Mysteries of the Ozarks, Volume V - Interviews with Lonnie Whitaker and Dr. Barri Bumgarner

Here is the second installment of interviews with contributors who have stories in Mysteries of the Ozarks, Volume V, from Ozark Writers, Inc.

Lonnie Whitaker attended a two-room school in the Ozarks and Missouri University Law School. He retired as district counsel for a federal agency and now works as a writer and an editor. His novel, Geese to a Poor Market, won the Ozark Writers’ League Best Book of the Year Award. His stories have appeared in Chicken Soup for the Soul, regional magazines, and anthologies. His children’s book, Mulligan Meets the Poodlums, will be published in 2017.

Dr. Barri L. Bumgarner is the author of a sci-fi thriller (8 Days), a psychological thriller (Slipping) and a YA novel, Dregs. Barri, an Assistant Professor at Westminster College, has also published seventeen short stories and hundreds of articles, both academic and teacher-education focused.   

Other publications include “Why Not Me,” now being completed as a full nonfiction manuscript. She has just completed a contemporary fiction manuscript, Fifty Cents for a Dr Pepper.

1. What sparked your writing bug?

Lonnie: Since I was a child I had the notion that I could write, but I was "officially" bitten when I submitted a short story to Missouri Life Magazine in 1999 . . . and they bought it.  A beginner's luck, perhaps, but it put me in the game.

Barri:  To quote Strickland Gillilan, “I had a mother who read to me.” While most kids listened to Dr. Seuss, I was hearing The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. When I was 7, I created a chapbook called The Works of Bumgarner. I’ve been writing ever since I can remember.

2. Please summarize your story in MOTO V.

Lonnie: A college student is called home because his mother has been admitted to a hospital for an illness, which seems suspicious to him. He suspected it was the recurring voices stemming  from her experimental cancer treatment. But seeing her fearful eyes made him almost afraid to ask.

Barri:   This autobiographical story is about my dad, who struggled with alcoholism, and how I learned about his problem. I first drafted the story during the Missouri Writing Project in 2006 and decided it was too close to home to publish at the time. Now, it’s time.

3. Where is your favorite place in the Ozarks? Please describe it.

Lonnie: On the Jack's Fork River, upstream from the Highway 17 bridge, there's a secluded gravel bar across from a limestone bluff that shadows a deep swimming hole. The spring-fed water is clear enough to see crawdads scurrying about, and there aren't many canoes or tourists. 

Barri:   I grew up in Lebanon, and had many favorite places: Bennett Springs, Wehner’s Bakery (eating crème horns with my dad), Lebanon Country Club (my summer hangout with Wilson and friends). When I moved to Springfield to attend SMSU, I discovered Lake Springfield. It holds a special place in my heart.

4. What writing accomplishment(s) are you most proud? 

Lonnie: Publication of my novel, Geese to a Poor Market.  It's a novel of the Ozarks, with one leg that wants to boogie, and the other planted on a pew. Or, "What do you get when you cross Norma Rae with Thelma and Louise?" –Jim Bohannon, Westwood One Radio.

Barri:  When I published my first novel, 8 Days, I was ecstatic that my dad found out before he died. That was truly special. I’m also proud every time my blog sparks conversation. There’s no point in having a voice if you’re not willing to use it to spark change.

5. Many of my blog visitors are also writers. What writing advice can you share with them?

Lonnie: Long sentences laced with modifiers are too wordy for commercial fiction. Replace some of the adjectives and adverbs with strong verbs. Karl Largent, a techno-thriller author, told me, “Never have your protagonist running quickly when he could be sprinting.” As Mark Twain said: “When you catch an adjective, kill it.”

Barri:   Write! Do it daily, if you can, no matter how simple the topic. Then connect with other writers. I stay involved with Missouri Writing Project, I’m in a writing group with colleagues at Westminster, and write every chance I get. Not writing, for me, risks stifling the creative juices.

Bonus Question: Where can readers find more about you? (Your website, blog, Facebook, etc.)

Lonnie: See my website www.geesetoapoormarket.com, or after October 2017 at www.lonniewhitaker.com with the publication of my first children's picture book, Mulligan Meets the Poodlums. And I am on Facebook.

Barri: https://www.facebook.com/BarriLBumgarner  

https://barrilbumgarner.blogspot.com

Thanks for answering my questions, and congratulations on having your stories in Mysteries of the Ozarks, Volume V.

Mysteries of the Ozarks, Volume V - Interviews with Johnny Boggs and Larry Wood

Several weeks ago, Jane Hale, president of Ozark Writers, Inc., forwarded names of contributors to Mysteries of the Ozarks, Volume V, who agreed to be interviewed on my blog.

I asked five questions plus a bonus question. First to reply were Johnny Boggs and Larry Wood. Here are their bios and responses:

Johnny D. Boggs has been a full-time novelist and freelance magazine writer since 1998. He has won a record-tying seven Spur Awards from Western Writers of America, the Western Heritage Wrangler Award from the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, an Arkansiana Juvenile Award from the Arkansas Library Association and the Milton F. Perry Award from the National James-Younger Gang. He lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico, with his wife, son and two dogs.

Larry Wood is a freelance writer specializing in the history of Missouri and the Ozarks. He is the author of fifteen nonfiction history books, two historical novels, and hundreds of stories and articles.  He maintains a blog at www.ozarks-history.blogspot.com, and is an honorary lifetime member of the Missouri Writers' Guild. Larry's co-author on "Charlie Cries All Night," the MOTO V story, is his long-deceased father, Ben L. Wood. Larry resurrected the story from his dad's unpublished files and made numerous changes, but the basic plot belongs to Ben Wood. Ben was an essayist and poet whose work appeared in publications ranging from The Ozarks Mountaineer to the Kansas City Star.   

1. What sparked your writing bug?

Johnny Boggs: Third-grade English. The assignment was "write a tale." I have no idea what I wrote, but I remember the feeling I got while writing it. This was my calling, I decided, and I still get that feeling when I sit down at my computer.

Larry Wood: I more or less drifted into writing by default during college when I ended up majoring in English because I made better grades in English than my other classes, but the idea of being a writer was probably planted much earlier, since my dad was also a writer.

2. Please summarize your story in MOTO V.

Johnny Boggs:The tongue-in-cheek "Meet the New Dick Powell" has the Ozarks-born actor returning home because his career is washed up in Hollywood. He's mistaken for a private eye, and, having just been rejected for the lead role in "Double Indemnity," decides to play a tough-guy in a real-life situation.

Larry Wood: My dad, author of the first draft of "Charlie Cries All Night," was a correctional officer at the Medical Center for Federal prisoners in Springfield. Thus, the idea for the story, about an escaped, psychotic convict who terrorizes a nurse working late at a doctor's office, although the story was not originally set in Springfield.  

3. Where is your favorite place in the Ozarks? Please describe it.

Johnny Boggs: The Buffalo River. Rented a cabin there for a long weekend in 1990, bought a wooden chest at a shop outside of Eureka Springs, drove back to Dallas. I put a dozen roses and an engagement ring in the chest, and when Lisa opened it, I proposed.

Larry Wood: The nature trail at the Wildcat Glades Conservation and Audubon Center just south of Joplin on Shoal Creek. It's not necessarily the most scenic place in the Ozarks, but it's a place I go regularly for relaxing walks in a natural setting.

4. What writing accomplishment(s) are you most proud?

Johnny Boggs: The seven Spur Awards from Western Writers of America blow my mind. I think I'm most proud of the first one, which I got in 2002 for "A Piano at Dead Man's Crossing," because that was for a short story, the hardest form of fiction to write. (Donna's note: Seven spurs--Wow! And I agree about short fiction being the hardest form of fiction to write.)

Larry Wood: As a longtime member of the Missouri Writers' Guild, I think that being named an honorary lifetime member of the organization in 2016 is probably the thing I'm most proud of in my writing career. (Donna's note: That is an amazing accomplishment!)

5. Many of my blog visitors are also writers. What writing advice can you share with them?

Johnny Boggs: Write. Write. Write. Read. Read. Read. Rewrite. Rewrite. Rewrite. Rewrite. Rewrite. And don't miss your deadlines.  (Donna's note: I agree, and I would add you were first to submit your interview responses, so you are serious about deadlines.)

Larry Wood: Have a writing routine and stick with it. It doesn't even have to be a routine in the sense that you write at exactly the same time every day for exactly the same length of time, but you have to have something resembling a routine that shows you're committed to writing. In my own case, I write every day, seven days a week, with very few exceptions, but sometimes I write an hour, sometimes four or five hours, and not necessarily at the same time each day. It's somewhat like my exercise routine. I don't walk or jog at the same time every day, but I don't feel the day is complete if I don't do one or the other some time during the day.   

Bonus Question: Where can readers find more about you? (Your website, blog, Facebook, etc.)

Johnny Boggs: https://www.facebook.com/johnny.d.boggs 

http://www.johnnydboggs.com

Larry Wood: My blog on regional history can be found at www.ozarks-history.blogspot.com, and I have an author Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/AuthorLarryWood/.

Johnny and Larry, thanks for your replies.

Over the next weeks I will post responses of the other contributors. 

Interview with Jane Shewmaker Hale, President of Ozark Writers, Inc.

Over the next few weeks, I'll be posting interviews with contributors of Mysteries of the Ozarks, Volume V, the organization responsible for the Mysteries of the Ozarks series.

First up are ten questions for Jane Shewmaker Hale, author, entrepreneur, and president of Ozark Writers, Inc.

1. Can you briefly tell us a little bit about you--your personal background, professional       background, writing accomplishments, etc.?

My late husband Bob and I have four sons, ten grandchildren, and seven great grandchildren. I reside on the Hale family farm in Buffalo, Missouri, where I’m an active partner in our family businesses, including Hale Fireworks  I’m a columnist for "Buffalo...As I Remember it" in the County Courier. I’ve published a YA series of mysteries: Wonderland in 1997, Heartland in 1999, Foreverland in 2001, and Boomland, in 2003. My other books are Every Day Is Mother’s Day and Every Day Is Father’s Day. I’ve also published numerous short stories in anthologies.

2. What can you tell us about the history of Ozark Writers, Inc.?

 In August 2001 Ellen Gray Massey, Vicki Cox, Shirleen Sando, Carolyn Gray Thornton, Betty Cracker Henderson, and I formed Ozark Writers, Inc., a nonprofit organization with a 501c3 status. Our purpose was to encourage and promote writers from the Ozark region to publish their works and to educate and expand the reading public to the literature of the Ozarks. We held workshops in Missouri, Illinois, Connecticut, Washington, D.C. and Settle, Washington. In 2003, the first volume of Mysteries of the Ozark was published with 19 short stories by authors from the Ozarks.  In the fall of  2017, the fifth volume of Mysteries of the Ozark will be available, featuring 19 authors from the Ozarks.

3.  What inspired you to continue the legacy of OWI begun by Ellen Gray Massey?

From the beginning, I served as President of Ozark Writers, Inc. Ellen Gray Massey was our mentor. We learned to encourage others as she encouraged us. Our writing is stronger because of her insistence for perfection. As we traveled to conferences, we reread aloud from our writing. Ellen, pen in hand, noted corrections. Today, as I write, I imagine her watching over my shoulder, pen in hand, reminding me of her teachings. She spent a lot of effort compiling the first four volumes of Mysteries of the Ozarks. Ellen and I talked about Volume V before her passing.

I believe she would be pleased we were continuing her legacy.

4. The Mysteries of the Ozarks anthology is now on volume five. How did you solicit stories for this issue of the popular anthology?

In the fall of each year, I attend Ozark Creative Writers conference in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. There’s a lot of talent gathered at that conference. In 2016, I felt it was time to compile stories for Volume 5.  I mentioned to some attendees that I was open for submissions. Some authors who had been published in the anthologies before expressed interest. Others, I piqued their interest. Before the conference was over I felt I had the essence of the book.

5. How did the submission, editing, and publishing processes work?

After I returned home from the conference, submissions began to arrive. I solicited a few other authors from the area. By the first of the year, I had the magic number 19. I was fortunate to have Vicki Cox, a member of the original board, and Donna Volkenannt join the board and serve as editors. We had worked together before as members of the Missouri Writers Guild. Three former Presidents of MWG made for a good editing team. High Hill Press was the original publisher. Circumstances required us to move the anthology to Goldminds Publishing.

6. I love the cover. Who was the photographer, and where the photo was taken?

The cover is a beautiful barn photograph taken by Melba Prossor Shewmaker of Bentonville, Arkansas. She is an accomplished photographer, whose hobby is photographing old barns. She has published a collection of those photographs. (See dedication in book for more.) The black and white photo is striking. It was made, more so, by a mock up done by Donna Volkenannt. Her version featured blood red font to entice the reader to enter the pages of mystery.

7. What can you tell us about some of the contributors in MOTO V?

Each story is unique in the telling from the computer of Robert Vaughan, who has published over 400 books or more. Western writers like Johnny Boggs, Dusty Richards, multiple WWA spur award winners. Terry Alexander, Mike Koch, Lonnie Whitaker, McKenrdee (Mike) Long, Micki Fuhrman, Brenda Brinkley, and Donna Volkenannt, who were attendees at OCW. Marilyn K Smith, a columnist for Reflex Newspapers in Buffalo, MO. Larry Woods and his father Ben, who share the honors with their story. Barri Bumgarner, Mitch Hale, Regina Williams Riney, Vicki Cox, Carolyn Gray Massey, and myself. And, of course, the cover artist, Melba Prossor Shewmaker.

8. What kinds of stories are included in MOTO V?

As the title denotes, they are mysteries. But, oh, the variety. The anthology includes: time travel, old west, fantasy, horror, nostalgia, romance, and humor. Each story is unique and entertaining!

9. Where can readers purchase copies of MOTO V?

From the authors, of course. Goldminds Publishers has excellent distribution ranging from local, area, to international. Watch for them on Amazon and in bookstores like Barnes and Noble, Books-a-Million, etc.

10. Anything you’d like to add or final thoughts about OWI, Mysteries of the Ozarks, or anything else?

I’d like to thank everyone who helped make Volume V, Mysteries of the Ozarks possible. Our two local banks, Oakstar and O’Bannon Banking Company donated funds. The authors and copy artist, plus our board and editors, and to Goldminds Publishing Company, our ultimate vehicle to publishing, made it possible.

Thanks, in advance, to readers, who I know will enjoy our anthology.

And, yes, Ellen, I feel you, pen in hand, looking over my shoulder.  

Interview with Sarah Angleton, the Practical Historian

For the past few years, Sarah Angleton has been a valued member of Coffee and Critique, where she has shared her stories, wit, and wisdom with her fellow writers.

Photo courtesy of

Sarah Angleton

Sarah is a storyteller and history buff who has degrees in both zoology and literature and still isn’t quite sure what she wants to be when she grows up. A Midwestern girl at heart, she spent a brief time living and writing in the beautiful Pacific Northwest before settling near St. Louis where she currently resides with her husband, two sons, and a very loyal dog. Her first work of historical fiction will be available soon from High Hill Press. You can find her online at www.Sarah-Angleton.com.

Here are my interview questions for Sarah.

1. How did degrees in zoology and literature prepare you to create “The Practical Historian” blog?

I think it was learning how to combine my two fields of study that led me toward an interest in history, something I didn’t particularly enjoy studying in school. As a grad student in literature and creative writing I started doing a lot of research into the voyage writings of naturalists of the 18^th an 19^th centuries. Because of my background, I was uniquely prepared to approach their works as both literary and scientific, and so I discovered that one field nicely informed the other. They are linked by their shared history. I love discovering links. It’s what I do on the blog as well, though not typically between zoology and literature. Instead I look for the connections I might make between the historical and the modern. It’s just how my mind likes to work.

2. Where do you get your ideas for topics for your blog posts?

Topics come to me from all over the place. Some are sparked by events related to the date I’ll be posting. Others come from my experiences through the week leading up to the post, including places I’ve traveled, events I’ve attended, or even documentaries or podcasts I’ve come across. Occasionally friends and family suggest topics that turn into interesting posts. I’m always on the lookout for potential topics, and I tend to jot down a lot of notes and take a lot of pictures. I am always aware that even if the stories I come across don’t fit well into a post at the moment, they still might come in handy later.

3. How did you come up with the title for your blog?

When I started the blog, I had recently finished writing the rough draft of my first historical novel, a project that required a great deal of careful, thorough research. I once heard the difference between writing history and writing historical fiction is that with history, you have to write around the gaps, and in fiction, you can feel free to fill them. I love history, but I love story more, and I’m a big fan of filling in the gaps. So when I started the blog, I was very aware of the fact that I could not claim to be an expert historian, that I couldn’t sustain the level of research required to write with real authority week after week, and that I couldn’t refrain from gap-filling. It was important to me to be honest with my audience about that. I decided I wouldn’t focus the overly important, highly analyzed historical moments. Instead, I’d stick to the tales that painted a picture of the sillier side of the human condition, add a few splashes of my own personal story, and just make it a fun space to share practically true history that might not seem all that important in the big picture, but that might add a little interest to my readers’ days.

4. What process do you use to conduct your blog research?

That can vary a lot by topic. I’ve stated on the blog that I rarely use a primary source, which isn’t exactly true. I do generally start with the best hearsay the Internet has to offer, but some of these stories are just lifted from one site to another with no verification whatsoever. If there’s a reference to be chased down, like to a historical work, I chase it down and read it from the source. Sometimes that means the post falls apart because (and I know this will come as a shock) not everything repeated again and again on the Internet is true. Now, there are many times when it’s not possible for me to consult with a primary source, so I look for the most reliable source I can find. Though I joke about Wikipedia, and I do use it, I always seek verification from expert sources. And I hedge what I don’t know. As I stated before, I never want to speak with an authority I can’t rightfully claim and I always try to be honest with my reader about that. But I am a storyteller, and the blog is as much humor as it is fact, so when all else fails, I make stuff up.

5. What process did you use to select the posts included in Launching Sheep and Other Stories?

First, I looked for posts that were not overly dependent on a single event that though probably was very much in the minds of my readers at the time, is now most likely forgotten. I also needed posts that don’t rely too heavily on photos. I use a lot of photos on the blog, but didn’t want to go through the process of attaining rights for their use in the book. And then of those, I looked for the ones I enjoyed the most, the ones I still liked to read, even though I wrote them and probably already read them at least a few dozen times.

6. In one post you mention your zeal for the board game Monopoly. Do you have a favorite token? And, how do you feel about the planned replacement of the thimble, the boot, and the wheelbarrow with a Tyrannosaurus rex, a penguin, and a rubber ducky?

I’m definitely not as angry about the change as some journalists seem to be, or as willing to assign broad cultural meanings to the change. The boot has always been a favorite of mine and I suppose I’m a little sad to see it go. But what really determines the quality of a Monopoly token is its height. My favorite tokens have always been the ones that are easiest to grasp with a quick pinch. It looks like the T. rex and the penguin might fit the bill. I’m not as sure about the ducky, but I’d be willing to take it for a spin past Go! Hasbro left the fates of the game tokens in the hands of the public, and who am I to question the results? I still have a classic copy of the game and can pull out the boot any time I want.

7. How has watching the movie The Princess Bride affected your writing?

The Princess Bride taught me all of the elements of a truly great story: “Fencing, fighting, torture, revenge, giants, monsters, chases, escapes, true love, miracles,” and maybe just a little bit of kissing. But on a more serious note, I fell in love with the movie as a young girl because the characters are memorable and the dialogue is witty. I think if a writer can pull that off, then she’s probably gone a long way toward producing something worth reading.

8. What can you tell us about your lessons learned from the start-to-finish process of publishing a book, from research, writing, editing, revising, cover design, marketing, etc?

I suppose the biggest lesson I learned is that it’s not easy. There’s still a stigma associated with self-published books and though it’s lessening as the industry changes, I think it will always be with us. As an author who has worked with both processes, I can say with certainty that neither is especially easy.

The options for self-publishing can be overwhelming. There are many publishing companies that offer services from start to finish, from editing to cover design to marketing. It’s really easy to spend a lot of money to produce a final product and going that route definitely means you also give up some creative control. On the other end of the spectrum, there are services out there that simply provide the tools for authors to do everything themselves. Most writers are probably not equipped to handle every aspect of publishing on their own, so I think the important thing is to strike the balance that feels most comfortable to the individual author.

I opted to hire a freelance editor whose work was already familiar to me and a brilliant cover designer I already knew I could work with well. I did the book formatting myself after a lot of research into the various services available, and I admit, also a great deal of frustration. Really, the research is the most important part. The great thing about writers is that we tend to love to share our experiences and so I listened and read and learned and probably avoided a lot of pitfalls because I took the time to do that.

For me the hardest part has simply been figuring out the business end of marketing and selling books. I kept discovering little details (and hidden expenses) I never considered before, like the need to purchase isbns, start up a personal imprint, and prepare to handle sales tax. It’s been a long road, but by going through this process of self-publishing, and viewing the industry from another angle, I know that I have come out of it better prepared for a successful career in traditional publishing.

9. On the topic of marketing, what can you tell us about upcoming events, including your book launch, author talks, and book signings?

My first event will be a signing at 6 North Café in Wentzville (next to B&B Theatre) on Saturday, May 13 from 10 am to 12 pm. Friday, June 2, I’ll be at Our Town Books on the Square in Jacksonville, Illinois, from 5 to 7 pm. You can also catch up with me at Gateway Con in St. Louis the weekend of June 16-18, where I’ll be selling books and meeting readers.

10. What advice do you have for bloggers and writers?

Keep at it. I’ve found that blogging is, more than anything else, a great way to find a worldwide community, one that is committed to sharing and interacting with one another’s art. That’s a pretty special thing. It encourages me to always be writing. Some weeks are hard, but I know that if I don’t produce something new, there are people all over the country and as far away as New Zealand who will notice and wonder why. Keeping to a blog schedule also encourages me to work really hard to schedule writing time. I have goals for my fiction, and because I have to work around researching and writing a blog post, I’m much better at protecting my time on all my projects. Building a writing career takes time and effort. The first step is to just keep on writing.

11. What project are you working on now?

My first historical novel, Smoke Rose to Heaven, the one that I began all those years ago, is tentatively scheduled for traditional publication this fall, so I am working through the final steps of that process. I’m also polishing a novel that is a companion to that one. In addition, I’m working through a revision of the first novel in a young adult series that I’m hoping to start pitching to agents and editors soon. And of course, I’m blogging every week.

12. What’s the best way for readers to contact you with questions or if they would like to purchase a copy of Launching Sheep and Other Stories?

Both print and e-formats of the book can be ordered through Amazon or anywhere books are sold. Readers can contact me through my website, www.Sarah-Angleton.com, where they’ll have the opportunity to sign up for e-mail updates and will find links to my profiles on Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads, as well as the latest post from the Practical Historian.

13. In homage to your post on page 113, “The Completely Rational Fear of Triskaidekaphobia,” here’s your final question—number 13: Do you have any final thoughts or anything you’d like to add?

How lucky that post wound up on page 113! I think the only thing I might add is that as much hard work as goes into writing and producing books I could not do any of this without the support of so many amazing people. Writing can seem like a lonely profession, but I know for certain I could never be successful if I treated it that way. I have been blessed to be a part of several professional writers’ organizations, critique groups, and workshops. I’ve been involved in online writers’ forums, attended conferences, and had opportunities to interact with writers from all over the world. Without the amazing energy of the larger writing community, I’d honestly be too frozen in fear to ever let another human being read my work. I am so very grateful to be able to do this.

Thank you so much for the thoughtful questions, Donna!

And thank you, Sarah, for your thoughtful answers!

Sarah will have her first book signing event at 6 North Café in Wentzville (next to B & B Theatre) on Saturday, May 13 from 10 am to 12  pm.

Dave Barry on Writing, Editing, Publishing, and Judging the Erma Bombeck Contest

This past weekend I caught an in-depth interview with C-SPAN's Book TV, featuring Pulitzer Prize winning columnist Dave Barry, one of our nation's premiere humor writers.

As usual, Dave was funny and entertaining, but he also offered some helpful advice about writing, editing, publishing, and judging.

Listed below are some notes I jotted down to share.

On Writing:

* Little decisions make writing better, not the big stuff.

* Don’t quit, even if you’re not gifted.

* It’s a process that takes work and practice.

* He likes writing books more than columns.

* He writes every day, although maybe a couple days he won’t.

On Research:

* Wikipedia is a valuable, but highly inaccurate. Cheap and easy and fast and general.

* To nail down a fact, confirm with some other site.

On Editing:

* Dave knows what’s funny

* Depends on his respect for editor’s advice, generally doesn't do major rewrites.

* As long as you’re laughing, He's OK. Does it work? Does it make people laugh?

On Publishing:

There are two ways to get published and reviewed.

Self-publish  - he doesn't think is the way to go. Easy to do, pay money to do it, but almost impossible to get distributed and reviewed. Basically no quality control over content. Some may be successful, but not from his experience. 

Traditionally Way - Get an agent, might want rewrites, they get it to the publisher. If publisher decides they have a sales staff and promotional people and get a review.

On Judging:

Someone called into the show and mentioned he was going to judge the Erma Bombeck Contest, which got my attention because I know what a thrill it was for my essay to win that contest in 2012.

Dave knew Erma. She was one of those funny writers and funny persons.

Dave said he hates judging because he wants to be nice even if he doesn’t like it.

In the end, it comes down to what he finds amusing.

~~

You can watch Dave's complete interview by clicking here.

Dixon Hearne on "Setting as Character"

I'm pleased today to have acclaimed author Dixon Hearne as my guest blogger to speak about "Setting as Character." His works have been published widely, with his most recent, Delta Flats, published by Amphorae Publishing Group.

Photo courtesy of author

Dixon Hearne (photo on left) is the author of three recent books: Delta Flats: Stories in the Key of Blues and Hope (nominee, 2017 PEN/Faulkner Award) and From Tickfaw to Shongaloo (Second-Place, 2014 William Faulkner Novella competition), both set in Louisiana, and Plainspeak: New and Collected Poems. His website is dixonhearne.com

Setting as Character

I discovered that my own little postage stamp of native soil was worth writing about and that I would never live long enough to exhaust it. ~William Faulkner

Beginning writers are often told: “Write about what you know.” Consequently, many of their first writings center on where they live and the people in their orbit. Once they have the basic elements of fiction (plot, character, setting, theme, and style), they typically feel more comfortable trying their hand at various genres. Fiction offers particularly rich ground for cultivating possibilities. Setting alone presents unlimited opportunity for experimentation.

More than Backdrop (physical, social milieu)

Setting must be as well fleshed out as any other character, by the use of specific and telling details. It can't be selected on a whim, with no purpose in mind; but it must feed into the story   ~Elizabeth George

Literature is replete with examples of places imbued with human qualities—beyond mere personification, symbolism, or metaphor. Consider, for example, the characterization of the moors in Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights—a dark, brooding entity, ominous and ever-present, more than simply a literary device to set the tone of the story.

Consider also Scarlett’s Tara, more than mere symbol of strength and security. It beckons, nourishes, influences. She views Tara as a living entity—revels and wallows in its splendor, its spell. It is friend, healer, guardian angel. Similarly, Anne Shirley imbues Green Gables with life and joy-giving.

Examples of “setting as character” can be found in any number of novels and in noir films set in New York City, New Orleans, London, and other places alive with their own personas—where setting speaks to the reader/viewer, sets the tone/mood of the story, and exerts influence and control over characters and plot. Place is carefully developed into an unforgettable part of the story. Nowhere are examples more clear and abundant than gothic tales and horror movies set in haunted places, settings portrayed as living entities that act and react with other characters.

Southern writers seem particularly adept at featuring setting as character in fiction—from Dorothy Allison (Carolina) to Tennessee Williams (New Orleans) to James Lee Burke (swamps) to Faulkner (Yoknapatawpha County). Contemporary “raw South” fiction typifies the impulse of many southern writers to interweave place with other characters in their stories. Authors like David Armand (southeast Louisiana, The Gorge), Daren Dean (rural Missouri, Far Beyond the Pale), and Skip Horack (Gulf South, The Southern Cross) create settings well beyond the dimensions of mere time and place. They bring place to life. 

Examples from my own writing:

Many of my stories spring from a single image, a place in my head. I almost immediately step back and consider how place might affect my characters. They are often powerful images, like a cabin porch in fallow fields, as in my short story “This Side of Canaan.” A sweat-drenched couple and their ragged children peeking through the doorway complete the picture, tell the story.

Setting is central to my comic novella From Tickfaw to Shongaloo. Stokely, a Southern town, reflects universal themes and motives and actions. The dialect immediately identifies the geographical setting. We get to know the town as more than a place—its identity is inextricably tied up with its interactions with townspeople. Place is paramount in the story.

Photo courtesy of author

Delta Flats: Stories in the Key of Blues and Hope is about place as well as characters. In some cases, place is featured as a character itself, as in “Crescent City Blues,” which conjures images of decadence and a general atmosphere of laissez les bon temps rouler. 

“Waves wash upon its muddy banks like the incessant beating of the Crescent City’s heart. Like eternal applause for the drama, with all its shadowy plots and subplots, unfolding in the decadent world of the French Quarter. No one escapes its influence, New Orleans. One might curse or spurn or dismiss it with the contempt of a religious zealot, but deny it—no. It floats like an island unto itself, a world shaped by half a millennium of vibrant tenancy.”

Native Voices, Native Lands brings landscapes of the Southwest and the central plains to life in story and poem. Indeed, many native Americans believe that the earth and its constituent natural parts (land, rivers, mountains, etc.) have souls. They write eloquently of waters and tribal lands as living entities.

Crafting Place as Character

In crafting a story that will feature setting/place as a character, one might consider the following:

How does a writer bring life to a setting—complete with mood, motive, and emotions?

How can the senses be used to add dimension and shape the character of the setting?

How does a writer introduce deliberate conflict and interaction between other characters and setting to create a believable entity. Like any other character, setting can cause problems or trouble for the protagonist(s).

Consider what motives a place might have as a character in the story. What is to be gained or lost? Use that to help develop a persona.

Create a list of words that capture conflict, mood, atmosphere, and setting. Carefully selected words add dimension and layers to place as character. 

Imagine yourself as the place in the story. What do you see, feel, hear, smell? What might your own actions/reactions be? 

Pay careful attention to language and detail.

Most importantly, read other stories—many stories—that feature setting/place as character.

Thank you, Dixon for your wisdom and advice, and congratulations on your many accomplishments.

Interview with Cynthia A. Graham on Writing Behind Every Door and A Book Giveaway

During a conversation at the Ozarks Creative Writing Conference with an editor from Amphorae Publishing Group, "a small press with big books," the editor commented that she enjoys my reading blog and asked if I would be willing to interview a couple of their authors.

Before agreeing, I asked for some information about the authors and their books to make sure they would be a good fit for my blog visitors. And I believe they are. 

I am not being compensated for interviewing the authors, although I was given a copy of their books to help me formulate my questions.

Cynthia A. Graham

My first interview is with multi-genre author Cynthia A.Graham. The photo on the left is courtesy of Amphorae Publishing Group.

According to the Amphorae website, Cynthia was born in St. Louis, Missouri, but spent a lot of time in the cotton belt of Missouri, "where she grew to love the mystery and beauty of the stark, Delta Plain." Cynthia's short stories have won several awards, and her work has been published in various anthologies. 


I am giving away my copy of Cynthia A. Graham's Behind Every Door, published by Blank Slate Press (an imprint of Amphorae Publishing Group), to one of my blog visitors who leaves a comment on this post.

Here are my interview questions (in black) and Cynthia's answers (in red).

The primary setting for Behind Every Door is Cherokee Crossing, Arkansas. Is Cherokee Crossing an actual location or a fictional town?

Cherokee Crossing is a fictional town located in the northeast corner of Arkansas. It would most likely be in the real county of Lawrence. I wanted to create a town so that I could do with it whatever I wanted, geographically, racially, and politically.

Behind Every Door is your second novel, following Beneath Still Waters. What was the inspiration for Behind Every Door, and how does it connect with Beneath Still Waters?

Behind Every Door takes place two years after Beneath Still Waters and continues the life of Andrew “Hick” Blackburn as he becomes a husband and father. At the time I was (and still am) frustrated with how quickly we jump to conclusions – how easily we judge based on preconceived ideas and how these prejudices can make justice, for some, very hard to find.

Your novel takes place in the Deep South shortly after World War II, a time of great change and upheaval in the United States, not just because of the war, but also because of social norms and racial tensions. Why did you pick this time period for your mystery?

Hick Blackburn was largely born from various family stories of uncles who had gone to fight the war. These young men were not well-traveled; they perhaps had never been further from home than the mid-south fair in Memphis and were thrust into battle in a strange, faraway place. The inevitable disorientation this caused helped define Hick, it made him the perfect vehicle for questioning injustice as he had witnessed atrocity. He is no longer capable of blind acceptance or complacency because his world has been irrevocably changed.

Sheriff Andrew Jackson “Hick” Blackburn, the main character, is a well drawn and realistic character. He is a man of integrity and purpose, yet he has flaws and a wartime-past he would like to forget. How did you come up with him as a character?

I really wanted Hick to be a perfect storm of vulnerability – someone who would really think and process his experiences. I created for him a past of relative ease, but I gave him the sort of character that really questions things – from the abuse of a cat as a child to the horrific experience he had in the war. I did not want him to be just another John Wayne “hero” type character, but rather I wanted him to be a vehicle for questioning our own motives and actions, our assignations of who is worthy of life and who is not.

How difficult was it to write from the point of view of a man, especially one who has come home from a terrible wartime experience?

The greatest compliment I ever received was from a mentor who told me I “think like a man.” I honestly think there are fewer differences between the sexes than we perceive. Virginia Woolf and Samuel Coleridge both refer to the importance of an androgynous mind. The challenge was not so much in Hick’s masculinity as in his impotence to express himself – in his “mind forged manacles.” The wartime experience (which I have not had) exasperated this problem and was a challenge, but anyone can understand the frustration in wanting to express yourself on some deep level and being unable to.

I love the cover of your book and am curious about the title, both of which tie in to my question about your writing and publishing process. What can you tell us about how long it took and other aspects of the writing, editing, and publishing process for Behind Every Door?

I thought the title Behind Every Door tied in nicely with Beneath Still Waters and my publisher designed both covers and I think they perfectly complement one another. I was inspired when I wrote it and since Beneath Still Waters had been favorably received, I wanted to get it completed quickly. The whole process took about a year and a half which is amazingly rapid.

Other than being an entertaining mystery, what do you hope your readers will take away after reading Behind Every Door?

I hope that it will caution them to not jump to conclusions. Not only about crime, but about the people you meet on a daily basis. We have no way of knowing what kind of personal agony is dealt with behind every door. Perhaps I just hope it will inspire people to be careful with one another – to treat each other with kindness and respect.

In your bio, you mention that you belong to several writing groups, among them is the Historical Novel Society. What can you tell us about that group?

The Historical Novel Society is a group that has a quarterly issue of book reviews. They also sponsor a large conference every year. Last year it was in Oxford, England, and this year it will be in Portland, Oregon.

What are you working on now?

I have completed the third draft of Between the Lies, another Hick Blackburn mystery. As time marches on, Hick will find himself embroiled in more social issues, such as desegregation.

What is the best way for readers to contact you?

They can reach me by e-mail at graham@cynthiaagraham.com

Visitors (from USA only) who leave a comment will be entered in a drawing to win my copy of Behind Every Door. The name of the winner will be announced on Monday, November 21.

Last Call: Unbound Book Festival Conversation between Alex George and Eleanor Brown

This is the final installment of my notes and observations from the absolutely fabulous inaugural Unbound Book Festival in Columbia, Missouri, last month.

During the last event of the day, Alex George, Unbound Book Festival’s seemingly tireless festival founder and director and author of A Good American, sat down for a conversation with the very personable author of The Weird Sisters, Eleanor Brown. I found their conversation the most personal, relaxed, and enjoyable activity of the festival.

Alex and Eleanor, self-described “twins,” candidly talked about their writing processes and her soon-to-be-released novel, The Light of Paris, which Eleanor described as a story of “art, passion, and escaping other people’s expectations.”

I felt like I was sitting at a kitchen table with two fascinating and friendly authors chatting about writing; here are a few highlights:

The power of story makes us feel we are not alone; it’s reaching out to people.

The Light of Paris came about after Eleanor discovered letters her grandmother wrote home while she was living in Paris in 1924.

The Light of Paris is set in the Jazz Age in Paris during the 1920s. (Alex is also writing a book set in Paris in the 1920s.)

Eleanor’s latest book is her “never book,” something she said she’d never write -- a parallel narrative with two story lines, including letters and journals.

Parallel narratives have to connect.

Writers must know whose story it is.

First person is tricky because the narrator is unreliable.

Writers cannot control what other people think about their book.

After you’ve written it, the book belongs to the reader.

Research is important to draw forth images of place.

Can’t always be factually true, but must be emotionally true.

Either you plan out on the front end or you’ll have to on the back end.

Eleanor wrote The Weird Sisters “by the seat of my pants” and described her first draft as a “hot mess.”

The Light of Paris was planned out; her first draft took two months.

It’s scary to do something unfamiliar, but think about the “happiness of possibility.”

 

***

After a long, but thoroughly enjoyable, day Diana Graveman and I met up with my Mizzou-student granddaughter. She drove us to Trops, where we stood in a long line behind other thirsty patrons. We each bought a different kind of frozen tropical-flavored drink, which I’d describe as alcoholic snow cones. Yum! It was a delightful way to cap off a wonderful day.

I hope the Unbound Book Festival will become an annual affair. It was an inspiring and educational event for writers and readers alike.

 

And I hope my blog visitors have enjoyed these posts about the festival.