Interview With Susan Strauss, Runner-Up in the WOW! Spring 2024 Flash Fiction Contest

Tuesday, October 15, 2024
 

I'm so excited to be interviewing Susan Strauss, who joins us again as a runner-up in the WOW! Spring 2024 Flash Fiction Contest. Before we get to our interview, make sure you read her story Guadalupe and the Roses, and then come on back.

First, here's more about Susan:

Susan Strauss is a Portuguese-American author whose culture influences her identity and her writing. She is an English teacher, a coach, and as the world keeps turning upside-down, she writes like crazy. She belongs to groups that cultivate good writing: The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, The Writers Guild of America, and the best writing group this side of Portugal's Douro River.

Susan writes novels, Dear Senhor Hunny, The Queen of the Frostbite Ball, and The Banned Books Club, short stories, flash fiction, feature articles, editorials, plays, and poetry. She also writes picture books, such as Sincerely Yours, Buster, My Dog Speaks Portuguese, and Vava’s Baking Bread Today.

She lives in California with her family and a dog named Buster.

--- Interview by Nicole Pyles

WOW: First off, I LOVED your story. And as someone who has been known to need contests and coupons to make ends meet myself (and praying the whole way through), I can relate to your character whole-heartedly. What inspired this story?

Susan: Thank you for your lovely words, Nicole. I am so grateful for this opportunity to be interviewed as a writer. WOW.

Though I have been known to collect coupons, my inspiration for the story, Guadalupe and the Roses, to write this particular flash fiction came from my need to write stories that matter as well as my fascination with the story of Our Lady of Guadalupe. I first learned about Guadalupe while visiting Mexico City. It was her feast day, and crowds of believers processed by my hotel, some on their knees, many carrying images of Guadalupe and baskets of roses draped with white cloth, the color of her veil. The image has a permanent place in my heart and frequently surfaces in my head. 

Since my main character is focused on her very real need to win a “free” chicken for her family, I turned to Guadalupe, the patron saint of the Americas, to move the plot forward.

My character, who speaks Portuguese, wears pajamas while shopping at various downtown Ralphs Markets in the middle of the night in search of a winning coupon for whole chickens. My hope was to make the woman and situation relatable and offer opportunities for readers to connect.

WOW: You certainly did exactly that. I loved your character so much! I have a gut feeling her and I would be friends. What was your revision process like for this short story?

Susan: My primary revision strategy was to read my story out loud to the mirror, my garden, doggy friend, writing friends, husband, and now to you, Nicole, and everyone involved with WOW’s writing contest. I enjoy writing to a specific word count, another top form of revision that I call “Squeeze In, Squeeze Out.” I am grateful that WOW’s flash fiction contest gave me the opportunity to use limited words to tell a good story.

WOW: I love how you read to whoever you can! I love that your culture influences your writing. And you do it so richly! What advice do you have for writers who want to do the same?

Susan: Muita obrigada! When you write with voice as we all hope to do, it is important to allow words to represent your identity and underlying beliefs. Since being Portuguese is a major part of my identity, one that I cultivate, my culture influences all three: identity, voice, and beliefs.

WOW: So true! How does your work as an English teacher and a coach influence your writing?

Susan: My work as an English and ESL teacher and coach influences my writing because I am fortunate to be a writing teacher who writes my teacher-models of the assignments either before class or side-by-side with my students. It can be humbling but rewarding, especially when a student who does not have a filter tells me exactly how they feel about my writing. 

WOW: I can only imagine! You have an incredible amount of publications under your belt! What inspires you each day?

Susan: My most important inspirations are the people and situations that unfold right in front of me as well as my own life experience. Though I’ve written in various formats, I always focus on my intended audience. To think that right now a community of writers are my audience is mind-blowing yet invigorating as I try to do right by all creatives real and imagined. 

Knowing that publishing is the best motivation for revision, when I push myself to submit my writing, I tell my fears to “Wait out in the hall!” and then surrender to the old saying, “Leap and the net will appear.” It’s all part of being dedicated to constant improvement.

WOW: What a great technique! What are you working on now that you can tell us about?

Susan: I am currently polishing my novel, Dear Senhor Hunny, and expanding on a working outline for another, The Banned Books Club. I’m also working on picture books, such as My Dog Speaks Portuguese and Turn Right at the Red Door.

WOW: I can't wait to see these books published! Thank you for your time and I hope our paths cross again.

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Sleeping with Ghosts by Jen Payne: Blog Tour & Giveaway

Monday, October 14, 2024

Sleeping with Ghosts by Jennifer A. Payne
We're excited to announce the blog tour for Sleeping with Ghosts by Jen Payne. If you appreciate poetry, memoir or the thought that we are all living with our ghosts of memory, let us introduce you to the ghosts on this tour. Join us as we meet author Jen Payne in an interview and enter to win a copy of her latest book Sleeping with Ghosts.

About the Book

“Beautifully crafted and luminous, these poems take the reader on an intimate and unforgettable journey of love found and lost, the joys of creativity, and the power of memory.” — Judith Liebmann, Ph.D., Poet Laureate of Branford, CT
 
“Sleeping with Ghosts is not an ordinary ghost tale. Jen's latest collection of writings is a poignant meditation on a life of love confronted.” — Mary O'Connor, author of Say Yes! to Your Creative Self

Known for her meditations and musings about our outside world, Jen Payne takes readers inside this time…into the heart and mind of a poet, where memories wander, hearts break, and ghosts appear in dreams. Those ghosts — her lovers, soulmates, and muses — reveal themselves slowly, one at a time, chapter by chapter, in this wistfully reflective, time-traveling memoir.

Publisher: Three Chairs Publishing
ISBN-13: 979-8990152311
ASIN: B0DDYSK5XM
Print Length: 182 pages

You can purchase a copy at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, and Etsy. Be sure to add Sleeping with Ghosts to your GoodReads reading list.

About the Author, Jen Payne

Jen Payne is inspired by those life moments that move us most — love and loss, joy and disappointment, milestones and turning points. When she is not exploring our connections with one another, she enjoys contemplating our relationships with nature, creativity, and spirituality. Ultimately, she believes it is the alchemy of those things that helps us find balance in this frenetic, spinning world.

In addition to Sleeping with Ghosts, Jen has published four books: LOOK UP! Musings on the Nature of Mindfulness, Evidence of Flossing: What We Leave Behind, Waiting Out the Storm, and Water Under The Bridge: A Sort-of Love Story. 

Her work has been featured in numerous publications including the international anthology Coffee Poems: Reflections on Life with Coffee, the Guilford Poets Guild 20th Anniversary Anthology, Waking Up to the Earth: Connecticut Poets in a Time of Global Climate Crisis, the 2024 Connecticut Literary Anthology, and The Perch, a publication by the Yale Program for Recovery and Community Health. 

Jen is the owner of Words by Jen, a graphic design and creative services company she started in 1993, based in Connecticut — where she keeps house with a cat named Molly. 

You can find her online at:
 
 
3 Chairs Publishing: https://3chairspublishing.com/

---Interview by Jodi Webb

WOW: Jen, welcome back to WOW! Women on Writing with your fifth book Sleeping with Ghosts. What inspired you to write about past relationships?

Jen: Hi Jodi. Thanks for welcoming me back to WOW! I loved working with all of you for Evidence of Flossing and am happy to be back for Sleeping with Ghosts.

What inspired this new book and its focus on past relationships? Good question. I have always had an acute ability to recall moments in time—I call them “defining moments.” You know, the point in time when something shifts or that you bookmark to remember later? As a writer, those “defining moments” are a pretty fertile source of inspiration for all of my work, most especially when it comes to writing memoir and poetry.

I think it’s called autobiographical memory—like photographic memory, but related to people, conversations, emotions, and interactions. I can easily find and settle down into memories and re- experience them in order to write about them. Sometimes I consciously rummage around to find something interesting, but often, the memories just show up—like ghosts—and ask to be written about.

I’m also a storyteller by nature. I frequently use analogy and story not only to talk about my own experiences, but to say, “I understand yours, too. Let’s talk about it.”

WOW: This book of poetry if so personal. Have you ever found it difficult to write about relationships featured in your poetry?

Jen: Some of these poems were definitely a challenge to write. There’s often sadness or grief knotted up in a memory. So when I untangle it to tell the story, those emotions resurface. But it’s more cathartic than difficult.

Other poems come more easily, welcoming the chance to reconnect with a love story, or remember moments with a dear friend, or find counsel from cherished mentors.

Have you read Brené Brown’s book Rising Strong? It’s one of my most dogeared books. She talks about being brave, showing up, telling our stories. It ends with her “Manifesto of the Brave and Brokenhearted”:

We are the authors of our lives.
We write our own daring endings.

We craft love from heartbreak,
compassion from shame,
grace from disappointment,
courage from failure.

Showing up is our power.
Story is our way home. Truth is our song.
We are the brave and broken hearted.
We are rising strong.

I love that!

I have to tell you…a side story…that the process of revisiting the ghosts in this book was fascinating. I had two amazing editors who read and critiqued every chapter, poem by poem. I spent hours with each of them, reviewing and reconsidering. It gave me the chance to dive deep into those past stories and live with the ghosts again for a while. That was an incredible experience—to be steeped in memory like that—it was visceral. Heartbreaking and beautiful all at once.

The insights and time from these two women were a true gift. The book is enormously more powerful as a result.

WOW: I am in awe of poets because I simply don’t have that lyrical talent. Tell us a little about how a poem is born. Does it come out in a rush of words or do you have to fight to create each line? 

Jen: I know that some poets anguish over poems for weeks and months. To be honest? I don’t have that kind of patience. On the rare occasion when I do anguish, I end up with an over-kneaded poem that’s too tough and lost its original flavor.

I always say the poems “show up,” which is what it really feels like. Something will trigger a memory or offer up the first line…and whoosh…there’s the poem!

Ok, it’s not that quick of a process. I probably spend at least an hour or two on a poem—write, rework, read it out loud a few times, rework some more, repeat. Sometimes I go back later and edit, but not much and not often.

The poem that took the longest to write in Sleeping with Ghosts was probably “Under His Spell.” That took a few days, mostly because it’s a rhyming poem, and I don’t often rhyme. (In general, I resist writing to [poetic] form…though I’ve been challenged recently to give it a try.)

“Dear Jenny,” one of my favorites, took almost no time at all. That one showed up as if I was channeling the ghost himself and just transcribing his words. Like magic!

Poetry always kind of feels like magic to me.

WOW: A magic that is out of reach for so many of us. So tell us, how do you curate a poetry book? Do you select a topic and write poems, do you look at poems you’ve already written and perceive a common thread or is it some combination of the two?

Jen: Would you believe I’ve had the title of this book in my mind for more than 10 years? I even saved the cover art and artist’s name in a file for safekeeping!

The poems span about 20 years of work. The curating of them was fairly straightforward when it came to the ghost chapters—the seven ghosts are seven of those defining moments for me, with plenty of poems written over the years. But there were other poems—like the small pieces of stories you find in the Ephemera chapter, or the ghosts that reappear in Dreamwork—that needed to be included.

My favorite chapter to put together was Muses—these are the women who have shaped and continue to shape my life. It felt important to include them.

Most of the poems were already written, but about a dozen of them are new, written specifically for the book or because of the book. The very last poem I wrote for Ghosts is called “The Poet at Midnight,” which describes, in a sense, what the curating often feels like—a wandering through old memories and the discovery of which ones we hold onto.

WOW: Fascinating! I love the idea that you saved that image, knowing that someday there would be a book to go with it. Let's take a peek at your life beyond poetry.  In addition to a poetry and prose writer, you are also an artist, photographer, graphic designer (let me know if I’ve forgotten anything). Do you have a favorite creative outlet? 

Jen: Writer, artist, photographer, graphic designer, yes. Also blogger and zinester…business owner (Words by Jen) and publisher (Three Chairs Publishing).

I don’t think I see them as individual roles, so much as tools I use for my Creativity. And I don’t have a favorite, really. Sometimes I love poetry—like in April when I write a poem a day for NaPoWriMo (National Poetry Writing Month), and sometimes I’m all about creating the next zine. It’s more like whichever burner is fired up is the one I’m cooking on today—LOL!

I need to create. It’s my raison d'être—who I am and how I move around in this world.

I’m just lucky that I get to participate in the creative process all day long, either for my clients or with my own various ideas and projects.

WOW: What a lovely life to lead. You mentioned being a zinester. Could you tell us a little more about MANIFEST (zine)?

Jen: The zine is like storytelling lite!

I had always dreamed of doing installation art—in my “spare time.” LOL!—like large spaces filled with words and visuals that visitors could walk through and experience. As an alternative, I came up with the idea of doing a zine that could hold the same ideas on a much smaller scale.

I had published another zine back in the early 90s, so I was familiar with the format and the (fabulous) zine community. It just felt like the perfect venue for my essays and poetry, and my other creative pursuits, like collage and photography.

MANIFEST comes out quarterly with a different theme for each issue. It has covered topics like change and transition, solitude, the pandemic, time and time travel—sometimes politics, like gun control and women’s rights. I just mailed issue #15 called Write, about finding inspiration.

WOW: So where are you finding inspiration? What are you working on now? 

Jen: Mostly, right now, I’m working on shepherding Sleeping with Ghosts out into the world. So there’s a lot of publicity work and events to prepare for, including my blog tour with you!

But I also have the next issue of MANIFEST (zine) in process, and I’m trying to decide if I should resurrect an old manuscript or start fresh with a new project of essays and poems. Maybe also a podcast?

I guess we’ll have to wait to find out, right? Folks can follow along on my blog and social media for all of the latest HERE. 

Thank you for your time, Jodi. It’s been great to talk with you!

WOW: And you. I'll let you get back to your being creative and your WOW blog tour with Sleeping with Ghosts.

Sleeping with Ghosts by Jen Payne Blog Tour

---Blog Tour Calendar

October 14th @ The Muffin
Join us as we celebrate the launch of Jen Payne's memoir through verse Sleeping with Ghosts. Read an interview with the author and enter to win a copy of her book.

October 16th @ Create Write Now!
Today Jen Payne writes about the Importance of Retreat.

October 17th @ Words by Webb
Jodi shares her thoughts on Jen Payne's latest book of poetry: Sleeping with Ghosts.

October 19th @ Boys' Mom Reads
Today's spotlight is on poetry and the book Sleeping with Ghosts by Jen Payne.

October 20th @ Chit Chat with Charity
Charity will be reviewing Jen Payne's newest book of poetry: Sleeping with Ghosts and sharing a poem from the book.

October 21st @ Tracey Lampley
Poet Jen Payne shares How One Phone Call in 1996 Led to a Life of Self-Publishing.

October 24th @ The Faerie Review
Ready to dive into something new? Try a book of poetry that captures the ghosts of Jen Payne's past.

October 24th @ Some Thoughts - Everything Creativity
Kaecey will be interviewing Jen Payne about writing and her latest book of poetry Sleeping with Ghosts.

October 26th @ Anthony Avina
Curious about the ghosts in Sleeping with Ghosts? Author Jen Payne writes about them today while Anthony gives his review of her new book.

October 27th @ Chit Chat with Charity
Hear from poet Jen Payne about the Importance of Storytelling. Second chance to win Jen's latest book, Sleeping with Ghosts.

October 27th @ Shoe's Seeds and Stories
Read a review of  Jen Payne's latest book, Sleeping with Ghosts

October 30th @ Beverly Baird
Jen Payne writes about Listening to Your Ghosts and shares one of her poems. Beverly also tells us her thoughts on Jen's new book, Sleeping with Ghosts.

October 31st @ Some Thoughts - Everything Creativity
Kaecey reviews the latest poetry collection by Jen Payne: Sleeping with Ghosts.

November 1st @ Hook of a Book
Stop by for a guest post on How to Read Like a Writer by Jen Payne, author of Sleeping with Ghosts and enjoy one of her poems.

November 2nd @ A Wonderful World of Books
Last giveaway of Jen Payne's Sleeping with Ghosts! Also, learn the story behind the book's amazing artwork.

November 5th @ Choices
Never seem to have enough time to write? Learn a few secrets from poet Jen Payne.

November 8th @ Jill Sheets
Learn more about poet Jen Payne in today's interview.

***** BOOK GIVEAWAY *****

Enter to win a print copy of Sleeping with Ghosts by Jen Payne! Fill out the Rafflecopter form below for a chance to win. The giveaway ends October 27th at 11:59 pm CT. We will randomly draw a winner the next day via Rafflecopter and follow up via email. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Inside the Search for a Literary Agent

Thursday, October 10, 2024

 


Back in May I shared that I was about to begin the querying process for my latest novel. After several rounds of revisions and one professional edit, I moved on to creating my submission package, which included a logline, an author bio, a one page synopsis of the book, a list of comparative titles, and the potential target audience. I created a QueryTracker account, a separate Excel spreadsheet for my own records, and began sending out queries. 


At first, I struggled with the query letter. I spent a lot of time trying to personalize each and every query letter and the result was a rambling version I wasn’t happy with. After the first few agents politely turned me down, I approached my writing accountability group and asked if they would take a look at letter and give me honest feedback. From those suggestions, I had a version I was much happier with and moved on to the next agents on my list. QueryTracker lets you sort agents by book genre. Instead of starting with the agents whose last names began with an "A," I went to the end of the database and have been working my way backwards from "Z."

The process has been slow, but I’ve had surprisingly positive results. Since April, I’ve sent out 25 queries. Twelve agents have not yet responded to my queries. I’ve had eight rejections, and most of them have been a standard form letter. One agent passed but said I was welcome to query other agents at her agency. One personally thanked me and said she had a small client list and wasn’t able to take on any new clients, but she liked my concept and sample and had a feeling another agent was going to request the manuscript. She was right—when I received her message, I had already received two full manuscript requests from other agents. That’s something that’s never happened to me before in the querying process. 

QueryTracker keeps track of all queries you send out through QueryManager, but not the ones you submit by e-mail, which is why I’m keeping a separate spreadsheet for my records. I also noticed Query Tracker marks submissions as “stale” after ninety days, so as of right now, I have three I sent this past spring that are marked out in the system. That doesn’t mean those agents won’t eventually reach out, just that QueryTracker considers them stagnant. 

So now I wait. One agent has had my manuscript since mid-July and the other requested it in the middle of last month. The first agent did tell me to give her a nudge if another agent offered me representation, but that was before she read the book. I’m keeping my fingers crossed and trying not to be impatient. Fortunately, I have freelance work and podcast production to keep me busy. Right now, I’m trying to use the method of sending a new query out immediately after receiving a rejection. In the meantime, I keep telling myself I’m going to outline my next book idea, but it hasn’t happened yet. Wish me luck! 

Renee Roberson is an award-winning writer and host/creator of the true crime podcast, Missing in the Carolinas.
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Interview with Deidre Bennett, Runner Up in the WOW! Spring 2024 Flash Fiction Contest

Tuesday, October 08, 2024


Deidre lives and works in West Virginia where she raises a feral preteen daughter. She has a passion for mental health awareness, Appalachia, and helping her friends and community however she can. She writes fiction for fun in her spare time and shares personal essays on her blog. 

If you haven't read "Broken Chains and Spilt Milk" yet, click here and then come back to see what Deidre has to say about her writing process. 


WOW:  What was the inspiration for this powerful piece of writing? 

Deidre: I wrote the original draft of this story over ten years ago as part of an assignment for a creative writing course. I've made small changes to it over the years, but I shortened it significantly for this contest. The idea is loosely based on things my mom used to tell me about her childhood as the oldest of three sisters, but the events of this story are completely fictional. 

WOW: At the beginning of your story, you reveal the setting to your readers. How do you make the Appalachian Mountains real for people who haven’t experienced the area personally? 

Deidre: It was less about making the story real for the readers and more about sharing Appalachia as I know it. I've had to shovel snow in March (and sometimes later in the year). The truck was based on one my grandfather drove when I was young. The meal Joey prepared is a favorite that I've made myself countless times. The dialogue is based on conversations I've had or overheard. It becomes real for the readers because it is my reality. 

WOW:  What a strong lesson in borrowing from the world around you.  You have so much detail packed into this brief story. How do you decide which details to use and how to get the most impact out of them? 

Deidre: I wish I had an inspired answer. My writing method is a lot like the popular saying about sculpting an elephant: "You just chip away everything that doesn't look like an elephant." Obviously, it's not that simple, but it's hard to explain. 

I tend to "brain dump" and go back after a day or two (or a year or two) and remove pieces that don't fit. This editing process involved finding ways to manipulate language to meet the word count limit without sacrificing the message. I removed inner monologue and trusted that Joey's actions and words would convey her feelings. I tried to picture what Joey would experience through her five senses and wrote it down. 

I'm grateful I found this contest because it made me strengthen a story I've been attached to for years. 

WOW:  On your website, you discuss the fact that you had another site where you wrote as Nadine Frederick. You left it behind to communicate with your readers as yourself on your new site. Can you tell us a bit about that experience and why you decided to do this? How are you now more yourself? 

Deidre:  I initially started a blog to work through personal realizations and share things I was learning to hopefully benefit others. I used a pseudonym because I wasn't ready to share this journey with most people in my personal life. As I made connections and built community through the blog, that fear of being vulnerable in real life started to subside, and I was excited to show off my work. I took a hiatus from writing for a while to deal with life and came back less apologetic and self-conscious. I used to feel that oversharing was my personality flaw, but once I embraced it in writing and life, I made connections and friendships that I wouldn't trade for anything. 

WOW:  What a journey!  It also explains why your writing feels so personal.  It is.  What else are you working on in addition to flash? Where can our readers find your work?  

Deidre: I have been working on a novel in bits and pieces over the last several years, but it's not close to ready for the public eye. I stopped trying to force myself into a particular niche or genre, and I occasionally write articles or essays based on whatever the brain bees decide to buzz about and publish them on my website at www.writelikeme.co. 

WOW:  Thank you for taking the time to share your brain bees and your personal writing journey with us, Deidre.  I know that I hope to see more of your writing in the future!  

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Building Back My Broken Writing Routine

Thursday, October 03, 2024
 

Over the weekend, I started reading Chuck Wendig's Gentle Writing Advice. I don't see books on writing as a cure-all, so to speak, but this one was exactly what I needed to read.

I was reading a section in a chapter called "Self-Care for Writers," and I had a lightbulb moment. Wendig was talking about the importance of self-care. Allowing yourself to take breaks, rewarding yourself for your efforts, and more. However, one particular note spoke to me. He said that if you take off a day or two, it can become a week or two of taking time off from writing, then soon you'll find that "you've self-cared your way into not writing at all, ever." 

Oops.

It turns out that, in the midst of feeling too busy and too overwhelmed for creative writing, I had accidentally "self-cared my way into not writing at all," as Wendig puts it.

When I recognized that, I knew I had to do something about it. Reflecting on my schedule, I asked myself when was a realistic time of day that I would consistently write? 

I decided upon my lunch break.

This week, I've written during my lunch break for at least a half hour. Well, more specifically, I'm working on revising a story. (I ran into another issue lately when I thought, gosh I'm never revising my stories, so why write anything new?) So, knowing that thought crossed my mind, I knew my writing routine would have to include revisions for the time being. 

Building back a broken writing routine isn't easy. It's strengthening a discipline that had weakened and it's motivating yourself in a way that feels like starting at square one. However, if you have found yourself drifting further and further away from your writing goals, it's never too late to start again. I encourage you to identify a spot in your day that has the most possibilities for you to write regularly. 

If I can do it, you can do it.

Nicole Pyles is a writer living in Portland, Oregon. She frequently shares her reflections on her writing blog, World of My Imagination. She's also mastering the art of saying no to projects and assignments when she already has too much on her plate.


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Interview with 2024 Q3 Creative Nonfiction Essay Runner Up, Emily Gates Prucha

Sunday, September 29, 2024

Emily Gates Prucha teaches English and writes about education, active travel, and multicultural family life in the Czech Republic—the land of beer, castles, and Krtek (The Little Mole). Her “Half 'n Half” column ran for more than a decade at The Prague Daily Monitor. Her personal essays have been published on Motherwell, Entropy, The Keepthings, and other international outlets. When she's not teaching or drafting a story, she loves baking chocolate chip cookies and mountain biking with her Czech husband and three teens. Find her online at www.halfnhalf-life.com or @halfnhalfprague on Instagram.

Check out her winning essay "Finding Room to Breathe" here and then return to learn more about her.

---Interview by Jodi M. Webb


WOW: Congratulations on receiving two awards: runner-up award for “Finding Room to Breathe” and an honorable mention for “What birthing a dead calf taught me about life”. Can you explain how two entries so different came from the same writer?

Emily: Most of my Creative Nonfiction writing has been in the form of vignettes about my Czech American family and my experience as an American raising multilingual children in a village outside Prague, Czech Republic, my husband's native country and my adopted homeland. Both of the pieces I submitted to the WOW contest were drafted in the same online flash fiction course during Covid. While I am more comfortable writing vignettes in the vein of "What birthing a dead calf taught me about life," during Covid I found myself with more personal, reflective time, and I tried to stretch my creative writing beyond my comfort zones. I am currently in my mid-forties living in a house full of older teens, and there is no better time to be honest with myself on the page. 

WOW:  So tell us how these pieces made it from online course assignments to the WOW Creative Nonfiction Essay contest?

Emily: I entered the WOW Creative Nonfiction Essay contest because I wanted to see if a story I had written about a significant life moment with my father could resonate with a larger audience. I had worked hard on the story, "What birthing a dead calf taught me about life," and incorporated feedback from my writing group, so I thought it was time to be bold and submit. When I realized the contest permitted multiple entries, I entered "Finding Room to Breathe," on a whim at the last minute.

WOW: Just goes to show that we should follow our whims more often! You have been writing since your children were babies and they are now teenagers (eek!). How have you seen your writing evolve over the years?

Emily: When my children were younger, I wrote a weekly online column called "Half 'n Half" that related our family's (mis)adventures adapting to life in the Czech Republic from my perspective as an American married to a Czech. I mainly wrote about how I experienced life in the Czech Republic by observing my children as I raised them in Czech culture - what was similar to my own upbringing / what was different. 

Now that my children are older teens, I feel more compelled to write about my own inner life and the changes I have experienced after living so long outside my birth country. Hot themes for me at the moment are identity and belonging - as a mother, as a woman, as a wife, as an American in the Czech Republic, as a new Czech citizen (after 20 years I finally applied for an earned dual citizenship), as a human in our ever-changing global world. 

WOW: In “Finding Room to Breathe” you describe how your family supports you as you struggle with personal challenges. How do they support you professionally? 

Emily: Well, right now, I am visiting my parents in the US. Tonight, we are hosting a grilling party, and while my children and husband are prepping for my brother's family to arrive, I'm holed up in my mom's office. No one has bothered me. No one has come to ask where the silverware is or which placemats to use. They appreciate that I have a limited time to use for my writing, and my daughter literally pushed me into the study after I lamented that I really needed to respond to your interview questions before our early morning road trip departure tomorrow morning. 

For many years, I kept my writing very private - it was a hobby that I didn't allow to interfere with my duties as a mother, teacher, or wife. I wrote during nap time or late at night. Now, I am bringing my writing more into focus. And my family has responded positively.

I am also fortunate to have two writer friends in Prague who have read my work for years. Without them, I would not have had the courage to submit to contests or literary magazines. I am still working on developing my literary citizenship, but I have also had wonderful (albeit shorter term) connections with editors, writing coaches, and writers from online courses. And yes, family/friend support definitely makes us better writers!

WOW: I love the idea of each of us developing a literary citizenship. So tell us, in between grilling, family visits and making literary connections, what are you working on now?

Emily: I am currently working on a memoir about finding a home without a zip code . Visiting the US and listening to family stories is the best form of research. :) 

WOW: I agree! And I imagine it's delicious too. Enjoy your grilling party and we're looking forward to reading more of your work.
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Banned Book Week 2024: Freed Between the Lines

Thursday, September 26, 2024

 

September 22 to September 28 is Banned Book Week. Despite my own recent experiences with the challenge against my own book, there is some good news. 


In the last week, Publisher’s Weekly reported that between January 1 and August 31, 2024, the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom tracked 414 challenges. Because so many challenges involve many books, the total number of challenged titles was 1,128. How is this good? 


For the same period in 2023 the numbers were 695 cases and 1,915 titles. These numbers look pretty good when you realize that the 2023 total (1,247 cases and 4,240 titles) represented a 65% increase over the 2022 numbers. Trending down is huge! 


But why are the numbers dropping? PW listed a number of factors, and I went in search of information. The magazine's number one reason was the fact that successful lawsuits have overturned bans. For example, earlier this month, Nassau County Florida schools returned 36 books to their libraries. Parents, students, and authors brought the federal suit against the district because there had been no public review – a part of the district’s stated review policy. As part of the suit, school officials admitted that one of the books, “And Tango Makes Three,” a picture book about a penguin family at New York’s Central Park Zoo, contains no obscene material and is suitable for students. Obscenity is one of the buzz words used in many book challenges. 


Another reason for the drop is that teachers and librarians are fighting the bans. This means educating themselves not only on book selection but on how to explain book selection to non-librarians. They are also educating themselves on students’ rights. This includes the US Supreme Court’s Pico Case. This ruling calls school libraries a space for ‘voluntary inquiry’ in which students have a right to read. Materials cannot be prohibited based on viewpoint or doctrine. 


Another factor mentioned by PW is the work of advocacy groups which is an excellent segue into the news, or lack thereof, in my own challenge. For those of you who don’t remember, my book Black Lives Matter with Duchess Harris, is part of a 30-book challenge in Lehighton, Pennsylvania. So what about my challenge? As is the case with so many things that have to do with books and publishing, it is all moving very slowly. The only news that I’ve had since the initial challenge is an email from Gianmarco Antosca with the National Coalition Against Censorship to tell me that they are reaching out to those who are against the challenge to offer support and guidance. It is wonderful to know that someone big is paying attention. 


It feels like you are alone when your book is challenged. But you aren’t. And as bad as the numbers still look, things are getting better. 


--SueBE

Sue Bradford Edwards' is the author of over 55 books for young readers.  
  • To find out more about her writing, visit her site and blog, One Writer's Journey.  
  • Click here to find her newsletter.

She is also the instructor for 3 WOW classes which begin again on October 7, 2024. She teaches:
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Interview With Claudine Wolk, Co-Instructor for Sit & Write: Begin

Wednesday, September 25, 2024
 
Sit & Write: Begin video course by Claudine Wolk and Kate Brenton

If you are looking for a course to get you back into the groove of writing, look no further than Claudine Wolk and Kate Brenton's Sit & Write: Begin. In this six-module online course, you'll receive much-needed inspiration and guidance on building confidence and sparking creativity and other resources for your author journey. Best of all, it's at an affordable price of only $97. Make sure you check it out then come on back for our interview with Claudine Wolk, one of the co-instructors you'll find in the course.

-- Interview by Nicole Pyles

WOW: Congratulations on the launch of your Sit & Write: Begin course. Tell me about the instructors! Share more about your and Kate's background.

Claudine: I am an author, book marketer, podcaster, and essayist who loves to share book marketing and publishing strategy with authors. My philosophy is to make book promotion as simple to understand as possible so that authors are actually excited to do it and make it work for them to sell their books.  Find me at ClaudineWolk.com.

Kate is an author, teacher and speaker who empowers others to bring their brilliance into the world and onto the page. She believes in the transformative alchemy of writing and helps others see the value (and narrative arc) of their stories. Find Kate at KateBrenton.com.

WOW: You both have such a unique background that you bring to your students. What led you to create this class?

Claudine: Thanks so much.  Kate and I were invited to bring our approach to local & live presentations, which we called “Writers Helping Writers.”  The responses were immediate. The information was so helpful and motivational to our attendees that we were compelled to reach as many authors as we possibly could to share the secrets we had learned. We took our longer, three month deep-dive course (Sit & Write) and pulled out the top level, get-you-going gems to make a video, mini-cohort that participants could take and digest in their own time and at their own pace. Viola, Sit & Write: Begin! 

WOW: How awesome! I love how it evolved. What can people expect from taking this class?

Claudine: The class combines writing and book marketing instruction so that every author will come away with a clear vision for their book, combined with crucial, fundamental knowledge of book marketing. This is the game-changer for when authors are ready to write and publish their book. After taking the course, writers are excellently positioned to complete, publish and sell their books.  We take the “scary” out of writing and book marketing. 

WOW: I'm so glad you do that. There's so much to learn about the book writing and publishing process. Who is this class right for?

Claudine: Anyone who is ready to embark on the journey of writing a book and becoming a published author. 

WOW: Sounds like our readers! What will people leave with after taking this course?

Claudine: A clear vision and plan for their book and the breath of what is possible to market and sell it.  

WOW: I love that. At what stage in someone's writing life (or career, if you will) should they be to take this course?

Claudine: This course is designed for the aspiring, beginner author; however; it is also valuable for authors who would like to come at the experience of writing a book from a refreshingly new perspective.  Established authors who desire to embrace a new book marketing strategy to sell their books will profit enormously from this course.

WOW: I love what you have given back to the writing world. 

Readers, make sure you check out the Sit & Write: Begin course, which will cost you only $97. A must-have as part of your writing journey.
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Interview with Jennifer Thomas, 2nd Place Winner in the WOW! Spring 2024 Flash Fiction Contest

Tuesday, September 24, 2024

 


Jennifer Thomas grew up in the wilds of Miami, Florida. She loved to watch the pelicans soar, so ugly they were beautiful. Seeing them die off from the effects of DDT in the 1970s made her a lifelong environmentalist. As a teenager she read vast amounts of science fiction, especially early feminist sci fi, which inspired her to imagine how the world could be different. For the past 40-ish years she has lived on the North Shore of Massachusetts, making a living as a machinist, science writer, and teacher (though not all at once). Recently she began writing flash fiction, delighting in how the Muse cavorts inside word count constraints. To Jennifer’s surprise, her stories have been accepted by several publications, including Flash Fiction Magazine, 365tomorrows, and now Women on Writing. You can find some of her work at www.jenniferthomas.net. 






 ----------Interview by Renee Roberson 


WOW: Welcome, Jennifer, and congratulations! What was the inspiration behind writing this particular story, "Who Will Kill the Spiders?" 

Jennifer: One Sunday I went to a bridal shower, where I gave the bride-to-be a cast iron pan. I went home to where my own cast iron pan—originally my late husband’s—was languishing on the stove. The story came to me as I pondered my motivation for giving the bride the pan, and for neglecting my own. I workshopped the story in a critique group, where many of the participants, it turned out, also had some kind of attachment to a cast iron pan. With their help my story improved, but I still felt it was a bit schmaltzy and flat. Out of the blue came the idea of weaving in the “guessing game” as a narrative thread, and I also changed the ending to be a bit more ambiguous. I was happier with the story and sent it off to WOW! 

WOW: I have to say I love that last line! Judge Emily Williamson noted how impressed she was that the top three stories in this contest used something familiar and concrete to "build a world both past and present, and to dive into the things unseen." Can you think of any other concrete items (like the cast iron pan) in your own personal life that would make a great anchor for another story? 

Jennifer: Hmmm, I’m looking through my running list of story ideas and not one revolves around a concrete, familiar object. So I’m taking a mental inventory of familiar objects in my house—there are none I’d regret seeing vanish before my eyes. Well, there’s one exception: a collection of a few thousand family photographs ensconced in plastic cases in a closet upstairs. You know, the photos you got when you took the film canister to Walgreens and drove back a few days later to pick up the envelope of prints and negatives. As you perused those photos, remembrance flowed from your hands to your gut—that goofy kindergarten graduation, the annual Thanksgiving debauchery, those corsaged almost-grown kids endearing their way to the prom. You could winnow the photos, digitize them, store them in a folder in the cloud—to join the (literally) 14 trillion other digital photos in existence in 2024. But should you? I think there’s a story there. Also upstairs, in a drawer, are five or six pairs of pantyhose. I am 100 percent sure I will never put on pantyhose again. I think there’s a story there too. 

WOW: I think you may be right, both about the photo prints and the pantyhose! Your bio says you have always enjoyed reading science fiction and this influence shows up in much of your published work. How have your recent stories been inspired by modern-day events taking place in our world? 

Jennifer: I still remember the thrill I had as a teenager getting monthly selections in the mail from the Science Fiction Book Club. What attracted me to those books was not rocket ships and outer space; it was how the authors reimagined the human condition. In Ursula LeGuin’s 1969 "The Left Hand of Darkness," for instance, inhabitants of the planet Gethen are “ambisexual”—moving between male and female—with far-reaching effects on their society. Quite the thought experiment, at the time! A lot of today’s speculative and science fiction pulls in a dystopian direction, understandably given our wobbly democracy, the creep of anti-human technology, and the spiraling climate crisis. Some of my published stories depict not-too-farfetched struggles in a not-too-distant future, extrapolating from what’s happening under off-the-hook capitalism. But I’ve also tried to write stories with optimistic, if not happy, endings, however improbable. 

WOW: You've also worked as a science writer. What are some of the topics that you've covered in this occupation? 

Jennifer: The topics have run the gamut, from worker safety to drinking water quality to marine pollution to climate change. It’s been gratifying to contribute to the (albeit Sisyphean) task of addressing these issues. Through this profession I learned to value clarity of message and economy of words, and to put myself in the reader’s shoes. I also had to make sure that every sentence I wrote was factual. Now, writing fiction, I get to make stuff up! My typical process is to think of a situation, put a character in it, and see what happens. 

WOW: Yes, writing fiction can be so liberating! Do you have any advice for writers who are just beginning to explore the craft of writing flash fiction? 

Jennifer: As a beginning fiction writer myself, I’ll offer a few things that helped me get started. First, get feedback on your work. I joined an online author’s group where folks are remarkably generous and supportive. When you get feedback, send away the gremlin of defensiveness; look for the kernel of truth and revise. I’ve never received feedback that didn’t make a story better. Second, take the leap and send your work to publications you like. What do you have to lose? Rejections mean nothing at all about you or your talents, and you might get valuable feedback. Also, use a service to keep track of your submissions; that will save you headaches down the road. Third, find ways to keep it all in perspective. I have a semi-regular meditation practice that helps me when I’m stuck. It’s amazing what shows up when I turn off the thought stream—a new story element (that guessing game!), an unexpected plot twist, greater equanimity about my writing and about life. It doesn’t have to be meditation—whatever gets you out of your head can open space for what you need.

WOW: All practical and helpful pieces of advice! Thanks again for sharing your thoughts with us on the craft of writing today, Jennifer.
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My Year of Casual Acquaintances by Ruth F. Stevens: Blog Tour & Giveaway

Monday, September 23, 2024
 
My Year of Casual Acquaintances by Ruth F. Stevens

We are excited to launch another blog tour for an incredible book you'll want to add to your reading list. Author Ruth F. Stevens is launching a tour for her novel My Year of Casual Acquaintances. It's a perfect book for readers who like funny-sad, character-driven novels with compelling or quirky protagonists. Join us as we celebrate the tour launch with an interview with the author herself and a chance for you to win a copy of the book.

But first, here's more about the book:

When Mar Meyer's husband divorces her for another woman, she reacts by abandoning everything in her past: her home, her friends, even her name. Though it's not easy to start over, Mar is young-looking, fit, and ready for new adventures - as long as she can keep things casual.

With each passing month, Mar goes from one acquaintance to the next. Among them: a fellow gym member down on her luck, a flirty hip-hop instructor, a bossy but comical consultant, a kindly older gentleman . . . and Charlie, a handsome best-selling novelist who wants more from Mar than she's able to give. She learns something new from each encounter. But can she change enough to open herself up to happiness and true connection?

Surrounded by an ensemble of quirky, endearing characters, Mar follows a tortuous and unpredictable path as she navigates the first year of her reinvented life. My Year of Casual Acquaintances is packed with laugh-out-loud moments mingled with scenes of loneliness and self-doubt that will put a lump in your throat.

Publisher: Black Rose Writing (September 26, 2024)
ISBN-10: 168513484X
ISBN-13: 978-1685134846
ASIN: B0D43GW5XZ
Print Length: 322 pages

Purchase a copy of My Year of Casual Acquaintances on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Bookshop.org. Add to your GoodReads reading list.

About the Author, Ruth F. Stevens


Ruth F. Stevens likes to create stories that will make readers laugh and cry. A former public relations executive in New York and Los Angeles, she is a produced playwright and author of a previous novel, Stage Seven, which was a featured selection of national online book club and Alzheimer’s awareness organizations. Ruth is a proud member of the Women’s Fiction Writers Association and the Dramatists Guild of America and serves as a volunteer and acquisitions editor for AlzAuthors.

Ruth lives in Torrance, California with her husband. In her spare time, she enjoys travel, hiking, hip-hop and fitness classes, yoga, Broadway musicals, wine tasting, leading a book club, and visiting her grandsons in NYC. Visit Ruth at https://ruthfstevens.com and consider signing up for her monthly newsletter to receive publishing updates, book reviews, and special offers.


-- Interview by Nicole Pyles

WOW: First of all, congratulations on your novel My Year of Casual Acquaintances! What inspired this novel?

Ruth: Thank you! The idea for this novel started at the gym. For years, I’ve enjoyed going to health clubs, where I’ve met lots of fun and interesting people. It struck me that sometimes I’d have a very personal—even intimate—conversation without knowing the other member’s name. There’s something about the gym environment that gives us a sort of casual closeness. I felt certain this could translate into an unusual twist for a novel.

I also like stories about second chances, and the idea that life can still be fresh and exciting through middle age and beyond. So I decided to write about a fit, youthful-looking, fiftyish woman named Mar trying to start over after a bitter divorce…and I set her story in and around a new gym she’d joined as part of her reinvention. Mar was determined to meet new people at the gym and have a good time, but with no commitments. 

WOW: I think that's great insight and I love that setting. One burning question for me: are you a plotter or a pantser or a blend? And why?

Ruth: Definitely a plotter! I had a long career in PR and advertising agency work, so I’ve been writing professionally for years. When working on an article or brochure, I always had to plan it out meticulously—so I later carried over that same discipline into fiction writing. I’ve found that when I know where the story is going and who my main characters are, the writing flows. It’s a great way to prevent writer’s block.

WOW: I'm slowly becoming a plotter myself! So, I totally get the benefits. I love that this novel approaches the idea of loneliness in a fun but deep way at the same time. What was your approach in building out your character and her overall story arch? 

Ruth: The narrator, Mar, is smart and witty and outspoken, and that makes for an often humorous read. But she’s grappling with loneliness and rejection, which is where the serious themes come in. I decided to make her journey an episodic one. Every month she meets up with a different character who impacts her life in a unique way. So each month has kind of its own story arc, but there’s also the overriding arc of how Mar grows and changes in the course of her first year of divorced life.  

WOW: What a great approach! What was your revision process like?

Ruth: The initial draft was harder for me than any other first draft I’ve written. I found the episodic structure to be challenging, and it required intricate plotting and a larger-than-usual cast of characters. But the revision process ended up being more like a fine-tuning process than a major overhaul. I worked on revisions with a critique group of three other writers, and their feedback was incredibly helpful. 

WOW: Good thing you had that kind of help! What has it been like to work with your publisher Black Rose Writing?

Ruth: Reagan Rothe and the team at Black Rose are terrific. They are responsive and efficient, and I believe they are more marketing-savvy than a lot of indie publishers—an important benefit, as book marketing is one area where authors are most in need of education and support. The Black Rose author community is also a strong one, with an active Facebook group, a monthly book club, and more. It’s been a great experience so far. 

Before signing with Black Rose, I had a contract with a different indie publisher, TouchPoint Press, for this book. After about a year, they stopped working on my project due to massive internal problems, and it became clear that they might never publish the book. Many authors who did publish with them are still waiting for royalty payments going back a couple of years. I’m one of the lucky ones: My contract expired and I signed with Black Rose. Their professionalism has been a breath of fresh air.  In mid-September, the Authors Guild announced that TouchPoint has agreed to shut down publishing operations and abide by a court-enforced payment plan to distribute royalties to those owed money.

WOW: I'm so glad you shared that experience! It's great to share with our WOW writers. What wisdom can you share with writers about pursuing their writing dreams?

Ruth: The first step is to understand what your personal writing dream really is. I met a retired corporate executive who loved to write poetry. He self-published his work using a company that produced beautiful, high quality volumes that he signed and distributed to friends and relatives. This was his sole publishing goal, and he derived great pleasure from sharing his work this way. 

True, most writers are a bit more ambitious. Many of us dream of seeing our work hit the bestseller lists. But in reality, competition is beyond tough and authors with high ambitions must be willing to invest a huge amount of time (and often, money) to break through the noise—with no real guarantee of success. 

On the bright side, I’ve read that out of 1000 people who start writing a novel, only around 3 percent or 30 people go on to finish. So if you’re in that 3 percent, give yourself a huge pat on the back! Then, an estimated 6 out of those 30 go on to see their work published. I can assure you from personal experience, being a published author is immensely rewarding, even if you’re not breaking any sales records. In summary: First define your dream; then pursue it with a balance of realism and optimism.

WOW: That is great advice! What are you working on next that you can tell us about?

Ruth: I’ve completed a sequel to My Year of Casual Acquaintances, titled The Unexpected Guests. Black Rose Writing will publish this book as well, just three months after the first title. The story picks up right where the previous book leaves off. Mar is still very much a player, but she does not narrate the sequel: It is told in alternating POVs of three characters from the first novel who are all very involved in Mar’s life. 

WOW: I can't wait to see it! Thank you so much for your time today. Enjoy the blog tour!

My Year of Casual Acquaintances by Ruth F. Stevens Blog Tour

--- Blog Tour Calendar

September 23rd @ The Muffin
Join us at The Muffin when we celebrate the launch of Ruth F. Stevens' book My Year of Casual Acquaintances. We'll be interviewing the author and giving away a copy of her book.

September 24th @ The Faerie Review
Join by Lily's blog for a spotlight of My Year of Casual Acquaintances.

September 25th @ Words by Webb
Visit Jodi's blog for her review of My Year of Casual Acquaintances.

September 27th @ Lisa Haselton's Reviews and Interviews
Stop by Lisa's blog for an interview with author Ruth F. Stevens.

September 29th @ Book Review From an Avid Reader
Visit Joan's blog for her review of My Year of Casual Acquaintances.

September 30th @ Just Katherine
Visit Katherine's blog for an excerpt from My Year of Casual Acquaintances.

September 30th @ Choices
Visit Madeline's blog for a guest post about how casual acquaintances play an important role in our life.

October 1st @ A Storybook World
Visit Deirdra's blog for a spotlight of My Year of Casual Acquaintances.

October 2nd @ Create Write Now
Visit Mari's blog for a guest post by Ruth F. Stevens about why fifty is nifty for a fictional character.

October 3rd @ Knotty Needle
Visit Judy's blog for a review of My Year of Casual Acquaintances.

October 5th @ What Is That Book About
Stop by Michelle's blog for an excerpt from My Year of Casual Acquaintances.

October 6th @ Storey Book Reviews
Visit Leslie's blog for a review of My Year of Casual Acquaintances.

October 7th @ Life According to Jamie
Stop by Jamie's blog for a review of My Year of Casual Acquaintances.

October 9th @ Beverley A. Baird's blog
Stop by Beverley's blog for her review of My Year of Casual Acquaintances

October 11th @ Beverley A. Baird's blog 
Visit Beverley's blog for an excerpt from My Year of Casual Acquaintances.

October 12th @ Author Anthony Avina's blog
Join Anthony for his review of My Year of Casual Acquaintances.

October 13th @ Rosh's Reviews
Visit Rosh's blog for her review of My Year of Casual Acquaintances.

October 15th @ Frugal Freelancer
Visit Sara Trimble's blog for a guest post by the author about whether AI is a friend or a foe.

October 18th @ A Wonderful World of Books
Visit Joy's blog for an excerpt from My Year of Casual Acquaintances.

October 20th @ Chapter Break
Visit Julie's blog for an interview with author, Ruth F. Stevens.

October 23rd @ Boys' Mom Reads!
Visit Karen's blog for a review of My Year of Casual Acquaintances.

October 26th @ Boots, Shoes, and Fashion
Visit Linda's blog for an interview with author Ruth F. Stevens.

***** BOOK GIVEAWAY *****

Enter to win a copy of My Year of Casual Acquaintances by Ruth F. Stevens! Fill out the Rafflecopter form by October 6th at 11:59 CT for a chance to win. We will choose a winner randomly the next day and follow up via email. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Interview with Shawna Irvin, Runner Up in the WOW! Q3 2024 Creative Nonfiction Contest

Sunday, September 22, 2024

 


Shawna Ervin has an MFA from Rainier Writers Workshop through Pacific Lutheran University in Washington state. She was a member of Tin House’s 2023 and 2024 Winter Online Workshops as well as Kenyon Review’s 2023 Workshop for Teachers Online. She was a finalist for Kenyon Review’s 2024 Developmental Editing Fellowship. Recent publications include poetry in American Literary Review, Bangalore Review, Cagibi, and Rappahannock Review; and prose in Blue Mesa Review, Sonora Review, Sweet: A Literary Confection, and elsewhere. Her chapbook Mother Lines was published by Finishing Line Press in 2020. Shawna was a finalist in Ruminate’s 2021 flash essay contest and a semi-finalist in their 2022 poetry contest. Shawna lives in Denver with her family. 






 ----------Interview by Renee Roberson 

WOW: Shawna, congratulations again, and welcome! I enjoyed reading your essay and could relate to so much of it. What first sparked the idea for “Sixteen Steps to Eating a Potato?” 

Shawna: “Sixteen Steps to Eating a Potato” began from a prompt in a workshop where we wrote about a variety of love each week. This prompt was to write about a food, or foods, that I loved as a child. The first time I had enough food to be able to enjoy it was in college. 

I remembered my first weeks in college as a first-generation student and how I did not fit on many levels. As I learned how to be full, I developed a woman’s body instead of a malnourished little girl’s body. It forced me to reconsider who I was, what I wanted, and how to take up space in the world. Even though my experience veered away from the original prompt, I knew that I wanted to write about what I knew. 

In early drafts, the essay focused largely on eating a baked potato. Gradually, I gained the courage to tell more of my story about poverty and hunger, and what it is like to be so at home in emptiness that being full is foreign. It wasn’t until after I considered the piece finished, that I thought about adding the numbers and title. 

WOW: You recently published the chapbook, “Mother Lines,” through Finishing Lines Press. What do you hope readers will take away from it? 

Shawna: “Mother Lines” came to be during the first year of my MFA program. I was focusing on using the constraints of traditional and experimental forms to explore what it means to be a mother. I hope that readers take away the vast potential of poetry forms to give voice to difficult topics like trauma, disability, and loss. 

WOW: With an impressive list of publications and awards, and a busy home life raising your children, how do you carve out time for your own writing projects? 

Shawna: I struggle to make time for writing. I wish I could say that I didn’t. 

Beyond writing and being a parent, I am also an English professor at a community college. Each summer I tell myself that once the routine of the school year arrives, I will map out times in my schedule to write. Then, during the school year, I tell myself that I will dedicate chunks of time to write in the summer. Both seasons are difficult in their own way. 

Starting in graduate school, I had a goal of having an essay or a batch of poems ready to submit each quarter. After I graduated, I kept up with that goal. I tend to be protective of my goals, so having that deadline creep up every three months has helped me keep writing. 

The strategy that helps me the most with my writing is to take advantage of small bits of time. Even finding 10 or 15 minutes here and there adds up. I leave myself voice messages when I’m waiting in a checkout line or am stuck in traffic, type notes in my phone when a thought pops up as I’m preparing dinner, or I mentally revise and rearrange sections while I’m walking my dog. 

By returning to projects almost every day, I keep them at the forefront of my mind. As often as I can, I set aside time on Sunday mornings to sort through notes or thoughts from the week. By the time I do sit down at my computer, I have a good sense of where I am with a project and can move forward rather than going back to remember where I was. 

WOW: That sounds like a great strategy for time management and it's working well for you! You have publication credits with fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction. Do you have a favorite out of these art forms and why? 

Shawna: I have two favorite genres – poetry and nonfiction. If I am working on something that is driven primarily by images, I will likely choose poetry. If I am working on something that is more focused on characters or events, I will likely choose prose. Of course, there are always exceptions to every rule. I enjoy experimenting with form and pushing boundaries. What I most enjoy writing is work that doesn’t neatly fit into one genre or another, or that uses aspects of both poetry and prose.

WOW: Who are some of the writers that have inspired your work? 

Shawna: The writers who have most inspired me are people who are generous in sharing their experiences and wisdom on the page, and in their teaching such as Chip Livingston, Diana Khoi Nguyen, Sasha La Pointe, Grace Cho, Geffrey Davis, Jamie Figeuroa, Ely Shipley, Brenda Miller, Ocean Vuong, Richard Froude, and Joy Sawyer. Without any of these strong writers and wonderful role models, I would not be the human or writer I am. I hope to become even a bit like the writers and people I listed above. 
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