Coming Back by Debra H. Goldstein

I’ve always been good at multi-tasking, enhanced by good organizational skills, the ability to prioritize, and being a fast reader. Mixing those skills and luck, my to-do-list usually ends up checked off. Recently though, my life has been a perfect example of John Lennon’s famous comment: “Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.”

As most of you know, I spent six wonderful months on the road promoting Should Have Played Poker. During that time, I didn’t write much. I tried, but juggling everything pretty much limited me to finishing and revising a new book; keeping up with my personal and Stiletto blogs, as well as the numerous ones I wrote as part of my promotional activities; and turning out a few short stories. I figured I would get serious about my word count when life slowed down.

Unfortunately, everything came to an abrupt halt when I ruptured two tendons in my foot and had to undergo reconstructive surgery. Six screws, a plate, and two tendon transplants later, the only thing I was capable of was lying around in la la land with my foot elevated. My big accomplishment, while keeping my foot above my heart twenty-two out of twenty-four hours, was counting down my totally non-weight bearing time - two weeks in a splint and ace bandages because the swelling was too much for a cast, two weeks in a purple cast, and two weeks in a bright green cast. During this period, my ability to focus on much of anything was compromised.

I finally regained my ability to lie around with the television on. Four seasons of House of Cards, two of Grace and Frankie, ten episodes of The Crown, and a sampling of three or four other shows, and I started getting bored. Although I continued to have to elevate my foot, the introduction of physical therapy and limited weight-bearing in a boot added a spice of variety. Sadly, I still lacked the ability to string words together. And then, one day, a flash story, A Garden for Adonis, came together. It was published last week in SEEDS (http://conta.cc/2igTGS0).

Although I’d like to tell you I wrote non-stop after that, it would be a lie. Returning to writing came slowly. The ideas were there, but my ability to sustain my attention was not. It took several weeks to write and submit one short story. I had planned to write three pieces during the same time period, but life didn’t work out that way. I don’t know if the story, A Golden Eclipse, will ever be published (I like it, so I hope it will), but I know one thing for sure. I’m back!

Clicking Our Heels - Pets We Would Pick

Clicking Our Heels – If We Could Have Any Animal as a Pet, What We Each Would Pick

 Sparkle Abbey: That’s a difficult question for us because we both have households with pets.  We’ve mostly had cats and dogs through the years…or the occasional fish.  It’s easier to say what we would never want as pets – spiders, snakes and bats.

Jennae Phillippe:  While completely impractical, I think I would love to live with a giant panda. I did have a friend who had a raccoon as a pet, and I always thought that was pretty cool, too. Although considering how much my cat keeps me on my toes, I am not sure I could handle a more demanding pet.

Bethany Maines: Let’s face it, dogs are the best pets – they have the matching factors of cute, I’d have a polar bear.  We would go on adventures and scare unwanted door to door salesmen.

Paula Gail Benson:  I would like to have a mythical animal pet, like a unicorn.  I could ride it, talk to it, and admire its beauty, while it could take care of any physical needs it might have, like for nourishment and rest.  And, being mythical, it could be immortal.

Kay Kendall:  I need a fictional animal – a unicorn.  I was horse crazy as a girl but was allergic to horse dander and to hay. I figure a unicorn would have no dander, no smell, not need to eat. Perfect. And beautiful too.

Paffi Flood: If could have any animal as a pet, it’s be an elephant. I just love elephants.

Kimberly Jayne: There are so many to choose from! For different reasons, I’d love to have pandas, goats, meerkats, and koalas.  They’re all cuddly and funny to watch, like cats whom I could watch all day. Fortunately, they’re not really good pets (except for some goats), or I’d spend all my time messing with my exotic pets instead of writing my books!

Linda Rodriguez: If my city would allow it, I’d own a pygora goat.  They’re cute, small, easy to handle, and affectionate, and they bear cashmere quality fiber that you can comb off them in the spring.  I’m a spinner and would love to have the fiber to use.

Dru Ann Love: A cat who would listen to me and give me insights into what life should be.

Cathy Perkins:  I’ve wanted a dragon ever since I was a kid and read (devoured) all of Anne McCaffrey’s Pern Stories.

Debra H. Goldstein: A puppy to cuddle.

Resolution Failure

by Bethany Maines

I don’t believe in New Year’s Resolutions.

Resolutions always seem to be negative statements.  They pit the resolver against something.  I resolve to lose weight, spend less, give up every fun thing ever, etc.

I much prefer to make goals. Goals take aim and move toward a change. I want to write more, be more healthy, learn French, wake up later.  I don’t think that last one’s going to happen, but it’s more of a lifelong goal.

And then there’s the artificial time construct of the New Year’s that tricks people into waiting to start a change until January first actually rolls on the calendar.  Of course, if I were resolving to do something horrible, I’d put it off as long as possible too.  But if I want to change my life for the better, then why would I wait? Now is always the perfect time to start.

Which is not to say that the turn of the year doesn’t cause me to reflect and take stock of how things are and how I would like them to go. Like a lot of people, I like to assess, predict, and then I make goals.  At the end of December, I jotted down some notes, made some plans and felt good about myself.  I’m usually pretty good at sticking to my plans and I didn’t expect this year to be any different.  But then I didn’t expect to be struck by inspiration that would send me furiously typing down the rabbit hole of a new story.

And now here it is the end of January and I feel like one of those people who’ve managed to blow up their diet and their resolution two weeks after starting.  I mean, I feel guilty about not sticking to the plan, but not really that bad as a shove another chapter in.  In fact, that chapter was delicious and really would it really hurt if I had another? 

I can always get back on the plan later, right?

***

Bethany Maines is the author of the Carrie Mae Mysteries, Wild Waters, Tales from the City of Destiny and An Unseen Current.  You can also view the Carrie Mae youtube video or catch up with her on Twitter and Facebook.

Bethlehem Writers Roundtable

by Paula Gail Benson

A writer never forgets the first place her work is published. The Bethlehem Writers Group, in existence since 2006, gave me that opportunity through its online publication the Bethlehem Writers Roundtable (BWR).

At the end of 2012, I had recently joined the Guppy Chapter of Sisters in Crime and decided to commit to serious writing by submitting my work. I read the BWR was seeking 2000 or less word stories on the theme “Dead Valentine” for its February issue. I sent in “Nectar of the Gods,” and, miraculously, it was selected as February’s feature story, which meant I also had to come up with a “top ten” list. (My topic: the top ten romantic Broadway musicals.)

Subsequently, I entered the BWR annual short story contest. That year, it was being judged by Hank Phillippi Ryan, who I unabashedly adore as a fabulous writer and incredible human being. I wrote a story based on personal experience, drawn from an incident that happened to my mother during her final days in the hospital. I will never forget the joy I felt in placing third, behind K.B. Inglee, another author I very much admire.

For me, the BWR is the gift that keeps giving. My three stories published there remain accessible through the online archives. My prize winner also was included in a print anthology available in paperback or Kindle formats on Amazon.

When I first submitted to the BWR, it was issued monthly and offered no payment. In 2017, it became a quarterly publication that pays for accepted stories ($20 for featured authors and $10 for &More selections). Submissions should be no more than 2000 words.

This year, the short story contest is being judged by Carrie Vaughn, the New York Times bestselling novelist of the Kitty series, featuring a werewolf who hosts a radio talk show. Paranormal stories are being solicited and must be received by March 31, 2017. There is an entry fee of $10 per story for the contest. (Regular submissions require no fee.) In addition to publication, the top three prize winners receive cash awards. Personally, I think the contest fee is very reasonable and consider it a means of supporting an excellent organization.

If you’re a short story writer, please consider submitting to the BWR. I have found its editors to be wonderful, caring individuals, and I am very proud to be among their authors (including my Stiletto Gang partner, Debra Goldstein). Check it out at: http://bwgwritersroundtable.com

Our Very Own Dru Ann Wins the Raven Award

by Linda Rodriguez

On April 27^th at the 71^st annual Edgar Awards Banquet in New York City, The Stiletto Gang's own Dru Ann Love will receive the prestigious Raven Award. The Raven Award is a special award given for outstanding achievement in the mystery field outside the realm of creative writing. This award was first given in 1953. People and organizations, such as Dorothy Kilgallen, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Alfred Hitchcock, Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, the Royal Shakespeare Company, Isaac Bashevis Singer, Eudora Welty, Angela Lansbury, Bouchercon Mystery Convention, Bill Clinton, Otto Penzsler, Center for the Book in the Library of Congress, and Sisters in Crime, have won this award. And now Dru Ann wins it for her dedication to the field and the contributions her wonderful book blog, Dru's Book Musings, has made to the field of the mystery.

Dru reviews a huge number of books every year, and her reviews are all based on careful reading and high standards. She also hosts a series called “A Day in the Life,” where authors write a post from the viewpoint of a major character to give the reader a taste of that author's voice and characterization skills. Her book blog is a major player in the strong field of book blogs that have replaced the vanished book review sections of newspapers and magazines.

Those of us who know her know that Dru Ann is a true aficionado of crime fiction. She loves the field, the individual books, and the authors. A fixture at the major conventions and a great supporter of the entire field of crime writing, she's kind and funny and smart as a whip and a real professional. She's also much loved by the crime writing community, so this will be a very popular choice for the Raven Award.

All of her blogmates here at The Stiletto Gang have been very excited by this news, and we all send her a huge CONGRATULATIONS! We couldn't be happier to see her reaping well-deserved recognition for the important work she does. And on April 27^th, we'll all be raising a glass of champagne to our dear Dru Ann as she receives her award. 

Well done, Dru!

Retreating

Retreating by Cathy Perkins

What is it about a writing retreat that makes us so productive?

Is it the creative energy in the house? 
Knowing other people are writing away (and you should be too)? 
Or is it because you left behind ____ (fill in your own blank) and you better make use of the time?

Way back in 2008, a group of women from the Pacific Northwest finalled in the Golden Heart—and formed a bond based first on writing and then on friendship. Every year since then, we’re gotten together over the long Martin Luther King weekend for a writing retreat. While there’s tons of writing, there’s also laughter and stories, Courtney Milan’s lessons on branding, Rebecca Clark’s yoga sessions and Rachel Grant’s chocolate martinis.

I’m halfway through a new story, with most of the remaining scenes blocked out. I haven’t a clue about the title or cover. Hmm… wonder what the women are doing this weekend?

Have you ever been on a writing retreat? What do you think is the best part?

Cathy Perkins is currently working on an as-yet-untitled story in the So About… series.  She started writing when recurring characters and dialogue populated her day job commuting daydreams.  Fortunately, that first novel lives under the bed, but she was hooked on the joy of creating stories.  When not writing, she can be found doing battle with the beavers over the pond height or setting off on another travel adventure.  Born and raised in South Carolina, she now lives in Washington with her husband, children, several dogs and the resident deer herd. 

What’s Doing in My Writer’s Lair

By Kay Kendall

When I write, my dog Wills sleeps on the floor beside my chair, with his head resting on my foot. He prefers my lap, but he makes do with my foot as second best. He is a cavalier King Charles spaniel, a breed preferred by royalty as “comfort” dogs in Western Europe beginning five centuries ago.


HERE IS WILLS KENDALL, age 6.5 years old.

Portraits of the royal houses of Spain, France, and England often include depictions of these little spaniels. The earliest portrait including one of these small spaniels was painted by Titian in 1538.

Queen Victoria’s first dog was a King Charles spaniel. His name was Dash, and she doted on him. Dash is included in the television version of the young queen’s life now showing on PBS. Since these dogs have spent 500+ years doting on their royal masters, it pleases me to giggle and think of my feet as sort of royal.

My husband Bruce and I have rescued rabbits for more than twenty years. Our current three bunnies—Midnight, Smokey, and Jack—are jealous of Wills. They are never allowed to frolic in the writer’s lair, my name for the hovel of a messy bedroom where I write. The three long-eared wonders reside next door in my husband’s study. Sometimes Jack escapes, and then he always hightails it down the hall and into my lair. When Jack sees one of us coming to extract him from the lair, he squeezes behind furniture to hide. Rabbits can be very stubborn...and always, always cute. (Wills insists that I add that he is also extremely cute. Indeed, he is.)

While I write, I often listen to classical music. Bach, Vivaldi, Mozart, Chopin and their like. The volume must stay subdued, otherwise I get drawn too far into the glorious melodies.  I cannot write while listening to music with singing. The words fight with those in my head that are trying to make their way out to paper.

Authors are often asked how much outlining they do before they begin to write their books. For my first two mysteries—DESOLATION ROW and RAINY DAY WOMEN—I had the arc of the story, but no details. I knew who committed the crimes and why, but not exactly what the other suspects had done to bring scrutiny to themselves. I made up those details as I went along, as my characters grew on the pages.

I always know the personalities of my characters ahead of time and let them fulfill their destinies. From them come the plot twists and turns. It’s tricky, throwing in red herrings here and there. An author must play fair and drop a few hints, but not give away the whole game. Readers want to be fooled, although they love trying to guess who done it.

I’m now in the midst of writing my third mystery. I have planned its plot out more than I did for the first two, but I don’t claim to be a voracious outliner. Some authors I know go into such detail that their outlines end up filling 30 pages. I used to feel guilty not doing that. Now, however, I have heard enough bestselling writers say that it is fine to do whatever works for the individual writer. The guilt is banished, pretty much.

I edit as I go along. I cannot bear to rush through a first draft, leaving ugly sentences in my wake. Of course, after a sort-of first draft is done, I return and do umpteen drafts all over again. All the while, I berate myself for not writing perfect sentences the first time through. One of these days I need to post a sign on my corkboard in front of me that says . . . ALL GREAT WRITING COMES FROM REWRITING. In short, I am not a fast writer. I surely do wish I were though.

~~~~~~~

 

Want to read the first 20 pages of Kay Kendall’s second mystery, RANY DAY WOMEN? Go to her website http://www.austinstarr.com/ That book won two awards at the Killer Nashville conference in August 2016—for best mystery/crime and also for best book. Her first novel about Austin Starr‘s sleuthing, DESOLATION ROW, was a finalist for best mystery at Killer Nashville in 2014. Visit Kay on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/KayKendallAuthor

 

Words of Resistance

by J.M. Phillippe


On January 15th, 2017, I made my way out to the front of the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building of the New York Public Library to attend a rally.

At about 10 minutes after the officially posted start time, a young girl that no one could really see started singing the national anthem in a clear strong voice. There was no MC, no announcement that the rally was officially starting, and there was a long silence while the first speaker made her way to the podium, which, the crowd noted shortly after, was too low on the steps. The volume of the microphones was also too low, and shouts of "louder!" came from the people furthest back.

It took a few readers -- each coming up to the podium, saying their names and telling the crowd what they were reading-- but finally someone pulled a microphone from a stand, asked the crowd if they were loud enough, and stood high enough up on the steps to get a huge roar of approval.

The empty podium, abandoned in the cold, became a symbol for the rally itself: when the people speak, its time for a change.

The PEN America sponsored Writers Resist rally was a solid two-and-half hours of authors, poets, and even politicians reading excerpts from Langston Hughes, James Baldwin, Audre Lorde, Maya Angelou, and of course, Martin Luther King Jr. -- as well as many many others -- in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day and in protest against an incoming presidential administration that regularly attacks the media and individual writers. Former United States poet laureates read inaugural poems from past administrations, and many other writers shared their own work, some written specifically for the occasion. There were readers and writers of every race, from myriad countries of birth, and from a multitude of backgrounds.

The themes of the readings were about fighting for freedom, standing up for democracy, and finding a place as a American when so many others might tell you that you don't belong. Some people read song lyrics (a reading of Frank Zappa's "It Can't Happen Here" stands out), and others read parts of the constitution, including the First Amendment. The battle, the thing everyone was there to resist, was the silencing of words. Audre Lorde's quote, made into a poster, was held above the crowd: "your silence will not protect you."


As a writer in the crowd slowly inching her way closer and closer to that empty podium and the readers standing several steps above it, I felt like I was getting a master class in the power of words. Even as the cold numbed my toes and fingers, and my feet ached from standing still for too long, my ears still caught carefully constructed lines, doing what precise prose and perfect poetry always does: inform, impress, and inspire.

While I found much of it moving, it was the inaugural poems that got me thinking. The first president to have an inaugural poem was John F. Kennedy.

"When power leads man to arrogance," Kennedy is reported to have said, "poetry reminds him of his limitations. "

When power narrows the area of man's concern, poetry reminds him of the richness and diversity of his existence. When power corrupts, poetry cleanses." 

According to Wikipedia, only four other presidential inaugurations had poets prepare something for the occasion: Bill Clinton's two inaugurations, and Barack Obama's two inaugurations. That hasn't stopped me, and indeed others, from imagining what poetry might inspire President-Elect Donald Trump. As I listened to speaker after speaker reading words about what it means to fight for freedom, I tried to imagine what sort of words Trump reads, what philosophers, what authors, what poets.

As the saying goes, "watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions." We are all shaped by what we read, the stories we take in, the ideas we absorb. More than the President-Elect's tax returns, I want to see his reading list. I want to know what words will guide this new president; I fear the only words he cares about are his own, that he is a president without poetry.

I fear that he is a president that would rather censor the press than face criticism, that his attacks on the media are part of a greater attack on free speech. I fear that because he "knows all the words," and "has the best words" he thinks he doesn't need to listen, to read, and to learn.

So I gathered with hundreds of others in New York City (and hundreds more across the country) to listen to words, and to march to Trump Tower with a pledge to defend the First Amendment (signed by over 160,000 people) and to shout more words, as is my constitutional right. Peaceful protest (and not so peaceful) has been a part of every great change America has ever made. Our country was founded in protest of another country the people who made their way to our shores thought was unjust. The Founding Fathers wanted to create a space where democracy would thrive and understood that this could not happen if the very tools of the revolution they fought -- including protest -- weren't protected. Every social revolution brings us ever closer to those ideals fought so hard for: a more perfect union with equality for all.

But not everyone has made the same study of those words, and many do not share the same vision for what equality looks like. As another saying goes: when you are accustomed to privilege, equality feels like oppression. For every person who wants to make America great again, there is another who is still trying to find a way to make it great for the first time, to find their place under the great umbrella of "for all." For this second group of Americans, words of resistance -- resistance to settling, to taking less, to living in despair -- are what keep them going, keep them hoping, keep them dreaming.

And keep them reading, and keep them writing. Our very constitution is a poem to the ideals of freedom. This country was founded on the promise of words. I marched to help hold our country to that promise. And whenever I can, I will brave cold or heat and crowds and shouts to hear that promise spoken again and again.

Words have power. It's why people in power fight so hard to silence them. And its also why writers will always be at the heart of every resistance.

* * *

J.M. Phillippe is the author of Perfect Likeness and the short story The Sight. She has lived in the deserts of California, the suburbs of Seattle, and the mad rush of New York City. She works as a family therapist in Brooklyn, New York and spends her free-time decorating her tiny apartment to her cat Oscar Wilde’s liking, drinking cider at her favorite British-style pub, and training to be the next Karate Kid, one wax-on at a time.

Writing Rehearsal

by Paula Gail Benson

How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice!

How do you get happily published? Submit carefully crafted writing.

And, how do you ensure that your submissions are carefully crafted? Write extensively.

Do you have to write every day? Some authors manage without, but I remember what happened when I tried to improve my piano playing and left off practicing until the day before the lesson. The result was passable, but not as polished as it could have been if I had built on a daily habit.

While music and writing may be inspiring to their listeners, they don’t emerge from the muse by someone simply placing their fingers on a keyboard. Music and writing have to be worked out in advance before you can sell tickets to the audience.

Acting is another creative activity that requires prep time. The first reading of a line may “feel” perfect, but once you’ve rehearsed it, you realize more subtle nuances, ways to play off fellow actors, or timed reactions that are funnier or more poignant than the original interpretation.

Pianists and writers are solo performers. Only by repeated practice do they learn the methods that will best charm and involve an audience. One of the greatest joys of a performer can be the private discovery of how a musical or written piece should be presented.

That joy is compounded when they hear the audience’s reaction. The true moment when the muse touches you is when you realize the perfect order and symmetry for your work. An actor or pianist may receive a more instant gratification in hearing applause, but what writer doesn’t relish listening to a reader tell him how his words and stories have changed a life?

Practice is necessary for performances because to act or play piano is an extension of self. The way we turn writing into that extension is to: (1) sit down to write with purpose, and (2) embrace the discoveries made.

By developing a writing habit, you can let the daily discoveries soak in until they become a part of your writer self. You learn to recognize those “tricks” that attract your audience’s attention. Then, you refine them in order to make them appear natural, so they become craft and your audience doesn’t perceive them at all, but is completely involved in the story and hates to see it end. This is the objective of every artist: to tell the story well and leave the listeners satisfied.

Walter Moseley said that when writing becomes a daily practice, the writer completes projects and his subconscious begins to assist him even when he’s not writing because the constancy of the task has become so strong. (Why does his concept make me think I hear, “May the force be with you,” echoing in my head?)

Linda Rodriguez has written some inspiring recent messages about becoming motivated to write and making the decision to be a writer. Both feature excerpts from her recent book, Plotting the Character Driven Novel, which is terrific.

If you’re still contemplating New Year’s resolutions, here are a few books that have recommendations to help you develop a daily writing schedule: 

The Divine Guide to Creating a Daily Writing Practice by Pernille Norregaard. This inspirational text includes many quotations from established authors (like Walter Moseley’s theory above) and emphasizes how to effectively build a habit.

Lifelong Writing Habit: The Secret to Writing Every Day by Chris Fox. By illustrating how he changed his entire life through developing consistent practices, Fox shows the path to more effective writing and offers exercises to achieve that goal.

The Eight-Minute Writing Habit: Create a Consistent Writing Habit That Works With Your Busy Lifestyle by Monica Leonelle. This guide offers a modified Pomodoro Method of timed writing. By limiting the writing period to eight minutes, Leonelle contends it creates a habit that is easy to incorporate into any lifestyle and capable of ensuring at least 250 per day, which could lead to 90,000 words in a year.