation behind behavior — especially with actions that go to the edge. Writing, for me, is also a way to heal old wounds — sometimes present ones. Most often I do it with fiction which helps me distance myself if I’m extracting a tad from real events or from a trauma I’ve experienced. I can take a nugget of reality and fictionalize it. Some of these tidbits from the real world can instigate an entire story and it can come from someone else’s experiences as well. To be a fiction writer one has to listen carefully to the undercurrents of what people say. It is just as important to observe the behavior as well as listening to the words. It is hard for a person to be objective about one’s own inner world. I happen to think that is how most writers invent stories even if they say they are totally disconnected from the story.

Favorite authors and books – here’s just a smattering of novels: All of Alice Munro, Joyce Carol Oates, I’ll Take You There, Jonathan Franzen, Freedom, Anne Tyler, Saint Maybe, Alice Hoffman, The Ice Queen, Jane Smiley, A Thousand Acres, and books of that order. I love literary works as well as high quality commercial. I look for psychological drama as well as insights about life. I want to know how the protagonist got through hurdles and obstacles to remain standing tall at the end. What did they learn about themselves that could help me in my life?

There are nuggets of reality that are then totally fictionalized. This helps lessen the ache of a painful piece of memory. In the end, what I write is totally fiction. It doesn’t even have to be from my bank of experiences. It could have happened to a friend or acquaintance or even a total stranger. But it has to be something that resonates with me. For instance, one of the stories is about a woman who lived in an attic, spying on her ex-husband and his new wife who was the cause of the divorce. I never lived in an attic nor was divorced. The story emanated from a friend who had been stalked in a unique way by her ex-boyfriend. I found it so fascinating that it inspired an entire story — of course with many, many edits.

Having food intersect life is something that I experienced. My mother was a truly fabulous cook, but not eating every morsel could incite her to anger or bring her to tears. I had to eat everything on my plate. Once I sat for hours because I didn’t want to eat something she cooked. Dieting in my house was a no-no big time. That was the nugget that developed into a story, Getting Closer. Of course, none of the actions in the story happened in real life. But that is how a seed of a story might be born and raised and become a fiction.

The advice I’d give to emerging writers is work on fictional structure. It is vital you have a working knowledge of how fiction is made seamless when read. Read how-to books, take workshops and then write until you drop. After you have that under your belt you can experiment all you want. My impression is that it is 30% talent and 70% work. Once the work is created than you must edit endlessly. It’s in the editing that the story takes on a life of its own. All the while, observe, listen to conversations, watch body language and the way people look and talk. Rent or go to movies, and theater (dramas in particular). Listen to the dialogue and the interaction between people.

I’m hoping to get my trilogy published so I do appreciate your advice.

Getting published is difficult. I suggest a new author learn the short story form for within that realm you must make every word count. Then, once you feel you have learned that form adequately and have gone over and over the story with a fine tooth comb send it out to journals that are interested in your genre. For instance, if you write mystery, sci-fi, literary, psychological, commercial, romance or any other genre, make sure you send your work to a journal that is seeking your style. Don’t get too uptight about rejections. It’s part of the process, so keep sending and writing. Write as much as you possibly can for that keeps up a level of creativity. When I don’t write for a period of time I find it hard to get back. Block out the time whether it’s every day, 3 times a week or even once a week. Keep up a pattern and make it as often as possible. It also keeps the connections to your unconscious open.

Thank you, Fran. You can find Fran’s site at http://FranMetzman.com. And some of the reviews of her writing:

Fran Metzman’s short stories are a feast, dig in and devour them quickly. Story after story, they will tease your palate, fill you with emotion, and keep you longing for more. Each character comes alive. This is a beautifully written book. — Gloria Mindock, Cervena Barva Press

In Fran Metzman’s collection THE HUNGRY HEART we meet mothers and daughters, lovers, career women, wives and husbands, and feel that we know them all. – Joy E. Stocke, founder & editor-in-chief of Wild River Review and author of a memoir, Anatolian Days & Nights

“THE HUNGRY HEART” is an apt and striking title because it reveals what centers this short story collection – the need for the heart to find sustenance and the gathering at a meal, which is so often the intersection of our lives. Metzman is a deft storyteller who gets into her characters to reveal them and tell us something about the world we live in. — Peter Krok, author of Looking for an Eye

Wilderness House Press: available Amazon.com, B&N and all fine bookstores, or orders can be taken via Fran’s website http://FranMetzman.com.

The blog interviews will return as normal tomorrow with YA author Edward R Yatscoff – the three hundred and eighty-sixth of my blog interviews with novelists, poets, short story authors, biographers, agents, publishers and more. A list of interviewees (blogged and scheduled) can be found here. If you like what you read, please do go and investigate further. And I enjoy hearing from readers of my blog; do either leave a comment on the relevant interview (the interviewees love to hear from you too!) and / or email me.

You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything… and follow me on Twitter where each new posting is automatically announced. You can also read / download my eBooks and free eShorts at Smashwords, Sony Reader Store, Barnes & Noble, iTunes Bookstore, Kobo and Amazon, with more to follow. I have a new forum and you can follow me on Twitter, friend me on Facebook, like me on Facebook, connect with me on LinkedIn, find me on Tumblr, complete my website’s Contact me page or plain and simple, email me.  I also now have a new blog creation service especially for, but not limited to, writers.

Unfortunately, as I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t review books but I have a feature called ‘Short Story Saturdays’ where I review stories of up to 2,500 words. Alternatively if you have a short story or self-contained novel extract / short chapter (ideally up to 1000 words) that you’d like critiqued and don’t mind me reading it / talking about and critiquing it (I send you the transcription afterwards so you can use the comments or ignore them)  on my ‘Bailey’s Writing Tips’ podcast, then do email me. They are weekly episodes, usually released Monday mornings UK time, interweaving the recordings between the red pen sessions with the hints & tips episodes. I am now also looking for flash fiction (<1000 words) for Flash Fiction Fridays and poetry for Post-weekend Poetry.

 

Story A Day May 2012: May 30th – Sabbatical from the Rat Race

Late April 2011 I discovered http://StoryADay.org and the project that is to write 31 stories in 31 days. Anyone who knows me or follows this blog, knows how passionate I am about short stories so my clichéd eyes lit up at this new marvel. And just a few days later there I was, breathing life into new characters. This went on to become (with some editing of course) my 31-story collection eBook Story A Day May 2011.

And here we are a year later doing it all over again. Today’s prompt was to write the climax of a story (eek). Story a Day website quotes Candace Kearns Read ”The climax is the action the protagonist chooses to take after facing the moment of crisis, where he or she is pushed to the edge with no way out.” (and yes, I’ve taken that very literally). So here is my 631-worder…

Sabbatical from the Rat Race

As Sandy plodded up the hill, she debated what would be over the summit in a ‘loves me, loves me not’ fashion. “Houses, nothing, houses, nothing.” She wanted houses but all the hills so far had produced just luscious green valleys, a welcoming sight in any other circumstance but a week of just green had made it lose its appeal. A week of no company since she’d had to leave Adrian behind. It hadn’t been her idea. For all she knew they were the only two humans left but they’d both known he’d not last another night so she’d left him with the gun and the solitary bullet. She knew the shot was coming but even so, hearing it had been the worst moment in her life. That and the disease that had spread the planet almost instantly. She’d seen the films ‘I Am Legend’, ‘The Road’, ‘Contagion’ so knew it was possible but of course would never happen in real life. Only it had. And she’d been one of the few, like Will Smith, who’d been immune to whatever it was. ‘The few’, she laughed. Her.

It had been her idea to move to the country, those weeks before, to live a life of solitude, to finish the novel that had been taunting her, Adrian to take a sabbatical from the rat race, just a radio for company, and to live hundreds of miles from a living soul. Or not living as the case may be.

Her rucksack was getting heavier every step and sometimes she’d drag it behind her but the material had thinned, the contents threatening to escape. The water and snacks she knew would only last a couple more days and after that she had no plan. She’d never been a planner and this she reasoned was why she’d struggled with her novel until they’d moved there, and the words flowed like the waterfall they’d discovered on their first walk through the woods surrounding their cabin. The waterfall that had filled the bottles they’d carried with them until it had made Adrian sick.

Just a few more feet and she’d know. She stopped, stood upright and listened. Hoping for life, human or otherwise. Put in extreme circumstances and a person will do anything, kill anything… or anyone if it meant life or death. But she heard nothing so carried on walking to the brow of the hill, expecting to see nothing but land, so wanted to scream when she saw a house. Just one but one was enough. If it was empty it would be shelter. If it was occupied she’d take her chance that they were friendly, equally pleased to see her as her them.

She wanted to run down the hill, arms flailing, but common sense and the past few days had taught her caution. She waited, watched for signs of life. Apart from smoke from the chimney there was nothing. No vehicle, no animals, no birds. Much as she wanted to get to the house as quickly as she could, she sat down to think. She’d been anticipating human life over every hilltop but now there could be some, she wasn’t sure what she should do, so sat thinking scenarios; the best that could happen, the worst.

When she’d worked out all the options, she stood and started walking, slowly, ready to drop to the ground at any sign of movement, her dark clothes camouflaging her enough to buy her some time.

As she reached the bottom of the hill and on to flat land she suddenly felt exposed, with no trees to hide behind, no shelter of any kind, she started walking quicker, until she stumbled on an obstinate stone. Distracted, she looked up at the house just as the door opened.

Continued tomorrow? We shall see what the prompt brings.

You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything… and follow me on Twitter where each new posting is automatically announced. You can also read / download my eBooks and free eShorts at Smashwords, Sony Reader Store, Barnes & Noble, iTunes Bookstore, Kobo and Amazon, with more to follow. I have a new forum and you can follow me on Twitter, friend me on Facebook, like me on Facebook, connect with me on LinkedIn, find me on Tumblr, complete my website’s Contact me page or plain and simple, email me.  I also now have a new blog creation service especially for, but not limited to, writers.

Unfortunately, as I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t review books but I have a feature called ‘Short Story Saturdays’ where I review stories of up to 2,500 words. Alternatively if you have a short story or self-contained novel extract / short chapter (ideally up to 1000 words) that you’d like critiqued and don’t mind me reading it / talking about and critiquing it (I send you the transcription afterwards so you can use the comments or ignore them)  on my ‘Bailey’s Writing Tips’ podcast, then do email me. They are weekly episodes, usually released Monday mornings UK time, interweaving the recordings between the red pen sessions with the hints & tips episodes. I am now also looking for flash fiction (<1000 words) for Flash Fiction Fridays and poetry for Post-weekend Poetry.

 

Author interview no.385 with writer Randy Dutton

Welcome to the three hundred and eighty-fifth of my blog interviews with novelists, poets, short story authors, biographers, agents, publishers and more. Today’s is with ecopolitical thriller author Randy Dutton. A list of interviewees (blogged and scheduled) can be found here. If you like what you read, please do go and investigate further.

Morgen: Hello, Randy. Please tell us something about yourself, where you’re based, and how you came to be a writer.

Randy:  My name is Randy Dutton, and I work and live with my journalist wife on our large timbered acreage on the edge of the Olympic Peninsula rainforest, Washington State, US. I’m a retired Navy Supply Corps Commander with a reputation of challenging the status quo and bureaucracy – this is reflected in my writing. I’m a skeptic and contrarian. My inclination to look at situations differently than those around me has helped and hindered my widely varied careers. Because I view most issues with a fiscal and common sense lens, I often dig beneath the surface for root causes. I’ve saved a military command from bankruptcy and a helped a Naval Shipyard to its first ever annual profit. I’ve also stirred up hornet nests by challenging OSHA’s cosy relationship with the chemical industry, coveted but wasteful military projects, and police corruption. I’ve worked in city government, within a corporation, as an entrepreneur, an inventor, a company owner, and a timber owner.

Morgen: Your life sounds ideally suited to being a writer and I described you in the introduction as an ‘ecopolitical thriller author’ – could you explain that please.

Randy: It’s a genre I combined from my skepticism of government motivation and my passion for science. I also enjoy science fiction where the science is plausible; mysteries with intricate plots and clever technique; historical fiction which makes me feel I witnessing something real; and am a softie for incorporating light romance.

Morgen: What have you had published to-date? Do you write under a pseudonym?

Randy: My first book is The Carbon Trap, part of The Carbon Series. It was released January 2012. My second in the series is The Carbon Cross, and is due out June 2012. It’s nearly complete. Parts of book 3 and 4 are sketched out. Randy is a nickname for my middle name, one I’ve been using all my life, but I’m stuck with what my parents bequeathed me.

Morgen: Have you had any rejections? If so, how do you deal with them?

Randy: No. I started off self-publishing because I felt it was in my best interest to establish myself. Once my series is complete I may seek out an agent and book publisher.

Morgen: Or maybe if you do well, they’ll seek you out. Have you won or been shortlisted in any competitions?

Randy: I haven’t submitted to any competitions yet. But next year…watch out!

Morgen: Do let me know how you get on. You mentioned that you may seek out an agent, do you think they’re vital to an author’s success?

Randy: I don’t think they’re vital. Still, I believe The Carbon Series would make for an excellent movie because it deals with something never before attempted, the radical changing of Earth’s CO2 levels by mankind to ecological starvation levels.

Morgen: You’ve self-published, is your book available as an eBook? How involved were you in that process? Do you read eBooks or is it paper all the way?

Randy: Yes. My book is available through Amazon, B&N, and Smashwords, and my printed book is now available from Amazon and Smashwords. I did the process entirely by myself. Most of the books I read are in print, but nearly all the research and news I get is electronic.

Morgen: Me too. Isn’t the internet wonderful. How much of the marketing do you do for your published works or indeed for yourself as a ‘brand’?

Randy: I spend about 2-3 hours a day marketing, and another 2-3 hours on continued research.

Morgen: Wow, that’s dedication. You’re underway with your second book, do you have a favourite of your books or characters? And you mentioned a movie, if any of your books were made into films, who would you have as the leading actors?

Randy: I absolutely have a female character who I favor, but I can’t say I’ve been that kind to her. I don’t like stereotypes. Anna Picard is her name and I started her off as an extremely competent antagonist, who develops a moral crisis, and slowly evolves, with the love of a redeemer, into a remorseful but hopeful protagonist. This is not an easy transition and her psychological profile might cause many to worry about whether she’ll survive the book series. I’ve struggled to not cave in to make life easy for her. Good actresses to portray her would be Katrina Bowden or Maggie Lawson – someone with comedy experience. If it were made ten years from now Amanda Bynes would be a good choice.

Morgen: Being too easy on a character can often make for a dull story – even the nicest characters have to have flaws and dilemmas or we’d have no plot. Did you have any say in the titles / covers of your books? How important do you think they are?

Randy: I came up with the title and the cover design concept. Both of my sons want to be computer game designers, one put the first cover together, the other did the second.

Morgen: We have the first cover here and it’s simple but effective, I’d say. What are you working on at the moment / next?

Randy: I’m finishing up The Carbon Cross, Book 2 of The Carbon Series. Next will be Book 3, The Carbon Crash.

Morgen: Do you manage to write every day? Do you ever suffer from writer’s block?

Randy: Yes. I spend about 10 hours on the computer about 6 days per week. I have no problem writing, but sometimes when I get stuck on a plot point, I’ll jump past and work on some editing until an issue resolves itself.

Morgen: That a good idea and I’m pretty much the same. Invariably when I go back to something it’s easier to sort it out. Do you plot your stories or do you just get an idea and run with it?

Randy: I roughly plot it out then start filling in plot points. But as ideas come up, I’m happy to redirect the plotline somewhat.

Morgen: As the characters invariably take over. Do you have a method for creating your characters, their names and what do you think makes them believable?

Randy: I get a feeling of the mood I want each character, and fill in details that are believable. I add complexity that isn’t critical to the plot. With the second protagonist (the redeemer) in The Carbon Trap, I added burdens to what some might initially think is a stereotype: good looking college quarterback, Iraqi war veteran, Ph.D.  It wasn’t important to the plot but I made him an above the knee amputee to humanized him and created internal conflict. But to ensure mobility I gave him an advanced prosthetic (osseointegration prosthesis) that isn’t even approved by the FDA yet. I’m fairly sure this is the first time this advanced procedure has been used in fiction. I feel my fiction can be used to advance strong held beliefs. As a Lifetime Member of the Disabled American Veterans myself, I’m advocating the VA seriously consider authorizing this procedure that currently only is done in Germany and Australia.

Morgen: They’re strong countries to follow. Do you write any non-fiction, poetry or short stories?

Randy: Not yet but give me a year and I’ll probably have a couple short stories.

Morgen: I mainly write short stories and love them. Do you do a lot of editing or do you find that as time goes on your writing is more fully-formed?

Randy: The need to do editing reduces as my writing progresses. But I’m always tweaking dialog, timing, and minor details.

Morgen: You said earlier that you do 2-3 hours research a day, that sounds like hard work.

Randy: My books are tech-heavy because I want them to be as believable as possible. As a former candidate for the Washington State Legislature I had a very technological platform for solving fiscal problems to the point that my opponent told the press, “if they wanted facts and details, ask Randy.” She still won because the press wasn’t really interested in reporting facts, just in maintaining the status quo.

Morgen: What point of view do you find most to your liking?

Randy: I mix first and third person. I’m dialog heavy.

Morgen: Dialogue does up the pace and I have to say I prefer it to description (unlike the poets in my writing group). I glaze over if there’s a chunk of description. Do you have pieces of work that you think will never see light of day?

Randy: Yes. In writing my first book I came up with ideas for at least ten more books. I’ll never have the time I need to complete those, and the ones that spin off later.

Morgen: Maybe you could do a James Patterson and have co-authors. What’s your favourite / least favourite aspect of your writing life? Has anything surprised you?

Randy: My life is fantastic because my wife, a professional science journalist, and I work from our large office in a custom built house. It’s in the middle of 124 timbered acres.

Morgen: Wow.

Randy: The downside is I get caught up in writing and don’t get outside as much as I want or need.

Morgen: I know that feeling, although mine’s more writing-related than writing. What advice would you give aspiring writers?

Randy: Write about what you know. Write from passion.

Morgen: Passion’s my middle name. If you could invite three people from any era to dinner, who would you choose and what would you cook (or hide the takeaway containers)?

Randy: Samantha Brown (she’d ensure nobody got too serious), Steven Pressfield, and Michael Crichton. Everyone loves Italian.

Morgen: I do. Is there a word, phrase or quote you like?

Randy: “If not now, When? If I am not for myself, then who will be for me? And if I am only for myself, then what am I? And if not now, When?”

I’ve got two favorite words, the first, ‘precipitevolissimevolmente’, which is the longest non-technical word in Italian and is an Italian tongue twister. Ironically it means “hurry up.” I learned it from my Italian language instructor when I was stationed in Naples, Italy, and I could easily say it whilst my Italian staff could not. The other is “Integriful” It’s a word I made up long ago. It means a person with integrity.

Morgen: I like it. Are you involved in anything else writing-related other than actual writing or marketing of your writing?

Randy: I am politically active, helping candidates for local office and one for Congress. I’m also a frequent contributor to the local county newspaper. The managing editor called me his first source for a conservative perspective in the county.

Morgen: What do you do when you’re not writing?

Randy: With 124 acres I’m frequently fixing things, cutting something down, tracking our few head of cattle, and apologizing to my neighbour if the cattle don’t respect the fence.

Morgen: As they’re bound not to do. Are there any writing-related websites and/or books that you find useful?

Randy: I frequent LinkedIn discussion groups.

Morgen: Which is probably how we met. Are you on any forums or networking sites? If so, how valuable do you find them?

Randy: I follow several forums on LinkedIn, and I’m forever having articles sent to me.

Morgen: What do you think the future holds for a writer?

Randy: Competition is getting tougher as real unemployment and the ranks of retirees increase. Many writers have given up trying to find a salaried job.

Morgen: I’ve given up mine and it surprisingly hard finding a replacement – I quit October 1st and left mid-March! And I was only a secretary. Crazy. Where can we find out about you and your work?

Randy: Come to our website www.rainforestpress.com; I also have a blog on Smashwords.com.

Morgen: Is there anything else you’d like to mention?

Randy: Be a sceptic and never trust the media. Do your own research, grit your teeth and move forward with what your gut instinct tells you.

Morgen: And it’s usually right. Is there anything you’d like to ask me?

Randy: Know any good movie agents, preferably one who likes Michael Crichton type plots?

Morgen: Unfortunately I don’t but the Writers Market (or in the UK the Writers’ & Artists’ Yearbook / Writers’ Handbook) should list some. Preditors and Editors is also a good place (http://pred-ed.com). Thank you, Randy, and good luck.

I then invited Randy to include an excerpt of his writing…

Breathing hard, Anna rounded the corner of the narrow pathway, two large Rottweilers close on her heels. Her running shoes made a rapid soft padding sound on the stony concrete as she went full out, her sun-streaked blonde ponytail bouncing wildly with each long stride. She sprinted, the crashing surf just 30 meters below the lethal cliff edge to her left, the ancient Cap Ferrat Cemetery wall on her right. Just another 400 meters to the gate. Can I make it in time?

Less than a minute later, she rounded the hard right turn into the gate and stopped abruptly, then quickly side-stepped to her right. She clicked her stopwatch. Perses and Styx dashed in immediately past her. “34:08. Good run guys!” she exclaimed, panting for breath. “But next time let’s beat 10 klicks in under 34 minutes, okay? You guys just don’t drive me hard enough,” she chided them affectionately as they continued trotting towards their water bowls. A clang came from the gate as she swung it close. An additional click sounded from the electronic cipher lock.

Randy Dutton is a retired Navy Supply Corps Commander, an inventor and former vice president of a high-tech packaging company. He has worked as a supervisor at the Port of Long Beach and owned Creative Solutions, a management consulting company. In 2008, Randy ran for the Washington State Legislature in an effort to improve government efficiency, something he was able to do successfully in the military units in which he served.

Working from their large timbered property on the edge of the Olympic Peninsula rainforest, he and his science journalist wife spend much of their time reading and writing about new technology. He has been engaged in the community for the past several years, having served as Scoutmaster for his identical twin sons, now both Eagles, who are serving in the Air National Guard while attending college.

If you are reading this and you write, in whatever genre, and are thinking “ooh, I’d like to do this” then you can… just email me and I’ll send you the questions. You complete them, I tweak them where appropriate (if necessary to reflect the blog ‘clean and light’ rating) and then they get posted. When that’s done, I email you with the link so you can share it with your corner of the literary world. And if you have a writing-related blog / podcast and would like to interview me… let me know.

You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything… and follow me on Twitter where each new posting is automatically announced. You can also read / download my eBooks and free eShorts at Smashwords, Sony Reader Store, Barnes & Noble, iTunes Bookstore, Kobo and Amazon, with more to follow. I have a new forum and you can follow me on Twitter, friend me on Facebook, like me on Facebook, connect with me on LinkedIn, find me on Tumblr, complete my website’s Contact me page or plain and simple, email me.  I also now have a new blog creation service especially for, but not limited to, writers.

Unfortunately, as I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t review books but I have a feature called ‘Short Story Saturdays’ where I review stories of up to 2,500 words. Alternatively if you have a short story or self-contained novel extract / short chapter (ideally up to 1000 words) that you’d like critiqued and don’t mind me reading it / talking about and critiquing it (I send you the transcription afterwards so you can use the comments or ignore them)  on my ‘Bailey’s Writing Tips’ podcast, then do email me. They are weekly episodes, usually released Monday mornings UK time, interweaving the recordings between the red pen sessions with the hints & tips episodes. I am now also looking for flash fiction (<1000 words) for Flash Fiction Fridays and poetry for Post-weekend Poetry.

 

Guest post: Using Poetry to Find Strength and Significance by Angelita Williams

Tonight’s guest blog post, on the topic of poetry, is brought to you by online blogger Angelita Williams.

Sarah Kay and Project VOICE: Using Poetry to Find Strength and Significance

Maybe it sounds trite, but I love poetry. Often poetry is dismissed, even in academia, as simple and sentimental. It seems, for the most part, to be thought of as an outdated and, well, meaningless (as far as practicality is concerned) art form. It’s not too hard to see why people feel this way about poetry really. As the economy continues to struggle, jobs continue to waiver, and college degrees continue to become stepping stones in the pathway to our professions, why would poetry be worth doing in an academic (and, therefore, professional) setting? Maybe it’s not. But, nonetheless, I love poetry. I love writing poetry (when I can) and, more so possibly, I love hearing poetry.

Spoken word poetry has a way of communicating and connecting with people that feels inspiringly organic. It is with this feeling of connectedness that poetry can become a useful tool in education. So, before I completely lose you by talking obscurely about “poetry”, “feelings”, and “connections”, I intend to discuss integrating spoken word poetry into our primary classrooms to both update them with a modern agenda and ignite them with passion and community.

Sarah Kay is the founder and co-runner of Project VOICE, an initiative to bring spoken word poetry into young students’ lives. Sarah Kay, along with her business partner and friend Phil Kaye, created this nonprofit to help promote spoken word poetry in classrooms and workshops around the world as a means for self-expression and community building. VOICE stands for Vocal Outreach Into Creative Expression, and was conceived by Sarah in 2004 as a way for people (particularly youth) to engage in the world around them by using spoken word poetry. The thought is that this form of expression will encourage students to explore their culture, society, and selves at greater depth. Sarah and Phil, while attending college, travel from classroom, to conference, to workshop with Project VOICE promoting spoken word and educating students on how to use this art form to create self-awareness, self-assurance, and community.

In her 2011 TED talk, Sarah Kay performs two of her spoken poems and discusses the way in which spoken word poetry can bring people together and empower people. At a very basic level, Project VOICE and spoken word poetry convince people that their voices and views on the world around them are significant, worthwhile, and valid. This is an important (and particularly revolutionary) realization to make as a teenager or young adult. Often, as youth struggle to understand themselves, their bodies, their community, and the society they live in, they lose sight of their own significance and necessity within these things.

Teenage angst stems from the idea that teenagers are somehow trapped by their youth, made insignificant by their lack of experience in the world. However, as Sarah Kay explains and Project VOICE strives to prove, the youth voice is essential for the running of our society. Spoken word poetry helps students “rediscover wonder” and encourages them to question the things around them. As it has done for many years now, poetry helps to inspire and empower people through words. This strength and power is something that should be utilized and celebrated in schools across the world.

This guest post is contributed by Angelita Williams, who writes on the topics of online courses.  She welcomes your comments via email (angelita.williams7@gmail.com). Thank you, Angelita!

If you would like to write a writing-related guest post for my blog then feel free to email me with an outline of what you would like to write about. If it’s writing-related then it’s highly likely I’d email back and say “yes please”.

The blog interviews return as normal tomorrow morning with ecopolitical thriller author Randy Dutton – the three hundred and eight-fifth of my blog interviews with novelists, poets, short story authors, bloggers, autobiographers and more. A list of interviewees (blogged and scheduled) can be found here. If you like what you read, please do go and investigate further. And I enjoy hearing from readers of my blog; do either leave a comment on the relevant interview (the interviewees love to hear from you too!) and / or email me.

You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything… and follow me on Twitter where each new posting is automatically announced. You can also read / download my eBooks and free eShorts at Smashwords, Sony Reader Store, Barnes & Noble, iTunes Bookstore, Kobo and Amazon, with more to follow. I have a new forum and you can follow me on Twitter, friend me on Facebook, like me on Facebook, connect with me on LinkedIn, find me on Tumblr, complete my website’s Contact me page or plain and simple, email me.  I also now have a new blog creation service especially for, but not limited to, writers.

Unfortunately, as I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t review books but I have a feature called ‘Short Story Saturdays’ where I review stories of up to 2,500 words. Alternatively if you have a short story or self-contained novel extract / short chapter (ideally up to 2,000 words) that you’d like critiqued and don’t mind me reading it / talking about and critiquing it (I send you the transcription afterwards so you can use the comments or ignore them)  on my ‘Bailey’s Writing Tips’ podcast, then do email me. They are weekly episodes, usually released Monday mornings UK time, interweaving the recordings between the red pen sessions with the hints & tips episodes. I am now also looking for flash fiction (<1000 words) for Flash Fiction Fridays and poetry for Post-weekend Poetry.