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 The Writer's E-Zine

 

 Produced and published by the members of Writers' Village University since 1998    ISSN 1521-2639       
20 November 2008
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Craft of Writing

Suzan L. Wiener

Avoid The Last Minute Rush For Sending Out Seasonal Manuscripts

Are you a writer who waits for the last minute to send out seasonal submissions such as Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Easter, etc.? You won’t be upset because you missed the deadline if you follow the tips listed below on how to avoid that problem. I have learned through trial and error, and you now will have a better chance of getting your work accepted by sending them out in a timely manner. I have had the misfortune of missing out on acceptances because I didn’t get my work in on time when I first started out as a writer, but not anymore. Instead of waiting for the last-minute rush to do stories, poems and/or anecdotes, etc., for seasonal material, why not write them year ‘round in your spare time? This way, when it comes to sending material out, you will be a jump ahead of the competition because it has been typed and ready to be mailed. You can even address the envelopes beforehand to help speed the process along.

1. File each piece, marked in a separate folder, in large, red letters, and write out the month it should be sent, the holiday, and the target publication. Check the folders on a weekly basis, so you don't miss important deadlines.

2. It is a good idea to check the Writer's Market to see how far in advance each magazine needs seasonal material. Some need it as far as six months to a year ahead of time. Writing out each market’s lead time would be a big help and keep it by your computer or typewriter.

3. Keep a list of the holidays on your computer or on your computer desk so you won’t forget them. Also, keep your writer’s guidelines handy to know when each publication’s holiday deadline is up. It is good if you store them all in one loose-leaf folder. It makes it worthwhile in saving time and effort.

4. Have a calendar handy so you can check the holiday and remember publications usually want that type of material at least six months in advance and sometimes even a year. They work quite ahead of time. If you give them a good Christmas poem a year before, for example, you will have a better chance of having it accepted. If you show them a consistency of giving them seasonal items they can use, the editor could start relying on you for those items.

5. Look for the less common holidays to write about also, such as Kwanzaa. Most writers won’t think to write about that, and you will be a step further. If you don’t know about that particular special occasion, then research it. Search engines like google are a big help in that respect. You will be glad you did when you get that most-welcomed check for your submitted work.

6. Make sure not to send a religious poem, for example, to a magazine geared toward fashion, and vice versa. You have to know your target audience to make more sales. (See my May, ‘05 article, "Target Your Audience," in The Writer’s Ezine for more information about targeting your audience.)

7. If you pretend you are working at that particular publication, you will read the publication more thoroughly and know what specific seasonal items the editor is looking for.
Following the above tips will help you to get more acceptances and that is what every writer craves.


About the Author
Suzan L. Wiener has had numerous poems, stories, articles and shorter pieces published in publications such as The Writer's E-Zine, Mature Living, Saturday Evening Post, Verses, Poetry Press (first prize) NEB Publishing (first prize), Moca Memoirs, Sacred Twilight, etc. She also has her love poetry e-book up at Lionsong Publications.


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Craft of Writing

Mary J. Breen

Be Ready For Your Book Signing

Book signings—so they say—are wonderful things. You get to promote yourself, promote your book, chat with your readers, and feel like A Big Important Writer for a few hours.

Well, not always.

So, before you get too excited by a bookstore's offer to organize a signing for you, here are a few questions I wish I'd had the foresight to ask the last time I did one:

What kind of advertising are you planning?

My recent signing was at a New Age bookstore. I guess they usually reach customers by telepathy since they'd done no advertising whatsoever. They assured me they'd meant to.
Where will you be putting me in the store?
After I arrived, they scribbled my name on a scrap of lined paper and taped it to the bare wall near my head. This, I was told, was my “place.” Also at my “place” were a tiny table along with a cracked dining room chair about an inch higher than the table. There I was, all ready to promote my book on the importance of women's middle years, looking like an unwelcome visitor at kindergarten.
Do you have any copies of the book?
A good question, and one I had thought to ask beforehand. They said yes. It turned out they had two. Two. They'd meant to order more. I found a couple in the back of my car, thank God, but in the end, we had a surplus. Maybe this is why they'd chosen such a small table.
Do you have heat/air conditioning?
You’ll need to know what to wear. These folks in this store assured me it was usually toasty warm in their bookstore, but that day it was warmer outside in the November Ontario winds. I put my coat back on, and wished I hadn’t spent money on a nice new Book-Signing Outfit. I also put my oven-mitt-sized driving gloves on, concerned about how they would affect my image as well as my penmanship. I needn’t have worried.
Does anyone ever come into your store?
Very important question. They told me Saturdays are always booming, and the lack of customers that day was because of the Santa Claus Parade. Problem was, the Parade didn’t start until five! During the two hours I was there, only twelve customers came in—I counted—and most were teenagers in search of incense and crystals. They didn’t even see me. No one stayed very long, probably because of the cold. Then, two women over forty arrived, and I thought: Great; here they come. Being a good, reticent Canadian, I couldn’t bring myself to call out, "Hi, come on over!" and they, being good, reticent Canadians, managed only shy smiles before they hurried past. Perhaps a tall, lonely woman scrunched behind a kid-sized table made them fear I was selling books about the perils of a second childhood. Anyway, just when I was feeling the misery of the wallflower, one woman turned and came back. I was so relieved I probably gushed, but she wasn’t at all interested in my book. She was selling progesterone cream. I have her card.
Do you have good books to read while I wait?
This, of course, is the plus of bookstore signings. Since I had nothing to do and I had to pace about to keep warm, I got to browse their shelves where I found books on numerology, astrology, dream analysis, witchcraft, UFOs, and the afterlife, as well as stress, reaching one's financial dreams, and getting along with everyone from your partner to your cat. None about getting along with your local writer. But they had some interesting books on Buddhism, so the signing was a profitable venture in the end. I bought two books.
Will you mind if I leave early?
After an hour and fifty minutes, I'd had it. I tore down their homemade sign, and packed away my special pen. I was already wearing my outdoor clothes. When I told the owners I was on my way, they were astonished.
So, take heed. If you want to have a fun and successful book signing, a little prep goes a long way.


About the Author
Mary J. Breen lives in southern Ontario, Canada where she edits, writes, and teaches creative non-fiction and memoir writing. She has written two books: Taking Care and So Many Changes: Women, Health and Midlife, and published several essays and short stories.


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Craft of Writing

Tammy Barker

Struggles of the Unpublished – A Comic’s View

Is there anything harder than breaking into the writing field as a part-time job, hobby, or lifelong dream? I think not. I dream of character plots instead of sexual fantasies, wear my fingers to nubs with the keyboard, and kill countless trees with rough drafts. I have been writing for a good while, and getting nowhere fast.

Let’s look at the facts. I have to find time to write. I have a full time job; that’s 45 hours with commuting, getting ready takes another five hours, and lunch is five more. Supervising the children’s homework takes about ten hours. Sleeping averages six hours a night, that equals 42. Sunday church services take a minimum of two hours, and other adult activities rob three precious blocks. Shopping to keep the family tummies full takes two hours, and another fourteen to cook and eat those meals. Exercising the body constitutes seven hours a week, and the mind via current events and such requires an additional four. The dreaded chores average seven hours a week and the equally stifling job of watching children participate in their activities consumes another seven. Heaven forbid I want family time that eats away seven hours, or a date with my spouse stealing an additional four. Added together, that gives me a total of four hours to write a week, and that’s if I don’t vegetate at all!

It’s recommended to try gigs that accept rookie writers, such as local magazines, newspapers and other less than exciting ideas. I live in a metro area with few small newspapers. I am sure the Washington Post is chomping at the bit for my ideas. All I can afford is McDonald’s and Taco Bell, and their food reviews aren’t exactly newsworthy unless you’re writing about how to gain weight. Travel? Sure, if I had the time to go somewhere. Trade journals for my career would be great if I had the required credentials. I’ve been working on a self-help romance book for years. How do I try my hand at ghostwriting when I can’t publish my own thoughts?

I’ve taken a couple of writing classes and seminars, and know others who’ve taken the gamut of styles and instructions, from the freebies to the expensive and intense. With the above time frame, who wants to spend 20 hours a week completing exercises that may not fine-tune my writing interests? What if the teacher’s idea of writing isn’t mine? What could be more counterproductive than that?

Once the article or short story is complete, I need to find a market. The experts tell me to research the magazines I want to query. Who in their right mind reads every article? Personally, I read the articles I’m interested in, and the rest is recycled. They suggest I read several back issues to get a thorough feel and see what's been published recently. What if the magazine I choose isn’t sold in my local stores? I’d have to order a subscription or hope they are in the public library (usually not). Imagine ordering, let alone reading ten magazines a month. Let’s not forget many magazines do not use freelancers, or they require agents for a query letter to be read before it hits the shredder. The number of queries versus articles published can be scary. It sounds like I have a better chance of winning the state lottery. Where’s the nearest 7-11?

The submission guidelines! Some magazines give very specific ones; others are too broad. Am I supposed to adhere to each one? What if my article has 2100 words and their requirements are 2000 words or less? If I tighten up, something is bound to disappear that ruins the article. What if my story is hilarious but the editor doesn’t find it funny? Everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion, even if it is wrong.

Speaking of queries, they are required for many magazines and all books. Many books and websites show me what a good query looks like. No problem. I copy a “good letter,” and replace the real author’s information with mine. This is harder than you think when you don’t have a single clip to your name or any real expertise. It’s worse than looking for my first job. They wouldn’t hire me without experience, but I couldn’t get experience without a job. I send the letter off and eventually get the standard rejection letter. It goes something like this:

Thank you for your recent submission to (insert name here) magazine. Unfortunately, we are unable to publish your story at this time. We thank you for your readership and for sharing your thoughts and ideas with us. Sincerely, The Editors
After getting several of those letters, I asked people in writing groups what I’m doing wrong. Most of them ask me if I am sure I’m sending my best query letter. Now how am I supposed to know if it’s the best? Let’s see. Plagiarizing the basics of an accepted letter. Hmm, does that mean my story stinks, or was the copied letter no good?

If I send the entire story (as required) and I receive the same type of letter, I’m supposed to revamp and submit elsewhere. How do I determine what to change? What if I think the story is very good the way it is? Or what if I’m stupid enough to change the one paragraph they actually liked? Without any specific guidance, where do I turn? Come on, people, I’m clueless. Give me some kind of hint!

Let’s talk about agents for a minute. How does one grab an agent? I know about making sure they are AAR members and the standard questions to ask before signing any contract. Some agents admit they don’t use contracts. How scary is that? The Writer’s Market has a good listing of agents and their markets. But many agents say they want me to be referred by someone else. So now, I need to find someone who’s broken the glass ceiling to recommend me. No problem. I’m sure there’s someone out there willing to help me take away their shelf space and royalties. Talk about your food chain. I need a friend who knows an author, who knows an agent, who knows a publisher. And how do I approach this situation? Excuse me, stranger? Can you help me get an agent?

Critique groups are abundant, but a good one is elusive. I know what I’m looking for. I want a group that gets to know each individual, and gives useful feedback. They can say ‘you meant to say he nudged the body, not kicked it’, because they know how I think. There are loads of people willing to say I did a good job. Maybe they’re afraid of hurting my feelings, but that doesn’t help me. How much time will I waste before finding the right group? Work with me, people; work with me!

Writing conventions would be a good tool if my small talk skills were up to par. I went to a book convention and spent the entire weekend volunteering and trying to join conversations with the wrong people. I had samples with me, but could never find an agent to look at anything. They were there, but I couldn’t find any. Why don’t you wear a sign saying ‘I’m an agent/publisher, come talk to me’? It would have helped. Here I am, at the starting line, looking for my coach and waiting for the gun to be fired.

Writing contests are a good way to check my writing ability, if I qualify. Some contests require publication of an article and someone else to enter said article. Other contests are only open to state residents. I could feed a small third-world country with my entry fees. No-fee contests are restrictive; I feel like I’m wearing a chastity belt. How many entries are there in an average contest? It sounds more and more like I’d better run to the 7-11 for that lottery ticket.

What about building one of those WebBlog sites? Maybe Internet access is a good way to show editors/agents samples. However, if I have nothing published am I stretching the imagination too far? Are the articles then published and unavailable for certain contests? I’ve seen other blog sites, and it seems like a lot of work. Would it be worth the creative stress and humiliating myself worldwide?

The best advice published writers give is to be persistent. What exactly does that mean? Cram the same story/article down every publisher’s throat until someone gives in? Write many different pieces and flood the market with my name and handiwork? What about changing my genre choice or writing style? Do I carry multiple manuscripts and stalk publishers in the public restrooms?

Seriously, folks. Is there any task harder than achieving that golden first clip? The presidential office maybe. It’s one Arnold will never hold. But when I contemplate the other options, I don’t think there is.

Someone asked me why I keep writing. That’s a good question. Why do I constantly let my soul cry in frustration? Is it fame? Fortune? Knowing my writing is better? Changing the world? Escaping reality? Is it in my blood? These are noble reasons to keep trying, but in reality, I’m just a masochist, finding perverse satisfaction in beating the odds.


About the Author
Tammy Barker is a government accountant in Washington DC and a proud wife and mother of three great kids. She lives her life one day at a time and believes in setting challenges to discourage boredom. Who knows why she became an accountant? Not her. She woke up one morning and decided to do it without knowing what an accountant was, and she’s good. She got her Master’s in Business Administration just to see if she had the nerve to try. She tried Tae-Kwon-Do, having no physical aptitude for sports, and didn’t quit until after she reached her goal of purple belt, when her back cried no more. Tammy’s always loved to read, especially mystery novels, and chose as her next goal in life to work after hours until she published something. She has several short stories and articles floating around the States, screaming for publication. She’s currently taking an online writing course through Writer’s Digest to work on a “chick-lit” mystery, and isn’t giving up until she can add publication to her resume.


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Copyright 1998 - 2007, Writopia Inc. All Rights Reserved

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Birdie's Quill

Birdie

What’s In a Name?

The conception and birth of characters is an intimate process. It doesn’t matter if they represent good or evil; a certain closeness develops. It’s a private relationship between writer and character. This bond builds along with the story. From the first glimmer of existence, it’s fun and challenging to bring physical, mental and behavioral particulars into focus as characters interact with their budding environment. Naming these emerging individuals is part of this process.

When I first started writing, I’d sit at the computer pondering prospective character names. Many times, I chose names of people I knew. It made it easy to base the namesake’s physical appearance on familiar features, but when the character developed beyond what I first anticipated the name did not always fit.

My story, “Shelter in the Shadow,” originated from a writer’s prompt instructing me to write for twenty minutes without stopping. A girl ran down an alley in the rain searching for a place to hide. My mind lingered for a moment trying to figure out a name without wasting time when Peggy walked by my door. The character became Peggy, but not for long. A slinky red dress and heavy makeup didn’t work with the tag “Peggy.” In my mind, the name did not convey the personality of the character with blood on her gloves. I finished the prompt knowing the name would change before I typed the last period.

Avoid Similar Sounding Names
I know a couple with three daughters named Whitney, Lindsay, and Brittany. Pretty names, but people tend to get them confused. The same happens when characters have similar sounding names. Here’s an example:

Whitney walked into the room and slumped into the overstuffed chair.

“Stop pouting,” her sister Lindsay said. “When dad makes up his mind, that’s it.”

“I know. It’s not fair.” Her bottom lip protruded.

“Get, over it,” Brittany said as she bounced into the room.

Lindsay walked over to the window. “He’s here.”
Consider the difference in the following example:
Taylor walked into the room and slumped into the overstuffed chair.

“Stop pouting,” her sister Becky said. “When dad makes up his mind, that’s it.”

“I know. It’s not fair.” Her bottom lip protruded.

“Get, over it,” Michelle said as she bounced into the room.

Becky walked over to the window. “He’s here.”
The change in names makes this passage easier to follow. The first example threatens to send eyes scanning to double check which sister walks to the window, the one in the chair or the one speaking to the sister in the chair.

Choose distinct names. Avoid names starting with the same letter. For instance, Boris and Bruno are short male names starting with the letter “B.” Even though they don’t sound the same, they are similar enough to become confused.

When writing Fantasy and Science Fiction, characters sport untraditional titles. T’reck and T’bak may be distinctly different to the writer, but the similarities hold the potential to sidetrack and break the pace of the action when readers pause to contemplate whether or not they have the correct character in mind.

Not only do these nontraditional names start with a “T’” but end in a “k.” Give your characters dissimilar, pronounceable names. You don’t want readers turning back to already read portions to see if they have the right character in mind.

Another thing to consider—enunciation of the name. If readers love your story, they’ll tell others about it. Don’t make them stumble over hard to pronounce names. When reading, people tend to skip over such names or even substitute one of their own. The goal is to have readers lose themselves in the story as they follow clearly defined characters from one scene to the next.

Appropriate to the Period
Another factor to consider when naming characters is the period in which the story is written. Consider names such as Ceres, Francisco, Alonso, Gonzalo, Ferdinand, Caliban, and Iris. Can you imagine this group of teenagers driving around in a ’67 Chevy scooping the loop for something to do? No, neither can I. Those names are not right for that period. However, names like Al, Tom, Roger, Ben and Sandy are a better fit. The first are character names from Shakespeare’s The Tempest. The second present a more contemporary feel fitting to the period.

In 12th and 13th century France, children were often named after major characters in romances. Names like Roland, Olivier, and Lancelot were popular. Research history. Look into the culture of the period in which your story takes place for apposite names.

For instance, “Arash” comes from Iranian mythology and means “truthfulness” or “bright” in Persian, while “Belenus” is an elaboration of the form Bel (the name of a solar god) and means bright or brilliant. The name can be found in Celtic Mythology, while in Greek Mythology “Charon” means “fierce brightness.” Within each culture and period you’ll find names with similar meanings but unique to the time and place.

Depending on where and when your story takes place, names change based on era and location. Whether you write Mainstream, Romance, Mystery, Sci-Fi, or Fantasy, match characters with names appropriate to the period and culture.

What’s It Mean?
Over the years, I’ve developed the habit of choosing names tied to my character’s personality. Choosing a name based on the meaning produces a relational link to the character from the outset of the story. It keeps my thinking anchored to what I know about the individual.

In my fantasy novel, Windwalker, the main character finds himself shunned by most of society. A young girl befriends him. For her, I chose the name Jalil. It means friend. I liked the sound, length and meaning. Not only does it function as a name, but it helps define her role.

Stigma and Reputation
I’m happy to be the eldest of seven children. As a child I didn’t have to bear the brunt of consequences based on reputations of older siblings, but I did assume the stigma of trying to excel to meet the high standards set by my parents. Whether characters struggle to meet expectations of a teacher in 1938, a CEO father in 1998, or live in the 16th Century as a child of royalty a certain stigma or reputation is attached to their role. If a king has ruled with an iron fist, and his kind-hearted son lives in his shadow, subjects of the land will attach the stigma of the father’s reputation to the son until he proves he is worthy of his own reputation.

In my family, my brother followed two grades behind my sister Gail. She slipped from grade to grade without effort. Her report card filled with A's brought praise from teachers and my parents, while my brother not only struggled to read but had to live up to teachers’ expectations because he came from Gail’s family. It’s not necessarily fair, but a realistic occurrence in society around the world and a worthy consideration in your story line as you choose a family name and what your character contributes to it.

Culture
I once knew a family from India with the last name Samuels, or so I thought it was their last name until I got to know them better. In fact, the husband’s given name was Samuel. In their culture, his given name is placed behind his village name and father’s name. In that case, my name would be Port Charlotte Howard Donna. My last name would be Port Charlotte, but I’d be called by my given name Donna. Mind boggling, isn’t it?

The reason I bring this up is that not every story we write falls within the parameters of the world in which we live. Part of world-building includes developing culture unique to the world you’re creating. Understanding your characters’ names and even the naming process is part of that culture.

Growing Relationship
Writers' imaginations give birth. A new character forms on the page before us. Much like naming children, we search for the perfect sound and fit. Yet, with characters we have the flexibility to change our minds. Some of my characters have transitioned through four names as a story unfolds. These individuals grew beyond my initial concept, and that’s fine. This refining process reflects that character’s growth. Like a caterpillar, the first name worked as a cocoon but when the mature character emerges at the end of the story the first name no longer fits.

Readers enjoying the end product may never know the reasons behind the names you’ve chosen. If you’ve done your job, names will define and set characters apart as they lead readers into the depths of your plot smoothly transitioning from scene to scene until reaching the conclusion.


About the Author
Author and freelance writer, Donna Sundblad, resides in Florida with her husband, Rick. Her creative writing book, Pumping Your Muse, is available in paper or ebook format. Check her website for more information at www.theinkslinger.net. Donna also edits for and co-owns Team Spirit Critique and Editing, LLC.


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Fiction Short Story

by  Charles Langley

The Christmas Spirit Tree

When I bought my acre of contentment in Randolph County, North Carolina, and built on it, I was separated from Jim Garn, my nearest neighbor, by a patch of hard-rock land on which only a scraggly, sparse lone pine tree grew. At its very top was a silver, plastic star. A single red Christmas ornament graced a lower limb. When Jim came over to welcome me, I commented on the tree.

"Christmas is long gone," I told him. "Why don't you take the ornaments off your Christmas tree?"

"It isn't a Christmas tree," he answered. "It's a Christmas spirit tree. Christmas is just one day a year. The spirit of Christmas should last all year long."

Weirdo, I thought. I wonder what other far-out theories he has. But year-long Christmas spirit wasn't a theory to him. It was a way of life. When I fell at work and was laid-up for three weeks, I regularly found gifts on my doorstep. Fresh vegetables. Fruit. A can of blackberries. A green tomato pie. I knew they were from him because anyone else would have had to use my long driveway and would have been seen. When I was back on my feet, I broached the subject with Jim.

"Why didn't you wait when you brought the gifts so I could thank you?"

"I was only the deliveryman," he said. "You should thank Him who made the gifts possible."

Over time I heard of other acts of kindness on his part. Always anonymous. Never waiting to be thanked.

One day the tax assessor came to his door. The door was ajar. Religious music came from a radio within. He knocked, but got no answer. Pushing the door open, he saw Garn, sitting lifeless in his rocking chair.

 "What a horrible way to die," someone said. "Alone and deserted."

 I didn't answer. But in the quiet of my home I bowed my head.

"Lord, take his soul and be gentle," I prayed. "He was one of the good ones. You and I know that the good ones are never alone and deserted."


About the Author
Since returning to writing four years ago after a fifty-nine year hiatus, Charles Langley has written over one hundred and ten short stories, poems, or articles for print magazines, e-zines, or books.

Two years ago Gannett Newspapers gave full page, nationwide coverage to his time as a cub reporter at the1935 trial of Bruno Richard Hauptmann for the kidnap/murder of the infant son of Charles Lindbergh.


T-Zero: The Writer's Ezine
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Copyright 1998 - 2007, Writopia Inc. All Rights Reserved
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Fiction Short Story

by Vicky Green

The Date

“Excuse me. I’m sorry. Gee, I hope that isn’t leather.” Alexa Davis felt like she had just been sucked into a giant vortex. Her nerves jangled and her body jostled as she squeezed through the mass of bodies toward the long mahogany bar. She peered between glasses, bottles, purses, elbows, and over heads as she searched the crowded lounge for Kevin, her Internet date. “Here I stand,” she mumbled, “a lost soul amongst a plethora of happy hour partygoers celebrating the end of another long work week. “ Okay, maybe I’m being dramatic but come on, what have I gotten myself into? My sanity must have fled south when I let Jillian talk me into doing this. It was a mistake to come here. Who in their right mind would make a date with a total stranger from Cyberspace? I’m out of here.”

Alexa turned, pushed her way through the packed pub and ran smack into a tall, muscular male chest. She grimaced, looked up and gasped as she stared into the bluest eyes she’d ever seen. His broad shoulders and thick, dark hair struck her attention for a moment, but her focus returned to the mesmerizing eyes and rendered her speechless.

Ryan Matthews noticed Alexa the moment she walked through the door. Her long auburn hair flowed down her back, shone in the dimly lit bar and captured his attention. He stood still and gazed into her sparkling emerald green eyes as she backed away from him.

“I am so sorry. I wasn’t paying attention.” Alexa cleared her throat and her hands trembled as she spoke. She appeared confused and uncomfortable.

Ryan snapped out of his captivated state. “You don’t need to apologize. Look around. People are bumping into each other left and right. Are you all right? You’re shaking. Can I get you something to drink?”

Alexa’s thoughts spun. What’s happening to me? I must have bumped into this guy harder than I thought. His rock hard upper torso must have momentarily knocked me out.

Alexa flashed a nervous smile. “I’m sorry. I thought you were someone else.”

Ryan looked puzzled and shrugged.

“That offer for a drink is still open. You look like you could use one.”

An instant attraction to the dark-haired stranger sparked her senses. Why couldn’t he be Kevin? What should she do? Decline the drink offer, knowing that her date could show up any minute? Where was he anyway? She glanced at her watch. He was fifteen minutes late. She looked back at Ryan. Single women fantasize about situations like this. And probably some married ones too. It would be a travesty to turn him down. One drink won’t hurt.

“I’ll have a Bacardi and Coke with a twist of lime.”

Ryan watched a display of emotions pass over Alexa’s face. He was amused at her anxiety. Who is this woman and why do I have such a strong desire to know everything about her? Is she meeting someone, or just trying to blend in? It would be difficult for her to be another average face in the crowd.

“Are you here alone or meeting someone? I should have asked you that before I offered you a drink. It’s just that you looked lost and I felt the need to rescue you from the mass of partygoers that had you surrounded.”

Alexa felt squeamish. If I tell him why I’m floundering like a fish out of water, will he hand me my drink and walk away? I would love to get to spend some time with him. A sexual urge rose through her body.

“It can’t be that bad. Try me. Once you get to know me, you’ll see that I have an open mind.”

Alexa hooked on to the “once you get to know me” part of his statement. It thrilled her to think he wanted her to get to know him. She remembered why she was at Charley’s and a sense of dread overwhelmed her thoughts.

Ryan sensed Alexa’s unease.

“How about if I tell you why I’m foolish enough to be in the middle of this circus? Will that make you feel better?”

“Sure, why not?” Alexa waved him on to explain.

“I left the office and something told me to stop here on my way home. It’s strange. It’s like my car pulled me in this direction. I don’t make it a habit to frequent Charley’s during happy hour. I prefer to come by when it’s quieter. I can carry on a conversation with my friends and not worry about causing bodily injury to innocent bystanders.” He winked at Alexa.

Alexa’s insides quivered.

The bartender nodded at Ryan, “What can I get for you, sir?”

“Bud Light for me and a Bacardi and Coke for the lady.”

“You got it, buddy.”

Ryan continued, “That’s Kip, my best friend. We go way back. He is part owner here.” Ryan offered his hand to Alexa.

“Ryan Matthews.”

Alexa accepted the handshake and smiled.

“Alexa Davis. I am pleased to make your acquaintance.”

Alexa froze. Where did that come from? What is happening to me? I’m not thinking straight. I’m acting like a silly school girl. How do I get myself into these predicaments? I could strangle Jillian.

“I came here tonight to help out a friend. She insisted I try an online dating service. I would not have agreed to it, but she can be persuasive at times. I owed her a favor, plus she wouldn’t take no for an answer. I agreed to go on a date with a guy I’ve been exchanging emails with and here I am. It sounds ridiculous, I know.”

Ryan held back a chuckle as he listened to Alexa’s story. His silence increased Alexa’s discomfort level and her brow furrowed. Ryan smirked and they both laughed.

“Online dating is a common occurrence these days. Look around you. I bet you half of these people are meeting for the first time. Just think, you’re part of the norm. You’re braver than I am. With my luck, I’d get involved with another tire slasher.”

Alexa’s head retreated and she looked baffled.

Ryan shook his head. “Forget I said that. It’s a long story.” He watched as Alexa scanned the area.

Ryan didn’t know why, but he didn’t like the idea of Alexa meeting another guy. “It’s too bad your date hasn’t shown up yet. Mind if I hang out? At least until he gets here, and I can figure out a way to get rid of him.”

She imagined herself drowning in pools of blue that emanated from his eyes. He smiled and she felt butterflies flutter in her stomach. What would be the harm in continuing their conversation a little longer? It was better than hanging out alone. And what if Kevin stood her up? She would be insane to pass up an opportunity like this. Boy, was Jillian going to love this one.

Alexa spotted Kevin. She recognized him from the picture he posted on his profile. She thought he looked better in the picture. He appeared to be in deep conversation with a tall, svelte blonde who looked like she just graduated from high school.

“Do you see your date?” Ryan asked as he handed Alexa her drink.

“Yes, but he seems to be engrossed with someone else. It’s for the best. I wasn’t all that anxious to meet up with him anyway.”

Ryan sighed and sipped his beer.

“So, you’re not disappointed?”

Alexa looked up into Ryan’s eyes and smiled.

“No, not in the least.”

Alexa lifted two thumbs up in her mind. She raised her glass and clanked it against Ryan’s bottle. I’ll have to remember to thank Jillian the next time I see her.


About the Author
Vicky Green is a legal assistant living in Fort Worth, Texas with her two children. She is an avid fan of the romance genre and is working on her first novel.


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Fiction Short Story

by Daniel Marshall Wood

Final Rest

"We may have to sleep in the car."

The elderly woman’s comment astonished me. She and her husband arrived at my bed and breakfast, following an availability inquiry from the boutique hotel on Main Street. Two rooms had recently cancelled, so the referral was welcome.

I dashed out to greet them on a frosty January late afternoon in upstate New York, motioning their car into the snowplowed driveway. The older man and I shook hands. The woman, still buckled into the seat, said to her husband, "Ask him how much it is."

The price I quoted was thirty-five dollars less than usual for a Saturday in the height of ski season. The wind pelted my face with bits of snow. Her face twisted into a frown and she shook her head. I urged them to come in, knowing a welcoming fire and comfortable English Country House furnishings would certainly make them reconsider.

Not removing their coats, the pair walked quickly through the reception rooms as I rattled off only a portion of my spiel on the home’s illustrious history. I led them upstairs, offering the choice of two charmingly irresistible bedrooms.

"We may have to sleep in the car."

I looked to her husband for assistance. His silence revealed the balance in their relationship, but I politely appealed to his sense of romance. "Surely your wife deserves such wonderful accommodations."

He said nothing, romance apparently no longer a priority.

"Yes, it’s nice, but we can’t afford it." The woman shuffled toward the stairs.

The temptation of nutmeg pumpkin-oat waffles and my assurance that the price had already been reduced brought no acceptance to stay.

As we walked downstairs, I assessed them and the situation. I didn’t think they were angling for a lower rate, as I had already told them of the discount. My price was more than fair for top-level accommodations in the busy winter season.

The couple (I nicknamed them Maude and Claude) was neatly dressed. Maude wore navy polyester pants and a floral blouse, her hair in complementary blue-gray curls. Claude sported a dated plaid jacket and black eyeglass frames too large for his head. Their big Mercury was late model.

I knew the type very well. I had a set—Imogene and Eugene—just like them back in Oklahoma, dressed similarly but driving a Ford. They all grew up in the 1930s, poor-but-proud families plucking their way through hard times. Later, union jobs provided a comfortable middle class existence for their families. Their small house of fifty years was long paid off and retirement income more than allowed a few short driving trips each year. They likely had ten thousand in a checking account plus a substantial nest egg of IRAs and CDs.

These two could easily afford Hedgefield’s rate. They just wouldn’t budge from a stingy mindset, saving for the rainy day never to arrive. The residuals of scrimping and denial would be showered on their children, church and animal charities unless healthcare took it all.

Maude and Claude were returning from a family reunion, headed back to central Massachusetts. Here they were on a prime winter weekend without a place to sleep. Fools! The closest city, Albany, was an hour east, the route not providing even a Bates Motel for respite. Chances of an Albany room at the rate they’d pay were non-existent.

Ever the mindful host wishing to exercise Christian charity to weary, but penny-pinching, travelers, I called a nearby bed and breakfast of lesser quality.

Yes, they had one room available, I told Maude and Claude. The rate was twenty-five dollars less, though I assured them Hedgefield offered much better value.

No, that was still too much. Maude repeated the possibility of auto accommodations and picked up a slightly tattered handbag.

An arctic blast greeted us at the open door. I handed Maude my brochure—for future accommodation, I told her. ‘Future’ should be within the hour when they realized how foolish they were to embark on a journey into the enveloping frigid darkness.

"You’ll wish you’d stayed here. Have a safe trip home." I closed the door, and Claude and Maude disappeared into the night’s chilling unknown.

If only they would allow themselves an occasional extravagance how different their lives might be—luxuriating in a cozy guestroom, splurging on a tangy Zinfandel, indulging in an appetizer. Romance might be rekindled. The inheritance wouldn’t be squandered; the kids would never know.

Maude and Claude, however, would be added to my repertoire of cocktail party stories on colorful guests joining the obviously unbalanced woman whom I feared might commit suicide and ruin the good sheets, and the Russian photographers’ seminar, replete with props including an orange fright wig and what I assumed to be a fake pistol. Claude and Maude would also feature in the sure-to-be-best-selling tell-all book I had in mind. My version of "A Year in Provence" would provide my early retirement and a quality nursing home for Imogene and Eugene.

At midnight, dying embers gave little warmth as I readied the house for sleep.

* * *
"Hedgefield," I answered, placing a vase of fresh April tulips on the library table. The official tone of the voice alarmed me. "Yes, officer, you’ve reached the owner. Are you looking for a romantic weekend getaway with someone special? — Some other time, then. — Yes, somewhat familiar, though I don’t recognize the names. — Yes, that’s the car. — No, just for a few minutes. — That’s all I know, officer. I’m sorry I can’t be of further help. If only they had stayed with me their lives might be so different."

Claude and Maude (I don’t recall their real names) had been discovered after melting snow revealed a car once hidden in a deep gorge. Claude had apparently fallen asleep only ten miles from home. The car slid on a curve, flying three hundred yards through bare trees, depositing the couple into an icy mausoleum, shrouded in snow, embalmed by bitter cold.

Huddled under a blanket in the back seat, Maude’s stiff fingers clutched my brochure, her wish to sleep in the car long fulfilled.


About the Author
DANIEL MARSHALL WOOD leads a double life—as proprietor of Edgefield bed and breakfast in Sharon Springs, New York, and as an executive assistant in New York City. He has written umpteen short stories (several published in the Internet magazines, Reflection’s Edge, The Writer’s E-Zine, Crime and Suspense and HandHeld Crime) and a manuscript on how to start and run a B&B. A play is currently under consideration for a mystery play festival in May 2006. Daniel also leads a double life as identical twin to the five-minutes older David Michael Wood, an interior decorator in New York.


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Poetics

by Glennis Hobbs

The Canku: A New Poetical Form

In his History of Haiku Ryu, Yotsuya states that Basho Matsuo is known as the first great poet in the history of haikai (and haiku) and started writing these around 1680. (http://www.big.or.jp/~loupe/links/ehisto/ebasho.shtml)

Another writer, George Swede, claims that the haiku originated in Japan over six hundred years ago and is one of the oldest poetic forms in history and that the English-speaking world did not become aware of it until after Japan opened its doors in 1868. (A history of the English Haiku)

Traditional haiku format is three lines: five syllables in the first line, seven in the second, and five again in the last.

Peter Frengel defines the intention of haiku is “to capture a moment, typically a moment in the natural world, and to capture that moment in such a way as to render an insight, or epiphany.” He adds that haiku makes use of “ seasonal words, or imagery that evokes a season. Words like "cherry blossoms" (spring), or "spiders" (summer) are used to anchor the haiku in a set of associations. Seasonal words are a common strain in haiku, and in Japan there are many volumes devoted to recurring seasonal imagery.” (American haiku)

Traditional haiku tended to use nature and man’s place in nature for its theme. Contemporary 21st century haiku poets use any subject matter whether or not it relates to nature. Contemporary haiku often deals with urban settings, technology, romance, sex and overt violence. (Contemporary haiku)

Further research finds that Jane Reichold lists 47 different rules for writing haiku in her article, "Haiku Rules That Have Come And Gone."

Get the picture? The haiku is very formal, and very traditional. One tends to form the notion that a haiku is a formal poem which was written on special paper and which was presented formally to the Emperor at a special time of the year.

Inevitably some poets rebelled against the formality of the haiku. One such person was Ian Gordon who also writes under the name of Bob Zagunda. He invented a form called the Canku.

I recently had the opportunity to interview Lenny Everson, a Canadian poet who has done a lot of work in the genre of the Canku.

T-Zero: The Writer's E-Zine: What is the Canku form of poetry?

Everson: A Canku is a poem with

1. A title of up to ten words
2. Three lines, totalling 17 syllables.
T-Zero: The Writer's E-Zine: Who invented the Canku form?

Everson: Canadian poet Ian Gordon who also writes under the name of Bob Zagunda rebelled against the formality of the haiku. His mother, poet Katherine Gordon, says he “...loves the compact form of poetry, believes it often says MORE. He also balked at the rigidity of Haiku as unable to express some of the artistic unconscious of a Canadian perspective. He felt a strong title followed by a flexible 15 to 17 syllable format in any chosen line pattern, conveyed the best dramatic impact."

T-Zero: The Writer's E-Zine: How did the Canku get its name?

Everson: Since this was a purely Canadian form of compact poetry he dubbed it Canku.

T-Zero: The Writer's E-Zine: Are there any variations of this form?

Everson: There are no other variations, unless you include the sequence "Hobbsian Set." This comes from a parody of the philosopher Thomas Hobbes. He argued against the 18th century idea that primitive people lived in earthly Edens. Life without modern civilization, he said, was usually "nasty, brutish, and short."

T-Zero: The Writer's E-Zine: What do you feel are the advantages of using a Canku?

Everson: The advantages are that the form is suited to the English language, where the haiku is not.

The haiku is a fine and lovely form of poetry, but in English it's just a pale shadow of its original Japanese form. You can write a haiku that mentions a rose and a thorn, and understand that it's just not about growing flowers. There's a sub-message about love and its problems, or maybe life and its problems.

In Japanese culture, and in the Japanese language there are half a dozen other subtexts, stated, implied, inferred, and symbolized, from that same image. Add one more image to the same poem and it would take a long essay to just begin to tell what the poem's about.

Most of the time in English, you're lucky if you get more than a pretty picture from a haiku.

Someone told me that the 17 syllables in Japanese are 17 characters. If this is true, and given the fact that a Japanese character can stand for a whole English phrase, then a haiku in Japan is several times as "long" as one in English.

The addition of a title and the freeing of format of the 17 syllables go a little way towards rectifying this imbalance. Only part way, but it makes the Canku a very much friendlier form than the haiku for English-speaking poets.

T-Zero: The Writer's E-Zine: Are there any limitations to using the Canku form?

Everson: The form is quite flexible as long as it follows the two rules stated in answer 1. Personally, I'd like to see just how flexible it could be made. Poets should experiment. I'd like to see a Canku where one line is just a syllable—or even two lines are parts of a word, with the other 15 syllables tied up in the third line. Just for fun.

If Canku doesn't exploit its freedoms, it's just a haiku for the bored.

T-Zero: The Writer's E-Zine: Is there a writer’s and/or support group for poets interested in trying the Canku form?

Everson: Not at the present time.

T-Zero: The Writer's E-Zine: Is there a website for Cankus?

Everson: The Canku Page at http://patcp.netfirms.com/Cankupag.htm.

T-Zero: The Writer's E-Zine: Have you published a book of Canku poems? If not, do you have any plans to publish a book or anthology of Canku?

Everson: I haven’t published one yet, but I would recommend Bob Zagunda’s book of Canku entitled “Nutshells.”

As we search for different poetic forms we find that poetry is constantly changing and being challenged to new forms. The Canku is indeed a challenging form.

I have included several Cankus to illustrate this form, including both single and extended Cankus. The name of the author precedes the poem.

SINGLE SEQUENCE CANKUS

Lenny Everson:

Roots in a Storm, Wings in the Sunlight

Not both at once!
If you try to have both at once
You must lift the world.


A Canku May Be Blessed with a Ten-Word Title

For the rest
Is what you think best
And however you want to arrange it

 
Gwen Austin:

Creator Sea

Ssush--st-st-st-swush, pebbles
tumble
into sand, whisper to sea


Helen V. Lundt:

We Didn’t Know How Close We’d Be

One’s older; another, younger.
Apart as youngsters,
closely we age.


Mo Swanson:

Saturday Morning Wake-up even if They Wanted to Sleep in

Wind slams door--
everybody awakens.
Saturday morning's here.


Christine Bloom:

While You Are Gone This Summer

I work in the garden everyday,
Pull weeds, coax flowers
To bloom.


Helen Montgomery:

Resting in the hammock at sunset

lingering gold light
dense waft of peony and lilac
night distills

Campfire

trail of smoke lifts
illumines ghostly birches
dances into night


Janice Oestermeyer:

Viewing Nature’s Awesome Drama – Act One

Lone deer
out of woods, into yard – stares at us.
We stare back in wonder.

EXTENDED SEQUENCE CANKUS

Lana Wiltshire Campbell:

Summer Solstice

At Druid dawn,
the Helestone ignites our hearts
with ancient memory

In midday sun
Stonehenge encircles us,
its tall stones cast no shadow

Through the shortest night
we dance, sing and remember
around bonfires


Glennis Hobbs:

Storm

white, yellow lightning sheets
stealthily creeps closer
fireworks in night sky

forked blue lightning jag
slashes dark skies
like a flashing discotheque ball

evergreens sway in gale
rock branches sideways
announce coming storm

thunders claps
silver cat burrows into cushion
to seek protection

cloudbursts puddle deck
kittens skedaddle inside
protest being drenched

rain drums against windows
seeking entrance through open screens
spring cleansing


BIOGRAPHIES

At 59, Lenny Everson is lifelong poet and canoeist. He is known as North America’s Poet of the Canoe. He is the author of several poetry and prose books including The Minor Odyssey of Lollie Heronfeathers Singer, and Love in a Canoe, Fire and Ashes, and Louis Riel and Gabriel Dumont. Prose works include Death by a Small, Dark Lake, Murder on a Foggy Spring and Granite and Dry Blood. For further information on the Canku, check out his web page at http://home.golden.net/~everson/ or contact him at lennypoetn@yahoo.com.

Gwen Austin, retired therapeutic recreation specialist, lives and writes in Washington State in a woodsy spot near Mt. Rainier. Her first book of poetry, Through a Dusty Lens, is about a year in Vietnam. Gwen is also the author of two novels, Twilight Manor and Fateful Days. Currently, Gwen is co-facilitator for the Senior Poets Workshop at the on-line Writers' University Village. She also co-facilitates two advanced poetry courses at WVU.

Christine Bloom is a special educator and mother of two who resides in La Verne, California with her husband. She has been active in the Writers' Village University program for the past two years through the advanced poetry classes. She is a member of the Senior Poetry Workshop. Christine holds a master's degree in the education of learning handicapped children, a counseling credential and several other teaching credentials. Her undergraduate degrees are in History and in English.

Janice Oestermyer received her A.S. from St. Mary-of-the-Woods, near Terre Haute, Indiana in 1984. She also studied poetry at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and children's writing via the Institute of Children's Literature. She has had several articles on writing poetry published; the first at The Christian Communicator, four articles in T-Zero: The Writer's E-Zine, and one published at Fellowscript, Canada. Her poetry has been widely published and has placed in contests.

Maureen (Mo) Swanson has been teaching in elementary school for nineteen years. She is a member of Word Weavers and Senior Poets Workshop at Writers' Village University.

Glennis Hobbs is a Canadian poet-writer. She has published two other poetry books “The Waldron Wild Cats” and “City on the Rocks” “In and Out of the Shadows,” and most recently “Drums Follow the Sun.” She is currently working on a novel plus three other poetry books as well as a novel. She is a co-facilitator of the Senior Poets Workshop and as well co-facilitates two online poetry courses at Writers’ Village University. She is a contributing editor for T-Zero: The Writer’s E-Zine.

Helen V. Lundt lives in upstate New York. She has worked as a nurse's aide in a nursing home for seven years, then as a nurse in a local hospital for twenty years. She and her husband have traveled many miles by motor home through the United States. Helen started with WVU about three years ago and is a member of the Senior Poets Workshop. She has been published in Coachmen Capers, U.S. Legacies 2004 and 2005, online and in magazine, as well as T-Zero: The Writer's E-Zine.

Lana Wiltshire Campbell is a lawyer, a teacher and a writer with a theater and film background. She's currently working on two chapbooks of poetry and a children's picture book based on one of her poems. She is a member of the Writers' Village University Senior Poets Workshop.


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Poetics Presents

P. J. Bromfield

P. J. Bromfield has been writing poetry over twenty-five years and has published works in several Bay Area literary magazines. She self-published her first book of poetry, Hearts Don't Need Sleep, in 1995 and is currently finishing a novel. She resides in Oakland, California.

What About You?

The sense of you is the spirit of the night
sneaking within the crevices of confusion,
riding the mind on a horse through dimensions,
making manifest all through REM evolution.
You taste, like me.

The sense of you is a rainbow filled cloud
floating through the sky on one magnificent wing,
grabbing the hands of moonlight and ocean spray,
dancing in the twilight of the universe’s dream.
You touch, like me.

The sense of you is a walk on Jupiter air
encircling consciousness with its own energy,
waving the wand of expansion and enlightenment,
releasing the self into a warm pillow of synergy.
You smell, like me.

The sense of you is a courtship with harmony
procreating gods and goddesses to fruition,
harkening all to a place simple with peace,
enveloping trust and emboldening vision.
You hear, like me.

The sense of you is a walk in a forest of words
piling on top of each other, collaborating and shifting,
forming storms of stories that understand humanity,
gaining meaning and momentum in every unveiling.
You breathe, like me.

Copyright ©2006 by P. J. Bromfield




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Poetics Presents

Wiltshire

Wiltshire (Lana Wiltshire Campbell) is a lawyer, a teacher and a writer with an extensive background in theater and film. She's currently working on two chapbooks of poetry and a children's picture book based on one of her poems. She is a member of the Writers' Village University Senior Poets Workshop.

Memory of the Moor

Reading, I close my eyes: a cool
breeze touches my face; the loamy
sharpness of peat wafts around me,
nestles on the back of my tongue.

Stiff brambles, gray in cloud-shadow,
appear lacy, airy next to outcropped
rocks shaped by an impatient hand
when it tore at white chalk clay, leaving
residue like flour after bread baking.

In this shallow depression, cold wind
does not reach me, nor ruffle the pages
of my Bronte or bring the cuckoo's song
from nearby copse. But the coconut
scent of gorse and the honeyed purple
of early heather surround me once more.

Copyright ©2006 by Wiltshire




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Drabble Corner

Michelle Swisz

Thanks to everyone who submitted this month! Our Drabble for January is untitled, and is written by David Burton.

I used to live in your world. I loved every moment: the smiles, the sex, the friendship, the knowing another’s thoughts. Well, at least till the end. Then it became a little claustrophobic. And irritating. But you said the same, so I was happy to share. And, thankfully, you said you felt the same. You said the change could be good. You said you felt we needed it. I agreed: healthy and mature. So we changed. I’m still happy. More so, actually, I think. How are you? Have you been nibbled by any worms yet? Have you been found? Hehe.

I haven't had very much rest lately. It isn't that I haven't tried. School let out the third week of December, and I was so exhausted from writing papers and studying for the final that I stayed in my pajamas the first weekend afterward.

But that Tuesday night during finals week, I came home to find that my sick kitty, Tootsie, who's 20 and has already lived a year past what the vets gave him, wouldn't eat his usual cat food. So, off Mommy went to the corner supermarket. And then when I got back, again, to feed him his gourmet brand, I was locked out of the house. My garage door was stuck just far enough off the ground for me to squeeze under without my jacket, provided I pushed as hard as I could a few inches more, and provided I was able to hold it there for long enough. But, instead of pushing and squeezing, I called a friend, whose screwdriver let me (well, she did it) replace the remote door opener battery. The door still wouldn't open, though, when I got home again, so I had to push and squeeze anyway, And when I finally got inside with the cat food, after resetting the opener from inside the garage, I saw that the kitty had already eaten what I'd originally tried to feed him after all.

This push pull theme seems to be carrying over into the rest of my life, too, at the moment—it's like seeing pink Cadillacs everywhere once you've noticed one. One thing I've noticed is that pushing and pulling are at the heart of every story I've told lately. The struggle can be much more subtle than those I've had with the garage door or the kitchen sink—but at the core of each meaningful conversation, there's been at least one stated and one unstated struggle. For instance, a conversation with a friend about Christmas plans mentions our seeing particular other people, and seeing each other over the holidays, but only talks around what this getting together means within the relationships involved.

What I'm thinking for our next Drabble is—use a push pull situation to construct a story about plans for the holidays (which will be over by the time you read this, but that's okay). Take a look at the guidelines before writing, and submit your 100-word (excluding title) Drabble to drabble@wvu.org within ten days of this e-zine's finding its way into your inbox.

See you next time!


About the Author
Hello, and welcome to Drabbles. I'm Michelle, your Drabbles editor. I live south of San Francisco, with four spoiled cats, near the sea where I love to walk every day. I've tutored English in workshops, classrooms, and individually at San Jose State University, and have worked on the Fiction Panel here at Writers' Village. Comments and questions are always welcome!


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Recognitions

Joan McNulty Pulver

Welcome to Recognitions, a column designed to celebrate the writing successes of Writers' Village University members!

First I would like to apologize to my readers for the absence of this column. It wasn’t intentional but brought about by illness. I am glad I was able to regain my strength to acknowledge these wonderful writers.

Nikki Leigh completed 51,000 words on her latest non-fiction book during the month of November while participating in National Novel Writers Month (NaNoWriMo). The project is under contract to Atlantic Publishing. The first 50,000 words are currently with the publisher and should be on sale by spring 2006. The title is 365 Business Management Mistakes to Avoid and there will be a link on Nikki's website when it is available for sale. Published under her given name, Shri Henkel, it will be quite a feather in her cap and should help gain visibility for her Business and Marketing Consulting business.

At this point, her 2002 and 2003 fiction novels from NaNoWriMo are under contract. The 2002 project, Stormy View, will be released in March 2006, and Widow’s Walk, from 2003, in the summer or fall of 2006. Feel free to visit Nikki's website for more information at www.nikkileigh.com. Nikki hopes to find time to finish her 2004 NaNo novel in the near future.

Maria Narkis, who writes under the pseudonym Marianne Arkins, lives in New Hampshire with her husband, daughter, dog, cat and a serious overpopulation of wild birds determined to eat her out of house, home and birdseed. In her spare time she writes romance with a less serious edge and, most recently, had a short story published in the online magazine Wax Romantic. She is a first time NaNoWriMo winner, and hopes to have that novel polished and submitted by the middle of 2006. Read what she's been writing at her weblog: http://www.reading-writing.blogspot.com When asked about her NaNoWriMo experience this year, she replied:

This October, I got Chris Baty's book, No Plot, No Problem, and was inspired to participate in NaNoWriMo the following month. November 1st, I woke early and popped out a few thousand words, certain that this would be the quickest and easiest novel I'd ever written. Week One flew by and I was on a roll.

Week Two brought writer's block. I fought through it—having a set goal and deadline works wonders with your determination. I used dares posted in the NaNo Forum: Random Wikpedia pages, Guinness Book of World Records, Dictionary.com's Words of the Day. It worked and added some interesting texture to my story!

I regained lost ground in Week Three. I watched as fellow WVUer's word counts turned green and then purple with their 50,000 word validation and I was determined to join them. They inspired me. In the end, I made the goal with three days to spare. Incredible. 50,138 words in 27 days. I am still energized by the experience and can't wait to do it again next year!

The three biggest lessons I learned.

1. I work best under a tight deadline.
2. I respond well to prompts and "dares" as inspiration.
3. I will never, ever ask for feedback on a first draft again. It blocks me.
This was Sharon Walker’s third year on the NaNoWriMo train. She said the feeling, when the purple bar is shown with the word winner was wonderful. “The one thing I’d do different is that I’d put the words in one document and not put it all into individual chapters until after NaNoWriMo. I realize it is for the experience. That work can be done later. I found it interesting, same as previous years, the dreams I’d have. Will I do it again? Probably.”
 
Sharon Walker is a lifetime member of WVU. She titled this year's NaNoWriMo, “Searching for Susan.” She loves caring for her granddaughter who will start kindergarten next year, but is already a great reader, who delights in reading out loud and being read to. 
 
Ruby Osburn a.k.a. Flame, is a member of Writers' Village University and SCBWI, a professional organization for writers and illustrators of children's literature. She heads up the Julia Cameron study group at WVU. Ruby works as the Marketing Director for ePress-Online Publishing, a division of Writopia. In her free time, she is the Vice-President of the National Concierge Association. She resides in Las Vegas, Nevada with her husband and four cats. Ruby completed NaNoWriMo with over 100,000 words. “It was a whirlwind experience of uninhibited writing and I can’t wait to do it again next year.”

Maryellen Brady-Kropp completed her second year of NaNoWriMo this year. She lives in the woods of the Pacific Northwest with her husband. She recently placed second in a Canadian magazine, Tickled by Thunder, fiction contest. Maryellen is a member in Word Slingers and Middle Earth writing groups at WVU. When she isn’t writing, she can usually be found in her rose garden or behind the camera.

P. June Diehl, author of The Magic & the Mundane: A Guide to the Writer’s Journey is working on a second book for writers and at the same time is finalizing her first novel, Murder in D Minor, an alternative earth murder mystery. June works as a writing teacher and coach and can be reached at: http://www.iwriteforyou.org and pjune@yahoo.com.

During NaNoWriMo she worked on a fantasy tentatively titled Logan’s Lament. She had originally thought of doing a SF novel, but the last week in October decided to tackle a fantasy. June had ideas for characters and two parallel plotlines. While writing the NaNoWriMo draft, she also developed two addition parallel plots.
 
“My plan was to write as much as possible the first couple of weeks, as I had unexpected out-of-country company in November and several weekends I was out of town. This paid off by the end of the month.
 
“I loved being able to encourage other writers, and watching their word counts grow. I made new friends and the month was one big adventure. What fun I had! I can’t wait for NaNo 2006.”

Last year, NaNoWriMo taught Donna Sundblad the reality of completing a first draft of a novel in one month. She hoped to participate this year, but other editing responsibilities claimed a good bit of her time. She set the NaNo goal, but it held a low priority. By the halfway point, she chalked up 10,000 words, while she completed most of the other jobs clamoring for her time. On November 21, she reached 15,201. As impossible as it seemed, she decided to push. Donna admits, 50,000 words appeared out of reach, but “The Seventh Gate” flourished in her mind. She set a mental goal of 5,000 words a day, 2,000 before work, 1,000 at lunch and 2,000 after work. In an ideal world, it could work. Many of her friends within her writing network expressed confidence that she could do it.

This steep goal offered a marginal cushion at the end of the month. She’d fallen in love with her characters. The plot thickened as her imagination stirred. Her laptop went everywhere with her. Donna carried a notebook so that when she couldn’t bring her laptop, she could capture 250 words here and there. It worked. She tallied 750 words waiting at the dentist office. On November 29, she had 48,313 words. Barring a catastrophe, she would make it. The morning of the 30th she crossed the finish line with 51,014 words. Her trophy—The Seventh Gate. A story worth refining.

The one experience A.J. Smith had during NaNo November that made the whole torturous challenge worthwhile was the feeling of being in the "ZONE." Best described as resembling the sensation runners get once they make it past the "wall" and elation sets in, there is a comparable feeling of invincibility that comes from having written a sufficient number of words without interruption. Having discussed it with fellow NaNoers, A.J. found out that the phenomenon has been studied at length. It is made possible by a strenuous effort lasting no less than thirty minutes. At the end of this period, the subject becomes Dostoevsky: words flow as easily as the Neva, and despite the quantities of vodka needed to keep up the pace, the feeling of producing a masterpiece equal or superior to "The Idiot" sets in.

Of course there's a catch. It doesn't last forever. But next November is only eleven months away.

Congratulations, Nikki, Maria, Sharon, Maryellen, June, Donna, AJ and any other WVU member who completed National Novel Writing Month and didn’t let me know. We wish you continued success in all of your writing endeavors and thank you for sharing your information with us.

We look forward to reading about your writing accomplishments in this column. If you or someone you know received recognition for writing, please send the information to recognitions@wvu.org. Let us know!


About the Author
Joan McNulty Pulver, mother of five and grandmother of five, works as an Administrative Secretary for the State of Florida but considers her writing and editing to be her vocation. She is a columnist for T-Zero: The Writer’s E-Zine, a course developer and facilitator at Writers’ Village University and the Personnel Coordinator/Editor for ePress-online. Joan has had two short stories published and is currently working on a non-fiction book and a fantasy novel.


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Submissions Guidelines (Updated)

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What We Pay For

Fiction: Stories should be of interest to writers in general, not just a narrow group.

Fiction should be submitted to fiction@thewritersezine.com. Payment starts at $15.00.

If considered for publication, you will be asked to return an email agreement including your name and address.

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Payment starts at $15.00, and, if considered, you will be sent an email agreement to fill out and return.

Poetry: Due to the large number of recent poetry submissions, a temporary hold on further poetry submissions is in place until early 2008.

Please do not email us to ask what we pay for in other categories. When we can add to our list, we will include it in these guidelines.

What We Publish

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For fiction we prefer something with a plot and resolution. If we like the main character, we are more likely to accept the story. If the main character has a problem to resolve or has to make a choice, that's conflict, and we love conflict! Too many writers confuse conflict with fight scenes. Don't be one of them. Give us a protagonist who acts, makes choices no matter how hard they are to solve his or her dilemma, not a wimp who drifts along and has to be rescued.

Non-fiction should be related to the craft of writing or be good resource material for writers. Accuracy and originality are vital. No reprints. If it has already been published somewhere else, our readers will spot it and let us know.

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We expect you to run spell-check and to check your grammar and punctuation before submitting. We will not reject a submission for a few typos or errors, but will if there are an excessive number of errors.

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We will automatically correct obvious typos such as “ton” for “not” and may correct simple agreement problems. For anything beyond that, time permitting, we will return the submission to you with a request for corrections.

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Fiction and Craft features published in T-Zero: The Writer's Ezine include brief third person biographical notes on the writers. For all submissions, please compose your own bio and include it to save our editors and yourself time later if/when your piece is accepted for publication. We suggest sharing a little about your background, occupation, geographical location and what inspired your story.

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Fiction should be sent to fiction@thewritersezine.com.

Craft Non-fiction should be queried first. Send query to nonfiction@thewritersezine.com.

Poetry: Due to the large number of recent poetry submissions, a temporary hold on further poetry submissions is in place until early 2008.

Include the type of submission (fiction, non-fiction) in the subject line.

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Good luck!


T-Zero: The Writer's Ezine
http://TheWritersEzine.com
Copyright 1998 - 2007, Writopia Inc. All Rights Reserved

 

© Copyright 1998 - 2007, Writopia Inc. All rights reserved