How to use this Page

Good day, Muffin lovers! Today, we will be chatting with Elizabeth Maggio, 3rd place winner in the Fall 2012 WOW! Flash Fiction contest. If you haven't had the opportunity to read Elizabeth's story, Extant, Not Extinct, head over to the contest page. Then return to join us for a great interview!

Elizabeth Maggio parlayed a geology degree and her facility at explaining science to lay audiences into an award-wining science writing career. I twas an ideal fit, affording her a front-row seat at the cutting edge of research. Of all her experiences as a science writer, a few hold special memories: interviewing Carl Sagan about water on mars and hearing him say "torrents and torrents of rain" long before he became a science super star; snagging a one-on-one interview with Gene Roddenberry during the start-up days of Star Trek (after convincing hr newspaper editor that the assignment did fall within the bonds of the science beat.) Her career even led to adventures in Italy where she used both her science writing and Italian language skills working for an aerospace company and an astronomical observatory.

Now semi-retired, Elizabeth is transitioning into a second career as a fiction writer. She started writing flash fiction about two years ago and discovered it has helped her write her first novel, an archaeological mystery set in the Alban Hills outside of Rome.

Elizabeth lives with her husband in northern Virginia.

Display Comments Add a Comment

Congratulations to Kelly Dycavinu for her second place win in the Fall 2012 Flash Fiction contest. She won for  her story, "Duplicity." If you haven't had a chance to read this winning entry yet, then you can click here.

Kelly is currently in her thirties, but feels twenty and wishes she was fourteen. Well, that’s mostly true. Except that she wouldn’t trade life with her husband and two children for anything. So the fourteen-thing doesn’t cut it after all.

Based in Vancouver, Canada, Kelly has a BFA in creative writing from the University of British Columbia. She writes primarily for children and young adults; however, her stage play, Red Wolf, brings the world of fairytales to an adult audience. She also writes articles and personal essays that explore parenting, faith and social justice; and she writes academically in the area of literature, with a particular focus on intertextuality.
Kelly’s especially interested in classic literature, mythology, folk and fairy tales, trickster narratives, biblical narratives and creation accounts. She believes that how we view ourselves and others around us is largely impacted by the stories we hear/see and the stories we tell. This link between story and identity fascinates her. Her blog, Popcorn with a Spoon, may be found at: http://kellydycavinu.wordpress.com/ 
   
WOW: Congratulations, Kelly, on your second place win for your story, "Duplicity." What inspired you to write this flash fiction story?

Kelly: Thank you. There are a few strands of inspiration that wove their way into "Duplicity." The first is a moment when, for some reason, I was musing about the expression "two-faced" (used of someone who doesn't mean what they say or who says two different things depending on who's listening). I imagined the expression from a literal perspective and from there crafted a character who has the ability to see (physically) when a person is being two-faced. I thought this would be interesting. The second inspiration comes from reading a friend's short story. She unintentionally wrote the story in a way that could be read as either magical realism or as metaphor. The two ways of reading it co-existed perfectly, and I wanted to try writing a story like that. Can Shelley actually see the two-faces (magical realism), or has she psychologically snapped? I hoped to craft the story in a way that both could be equal options. A third inspiration comes from another friend who had only recently introduced me to flash fiction. In the end, I borrowed my two-face seeing character from a YA novel I'm writing and Shelley's story from a short fiction piece that had been left unfinished and made my first attempt at writing flash fiction.

WOW: What an interesting concept to explore. Great idea! Why did you decide to enter it in to the WOW! flash fiction contest? What benefits do contests give writers?

Kelly: I stumbled upon a link to the WOW! flash fiction contest. I may not have given it any consideration except that, days earlier, I came from a writing retreat where a friend had introduced me to flash fiction. To be honest, the minimal $10 entry fee is why I chose to submit the story. I personally hesitate with entry fees, as they add up fairly quickly (and don't all of us emerging writers dream of being in a place where our writing makes us money rather than costs us?). That said, without the motivation of the contest, "Duplicity" would still be an unfinished short story rather than a completed flash fiction piece. Contests are good for enforcing external deadlines. If you're like me, the self-inflicted deadlines don't hold as much authority. Also, in winning 2nd place, I gained confidence in my writing (a sense of validation, really), kudos from my friends, an award/publication to list on my CV, and some decent prize money. You can't win if you don't enter.

WOW: I completely agree that contests are a great motivator in getting pieces finished and submitted! And look at all the benefits winning gave you! What themes did you want to explore in "Duplicity"?

Kelly: Trust is a major theme. I wanted to explore the psychology of what happens to a person (in this case Shelley) when intimate trust is broken. Is Shelley's ability to see/hear the second face a reflection of how she has been scarred? She is no longer able to trust. Or is it a reflection of her enlightenment? No one is truly trustworthy. Deception is another theme. Darren is not the only deceiver. Shelley's actions are also, ironically, duplicitous.

WOW: You have a BFA in creative writing. Do you think this has helped you with your writing career? How?

Kelly: Both yes and no.

Yes. Entry into most writing programs is usually competitive. When I inform a publisher (or whomever) that I have a BFA in creative writing, I feel that it shows, on a very basic level, I'm skilled enough as a writer to have gained acceptance into a program and that I'm serious enough about my writing to have invested the time and money.

No. Ultimately, degree or no degree, it's one's writing that speaks for itself.

Yes. Like contests, a degree in creative writing provides those external deadlines. Many programs also require you to write in more than one genre, so a writer may be pushed beyond her comfort zone. I write mainly for children and young adults, but my experience was broadened into writing stageplay, nonfiction (personal essay, memoir, op ed), manga, short fiction, and so on.

No. My personal opinion is that there are also potential pitfalls to degree programs (such as cookie-cutter methods/approaches to writing that may stifle uncharted territory in the creative process). I recall one occasion when I should have forged ahead with a story rather than attempt a re-write.

Yes. I learned a lot about building a career in writing... all the little details about query letters, the dos and don'ts of manuscript submissions; I met publishers, agents, authors, instructors, fellow writers and built some great networks. I feel the degree helped me establish a solid foundation in my writing career.

No. All of the above can be learned or established outside a degree program. Even with my solid foundation, I feel I'm learning the most in the real world by writing, submitting to publishers, facing rejections, writing, meeting with my mentor, writing, winning a contest and more writing, writing, writing.

WOW: Thanks for taking the time to answer that for us. I know many people really struggle with whether or not to pursue a degree. So, what are you currently working on?

Kelly: A literary fiction novel based on the biblical character of Rahab, the prostitute. I'm telling her story prior to when we meet her in the biblical narrative. As it's a fairly large and research-intensive project, I'm also working on a number of children's picture books. Finishing a shorter story helps me to keep encouraged when there seems to be no end in sight on the longer project. And I'm working on finding a home for some of my completed picture books. It's amazing how much work remains after a story has been written!

WOW: No doubt! Tell readers what they'll find on your blog, Popcorn with a Spoon, http://kellydycavinu.wordpress.com/

Kelly: Reflections or personal essays on parenting, motherhood, writing, books, art, faith and social justice.

WOW: Thanks, Kelly, for letting us pick your brain today! Congratulations again, and best of lucky to you with your short-term and long-term projects!

Display Comments Add a Comment

Jeanne Lyet Gassman lives with her husband and son in the desert west of Phoenix, Arizona, but she dreams often of snow-covered mountains with pine-scented breezes. She believes in the power and beauty of language and loves helping other writers. When she isn’t writing, she works as a freelance editor and teaches creative writing workshops to writers’ groups and individuals in the Phoenix metro area.

She holds an MFA in Writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts. She writes creative nonfiction, poetry, and fiction, but her first love is fiction. Her work has appeared recently in Switchback, Barrelhouse, and LQQK, among others. An excerpt from her unpublished novel, The Blood of A Stone, is forthcoming in Assisi: An Online Journal of Literature and Arts. Her awards include fellowships from Ragdale and the Arizona Commission on the Arts. She is currently working on a novel about a family of downwinders who were adversely affected by the radioactive fallout from the atomic bomb tests in Nevada in the 1950s and 1960s.

To learn about opportunities for writers, including contests, grants, and calls for submission, please visit Jeanne’s blog, Jeanne’s Writing Desk. To get to know Jeanne and her work, please visit her website or connect with her on Twitter.

interview by Marcia Peterson

WOW: Congratulations on winning first place in our Fall 2012 writing contest! What inspired you to enter the contest?

Jeanne: I follow WOW! on Facebook and am a great fan of all that you offer for women writers. When I saw the announcement for the 2012 Fall Flash Fiction Contest, I had just finished a draft of "Haboob Season" and thought that it might be a good candidate for the competition, so I revised the story and entered the contest. I'm glad I did!

WOW: Can you tell us what encouraged the idea behind your story, "Haboob Season?" It’s a chilling story, despite all the heat.

Jeanne: The story has its origin in several truths: My husband did retire recently, and our children have just graduated from college. A close friend of mine also lost her husband last year. Although his death wasn't unexpected, she suddenly became a very young widow, which changed her lifestyle in dramatic ways. The summer of 2012 was one of the hottest summers in Phoenix on record with weeks of 100+ degree days and numerous large and small dust storms. The press began calling the big dust storms "haboobs." It's such a wonderful word, so much more evocative than "dust storm," and it made me think about what these massive storms could represent in one's personal life, how everything is so transient. Despite our best intentions, one swift change can sweep everything away, much in the same way a "haboob" sweeps through a metropolitan area, leaving devastation in its wake. The final stroke of inspiration came from a casual comment from a friend, who asked me how we coped with the dog days of summer in Phoenix. I put all of these elements--dust storms, sudden loss and change, the misery of summer in Phoenix--together, and "Haboob Season" was born.

For those of you who have never seen a haboob, I've enclosed a link to a video of one passing over Phoenix: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYnuzoH5oBA

WOW: Fascinating video, thanks for sharing! Since you write in several different genres, including fiction, nonfiction and poetry, how do you decide what you’re going to work on at any given time? Do you find one type of writing more challenging than the others?

Jeanne: Well, fiction is my first love. If I have no pressing deadlines from editors or publishers, I spend my time working on my novels or a work of short fiction. I've written some creative nonfiction, which bears many similarities to fiction, but the straight nonfiction I write is usually solicited work. For several years, I wrote a column on the craft and business of writing, "Jeanne's Writing Desk," for an e-newsletter called Mike's Writing Newsletter. The column had fixed deadlines, so I had to write my nonfiction on a schedule. If someone contacts me and asks me to write a blog post or nonfiction piece, I discuss their needs and adjust my writing projects accordingly.

I'm currently finishing the edits on my first novel, The Blood of A Stone, for a publisher. Since I have a deadline to turn in the edits, that is my top priority at the moment. Once those edits are complete, I plan to return to the work on my second novel, The Double Sun, a more contemporary story about a family of downwinders, people who suffered adverse effects from radioactive fallout from the atomic bomb tests in Nevada. I don't have a publisher for that book, but I do have an internal deadline/goal for the first draft. In general, I work well with deadlines, and if I don't have real ones, I like to create personal deadlines.

Poetry is definitely the most challenging genre for me. It requires not only precision of language but a strong sense of rhythm and motion. I adore good poetry and wish I were a better poet, but I would be the first to admit that writing poetry is not my strength.

WOW: Describe a typical day spent writing. Do you have any unusual writing habits?

Jeanne: I start every day by filling out my day planner. I use this time to prioritize my writing goals and organize my schedule. Then I walk the dog. Good writing takes place in the mind as much as it does on paper or the computer screen, and during our walks, I think about scenes, snippets of dialogue, resolve plot issues, etc. Once we return home, I sit down at my desk and begin work on my writing project of the day.

As I mentioned earlier, I tend to be very goal and project oriented. Rather than focus on a minimum daily word count or a minimum number of hours at the keyboard, I find I'm most productive when I concentrate on reaching specific milestones by specific dates. For example, if I'm working on my novel, I may set a goal on Monday to complete the next two chapters by Friday. This allows me to break my daily goals into smaller units, writing sections of those two chapters every day. If I'm planning to enter a writing contest or have a deadline for submitting a story to a literary magazine, I set a deadline for the first draft and a deadline for the revisions of that draft. Of course, if an editor has asked me to write a nonfiction piece, I usually have a fixed deadline and have to work toward that. I write five to six days a week for approximately 3-4 hours a day. This may not seem like a lot, but the steady effort makes it possible to accumulate a fair amount of material over time.

My daughter said I should also mention that my home office has a residential cat who contributes his editing advice. Our cat eats on the corner of my desk, sleeps in a special chair behind me, and reminds me that petting a kitty is the best solution to writer's block.

WOW: We talk a lot here on the blog about walking as a great tool for writing inspiration. I like how you focus on specific milestones by specific dates too. That seems like a great strategy! You mentioned that you’re currently working on a novel. How is that project going?

Jeanne: Actually, I'm working on two novels right now. I'm editing my first novel, The Blood of A Stone, a historical story set in first century A.D. Palestine, and I'm finishing the first draft of my second novel, The Double Sun, the story about a family of downwinders. Both projects are coming along nicely. I will be turning in my final edits to the publisher for the first book at the end of March and hope to be able to announce a publication date shortly thereafter. I have 4-5 chapters left to write before I have a complete draft of the second book. My goal (that word again!) for the second book is to have the first draft completed by the end of this summer.

One tool I've found particularly useful for writing novels is the story board. In fact, I have a story board for the second book, since it's still a work in process, and a revision board for the book I'm currently editing. I use a large bulletin board, but some people pin notes to a wall or even write on the wall. I've enclosed a picture of my story board for The Double Sun to give people a visual representation of how this works. This photo was taken earlier in the process of writing the book, so I now have more scene cards than what you see here. Since The Double Sun spans over 30 years, you will notice there are dates for each section. Beneath those dates are chapter titles. Under each chapter title I've posted an index card with a one-sentence description of each major scene in that chapter. On the right-hand side of the bulletin board I've posted photos of locations, events, and inspiring articles. This story board, or inspiration board as I like to think of it, provides me with a wonderful big-picture view of the novel-in-progress. By studying this board, I can easily see where I may need an additional scene, where there are too many similar scenes, where I need to cut the flab, etc. Interestingly enough, I've been writing the chapters in this book out of order, drafting specific chapters as they come to me rather than plodding along from the beginning to the end. The story board makes that possible.

WOW: Thanks for sharing a visual of your storyboard process, and for chatting with us today, Jeanne! Before you go, do you have any advice for beginning flash fiction writers?

Jeanne: I'm flattered that you'd like my advice on writing flash, as I consider myself a novice in this genre! However, the best advice I can give is to read flash fiction--lots of it. Study why the author leaves something out, how the author uses dialogue, how description moves the story forward, etc. I like to think of flash fiction as building a doll-size version of a real house on a small patch of real estate. Just like a full-size house, you have all the necessities: bathrooms, living space, bedrooms, etc., but they're smaller and limited in scope. Every single word must count. There's no room in flash for meandering or tangents. This means that the words you select carry a lot of weight; they need to develop character, set the scene, move the plot forward, or do several of these things at the same time. It also helps to have a destination in mind. If you know where you want your story to end, you can push toward that ending. My final piece of advice is to target your markets and submit your work. You'll never get your writing published if you don't send it out.

Thank you so much for inviting me to share my thoughts on the writing life. It has been such a pleasure to work with WOW!

***

The Spring 2013 Flash Fiction Contest is OPEN!
Find out more: http://wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php

***

Display Comments Add a Comment