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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

Magdalena Ball

Agenbite of Inwit: The pleasure and pain of being a writer

It's the most insidious myth. As a publisher, I get lots of emails from novice writers who are looking for tips on producing a best-selling novel and making an (easy) fortune. My answer is always the same: forget about it. Writing fiction is a mug's game. If it's riches you're after, you'd be far better off working as a checkout clerk at your local supermarket. If it's ease, being a member of a road gang is probably less emotionally stressful. No one believes me, not even my mother or husband, both of whom expect the royalties from my first novel to enable them to retire. So let's set the record straight. Dan Brown, John Grisham and JK Rowling are all major exceptions (like the winners of lotteries), and Grisham and Rowling in particular struggled for many years, through tedious day jobs, and many rejections before their work was even accepted by a publisher. Writing fiction is a creative art, and like any art, the odds of being financially successful at it are small, and the apprenticeship, long and hard. The only way to become a good, respected fiction writer is to work at it, often without any remuneration at all (check out clerk or road gang worker by day if you need to eat). A good novel may take many years to write. The financial rewards of a first novel, even when published by a big house, are almost always small. Ludicrously small. So why do it? Here are three reasons.

Because you can't help yourself

Being a writer is one of those 'careers' or perhaps vocations which comes along unbidden and grabs you by the scruff of the neck, biting deeply like Dracula. It's an affliction. The desire to write is generally not diminished by Machiavellian realities like the size of the paycheck, or the certainty of publication. While the rewards aren't usually financial ones, there are other reasons for writing fiction. The first and foremost is that you simply love words and can't help yourself. There is deep emotional satisfaction when you are able to craft a sentence that says exactly what you want to say in a unique, original way. There is an addictive quality, not that different from love, about taking bits and pieces of those things that interest or torture you and crafting them into a complete story. Everything that happens to you—good or bad—is material. A fiction writer doesn't quite have the same vulnerabilities as other people. Even as you suffer, you're always twisting, crafting, inventing and coordinating the pain and confusion into something universal. Your pain is always a stepping stone to something bigger.

To convey a message

Good fiction is generally not driven by a message, but rather by characters immersed in their situations. That said, fiction can be a powerful medium for conveying theme. Forget about didacticism, but you can show, rather than tell, how love is more powerful than hatred. You can prove, in a way that only story can, that freedom matters, or that death may not be the very end. You can make the reader believe, even if only for a moment, that every life is worth living, or that the wonder in a child's eyes is greater than any ideology. Good writing opens a door, for the writer and the reader, and can change the way the world looks. The ability to do that is a gift, no matter how hard it is or how low the pay rates. It really isn't something you can compare to a day job like clerking or roadwork. It's more akin to parenthood. Writing fiction is intrinsically and deeply satisfying to the soul, even as it wrenches you apart. If you're doing it right, you'll be dredging through your deepest fears and most intense desires to craft your story, and the process is therapeutic and powerful, both for you as writer, and for your reader. It matters in the broadest context.

To amuse yourself

If you aren't a reader you shouldn't be a writer. Writing and reading are two sides of a single coin, which isn't to say that all good readers are good writers, but unless you love words, it's not going to be possible to craft them. It isn't always possible to find books which suit your taste, but if you're a writer, you are no longer limited to what is available on the market. You can write exactly what you want to read, and have fun with it. If there's a topic that irritates or interests you, you can research it, play with it, and follow it to some kind of conclusion. It's outrageous hubris, which is probably the mark of a writer, but on your own page, you're the god. You can create your own worlds, developing a rich setting in whatever place, real or imagined, that you want to be in. Anachronistic? No problem. You can revisit an era that you wished you lived in. Become a Knight Templar. Take the first flight in a Wright plane. Time travel is no problem for a writer. Nor are the limitations of physics-metaphysics or nanotechnology- whatever you want goes. You can move through the universe, or go deep into someone's psyche. If you're a people person, you can delve into character. Take a stranger whose facial expression intrigues you and create a whole life for him. Although you may not earn much, it doesn't cost much either. A pen and paper. A computer you already have. An internet connection for the research, and there are no limits to your powers. If you are an obsessive, compulsive observer, and you love to play with language, time and space, then there are no greater rewards than synthesizing these observations into a complete work which someone else can lose themselves in. Never mind the tangibles, and forget funding your family's retirement. If you're a writer, you instinctively understand the rewards.


About the Author
Magdalena Ball runs The Compulsive Reader and Preschool Entertainment. Her short stories, editorials, poetry, reviews and articles have appeared in a wide number of printed anthologies and journals, and have won many awards. Her non-fiction book, The Art of Assessment, was published by Mountain Mist Productions in 2002, and her poetry chapbook, Quark Soup, is due for publication by Picaro Press late in 2006. For details and samples, visit: http://www.compulsivereader.com/html/images/quarkindex.htm. 
 

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Craft of Writing

Virginia G. McMorrow

Why and How to Write What You Don't Know

Many agents, editors, and writing teachers advise you to write only what you know. By doing so, you add rich details that bring a fiction scene to life, make a feature interview more engaging, and allow yourself an easier time of writing. Not only does writing about what's familiar provide credibility to your material, it also proves to your reader that you know your stuff. So yes, writing what you know is completely reasonable advice (with the obvious exception of writing a murder mystery, and committing a murder to understand the mind of a psychopathic killer).

However, I believe there are times when you should go out on that literary limb, reach out with all your senses, and write about topics that you don't know. The discussion that follows will address the rationale behind my belief—emotion, knowledge, and skill development—as well as how to go about such writing without looking foolish.

The Reasons Why: An Emotional Punch
When you write on a topic or situation about—perhaps something that's missing in your life—that subject provides an emotional punch that can only serve to make your material more engrossing. As a writer, I try to touch my readers in some way: make them laugh, cry, be angry, whatever emotion I'm seeking. And to do that, my themes usually revolve around the relationships of families and friends.

For example, I was born and bred in New York City, but most of my fiction deals with small-town life. Though a city resident, I grew up in a neighborhood where my extended family was either upstairs, downstairs, or two blocks away—a situation that I no longer have. Family and friends are scattered, a universal theme to which many readers can relate. So my stories and novels usually employ a cast of characters who are all living in the same town or village, who are hip-deep into each other's business, and suffer the daily irritations that accompany such close living. Yet at bottom, the affection is real, the connections genuine, and the emotion true.

The Reasons Why: Stretch Your Brain
Another reason to write about what you don't know is to expand your own knowledge base. Is there a subject about which you feel passionate? Gardening? Cooking? Interior decorating? Forensic dentistry? I never realized how much the theater fascinated me until I started researching what went on behind the scenes and on stage—all of which helped me with a fantasy-murder I was writing at the time, along with several other novels after that.

Whatever the subject, once you understand it completely, it allows you to transform your passion into a novel, or better yet, a nonfiction book that you can promote through workshops and trade organizations. Think about all the self-help and how-to books on the market. If you work as a freelance writer, you can use that topic and write numerous articles that focus on different perspectives of the same subject (see sidebar: Stretching a Topic). And while you're exploring the topic, you can be earning money and credentials.

The Reasons Why: Professional Development
The final reason to write about what you don't know is to stretch your writing muscles. By discovering all there is to know about an unfamiliar subject and using that knowledge in your writing, you learn how to incorporate it into your material, whether fiction or nonfiction. And remember, you don't have to use it all.

For example, look at Patricia Cornwell's medical examiner (Dr. Kay Scarpetta) series. Her in-depth knowledge of autopsies and cause of death, along with microscopic forensic clues, is deftly interwoven into dialogue and narrative throughout the story. With practice, you avoid "lumping" all that new knowledge into one chapter or scene just to prove you know what you're talking about.

And Now, the How-to of It
Every writer can find his or her own personal reasons why it's important to write about something new and strange—even though it's a frightening prospect. The first step is to understand the rationale; the second involves taking action. When you're ready to start this adventure, remember the following important concepts that will enhance your success:

  • Research, research, research. With all the information available on the Internet, it's easy to find not only facts and figures, but also analytical reviews, anecdotes, and related discussions on your topic of choice. And if you're writing nonfiction, be sure to uncover the most recent findings and This point also holds true if you're writing murder mysteries and need state-of-the-art investigatory tools—unless you're writing about a small-town sheriff.


  • Read related material. If you're writing nonfiction, research the different books and articles available on the topic. See how other writers address the issues. Do they follow the same slant as your intended idea?  What's the target audience? All of this information will help you when it comes time to market the book. For fiction, do the same reading to see how you can make your new expertise unique. For example, in fantasy, stories about dragons and elves abound; good story tellers can—and still do—make their tales distinctive through characterization, imagination, and hard work.


  • Consult an expert. If you know anyone who works or studies in the field about which you're writing, ask them questions about things you might not understand. If you don't know anyone, and need technical answers, it's easy enough to find a professional and introduce yourself—and then, of course, acknowledge those contributors in the front pages of your book.


  • Short forms. Practice writing about your topic through articles (if you're writing nonfiction) or short stories (if fiction). Not only will this step provide credentials when you sell the pieces, it will also enhance your ability to make the topic credible.


  • Read aloud. By reading your material aloud to yourself or an objective listener, the awkward phrases become apparent. You can hear those  places where you might have crammed too much information into the scene and bogged down the dialogue or description. Trust your ear.
It's a Writer's Decision
Whether you write about what you know—or don't know—the bottom line is that you should write what's in your heart. The truth is simple: whether or not you know your "stuff," if your heart isn't in your writing, it will show, and the reader will peg you for a fraud.

Stretching a Topic

You've just become an expert on hiking. Not only did you conduct  research on the Internet and speak with people who enjoy the sport, you went out and bought hiking equipment and actually explored different trails. You can write any number of articles, with photographs to enhance your story, as for example:

A description of the conditions on a specific hiking trail for a hiking magazine

The benefits of hiking a smooth trail vs. a steep one for a  health magazine

Highlights of neighborhood paths for a local newspaper

A description of a group climb you experienced for a hiking club newsletter

The bonding experiences of a family hike for a parenting magazine

Handling unexpected weather or animal life for a safety magazine

An interview with a hiking expert for a sporting magazine

Anything else your imagination can offer

About the Author
Virginia G. McMorrow is the author of four fantasy novels and  several mystery short stories, as well as numerous articles. She also teaches creative writing in adult education. Visit her web site at www.virginiamcmorrow.com.

 

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Craft of Writing

Donna Sundblad

Step One - Inside or Out
excerpt from Pumping Your Muse

This chapter provides the groundwork for the first snapshot of the world that will take shape in the pages of your journal and come to maturity in your manuscript. I've provided two choices; one takes place indoors and the other outside. Both challenge you to gather information and change your perspective.

A Place to Start

Inside: Reflection

For this step in the process, you will need a wall mirror and paper to take notes. It doesn't matter what room you choose for this exercise or even if it is in your home. Once you choose the mirror, have a seat. What do you see? I noted neutral beige wallpaper with a border decorated with buffalos and bears, a pine headboard, rumpled blankets, and the amber glow of a bedside lamp. If you haven’t guessed yet, the room I am describing is a bedroom. If I walked into this same room and added one of the elements listed below, my perspective changes.

  • Blood
  • Broken lamp on the floor
  • A journal or personal letter
  • Yesterday's newspaper
  • A prescription bottle or illegal substance
  • Reflection of emergency vehicle lights
Choose one or more of the elements above and develop the world reflected from the other side of the mirror. Be creative. For example, a broken lamp can reflect a struggle or a wild house party. It's up to you. After you add one of these elements to your reflected world, write a short scene.

Outside: One-Inch Tall

The universe is mysterious and complex. The physical plane on which we move has a natural hierarchy. We can move as far out as the cosmos or zero in on an anthill. When we move horizontally or vertically, we change the plane on which our senses take in information. I remember the first time I went snorkeling. It amazed me that another "universe" existed below the aqua marine surface. Hermit crabs crawled along the sandy bottom sporting their confiscated shells, schools of sardine-size fish reflected sunlight as they turned in unison and disappeared into the cloudy surf, and I learned to spot sand dollars half hidden in the sand. While standing on the beach, I didn't see or learn any of these things. I had to take specific steps to see the world that existed just beyond the gentle waves fingering the shoreline.

It is the same for the worlds within you. Yes, I said worlds. Elements of worlds subsist within your muse. The following exercises are designed to draw a specific world into view. Part the waves of imagination and peek into the next realm. I suggest you go for a walk because the real world outside breeds creation of tangible worlds.

When I went for my walk, tall grass swayed gently in the summer breeze along the side of the road. I passed by a gully designed to collect rainwater, which led to a culvert. A glimpse of a canal beyond the tall reeds crowding the far end of the ditch told me the water collected by the drainage system would be deposited into the canal. In my world-creating exercise mode, I thought about what kind of world a drainage ditch would present if I were an inch tall? The opening at the opposite end of the gully was half-hidden by tall grass; my imagination suddenly transformed it into the maw of a cavern. I envisioned dripping stalagmite and the flutter of batwings. This exercise put details in place that previously I would normally labor to imagine. This world was created for me; I just had to open my eyes to see it.

Inside or Outside

Feel free to consider other ideas while on your walk. Use homes and other structures. Write about the new home down the street or the old warehouse one block over from where you work. Choose something real; a place you can return to if you want to collect more details. Ideas that stem from buildings can lead your muse through the door or creeping along an alley wall outside. For now, describe the structure to get basic details in place.

Exercise 2A: Attention to Detail - Your Surroundings
Go for a walk, sit on your front steps, or visit a forest preserve, beach, the mountains or some place that puts you in touch with nature. Quiet your mind for at least ten minutes. Whatever you do, get away from the computer, TV or any other conduit that robs you of your creative thinking time. Take in your surroundings. What do you see? People struggle to develop believable worlds while writing because they don't take time to enjoy the world in which they live. In today's hurry-scurry society, we rush from point A to point B while we multi-task, taking little notice of our surroundings.

After ten minutes write at least one paragraph about the world you see. I don’t care if you write about your backyard, mountains, or the drainage ditch down the street. Just write. This exercise forces you to develop world-building vocabulary while you acquire sensitivity to what is happening around you. Both capabilities strengthen the more you use them, like building muscle with repetitive exercises. Remember, we write what we know. Hone the ability to write what you see and it will be reflected in your writing.

Exercise 2B: For this Chapter - Change of Perspective
Read what you wrote in your journal yesterday. If you chose to write about a nearby structure, it’s time to look at it from another point of view (POV). Change your perspective. It’s no longer the house down the street, or the warehouse a block away from work. The building is situated somewhere in your story. Something takes place that draws attention to it. If a body was found in that building, how did it get there? If two people met at this site, what would be the reason? Could it be something romantic or perhaps illegal? These prompts are ticklers. Let your imagination caress and mold ideas. Your protagonist may emerge from such circumstances. Do you find him crowded next to another person hiding in a closet? On the other hand, are they running down the street? If so, are they running toward or away from the structure? Use words that portray the snapshot.

If you chose to write about a natural setting, this exercise will still require a change of perspective. Imagine yourself (or a character) to be one-inch tall while traversing the ecological setting found within the pages of your journal. See how your world develops from this POV. Write one paragraph and open the door to the potential of new worlds.
Example: (This scene developed from my one-inch tall perspective in the drainage ditch.)
Trikel slipped along the slope, using the trees to steady his hurried pace. Something big crashed through the forest not far behind him. The threat moved silently through the woods, not a hoof beat or footfall to be heard, only the rush of splintering tree trunks warned him to run. Up ahead, he caught a glimpse of a cave, half hidden by vegetation. Hand over hand; he used thick rope-like vines to pull himself up the incline toward the haven. He could hide in there.

When you write your paragraph, don't get caught up on characters or names. I used Trikel because I thought of the way water trickles down the gully. I can keep it or change it. Right now, though, I'm concentrating on building a world. The drainage pipe became a cave. In my real world, I considered the possibility of a snake living in the thick vegetation around the culvert and included that monster in my new realm. I liked the silent threat idea.

Building a world in this way not only gives us terrain, but natural wildlife that evolves within the environment. This drainage ditch held the possibility for crickets, grasshoppers, toads, frogs, snakes, or rabbits. That’s what I know. Changing size alters perspective. These harmless creatures now present a threat because being one-inch tall changes the relationships within the environment. The menace that takes form fits because it developed naturally based on the real world. Without a believable world, the character and plot flounders (not that you can’t make it work, but it takes more time and creative energy). Even in the wildest worlds of fantasy and sci-fi, the worlds must make sense.

The same holds true when your world begins in a structure. You know if the building stands alone in the middle of five acres or if a nosy neighbor exists. Details such as sidewalks and shrubbery take root and the first inkling of a neighborhood is born. If you chose to write a scene based on the reflection in the mirror, your muse can see the surroundings. The logical possibilities of others in the same building can lead in various directions, but each one makes sense. You can build your world from here by stepping through the door or looking out the window.


About the Author
Author and freelance writer, Donna Sundblad, resides in Georgia 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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Birdie's Quill

Birdie

The Art of Self Promotion

I’ll never forget my first writers’ conference. After nervously awaiting appointments to pitch my book, two editors asked me to mail them a proposal. What an adrenaline rush. In my attempt to sell my book, I had stuffed six proposal copies into my carry-on. I ignored the crushing weight gouging my shoulder as I walked through the airport. I was ready to promote myself. It never dawned on me that editors wouldn’t be collecting a mountain of book proposals to lug home.

After speaking with the editors, I learned that I needed to tweak my proposal to meet expectations specific to their publisher. They handed me contact information and a set of submission guidelines to be incorporated in the proposal. Among the stapled packets, questionnaires asked for a host of information. It reminded me of an essay test. As I studied the questions a few of them caught me off guard. Questions like: 1) Why should the manager of a bookstore place an order for your book? 2) List special features and endorsements, and 3) Ideas to promote readership.

With all the work I had poured into those proposals, I thought I had come prepared. Attending the conference and meeting editors face-to-face taught me another lesson in the art of self-promotion. Following the basics of putting together a book proposal are necessary, but in today’s market you need to be prepared to answer the question: “What would I do to promote the book?”

Me? Promote the book? Well, I had talked to plenty of friends about it. I admit, back then my naïveté led me to think authors wrote while publishers handled promotional aspects of book-selling. Since then, I’ve come to understand promotion of this sort belongs to a bygone era. For small presses and limited marketing budgets for large presses, advertising dollars are spent where they reap the biggest return, not on a first-time, no-name author.

With that in mind, it’s time for writers to teach themselves the art of self-promotion. How can a writer/author promote their work without spending a ton of money? This topic is vast, but for the sake of this article I’ll narrow the scope. A good place to start is at your fingertips—Internet Publicity.

Website
In this day of electronic communication, having a website to promote your writing is expected. When opportunities to share information about your books, articles or other news come into play, people will ask for a url (uniform resource locator) better known as your web address. In other words, where does your information “live” on the net?

Writers’ conferences, seminars and workshops provide fertile ground for the exchange of information. When attending, come prepared to promote your writing. Have business cards printed that include your url and email address.

When I attended a seminar on “How to Get Published,” during a short break, people balanced coffee in one hand and business cards in the other. They didn’t talk about websites; they talked about their books. Business cards pointed to websites offering more information to the public. The trick is to get them to your site by creating a need.

The days of people searching yellow pages and making phone calls all over the country have passed. Today, the trend is to go to the Web (an extensive user community) to gather information. If you’ve written a book, or are building a reputation as a freelance writer and someone wants to know more, that’s where they’ll look—on the Internet. It’s as easy as typing your name or the name of your book into a search engine.

Getting people to your site is the first step, but what will they find when your page comes up? While searching for information, if people find a helpful, informative website that not only provides what they seek but more, they’re likely to bookmark the page to return at regular intervals to see what’s new.

If you think you can’t afford a website, compare the cost to print advertising. For example, a tri-fold brochure to introduce your book would cost about $1,500. Distribution of the brochure would be an added expense without really knowing if the printed material will end up in the hands of an interested potential buyer or in the trash. A website can cost about a third of print advertising. Other benefits of having your information online include:

  • Interested people visit your site
  • Curious people visit your site
  • None of your advertising goes to waste
  • Updates and new promotions can be added easily without further expense
If you're not web savvy, shop around for web hosting services to meet your needs.

Newsletter
Newsletters are another source of self-promotion. Announce your upcoming newsletter on your website. Encourage sign-up. Build a mailing list. Use your newsletter to attract readers to your website and to promote your books and articles.

Don’t think you have enough content to offer a newsletter? Look for free articles on the Internet to supplement content. Include ideas to draw others to request your newsletter, a copy of your book, and to keep them coming back to your website:

Here are a few possible topics to get you started:
  • book excerpts from your books
  • testimonies from those who have read your books
  • book reviews or a featured author
  • contests
  • requests for interviews
  • news
  • articles targeted for your audience (free content available at sites like Ezine Articles and Articles-Hub
A newsletter is a useful tool that allows you to promote your work while providing useful information to generate an interest to know more.

Email signature
Email signatures add contact information and a bit of personality to each email you send. It is a handy tool where you can provide links to your website, articles, blog urls or any other aspect of your online presence you want to promote Check the options function available in your email program for details of how to add a signature line to your outgoing email.

Online Communities
Online communities for writers abound. Yahoo groups offer a wide assortment of moderated groups (some password-protected by invitation only). Check out the groups link at Yahoo and start networking. Since communication takes place through email, the signature line links you’ve added to your email will work as a silent promotion when you interact on the message boards.

Other possibilities for meeting other writers online include virtual schools such as Writers' Village University, which offers over 200 courses free to members. After paying a reasonable membership fee, this online university offers courses (facilitator-led or peer-guided), along with workshops and study groups. Each of these provides avenues to interact and promote your work.

The Writer Gazette presents writers with an opportunity to donate a book as part of free promotion with participation in a contest. They set up a contest page with details advertised in their newsletter. This site will also list your book for review.

Writer's Manual (the bragging zone for writers worldwide) presents a way to promote yourself through an interview, their sister site EbooksCafe – allows space to promote your book.

SF Reader is a promotional opportunity for writers of Science Fiction or Fantasy. This site requires membership and provides forums to interact with readers of the genre and other topics.

Reader’s Station invites writers and readers to join their message board. The Readers' Station gives fiction and non-fiction readers the chance to learn about books and the authors who write them. A variety of genres are included and readers have a chance to meet authors and ask more about their work. Go to the site and click the picture to visit the message board. Sign up for their newsletter for more up-to-date information.

Blog – I still meet people who ask what a blog is, but people who frequent the Internet know a blog is somewhat like an online journal. Blog topics differ as much as people and generate a following. For writers, some blogs offer book reviews, a specific topic relevant to their book or articles, and others such as my Pumping Your Muse Prompts offers writing prompts on a regular basis. Start your own blog to promote your writing. Free blogging sites are available. Take advantage of posting your profile, include a promotional blurb and a link to your website.

Bios – Take advantage of on-line markets for your writing and include a short bio that tells a bit about you and the work you want to promote

Chats – Online chats provide real-time communication between participants. Look for opportunities to join a chat for writers to learn from other authors, make connections, and possibly become a guest speaker in the future.

Promote at Every Opportunity
This is by no means a comprehensive list of online marketing strategies. Instead, consider it a starter pack. Spend time surfing for fresh promo opportunities and follow through. Take advantage of each one. Promote, promote, promote.


About the Author
Author and freelance writer, Donna Sundblad, resides in Georgia 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 The Writers' Ezine - T-Zero Xpandizine

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Fiction Short Story

by Joyce Finn

Fertile Rumors

George’s clippers snipped at the bedraggled bush almost as fast as his sister, Geraldine, prattled on about the woman who moved in down the street from him. One Emily Malden.

He caught every twentieth word until Geraldine said, “She’s a witch.”

“Utter nonsense.” George bent down and lopped off a wilted rose. “Witches lug around bells, books, and candles, or ride broomsticks across full moons.”

Geraldine told him all her friends at the Beneficial Righteous Aid Society knew down to their support hose that Emily Malden was a witch. “Have I ever been wrong?” trumpeted Geraldine.

“If you’re so sure, why haven’t you called the cops? A priest?” George was still chuckling long after Geraldine left in a snit. He hadn’t had so much fun with his sister since the time she was ten and he hot-wired the toilet seat. THAT was a memory!

Always a doting older sister, she had dismissed every girl he dated as too stingy, or chubby, or chatty, or glum. A few weeks after their conversation, George again asked Geraldine about Emily Malden. Sure they didn’t mean witch with a B?

“Oh, she’s a witch all right. Has to be,” Geraldine said.

“How ‘bout some specifics?”

“Margaret—you know Margaret.”

He shook his head.

“She’s the one who makes that vegetarian lasagne you like.”

Without waiting for him to nod, she continued, “One night Margaret walks her dog past Emily Malden’s house and sees her jabbing a doll over and over with needles. Margaret ran home.” She shot him a knowing look.

He laughed so long and hard Geraldine clattered the lunch dishes into the sink, slammed the kettle onto the stove and flicked the dishcloth over the already spotless counter. “You needn’t make fun of woman’s intuition, George. We see what you men can’t.”

George felt a twinge in his left leg, a sure sign of disaster. “Well, better the devil you know than a witch down the street,” he said as his sister flounced out. That night his aching leg kept him awake. The second time he hobbled to the kitchen for more aspirin he flipped on the TV and watched a rerun of The Exorcist. The next day, just in case Geraldine was right, he nailed a crucifix to his mailbox and draped a set of rosary beads over his front gate.

Every morning, at 7am, he swept the walkway in front of his house. Every morning for two weeks, at 7:45am, Emily Malden strolled past. Soil dribbled from her backpack, snaking a trail behind her. When she passed, he blessed himself and grabbed the broom. Was this some sort of hex sign? Had she heard, somehow, what Geraldine and the other said?

When he told his sister about the soil, Geraldine harrumphed. “See. I told you—daft and dangerous. Watch out!”

George bought a used bible from the Salvation Army Store.

One Friday morning, as he was chopping a grow-as-you-watch wisteria vine, and sweat slithered down his back and slid into his shoes, he heard a cough behind him. Startled, he dropped the clippers, lunged for them and landed in the hedge.

“Beg pardon,” Emily Malden said.

“Oh!” He tumbled out of the hedge and almost into a plate of raisin-oatmeal cookies she was holding.

“I’m new in the neighborhood.”
 
“Oh?” George dusted off the front of his shirt, pulled three twigs out of his hair, one from his left ear, and hoisted up his belt.

“I’ve bought the Reynolds’ house.”

“Reynolds’ House?” He shuffled from foot to foot counting the cookies. Twelve.

“They’ve moved, have they?” This from the man who hoisted box after box of Simon and Eve Reynolds’ belongings until his back collapsed and he hobbled home. He bent forward, nostrils quivering. A hint of cardamom? Oh, heaven. And nutmeg? His belly rumbled and saliva pooled around his tongue. Yes! Nutmeg.

“I was wondering. Well, I’ve noticed you’re always doing chores, and I thought …”

His back stiffened. Here it was. What bargain with Satan would he be forced to make before nibbling one of those heavenly chunks?

She backed away. “What I meant to say …” She dropped her eyes and thrust the plate toward him before wrenching it away. “What was I thinking? I’m so, so sorry.”

“Sorry?” He lowered the clippers. “Sorry for what?”

She turned away.

“Hey, where are you going?” When she swivelled around, he whipped his clippers open, rotated the blades until they formed a cross, and held them in front of him.

“I heard you had a stroke,” she said. “Or was it diabetes and a massive coronary?” She edged away from him.

“Stroke? Diabetes? Me?” He roared. “Who said that?”

Emily stopped. “Geraldine Foster’s your sister, isn’t she?”

“Yesssss, but ... ”

“She said you were on medication that made you,” she hesitated, “how can I say this politely? A bit not quite, well, a bit strange.” She cringed.

“Me? A bit strange! What else did she say?”

Emily eased the gate open. “Errr ... you bit the mailman. Two months ago you caught a Canadian goose on the town common and tried to barbecue it. That you … ”

“She WHAT?”

Emily slid through the gate before facing him. “She said your medications had to be readjusted.”

“I bit a mailman? I cooked a goose?” He jabbed the air with the clippers.

In a voice used to soothe cantankerous children, she continued, “She said the cops made you wear one of those little electronic ankle thingies. Said you were harmless.”

His jaw dropped.

“Mostly harmless,” she whispered.

“If I’m such a damned threat, why …” He nodded at the plate quivering in her hand. She spun around and bolted.

“Wait! Come back!”

She stopped but held the cookies behind her.

George flung the clippers on the lawn. They bounced. “What the hell’s going on?”

Emily burst into tears. “Nothing’s working. The phone. The furnace. The ceiling fans. Nothing. And you being such a pious man.” She patted the mailbox crucifix. “The way you keep blessing yourself. I thought, I just thought …” She put the plate of cookies on the sidewalk, pulled a wad of tissues from her pocket, and honked. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have bothered you. Not someone in your condition.”

“Those cookies fresh?”

She blinked. “Why, yes.”

“Can you cook anything else?”

“I once worked as a chef.”

“So—what’s with the bag of soil?”

“I volunteer at St. Margaret’s. It's compost for the church’s rosebushes.” She jammed the tissues up her sleeve and sniffled.

George looked her up and down. Nutmeg, compost, and no husband—a cook, a gardener AND single? If she were a witch, it was high time for bit of enchantment. He walked over to the gate, swung it open, and bowed her back in.


About the Author
Joyce Finn is a Bostonian who has lived in Australia, South Africa, and most recently Bermuda. Her short stories have been published in Canada, Ireland, U.K., Australia and the U.S. One short story was short-listed by the BBC Drama Department and one play performed in Bermuda. Her travel articles have been published in The Robb Report, The Bermudian, as well as other travel magazines and websites.


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

The Writer's E-Zine Home

Writers' Village University - F2K: Free Fiction Writing Course - ePress-online
Writers' Village University Membership Information

Poetics Presents

Teel James Glenn

Teel James Glenn makes most of his living as a swordmaster/fight choreographer and stunt man. He has published poetry in Shadowsword, Athena Sidhe and other magazines and prose (fiction and articles) in AfterburnSF, Mad, Black Belt, Fantasy Tales, Fitness world, The Fantastic Worlds of E.R.B., Newsworld, Classic Pulp Fiction Stories, Weird Stories Magazine, Tales of Sword and Mysterie, and others.

DAUGHTER

The Shears of fate my thread have cut,
The cord is severed through,
But purpose keeps me here on earth.
I stay here now for you.
No obligation more sacred,
No vow of greater weight
Could take me from my loving child
Though all creation wait,
and I a shadow of my past,
A phantom of my joy
Deserted by my partner,
God’s own discarded toy-
Must find within me Odin’s mind
and Balder’s stalwart heart
To give to you a rainbow bridge
And a hero’s running start.

Copyright © 2006 by Teel James Glenn




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

The Writer's E-Zine Home

Writers' Village University - F2K: Free Fiction Writing Course - ePress-online
Writers' Village University Membership Information

Poetics Presents

Mo Swanson

Mo Swanson is a teacher and poet, wife and mother living in New England. Her work has been published online in T-Zero: The Writer's E-zine, Crescent Moon Journal, Poems Niederngasse, and in Loch Raven Review. She is also a member of The Advanced Poets Workshop at WVU.

Bleach Attack on Aunt, 70

(Found poem, Providence Journal, April 4, 2006)

Lea, a mother of three,
entered a no-contest plea,
almost killed the elderly,
charged with assault
and battery.

for felony

The bleach caused aunt
first-degree injury:
her head
eyes
neck,
arms
back
legs
feet--
unconscious
for four days
critically.

for felony

Mid-trial Lea
accepts full responsibility;
lawyers says she
should have been charged
with attempted
murder, first degree.

for felony

Plea bargain dismisses
embezzlement
of aunt's money.

for felony

Now she'll serve six years
in state custody.

for felony

Copyright © 2006 by Mo Swanson




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

The Writer's E-Zine Home

Writers' Village University - F2K: Free Fiction Writing Course - ePress-online
Writers' Village University Membership Information

Recognitions

Joan McNulty Pulver

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

Nikki Leigh, nee Shri Henkel, received word a month or so ago that her second novel Widow’s Walk would be out in print. This is Book One of the Misty Cove Chronicles. Nikki’s love of lighthouses and the ocean shows in her descriptions of the books she writes. It is still available at ebooks on the net or you can go to Nikki’s book site to purchase the print edition.

Nikki took a big leap last year and quit her job to become a full-time freelance writer. Another publishing coup for her is her non-fiction book entitled 365 Foolish Mistakes Smart Managers Commit Every Day: How and Why to Avoid Them, as well as her two restaurant books How to Open a Financially Successful Pizza & Sub Restaurant: Get Your Slice of the Pie and Non Commercial Food Service Handbook: A Complete Guide to Hospitals, Nursing Homes, Military. Prisons, Schools and Churches - With CD Rom published under her given name, Shri Henkel by Atlantic Publishing. This is also available at her site listed above. “The lean times seem to be behind me and I have four ghostwritten books in my portfolio, three marketing manuals and one how-to book.”

She joined WVU in 2001 and credits F2K with helping her develop Kennalyn, her protagonist featured in her first book, Stormy View. Nikki lives, with her two cats, in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. It’s a beautiful area and only about 5 hours to the Outer Banks of North Carolina and about 6 hours from Cape Hatteras.

Lisa Walpole Finch wanted to explore an article about the Ontario government’s lack of support in the education of autistic children. The newspaper editor who was sympathetic to her plight felt that the article was too political but liked her writing and printed an article about a day in the life of her son, Matthew, entitled "Fighting for Matthew's Future." It was printed in the Spring 2006 edition of the McMaster Times, a McMaster University alumni magazine.

In the meantime Lisa queried Daytripping in Southern Ontario about an article, "The Little Moments," which was accepted but she was not told when it would appear. One day while her husband was out shopping he picked up a copy and found Lisa’s name listed as a contributor. It hit the stands in the summer of 2006 Volume 12 Issue 3. Since this was the first time she received payment for her writing she photocopied the cheque, framed it and put it on the wall beside her computer.

“I knew I wanted to be a writer when I was eight years old. My teacher told me that writers can make ‘mountains of money’. That sounded pretty good, but I really just liked how I felt when the words hit the page. My hobbies include stamping (card making), movies and music. I'm sure they influence my writing, just not sure to what extent.”

Lisa joined WVU two years ago and is a member of the Hemingway Hall study group. “Without the great writers in Hemingway Hall, I know I would not have had my last two pieces published. They are so talented, so supportive, so helpful. They are an amazing bunch of writers to whom I am eternally grateful and in awe of.”

She achieved an Honours B.A. from McMaster University (English). Lisa has been married for 13 years and has three beautiful children: Hailey (11); Matthew (9); and Benny (7). “My two eldest have special needs and I have learned so much from all three of my kids. Eight years ago our family made the move from a big city (over 300,000) to a small town (2800). What an adventure!” Lisa stays at-home taking care of her kids, which gives her the opportunity to write when they are in school. She is also an advocate at school and in the community for kids with special needs.

“Currently, my biggest issue is getting the therapy our provincial government has promised to autistic children. My son Matthew (who has autism) had his services terminated at age six. Since then I've been working hard to get his therapy reinstated. I'm writing daily emails to the Premier, my local MPP, and the Minister of Children's Services to try to achieve this.”

Congratulations Nikki and Lisa. 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.


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

The Writer's E-Zine Home

Writers' Village University - F2K: Free Fiction Writing Course - ePress-online
Writers' Village University Membership Information

Submissions Guidelines (Updated)

Until further notice, only plain text submissions in the body of the email will be considered.
NO ATTACHMENTS.

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.

Craft Features: Queries about Craft features should be sent to nonfiction@thewritersezine.com.

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

Original short fiction, poetry, and non-fiction, particularly non-fiction related to the craft of writing and interviews.

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.

What We Won't Publish

Anything that inspires "hate," is defamatory or is pornographic.

Simultaneous submissions.

Material that has appeared elsewhere (reprints).

Seasonal material submitted during the same month (i.e., a Christmas story in December). Our lead time is short compared to print publications, but we do need time to edit, html and proof submission. A good guideline is to submit the manuscript by the first of the preceding month (i.e., submit a Christmas story before November 1st).

Length Recommendations

  • For Fiction, under 1500 words is preferred. We will consider excerpts from longer works.

  • Poetry should fit on one printed page if possible. A maximum of five poems may be submitted at one time (when the hold is lifted).

  • Non-fiction or Craft features have the most leeway in word count. In general these manuscripts should be 750 to 2,000 words. We like to take advantage of the hypertext capabilities we have available and link to charts, graphs, lists and so forth. Thumbnail versions may be included in the body of the article.

Rights

All rights other than first electronic, non-exclusive 'anthology' (for collections of T-Zero: The Writer's Ezine works only), and non-exclusive archival rights (we keep back issues online) are and remain the sole and exclusive property of the author.

Formats We Will Accept

Plain text in the body of an email.

T-Zero: The Writer's Ezine is an HTML publication. This gives us access to a variety of options but it is also a limiting factor.

  • Underlining is used exclusively for links in HTML. Please do not underline in your manuscript. It you are including a link to a webpage for reference, please mark the link the following way: (WEB LINK) http://thewritersezine.com (END WEB LINK).
  • The less than (<) and greater than (>) signs are used to enclose HTML encoding. If you need to use brackets, please use the square [ ] ones instead.
  • Paragraph indentation requires time consuming insertion of multiple HTML symbols. Please separate paragraphs by inserting a hard, blank line between them.
  • Fonts need to be simple. No multiple fonts. We prefer standard fonts such as Times New Roman, Courier or Arial set at 12 point. If your subject matter requires something else, ask us first.
  • The curly (smart) quotes, apostrophes, the em dash (two hyphens together) and ellipsis … (three periods) become strange and exotic characters when copied from your word processor into email. Check your preferences or options to see if you can use straight quotes. 
  • Text formatting such as bold, italic, centering, bullet list, etc., should be noted in the text by using all caps in parentheses. For example, if you wanted to italicize the word submission, you would type: (ITALICS) submission (END ITALICS).

Editing

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.

Note: Since our reading audience is international, we do not require a specific version of English. Use the spelling appropriate to your region.

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.

Getting to Know You

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.

How and Where to Submit

We do not accept submissions via US mail. Email submissions only, to the appropriate department, in the body of the email. No attachments accepted.

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.

Be sure to include your name and email address in the body of the email.

If you do not receive an acknowledgement that your submission or query was received within a week, please send a follow-up query with “Did you Receive?” in the subject line. In the body of the email, please include your name and email address, the title of the work submitted, and if different, the email address sent from. Do not resend the submission unless we request it.

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