Growing up in Toronto, Canada, Jeanne Bereiter planned on becoming a writer, but life - as it often does - had other plans. After graduating from college, Jeanne decided to become a doctor instead. She earned her B.A. at Evergreen State College in Washington State, and her medical degree at McGill University in Montreal. She has worked as a family physician in the Canadian arctic and rural Alberta, and as a community psychiatrist in Anchorage, Alaska. Currently, Jeanne is an academic child and adolescent psychiatrist in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Through the years, Jeanne has enjoyed her profession and work in the medical field, and now, she is reintroducing herself to the writing life. She's published several reflective narratives in medical journals and is working on her first novel, about a group of psychiatric patients.
Dawn’s Bio:An on-again, off-again writer for most of her life, Dawn started to focus more on her writing seven years ago, about the same time she got serious about yoga. Curious about the amazing effect yoga was having on her creative process, Dawn discovered other yogi-writers through study with Jeffrey Davis, author of Journey From the Center to the Page. Already a yoga teacher, she completed Yoga as Muse facilitator training with Davis in 2010.
Dawn credits Yoga as Muse with helping her establish a regular writing practice, and with overcoming fears of sitting down to write and finding she has nothing to say. Instead, she’s discovered that the body is a storehouse of emotions and memories that, through gentle movement and breathing, can yield rich, creative imagery.
The long, dark winters in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada where Dawn lives with her daughter are perfect for delving into the creative realm. She is currently at work on her first novel and her play, Fish Out of Water, will be produced in 2011. Dawn is also very excited to offer Yoga as Muse workshops for yogis, writers, and anyone interested in exploring how yoga's skillful means can enhance a creative life.
Find out more about what Dawn’s up to on Facebook, Twitter (@dawngcurtis), her website at
http://www.dawncurtis.com/, and on Jeffrey Davis’ Yoga as Muse page at
http://www.trackingwonder.com/.
If you haven't done so already, check out Dawn's award-winning story "Low-Hanging Fruit" and return here for a chat with the author!WOW: Congratulations on placing in the Fall 2010 Flash Fiction Contest! What is your inspiration for your story?Dawn: I adapted Low-Hanging Fruit from a passage in a novel I'm working on that is inspired in part by my grandmother's life, growing up in an Italian immigrant family in northern Ontario during WWI. Though the situation the character finds herself in is, as far as I know, purely fiction!
WOW: Sounds like the novel will be a great story! What do you like best about writing?Dawn: I really enjoy the process of writing, when I'm in the "flow" and the writing seems to just be coming without any conscious effort on my part. I'm endlessly fascinated by where the subconscious mind takes us when we stand aside, quiet our "inner heckler" and just get lost in the drafting process. On the other end, I also love the work involved in refining and honing my rough material into a finished piece - kind of like fitting the pieces of a puzzle together.
WOW: In your bio, you’ve credited Yoga as Muse for helping you establish a regular writing practice. How has it helped, and what is your writing schedule like?Dawn: In Yoga as Muse, there are four basic preparations for a successful writing practise:
1) Writing with intention
2) Showing up
Nicole’s Bio:
Nicole Amsler makes her living as a writer, by writing press releases, magazine articles and web content for business clients. She owns Keylocke Services, a copywriting and marketing consultant firm for small businesses. Her business allows her to write copy for clients from her home office—squeezing in short stories and full-length novels in her spare time.
Fiction is her first love—from her first handwritten novel in 2nd grade to her many “drawer novels”—not yet fit for human consumption. Nicole has published a handful of short stories and is an avid proponent of NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). She has won NaNo four times, including last year’s novel “Dismantling Spider Webs” about forgiveness. This year’s novel is titled “Zone Trippers” which examines identity.
Nicole speaks regularly on editing, the writing process and marketing. She currently lives in Ohio with her family, where she runs a book club, stalks her favorite authors, teaches improv acting to elementary students and seldom sleeps.
She can be found on
Facebook,
Twitter,
her personal blog and in the local coffee shop.
If you haven't done so already, check out Nicole's award-winning story "Looking for Death" and then return here for a conversation with the author.WOW!: Congratulations on placing in the WOW! Fall 2010 Flash Fiction Contest! How did you begin writing this story, or what was your inspiration for it?
Nicole: I’ve had a reoccurring dream for about 30 years. I am standing in my Dad’s backyard and I see a plane crash. Of course, I have never actually seen it happen but it remains very vivid to me.
The story started out with a child’s difficulty understanding death and the planting of the body. But as I wrote the first draft, I realized it was the father who was grappling with a pointless death. I kept the son in a longer version but found the story was stronger if it was just Mason’s story. Trying to bring the story down to 750 words ended up crystallizing it.
WOW!: We’re glad you’ve had a positive flash fiction writing experience. It’s certainly different than novel writing. What, if anything, did you learn about yourself each time you’ve completed a novel for NaNoWriMo?
Nicole: I have completed several and I find it very similar to birthing stories. There are no two experiences alike and the birthing process has no bearing on how your child turns out. My first novel (Holiday Cards) was pure magic—the story flowed, my characters were vivid and well rounded, and I found surprises around every corner. Sadly, though, it was entirely plot free. I still have hope for it though. I just think I need to be a better, wiser writer before I can do it justice.
Another year—Dismantling Spider Webs—was a complex, detailed character study. It is completed and is being work-shopped but I know it is still missing something.
This year’s NaNo novel was pure inspiration. I imagined the catalyst act in about two minutes and suddenly I had a whole book. It has been a rollercoaster, trying to write outside of my genre about topics I don’t understand but I embraced the NaNo challenge of just getting words on paper. I consider this year’s book—Zone Trippers—to be more about discovery writing than even a
Patricia’s Bio:Patricia Sands lives in Toronto, Canada when she and her husband are not off on one of their jaunts to other parts of the world. She has degrees from the University of Waterloo and York University. With a happily blended family of seven adult children and, at last count, six grandchildren, life is full and time is short. Beginning with her first Kodak Brownie camera at the age of six, she has told stories all of her life through photography. Much to her surprise a few years ago, she began to write and her debut novel The Bridge Club will soon be published through iUniverse. Patricia joyfully admits the writing muse has possessed her and looks forward to a long and satisfying career as an author. She is particularly drawn to the rewarding friendships of women and the challenges many embrace once their families are grown. It’s never too late to begin something new she enthuses. As Nike says, just do it! Her website is under construction but you will soon be able to visit www.patriciasandsauthor.com. Everyone has a story. What’s yours?
If you haven't done so already, check out Patricia's award-winning story, and then return here for a chat with the author.WOW!: Congratulations on placing in the Spring 2010 Flash Fiction Contest! Can you tell us how you created and developed your story, “Notes from a Rooftop in Andalucia”?Patricia: My sister moved to Andalucia, just south of Granada, twenty years ago and I have visited with her on many occasions. The piece is a combination of the two of us and the strong feelings we share for that beautiful part of the world. She will never leave as her heart and soul truly have been captured by the culture as well as the magnificent surroundings. I go back as often as I can and my camera is always with me. I am someone who has told stories through photography all of my life and the rooftops of her village called to me from day one.
WOW!: In your bio, you say that you are a frequent traveler. How have all of your world travels inspired your creativity?Patricia: I feel very fortunate to have had opportunities to travel the world beginning as a twenty-year-old with a backpack and Europe On $5 A Day as my bible! Whether my trips have been across oceans, within Canada and the States, or simply an hour's drive into the countryside, there is always something to take your breath away - if you are looking. My eyes are like the lens in my camera and in my mind I often hear a click like a shutter as I take in a view. Thank goodness for digital photography! In one week in Venice I snapped almost 800 shots!
WOW!: Sounds like you have many more possible stories within all of your travels and photos! If you could have dinner with one published writer, alive or dead, who would it be and why?Patricia: Now that's a difficult choice to make. There are so many writers who have influenced me and whose work I enjoy for a host of different reasons. I'm going to say Jane Austen. I really enjoy the period she covers in her work as well as the realism she so accurately portrays. Along with a biting social commentary she manages to inject a gentle sense of humour. I admire her style immensely. But, as I mentioned, if she can't make it to dinner, I have a long list of alternatives!
WOW!: I know that’s always a difficult question for writers and avid readers, but you can’t go wron
Karen always knew she wanted to write. Once, at a slumber party, she trapped a group of 11-year-old girls in a dark room and read her scary stories to them. She knew she had a captive audience!
Although she hasn't had any run-ins with a bridezilla...yet, Karen imagines when she does, she'll end up writing about it.
This is Karen's first published flash fiction story. More sit patiently in a desk drawer, awaiting their turn in the publishing world.
If you haven't had a chance to read Karen's piece,
Fly Girl, head over to
WOW! and check it out. Then, grab a cuppa your favorite beverage and settle in with Karen as she talks all things writing with The Muffin.
WOW: Karen, congratulations on your double victory in WOW!'s Spring 2010 Flash Fiction Contest. Not only did you nab Runner-Up honors for Fly Girl, you also earned an Honorable Mention for another of your stories, The Costume Party. That's simply awesome! Based on your experience, what advice would you offer to writers who are considering entering a writing contest?
Karen: Take that step! I kept my writing under wraps for years. It can be tough to know when something is ready, but sometimes you just have to let go and not work a piece to death. Sending your story out into the world can be very exciting. Keep challenging yourself, learn as you go, but don't hide it away.
WOW: Sage advice! I want to talk about the concept for Fly Girl. While reading it, I had such an "I've-been-there" feeling. Why do you believe everyday situations make such a connection with readers?
Karen: I think readers can identify with the character and her situation because we've all had disillusionment with regard to work, relationships, and life in general. It's nice to be reminded that we're not alone. I tried to offset the negativity by showing her feelings of protectiveness toward the young woman. We'd all like to think we can retain our empathy even when we're having difficulties.
WOW: I agree. Having empathy in the midst of tragedy or even a minor problem proves to be difficult at times. What caught my attention are the humorous undertones in Fly Girl. How do you balance humor within a piece?
Karen: I do try to let the humor in. Life's certainly not fair, but the idea of karmic justice can be a way to resolve some of that. I definitely attempted to explore that in this story. I don't think about it much when I'm writing, but it's always interes
Mary Elizabeth Summer is a Portland, Oregon-based writer who spends her days writing training materials for various companies and her nights racing pell-mell across the keyboard after her rampaging imagination. She writes novel-length stories with occasional forays into shorter fiction, and she writes for young adults, except for when she doesn't. She has a BA in creative writing (she BSes everything else), and she haunts bookstores for fun. Her current writing project is a young adult novel about a girl on the grift. Non-writing interests include volunteering at a horse-therapy program for autistic children and learning the fine art of parenting from her newborn daughter.
interview by Marcia Peterson
WOW: Congratulations on placing as one of the Runners Up in our Spring 2010 competition! What inspired you to enter the contest?
Mary Elizabeth: Thank you! I was very honored to be chosen from among such talented writers. Actually, I was inspired to enter the contest when I read that I could receive a critique of my entry. I didn't expect to actually place in the contest. I was happily surprised when I did, but also happy to get a professional opinion about the story.
WOW: Glad your expectations were exceeded! Can you tell us what encouraged the idea behind your story, "Of Crepes and Constancy?"
Mary Elizabeth: It's kind of a funny story. My writing group decided to try a variation of the exquisite corpse exercise in which each of us put two sentences into a hat and then draw two sentences out. One sentence was to be used as the first sentence of a story, and the second sentence was meant to be the last sentence of the story. The first sentence I drew was "How many times can you burn a crepe before it really does mean something?" In my original version of the story, I managed to end it with the second sentence, but in the revision process, I had to cut it, because it didn't quite work. As for the substance of the piece, at the time I wrote it, I was noticing a pattern in the relationships of people around me--a certain sort of insincerity that led to mind games and dissatisfaction. I had actually meant it to be a comical story, but it didn't turn out that way. Funny how characters sometimes take a story and run in completely the opposite direction with it.
WOW: For writers who may be interested in what you do for a living, could you describe what it’s like writing training materials for various companies?
Mary Elizabeth: It can be challenging at times. I have to take a bunch of information about something I know absolutely nothing about and shape it in a way that makes sense to someone else who knows nothing about it so that they learn. It involves a lot of adult learning theory and subject matter experts and ridiculous budget constraints and unrealistic turn-around times and blah blah blah corporate blah. It is a pretty sweet job, though. I essentially get to write for a living, which is the golden apple, right?
WOW: It sounds like a demanding but interesting job. How do you switch gears to write fiction at
Doris’s Bio:Doris first saw the light of day in Panama, was reared in Germany, France and various US locations, served (briefly) as a hand on a Chinese junk, gave birth on St. Croix, and, more recently, rode the back roads of West Africa in cobbled-together buses and vans. In between some of that activity, she received a bachelor’s degree from Spring Hill College, worked as a teacher, newspaper reporter, and in insurance, and reared three sons. She lives in Upstate New York with her husband and best pal, Don, traveling, writing, and pulling weeds.
In addition to writing poetry and short stories, Doris continues to refine her ecologically concerned yet humorous novel, Cabbagehead, about the fruitful relationship between an introverted man and his extroverted, bedding plant. A chapter of the novel can be seen at the Buffalo Street Books “Works in Progress” website. Her latest endeavors include writing a mystery story and dabbling at a memoir. In the last few years, Doris has taken graduate English courses, participated in the New York State Summer Writers Institute at Skidmore College, Colgate University’s novel and poetry workshops, and the Algonkian novel and pitch workshops.
If you haven't already done so, check out Doris's award-winning story "Natural Selection," and return here for a chat with the author.WOW!: Congratulations on placing in the WOW! Spring Flash Fiction Contest! Can you tell us how you created and developed your story, “Natural Selection”?Doris: This is a version of a longer piece I had written, based on an experience related to me years ago by a friend. He lived next door to a woman who, he said, paid more attention to her pet monkey than to her child. From that memory I imagined the circumstance of a neighbor becoming pathologically involved.
WOW!: I always find it so interesting how little bits of memory can evolve into a whole story. I read in your bio that you’re a world traveler. How have all of your world travels inspired your creativity?Doris: I find travel stimulating. New sights—and even new sounds and smells—provoke new thoughts. The mind, I think, makes new connections conducive to the creative process.
WOW!: If you could have dinner with one published writer, alive or dead, who would it be and why?Doris: Only one? Then, Tolstoy. He was not only a wonderful writer, but also a visionary who incorporated his views of selflessness, love and responsibility into his writing without seeming didactic. (I guess it would help to have a Russian translator present).
WOW!: Great choice. It’s hard to choose just one when there are so many great writers out there. What is your strategy for finding or making time to write with a busy schedule?Doris: I’m fortunate in that I’m not otherwise working. So while I have the time, I don’t use that time for writing as often as I’d wish. I’m easily distracted and battle a fear of writing. When I actually sit down to it, I find the process enjoyable.
WOW!: Ah, the fear of writing. I know that feeling well, but it does, as you said, seem to dissolve when I just sit down and do it. What is the best piece of writing advice you have ever received?Doris: To sit down to write at a set time every day for one hour, most days a week. (The idea of one hour is
Kelly Thompson has been writing non-fiction for over 20 years, working as a reporter, news editor, commercial copywriter, and in government publications. She recently decided to try her hand at fiction; this is her first writing contest and she is honored to have made it to the Top 10. Whether reading or writing, she looks for a story with sharp characters, smart dialogue, and a good twist. Her fiction has appeared in River Life, and is currently looking for other publications to grace. Her recent writing projects include a nearly completed screenplay and a novel that is patiently awaiting edits. In her non-writing hours, she stays busy doing a weekly radio show, reading, camping, shooting pool, and spending time with family and friends.
interview by Marcia Peterson
WOW: Congratulations on placing as one of the Runners Up in our Winter 2010 Flash Fiction Contest! How do you feel?
Kelly: Thank you! I'm thrilled and honored to have been chosen as a runner-up, and I'm very appreciative of the positive response to my story. After reading the other Top 10 stories, I definitely feel that I'm in good writing company. The experience has helped to reaffirm my commitment to my writing. Thank you, WOW, for making these opportunities possible.
WOW: You’re welcome, and we love your reaction! You mentioned in your bio that the WOW! contest was the first writing contest you’ve ever entered. What made you decide to do it?
Kelly: Although I've been writing non-fiction for a long time, I'm fairly new to fiction writing, especially flash fiction. I have a group of family and friends that read my work and they've been very supportive and encouraging but sometimes because they want me to succeed, they're not the most objective of critics. I felt it was important to get my writing out to a broader audience, and see how I fared against other writers. I read some of the winning entries from past WOW contests and I was impressed with the variety of the submissions, as well as the diverse experiences of the writers. I liked that the Winter 2010 Flash Fiction Contest was an open prompt so I could write virtually anything. After years of assignment work, it was a nice change to tell a story I wanted to tell, instead of being told what to write about. I was surprised and excited to make it to the Top 100 and blown away to make the Top 10 my first time out. Entering the contest was definitely a good move!
WOW: Can you tell us what encouraged the idea behind your story, Meet Me at Dorsky’s?
Kelly: I was intrigued by the thought that sometimes the hardest people to talk to about what's going on in your life are the people you're closest to, and the way you talk to them can determine how they react to the news. Add to that the complexity of family relationships and the desire for acceptance, and you've pretty much got the gist behind "Dorsky's". When I write, I strive to create strong characters who really have something to say and are direct in how they say it. And I personally enjoy stories that have a good twist, whether it's a subtle one that you can sort of see coming or one that springs up when you don't expect it. In "Meet Me at Dorsky's",
Martha Katzeff is very excited to have her first submission to a WOW! contest be among the top ten finalists. She has been writing for several years and takes classes at the Gotham Writers’ Workshop. She wrote an essay for Masters Cycling called “My Clown Bike” about her hot pink bicycle and recently had a piece of flash fiction titled “The Farm” published in 365 Tomorrows. Martha swims competitively with a Masters Swim team and wrote an essay about being a slow competitor called “Life in the Slow Lane” for the USMS website. She is married with two grown children, lives in the Bronx and likes to knit, read and travel.
interviewed by Marcia Peterson
WOW: Congratulations on placing as one of the Runners Up in our Fall 2009 Flash Fiction contest! What inspired you to enter the contest?
Martha: I have a good friend who is also a relatively new writer and we're both always looking for contests to test our skills and storytelling abilities. I like the challenge of competing against other writers in a contest. It levels the playing field.
WOW: Could you tell us a little about your story and what encouraged the idea behind “Get a Fresh Killed Chicken?"
Martha: I initially entered a contest open only to Bronx writers and I wrote a memoir about shopping with my grandmother and mother. When I didn't win that contest, I re-wrote the story as fiction, throwing in a little bit of a speculative fiction/ghost story twist to it.
WOW: Great idea to play around with the story—it worked out well for you. Since you've taken several writing classes, we'd love to know which ones have been your favorites and why?
Martha: My favorite writing classes have been through Gotham Writers' Workshops. I started with Science Fiction I and moved to Science Fiction II which I've taken a few times (online). The instructor for most of the classes has been Michaela Roessener—the author of several wonderful science fiction/fantasy novels. She's very encouraging and loved the idea that one of her homework assignments morphed into this prize winning story!
Science Fiction (or speculative fiction as it's called now) allows me to express my outrageous opinons through fiction in a way that mainstream fiction does not. In sci fi, there are unlimited worlds and experiences to write about.
WOW: It's always interesting to learn about other people's writing routines. Could you tell us when and where you usually write? Do you have favorite tools or habits that get you going?
Martha: I'll probably get into trouble for this, but I do most of my writing at work. Whether for better or worse, I have a low stress job with lots of down time. (I will absolutely not divulge where I work!) Sometimes I write on Sunday while my husband is watching some sporting event. I like the distraction—it helps me think. I wish I did have favorite tools or habits that get me going. I'd write more. That's why I like taking classes—it’s good impetus to keep going.
WOW: Too bad you can’t tell us where you work! I agree that taking writing classes is a great way to force yourself
Diane Hoover was born in New York City across from Yankee Stadium, which might explain her great love for the Yankees. She grew up in the Washington DC metropolitan area, which certainly explains her great interest in politics. Diane has spent the last, almost 40 years living near the foot of Pikes Peak, which definitely has helped inspire her writing.
Diane has published several short stories and an occasional nonfiction piece, as well as placed in a number of contests. Most recently, one of her short stories placed in the Saturday Writer’s contest and was included in the Cuivre Anthology. At the age of 67, after undergoing a complete hip replacement, she decided to learn karate. She now wears a blue belt, which puts her right in the middle. Her four grandchildren think this is the coolest thing. You can read Diane's winning story, "Coffee Break," here.
Interview by Marcia Peterson
WOW: Congratulations on placing as one of the Runners Up in our Spring 2009 Flash Fiction contest! What inspired you to enter the contest?
Diane: The challenge of writing a story within a prescribed word limit, plus I like writing stories about women in trouble and how they solve, or hopefully solve, their problems.
WOW: Can you tell us what encouraged the idea behind your story? It was suspenseful—I was on the edge of my seat reading it!
Diane: I like to put myself in the positions I put my characters. What would I do? At least what would I think I would do? Maybe it’s my Walter Mitty alter ego asserting itself.
WOW: Your main character was certainly resourceful! Have you written other flash fiction? What type of writing do you most prefer?
Diane: I have written several flash fiction stories, two for your WOW! contest, one received an honorable mention. And this may sound really strange, but I feel that different stories and different characters call for their own format. In "Coffee Break," I think I said all there was to be said for both my main character and her situation. On the other hand, I have a story about a runaway young girl who is called home by her mother, decides to take the opposite road and is saved by an angel. That story is much longer. My novel is generational, much longer.
WOW: According to your bio, you decided to learn karate the age of 67. What prompted that decision, and what was it like to take lessons?
Diane: I had had a total hip replacement at the end of 2005. Though I’d gotten rid of any limp afterward, I still felt pretty unstable so when the opportunity arose to take lessons that would not only help any stability and balance problems but teach me a new (for me very new) discipline I thought, hey, why not? So I did. I’ve made some great new friends in the process and now I’m learning to use weapons.
WOW: You are a force to be reckoned with, Diane! I always like to ask about a writer’s routines. Could you tell us when and where you usually write? Do you have favorite tools or habits that get you going?
Diane: I am a member of a couple of critique groups and also work with a critique partner. Often I will work on someone’s manuscript and then work on mine. Sometimes though I'll just sit in front of my computer and a story unfolds under my fingers. It is the most surprising and often wonderful experience. Other writers experience the same kind of thing.
WOW: What a great phenomenon what that happens. Do you have any writing goals in mind for the rest of the year?
Diane: I have this book that I’ve been working on for years. It’s an historical novel, from which I’ve taken several stories and turned them into short stories. Some of these have placed in contests. I would love to finish this book before I die. I would hate to have my kids or spouse put on my tombstone WIP instead of RIP.
WOW: That’s a good one! Many writers can relate. Finally, is there if there was one bit of advice you could pass on to other aspiring writers, what would it be?
Diane: Don’t talk about writing, do it! It’s as simple as that. And stick to it. One should have a routine, I feel, to get the best results. Oh, and read a lot. I know that’s two bits of advice but I think it all goes together.
***
We'll continue getting to know the Top 10 contest winners every week on Tuesdays. Be sure to check back for more interviews!
So this is the million words party post, and as with all good parties, I already feel faintly sick from devouring too many sweet things. (In this case, big lumps of honeycomb, the first from the hive. The Birdchick will tell you all about it. with photos, soon enough.)
(Celebratory Party Art above by the Wonderful Web Elf.)
But it's not just Million Words day. It's also Mike's Gaiman's 24th birthday. Mike, for the record, has a real job, at Google, and no longer looks like this:
He is also no longer anywhere near as impressed by monkey-pony monsters as he used to be.
Hi Neil,
not a question as much as a statement. I just want to tell you that the beautiful new hardcover of STARDUST (which I'm very happy about and which looks absolutely amazing on my shelf) has some pictorial problems. I have compared only one image, and by memory only, but at least the picture of the Fairy Market is missing its edges. The slightly familiar-looking gentleman in the dark glasses in the lower left corner is missing in the hc; only his left shoulder and arm is left. So I'm glad I have both versions. :-)
Yr obt Servt,
Martin Andersson
That's pretty much the only change, and it actually dates back to the original 1998 hardback -- because the size -- and the ratio -- is different from the smaller version , the four double-page spreads, which are "full bleed" and go to the edge of the page each lost a little bit at the edge -- in three cases, you lost a little bit of tree or sky, but in the fourth you lost, er, me. So, to make up for it, you get the new drawing of the Fairy Market as endpapers with me (and Charles Vess, and even Maddy) in there.
why are you so concerned about your hair and makeup?HELLO; you're a master artist! No one expects you to be pretty, witty andwise, yes but not PRETTY! Besides you're a man, a manly man at that! Andeven though you are now more mature, most women (not me - I'm a shallowas dish water and a sucker for a pretty face) but most young women lovean older man! So stop fretting about your looks, you're on a press junketnot doing glamor shots! If you do TV, you get made up for it. Otherwise you look washed out, and if you're me your hair covers one eye in a distracting sort of a way, or something similar. It's one of those sort of fact of life things that you just sort of get used to if you're on a junket, where the TV cameras are omnipresent, or if you're doing TV interviews in a studio. The make-up person doesn't care whether you're male or female, old or young; she cares about making you look human on screen. The hardest job in the last few days (for the make-up lady) was when I had to be interviewed in front of a green screen, and she had to make my hair lie down and behave, because otherwise it would have caused bizarre optical effects when they replaced the green screen with Stardust images. I don't fret about my looks. Mostly, I'm amused by them, and by the process of hair and make-up. It's one of those things you don't expect to have to deal with when you start out as a writer.
Hello Neil,
Since you've recently gone from two and a half cats to six, I was wondering if you'd like one more. We've got a feral called Thor who we took in back in January after a nasty injury. He is very likely the world's sweetest cat. The only problem is that we have two other cats, one of which (the 'alpha cat') won't accept him. Well, that and we're technically breaking our lease by keeping a third cat on the premises. We've been looking for a good home for him via both Craigslist and our local daily paper, but have had no luck whatsoever. He'd make either an excellent companion or an excellent barn cat. We're concerned that if we don't find him a home within the next two weeks, we'll end up returning him to the street after having gotten him a lot of veterinary care and habituated him to regular human contact--and it just feels wrong. So while I suspect you won't be able to take him, could I perhaps prevail upon you to ask anyone you might know in the Albany, NY area if they'd consider it? If they want more information, we've created a Xanga blog for him at
www.xanga.com/thorstory.
Best regards,
Circus
Good luck finding a home for him...
Hey Neil,The Official site for Stardust, aside from being a really nice site to visit also has some music playing in the background that is QUITE nice, and I was just wondering if you knew if this was actually bits of Ilan Eshkeri's score for the film.I do hope it is as I find it quite lovely to listen to, and I can see it fitting the story well.Thanks
Scott
That's Ilan's score in the background.
...
I just got the galleys of my short story in a book called
FOUR LETTER WORD:New Love Letters (
Here's the Amazon Uk link) to proofread, and find it rather disturbing that I can't see anything wrong with it. (Rereads again. Okay. I found a
gives that should be a
give. Whew.)
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Congratulations, D. K. I love the productive procrastination. I think I have that when I have to clean my house. :)
Thanks for proving busy mom's can find the time to write amazing pieces. You give me hope, DK!
Thanks for writing and reading,
Sarah Butland author of Arm Farm, Sending You Sammy and Brain Tales - Volume One