Giddy Crit

Posted on June 6, 2011 by AmyBeth Inverness

Crit Moose

I had expected my first real critique to inspire self-loathing, and perhaps a panic attack. I even dug through the recently cleaned stuffed animal bin to find one that I could use as a kind of security blanket while I endured the anticipated trauma.

Let me back up a moment. I have had critiques, and edits, and suggestions. My mother has proofread my writing since I began turning my ten spelling-word sentences into an actual story, since simply making up ten sentences was boring. I also recently reconnected with one of my closest friends from college (the first time I went to college, in the poofy hair days) Geri, who has been proofing and editing all kinds of stuff for me in the past several months. Another friend beta-read Dogs, Cats, and Allergies for me and gave me the most fantastic, emotional feedback.

But today I’m reading a critique from a professional author. Someone who has critted before. Someone who is published!

However the fact that she is published is not the main difference. There are virtual red lines all over the virtual paper. There are detailed comments in a long column all their own in the margins.

She’s kind-of ripped my ten pages to shreds…

So why am I so happy?

I expected to be feeling awful by now. I know myself. I can be very insecure, and I was planning to take a little time off from the WIP after reading this. I thought I might have a good cry. I pre-emptively ate a bowl of chocolate ice cream.

But I’m giddy.

I think it is because I’ve read these words myself, and thought “Geez, I know I can do better. Why isn’t what’s in my head coming out right on the page?” and now, I have someone saying “See this here? This is what you did…” and “Enough already! Too much!”

When I don’t have my perfect set-up of long chunks of uninterrupted time, I tend to go into what I call outline mode. My beta reader called it journaling. My critter calls it telling instead of showing. All right, I know this and accept this and can work with it. If the story gets out of me that way, fine, it just means that the first edits will be literal rewrites, not tweaks.

All right. I am embarrassed about the plethora of exclamation points.

After the first 1,372 words, I see the comment “This is great!” on one three-word sentence. Yeah!

I need to work on the info dump. You see, this story is designed to be a good introduction into the world of Kingdom Come, and apparently I tried telling the reader every detail they’d ever want to know all in the first few pages. This will be difficult. I will struggle to include the right amount of exposition at the right time. I don’t want my readers to be lost, but neither do I want them to be bored.

The next most difficult thing for me will be deciding which details really are important. Most notably, I drove home the point that Kingdom Come’s day is longer than Earth’s. Yes, this is important. However, perhaps I don’t need to tell the reader this same fact in different ways once per page.

Some of the most valuable critique is when she points out “Show that A=B” and I realize “Gah! No! A=C!” Of course, when I read it, I know exactly what I meant. But a fresh set of eyes makes assumptions that would never occur to me. I described a teenager as having “short little legs”. This is more important for the next book because (spoiler alert, sort of) the next book will be hers, and her lack of height is a major issue. But the phrase read as if she were very young, still growing, and that her short legs were a sign that she was a child. Big realization on my part! And easily fixed.

The next point might not be so easy to fix. I will need to gather opinions, and hope that people won’t agree with me just to be nice. I gloss over the fact that a secondary character has two dads. I did that deliberately, to make a point that, in this setting, two dads are nothing remarkable. But my critter called me on it, for good reasons. More on this at the end of this post.

One of my favorite assignments from High School English was to describe a place. With my love of architecture, I can do this well. I can also go completely overboard. Apparently here, I overcompensated by not describing it nearly enough. I do think it is ironic that, ten pages later, I do the opposite!

I’m going to attach a poll to this blog post! But I would love to hear people’s opinions in the comments as well.

I deliberately gloss over the fact that a secondary character has two dads. They are literally introduced as “These are my dads, Gil and Ed.” No mention that the homosexual relationship is unusual.

What you need to know in order to help me make this decision:

  1. The main characters are in a group marriage, which is very normal on their home-world, but very unusual on Earth.
  2. Homosexuality is unremarkable in most countries on Earth, including where the story takes place.
  3. There are still some places on Earth where homosexuality is considered abnormal and unacceptable.
  4. A major conflict in the story is what kind of relationships are socially and morally acceptable, and what relationships are not.

Knowing this, should I…

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Interview with Charity Kochsato

Posted on June 4, 2011 by AmyBeth Inverness

Charity Kochsato , the Violet Duchess of Drakeshead, grew up as the daughter of County Finborough in the Duchy of Fallcastle. After graduating with honors from Bressler University with a degree in Social Services, she spent several years serving the Kingdom in both a professional and volunteer capacity. The world witnessed the opening of Drakeshead, the newest duchy on Kingdom Come just a few months ago.

1) What inspired you to go through the process of qualifying for the pool of noble candidates?

I had already filled most of the requirements through my education and work experience. After working in the field for a few years, I felt called to take my service to the Kingdom to the next step, to make it a lifetime commitment.

2) How did the offer come?

The offer came via messenger, and it was actually presented to me in a very attractive box. In fact, at first I thought it was an early birthday present from someone! But then I saw that it was from the White Queen, and my heart stopped. Of course, I had hoped for an offer to come, but I was surprised and honored to receive one so soon.

3) How did you feel when you saw the names of your prospective spouses?

Of course I recognized Royal’s name right away. The funny thing is, although Grey and I had met a few times, I did not even recognize his name! He reminded me of this during our honeymoon. It was quite embarrassing, really! Fortunately he has a good sense of humor and a thick skin.

4) How was the honeymoon?

Wouldn’t you like to know? Actually, as Dukes and Duchesses, a lot of our honeymoon was spent touring the duchy. Our days were rather busy, but I can now appreciate the tradition of having us each paired off for one day and one night during the first week. That really gave us a good chance to begin to get to know each other.

5) And now? Do you feel you know each other?

I think that really knowing someone takes a lifetime. Yes, we know each other better than anyone else now that we’ve been married for a few months, but there are always new things to discover, not just about each other, but about ourselves.

6) What was it like moving so far from home, to the wild lands of Drakeshead?

It was quite a civilized adventure. Although the Duchy did not officially open till after we had been installed, the Kingdom had been building a basic infrastructure there for years. Kochsato, the capitol city, had several buildings built in the core, including our residence and offices. But touring the undeveloped lands is very exciting.

7) Have you been very busy?

Not as busy as my husbands and wives. Royal has been busiest of all, because as the White Duchess it is up to her to fill the county seats. Most White Duchesses come into their duchy with their predecessor having taken care of everything for decades, and they simply have to take over the role. But we’re building the new duchy from the ground up.

As the Violet Duchess, I have not been as busy. My job gets busy when we have a larger population, or if there is some emergency situation that occurs. I have been grateful that I’ve been able to help my spouses in various ways during this time.

8) In what ways have you helped them?

Part of the job of being a Duke or Duchess is making public appearances, and going out to meet the people. While the others have been frantically busy creating the structure and organization we need as Drakeshead’s population grows, I’ve been the one to do most of the public appearances. I’ve also been able to get out and talk to the citizens who have chosen to make their lives here on the frontier.

9) Are you happy with the population growth?

Yes, we are very happy! It is a challenge planning and ruling when our population is increasing exponentially, but that is healthy at this point. The problem will be if that rate either doesn’t slow down eventually, or if it suddenly tapers off. We must continue to offer new opportunities for people.

10) What does Drakeshead have to offer for people who might be considering moving west?

It is so beautiful here. We have a seacoast in the east, mountains to the west, and a thriving neighboring duchy to the north that has all the accoutrements of civilization. With such a high rate of growth right now, there are all kinds of opportunities for people to take or create.

11) Of course, we were all thrilled to hear the announcement that Royal is pregnant! Will there be more children on the way soon?

I hope so! We are all quite happy together, and we are looking forward to creating not just a successful duchy, but a loving family as well.

12) Did you find love in your arranged marriage?

Of course! All my spouses are so wonderful, I could not have been more fortunate.

13) What advice would you give to any young people out there who might be thinking about applying to the pool of noble candidates?

I think the most important thing to realize is that it is the biggest commitment a person can make. You are committing to a lifetime serving the Kingdom, as well as a marriage that is far more than a political alliance. Also, it is important to keep in mind that only a small percentage of candidates ever receive an offer. Just because you are qualified, or even the best at what you do does not guarantee you will be selected.

14) What would you say to people who criticize the idea of any political office being held for a lifetime?

First of all, it’s not a lifetime like the ancient dukes of Earth who reigned till death. It lasts till we all retire, hopefully at a ripe old age. But the original settlers of this planet wanted to have a political structure that was better designed for the long term. They did not want the problems of having the fickle populace becoming disgruntled with the status quo every four years and demand a change of everything the previous administration had worked for. This system has served us well for hundreds of years. Secondly, outside of the Kings and Queens, Dukes and Duchesses, and Counts and Contessas, almost every other political position on Kingdom Come is elected.

15) Do you really think the populace is fickle?

The voting masses of Earth, Luna, and Mars centuries ago certainly were! Our citizens are much more intelligent and informed.

16) When do you think you will you retire?

I think the White Queen purposely made sure the new Duchy of Drakeshead had a wide age span, more than ten years between the oldest and the youngest. So we can retire anytime between Redford’s sixtieth birthday and Lawson’s. I tend to think it will be later, not earlier, but that’s decades away and many factors can influence the decision.

17) What will you do when you retire?

Oh my! I just started my reign, I haven’t thought much of retirement yet! But I hope to have many grandchildren by then to dote on, and I suppose I will have my favorite Charities to keep me active.

18) What are your favorite charities?

I’m not sure whether my parents had a crystal ball when they named me, or if being given the name “Charity” planted a seed inside my psyche. The people I worry about the most are those who slip through the cracks, the ones who are living paycheck to paycheck but really have no buffer to save them if some little thing happens. It’s not always a catastrophe like the folding of a company and loss of a job, it can simply be a short illness in the family that sets them up for trouble. I want to make sure everyone gets the help they need.

19) How do you make sure people are getting the help they need without needlessly creating a burden of people who simply expect to be given what they want whenever they put their hand out?

That is one of the most challenging aspects of my job. I have a keen staff working with me, and we always have that very question on our minds. We must be sure that people who need help can receive it, while making sure we don’t create an enabling system.

20) Who shot first, Han or Greedo?

I’m sorry, the names sound familiar, but I don’t recognize them. Was that a Shakespeare reference? Or Star Wars? I get my ancient literature mixed up at times!

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Introducing Charity

Posted on June 2, 2011 by AmyBeth Inverness

I’ve mentioned before that I often take inspiration for my female characters from Pre-Raphaelite artwork, especially the works of John William Waterhouse, whom I adore. (By mentioned I don’t necessarily mean here on this blog; knowing me, it was probably part of a twittersation that has gone off into the nether regions of the internets by now!) One character who has shown up in several posts on Under Loch and Key is Charity Kochsato, the Violet Duchess of Drakeshead.

My favorite work of art, hands down, is The Lady of Shallot by Waterhouse. I’ve even used it as my profile picture on facebook for brief periods (I’m a big believer in having a genuine picture up most of the time– it’s friendlier, and more honest.) The painting is based on a piece of Arthurian legend. In short, she was in love with Lancelot, but when he didn’t love her back, she Ophelia’d and went off in a boat to die.

The story has variations that include more or less fantasy. Some versions have her actually being Lancelot’s betrothed or even his wife, but he either reneges on the deal or ignores her. Other versions have her under a spell where she can only look in mirrors, not at real life outside her windows. But she catches a glimpse of Lancelot, and falls instantly in love and must see him. She dies because she dares to break the enchantment to try to be near him.

Whichever interpretation of the legend you like, the picture is beautiful. It is filled with so much angst, you can almost see a sparkly vampire in the background.

Charity looks like the woman in the picture. Beautiful, long red hair, but filled with a longing and angst she struggles with her whole life. She also has the similarity that she wants desperately to be loved, but unlike Lady Elaine (the sometimes-name of The Lady of Shallot) she does not commit suicide; she accepts an arranged political marriage in the belief that, although she is unlovable, in an arranged marriage it will be her spouses’ duty to show her, if not love, at least a modicum of affection and respect. (I wrote about this for this week’s Red Dress Club prompt about “what your character wants most” and you can read it if you like.)

Yesterday, I began a twitter account for Charity. Today, I woke up to find that Leah Petersen wrote a blog post entitled “Why all Writers are Secretly (or not so much) Schizophrenics.” Coincidence?

Maybe…

But that’s the scariest cup of cappuccino I’ve ever seen.

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#RomanceKills

Posted on May 31, 2011 by AmyBeth Inverness

Today, I was perusing my twitter feed and hoping for the occasional cute cat video or NSFW candy from friends like Marie Sexton when I clicked on a link from author Daisy Harris.

Daisy had tweeted about being incensed at “bad science”, and her rant continued in tweet after tweet.

It’s not like Daisy to rant like that.

So, I clicked on the link (Shared reluctantly since I don’t want to give them any more publicity, but it would be good if you want to know what I’m talking about. You can read the offensive post here.)

Essentially, the article claims that romance novels can be addictive, and women should stop reading them, and start working on their real relationships.

Now, I’m sure there are women out there who are either afraid or intimidated by the idea of embarking on a real relationship. Many of these women might grab a romance novel and immerse themselves in the fiction instead of risking their hearts in a real scenario.

Many of those women might just as easily turn to alcohol, or to staying at home with a dozen cats (I’m halfway there) or facebook, or church, or dieting, or television! It is not that there is anything inherently addictive about romance novels, it is that they may simply be the security blanket of choice for a woman who has a mental or emotional problem.

I really wanted to add my comment to the post. I can argue a point without lowering myself to name calling or–as they did–bad science. However the site requires a person to register in order to post a comment! I have no intention of becoming their fan or getting on their mailing list just to call them out on their bad science and poor journalism.

So, if you please, here is place for discussion. Yes, my blog is set so that the first time a person posts, I have to approve it, but I’m usually pretty quick about that, and as long as it’s neither spam nor hate speech, the comments will stand as posted.

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Building Blocks

Posted on May 30, 2011 by AmyBeth Inverness

At the top of the stairs, in an odd corner just outside my bedroom door, is a stack of books. They are all paperbacks,  almost all romance, and all have been read. We’re in the process of painting several rooms, as well as doing a little remodeling of a closet, and so we are short on shelf space at the moment.

My three-year-old daughter loves this stack of books. She alternates between treating them like blocks, and pretending to read them, just like Mommy. She makes them into towers, and sometimes she makes herself a balance beam of books, and she crosses it like it was a bridge.

She calls them “Mommy’s kissy books.” When I’m lying in bed with whatever I’m currently reading, she often demands to have a kissy book of her own. So we grab one from the “already read” stack, and she snuggles with me, looking at the words, occasionally turning pages, just like Mommy.

When she was not even a year old, and starting to reach out of her crib to grab anything and everything she could, she realized that the “kissy books” were something very important to Mommy. Instead of taking them away, I let her have one, and watched in amusement as she discovered the fascinating ripping sound paper can make. But her tiny face turned to confusion and then worry as she realized that she could not put the corner of paper back onto the page! She tried. She fit it into place rather carefully. When she looked up at me, the book in one tiny hand, the bit of paper in the other, it was all I could do not to laugh, but reassure her that Mommy would make it better.

She now has a fascination with tape.

Since becoming serious about my writing, I’ve looked at these books as my own building blocks as well. It’s not that I make little buildings out of them (well, I might, but that’s another blog post…) it’s that these stories form the basis of the settings and characters I am creating. How did Mary Balough create such memorable characters in a genre where so many characters can easily seem too alike? How did Stephanie Laurens manage to create a sensual sex scene without delving deep into the language of erotica? How did Courtney Milan make me root for this obviously unworthy hero? How did they all make me look for their names when I peruse a bookstore shelf?

There are so many pieces that must fit together to make an enjoyable, marketable book. I’ve built my world; I have the geography, political structure, backstory and social norms all mapped out in far greater detail than my readers will ever need. I have likeable, interesting characters, although I’ve found that I don’t necessarily impart their likability as well as I should; something ends up missing between my brain and the virtual page, so I have to rely on editing to fix that. I have plots with beginnings, middles, and ends.

Right now, I’m concerned about sex. I am capable of writing a very steamy and explicit scene; in fact I’ve actually put a lot of thought into whether I want to be categorized as romance, or erotic romance. Romance won out; I want my books to be driven by the characters and their relationships. Although I do include a heaping dose of intimacy in my books, those scenes are not the primary focus.

I’ve been reading more erotica lately, particularly in the GLBT category since that’s where my own stories were lacking. But I’ve discovered that certain situations hold no appeal for me, and it is difficult for me as a writer to imagine my characters enjoying these situations. So I have to make a decision; do I plunge ahead, and try to write about a character enjoying something that I, personally, would find uncomfortable? Or do I couch it in language that focuses on the feelings  the character is having, without describing in detail exactly which body parts are connecting in what way?

I’m leaning toward the latter at the moment, though I wonder if I can be consistent about it. Will readers notice and complain if I write more detail about the hetero encounters, and gloss over the M/M encounters? Can I write well enough that it won’t matter? Are there readers out there who would appreciate knowing that a bisexual character has a happy, healthy sex life with their husbands and wives, without describing every encounter?

Time to go back to the building blocks. Because one of the most important things I can do as a writer…

…is to read.

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Interview With Elysia Whisler

Posted on May 27, 2011 by AmyBeth Inverness

Elysia was born in Texas, but was whisked off to Italy 2 weeks later.  The gypsy years of her youth were spent on the road or in military quarters. When asked to compress, she says her childhood was spent in Alaska and her adolescence in Hawai’i.

Elysia signed with her agent, Sara Megibow of Nelson Literary Agency, at the end of last year. She lives in northern Virginia, in the D.C. Metro Area, with her husband and three children.

1) When did you start doing Irish Dance?  Were you able to continue when moving from one state to another?  Do you like to wear wigs?

I didn’t start doing Irish dance until I was an adult.  I think I’ve been dancing about six years now.  I’ve competed as far as you can go in the Adult category at feisanna, working through the levels and winning first place in various dances at the Prizewinner level.  Adults do not have to wear wigs.  (Which I am glad for).  We typically wear classy, simpler dresses with Celtic designs that are less flashy than you’d expect from a Solo Costume (though we can wear solo costumes at the Prizewinner level).  Some adults curl their hair, some put their hair in a bun, some just pull it back with a headband.

2) When did you start teaching Irish Dance?  Do you have many active students?

I started teaching as an assistant Irish Dance Instructor at the McGrath Academy of Irish Dance in 2007.  The McGrath Academy is a thriving Irish dance school owned by Lauren McGrath Dutton, TCRG and World Champion Irish Dancer.  She rocks.

3) What were your first novels about?

I wrote my first novels when I was a young teen-ager.  The first was some kind of King Arthur/ Guinevere type romance entitled Scarborough Rose. The second was about a rogue cowgirl/bandita who robbed trains for a living.  She had a troubled past but was a good person underneath it all.  The Sheriff who hunted her down became smitten and won her heart.  Another was about a woman who made it as a model even though she was just over five feet tall.  She developed a romance with her handyman.  One that I never finished was a Fantasy/Romance type story where the men lived on one island and the women on another (they were at war) so they had to sneak on to each others’ islands to have sex.  I’m seriously laughing at myself right now, but I gotta admit they were pretty creative.  These novels were all done on a mix of old-fashioned typewriter, longhand, and Dot Matrix printing.  I revised them a lot, which surprises me when I think back on it as so many new writers think they are “done” once they’re done.  Revision was really hard before Word, let me tell you.  When I got married, I threw these novels out, thinking I’d be embarrassed if my husband or kids ever read them.  I regret that so much now.

4) When did you get serious about writing and why?

I think I was always serious about writing.  Even with those first, silly novels.  There was nothing I wanted to do more than write.  I read and wrote voraciously from a young age.  Oddly, it never occurred to me to take creative writing courses in college, even though I aced every single paper I turned in, no matter if it was for Literature, Criminology or Physiological Psych.  There is a big difference, though, between writing and trying to sell your writing.  I got serious about the business when I won the Pikes Peak Writing contest in 2007.  For me, getting published is about reaching a wider audience.  Touching more people.  If I write for myself, and my writing group, that’s great.  But I want to connect with as many people as I can.  Storytelling, for me, is about making people feel something.  Making that connection.  It’s like my heart pumping blood – it’s great for the aorta but I’d love to reach all those zillions of capillaries, too.

5) Many writers go through a stage when they hate what they’re writing.  Do you ever feel this way?

No.  If I hate it, it’s not the right story.  I only write what I feel passionate about.

6) How did you get your agent?

The short answer is, Sara Megibow plucked me out of the slush pile.  The long answer is, a lot of hard work went into what led up to that.  I’d had my eye on the Nelson Agency since 2007 when I went to the Pikes Peak Writers Conference and Kristin was there.  I was impressed with her and the agency and kept them as a “favorite.”  I kept writing and attending conferences, and then in 2010 I attended The Sandy Writing Conference in Crested Butte.  I participated in the First Pages Workshop, where you put the first two pages of your manuscript, anonymously, in a box, and the Agent/ Editor panel reads everyone’s pages aloud and stops when they would normally stop reading a submission. Then they tell everyone why they stopped reading. At that panel, my manuscript was the only survivor, other than Judy Blume (the coordinator slipped in several best selling authors’ work).  This built my confidence in the newest novel I was writing.  I went home, finished it and queried a few agencies that were on my Wish List.  Sara Megibow asked for a partial, then a full read, and then offered me representation.

7) What social media do you use?  Do you use them solely for promotion, or do you have fun?

I’ve used Facebook for a number of years.  I created a Fan Page after I joined Nelson Literary.  I also joined Twitter after that.  They are very different and I enjoy both for different reasons.  I use them both for fun, for connecting with others, and for promotion.

8) What is your favorite electronic or digital writing tool?

My laptop.

9) What is your favorite non-electronic writing tool?

My running shoes.  I do my best writing when my endorphins are high.  All the plotting is in my head, but I get it down later.  A lot of times, if I’m stuck on something, I’ll go for a run and find the solution.

10) In all the moving around you did, which gave you the greatest culture shock?

Honestly?  The move from Hawai’i to Virginia.  We moved to Hawai’i when I was 12.  We moved to Virginia when I was 17.  Those are the years we, metaphorically speaking, emerge from our cocoons and transform into butterflies.  You can’t even imagine how different the Hawaiian culture is from Mainland cultures.  I was a minority there, a cultural outsider.  It could get really rough.  That is the environment I transformed in.  So when we moved back to the Mainland, I was completely lost.  Everything smelled funny.  Everybody looked so white.  Even though I was white.  I know this makes no sense to someone who hasn’t been through it.  Let’s just say, I was an alien in my own skin for a long time.  I felt displaced.  One of my friends from Hawai’i Fed-exed me a Maile lei for graduation.  There’s too much to explain there, but let’s just say, I had a small piece of home around my neck when I threw that graduation hat in the air. Even if all the kids here didn’t get it, and asked me why I was wearing a strand of leaves, I could just smile to myself and think, Mahalo, Rose. I love you, too.

11) What kind of jobs have you held since getting your BA in Psychology?

LOL. Um.  You can’t do anything in Psychology without further degrees.  I could have gotten a Federal job, probably, but, I chose to get married and pregnant soon after graduating and it was crucial to me to raise my own kids.  Teaching Irish dance is the only money making job I’ve had since my degree, but I’ve raised and homeschooled my children for the past 15 years and feel I’ve made a huge investment in them, my family, and the world by doing so.

12 & 13) What on earth possessed you to run a marathon?  How many have you run?  What is Team Running Strong For American Indian Youth?

I’ve been running for a long time.  I love that it’s organic, whole body, and an excellent way to free my mind.  I never intended to run a marathon, but I’m a huge fan of Billy Mills.  He’s one of my heroes.  A Lakota Native who overcame poverty, racism and the loss of both parents, Billy was the first and only American to win the 10,000 Meter Event in the 1964 Olympic Games.  His win is one of the Greatest Olympic moments of all time.  Better yet, he’s spent the nearly 50 years since that moment touring the world, speaking for those who have no voice and raising money for Team Running Strong For American Indian Youth.

I’ve run the Marine Corps Marathon twice, only because I wanted to raise money for his charity.  Billy is so amazing and kind.  I’m currently training and raising money for TRS for the third year in a row:  http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/elysia-whisler/2011. The money donated to this charity provides much needed funds for things like running water, indoor plumbing, school supplies, organic gardens and youth centers.  Because of the places I was raised and the cultures I was surrounded by growing up, I find it nothing short of shameful that many of the First Peoples of our nation live in the deepest poverty and I plan to run for Billy Mills’ charity every year I am physically able.

14) In what ways to you pay reverence to culture in your works?

All of my stories incorporate a little piece of either my own cultural background, or the ones I grew up in.  I love culture and ethnicity.  I love what makes us different and, thus, what connects us, no matter how different we may seem.  I feel I have a unique experience, growing up the many places I did, and a unique slant to my writing because of this.  I can easily put myself in anyone’s shoes, no matter the culture, and can see things from both sides, due to my upbringing.

15) What kind of research did you do in order to write Black Rocks?

Black Rocks was based a lot on my personal genealogy.  I’m a big fan of family history.  Most of my ancestors came to the Wilkes-Barre, PA area to mine coal and find a better life, and it was this foundation that provided the basis for Black Rocks.  While researching my family history I realized my relatives were part of the largest coal strike in American History.  Ground-breaking history, actually.  It got me wondering what the women of this era had to endure.  Surprisingly, there was little in print for research, but, I found everything I could (big shout-out to Interlibrary Loan), and, coupled with census records and family stories, I constructed what I thought was a great love story set against this historical backdrop.

16) What is a Ghost Dance?  Did the idea inspire the plot, or did you already have a plot, and the idea for a Ghost Dance came later?

Briefly, the Ghost Dance is a religious movement begun in 1890 by Wovoka, a Native prophet.  It was supposed to bring a peaceful end to white expansion.  I was familiar with it long before I wrote a story with that title.  The title is a metaphor; there is no actual Ghost Dance in the novel.  If you’re not familiar with the Ghost Dance you may not pick up on the parallels, but you can still enjoy the story.  You can check out the synopsis of that novel on my Web site: www.elysiawhisler.com.

17) What works do you have out on submission?

Right now, Sara and I are focused on the work which garnered her offer to represent me, EVERY PASSION.  After Sara took me on, I’ve spent a little time working some minor revisions.

18) What are you working on now?

I’ve been doing a lot of revision on some of the works we’ve discussed here, so that they’re ready for Sara to see at some point.  I’m also starting a new novel, which will be another contemporary work of women’s fiction.

19) Who shot first, Han or Greedo?

Han is the only one who shot.  I recall seeing Star Wars in the theatre, the first year it was released, when I was almost five years old.  I clearly recall going into the theatre a sweet, vulnerable, impressionable child.  Thanks to that scene, I emerged a scarred, terrified little girl who no longer knew whom to trust.  Why couldn’t Lucas have had Greedo fire first, but miss, for example?  Maybe he could shoot the wall?  I dunno.  I do know this: I’d be a different person today.  After the movie, I went home, cried myself to sleep, and rethought my Halloween costume for October.  You shoulda seen the size of the Ear Buns my long hair made when I dressed as Leah instead of Han.  Oh, Han.  If only …

20) When the day comes that you are on stage, accepting some prestigious award, who are you most likely to forget to thank?

My husband.  Because he supports me so much and is such an integral part of any success I’ve had.  He’s my biggest cheerleader and my harshest critic.  Thanking him would nearly be like thanking myself for my achievement.  He’s implicit.  I take him for granted in a really sacred way.

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Happy Towel Day!

Posted on May 25, 2011 by AmyBeth Inverness

To all you fans of the late great Douglas Adams, and all the rest of you who just want your share of the Pangalactic Gargleblasters to raise a glass to whoever that British guy was who wrote those books…

Happy Towel Day!

This is a particularly happy Towel Day for me. Yesterday, I counted down the minutes to 1:30 pm so I could participate in 5 Minute Fiction on Leah Petersen’s website. (BTW, this is the same website where I first saw that neat feed the fish widget!) It was a special day for Leah, too; it was 5 Minute Fiction‘s first birthday!

At exactly 1:30, I read the prompt. We had to use this as our first sentence:

Another year of that and she was sure she’d go mad.

My mind started working. I love the fast prompts, because you don’t have time to overthink it. You have to go with your gut.

My brain immediately went to bad relationships and bad jobs, but I rationalized that other writers would probably be headed that same way, and I was determined to be different. But with only 5 minutes to write, I had to start something. I think I came up with a nice little twist… if you appreciate twisted stories!

Yesterday, there were about 40 entries, and guest judge Roni Loren chose me as one of the five finalists. Huzzah! From there, it went to voting, and I woke up this morning to find that I had won!

Short stories are fun. Although I find more fulfillment writing a full length novel with fully explored characters, the shorts are play. They are something to have fun with. I can make up a premise, and it can be as ridiculous as I like, since it only has to survive for a few paragraphs.

I grew up reading Ray Bradbury. His short stories always made me want more, even though the entire plot would be completely contained within the short work. For many of these stories, more would not necessarily be interesting… the interesting thing happened in the short story, people reacted, and it was over! I’ve always admired his ability to create such fantastic works in so few words.

Often on a short story, mine or others, I’ve seen the comment “That’s great! I can’t wait to read more!” But this is not always a compliment, even though it is certainly meant to be. When I wrote Number Eleven, I never intended to write any more. I never named my main character, or even hinted whether the MC was male or female! But I wrote a second bit, called Prime, and I plan to write a third. But there it will end.

Is a good short story one that makes the reader want more? Or is it one where the reader finishes and just says “Yeah!” or “Woah…” or some other exclamation?

When I write a short, I don’t want my reader to be desperately wondering what came before or what will happen next. I want the short stories to be self-contained, so the reader gets the whole, complete idea in as few words as possible. It’s good to be curious, but if the reader finishes the story wondering “But, what about….” then I’ve done something wrong.

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Self-Sufficient Storylines

Posted on May 23, 2011 by AmyBeth Inverness

Did you ever wish someone else would finish your story for you?

OK, maybe most writers would actually hate having someone else take over our stories… our babies! But I do admit I really wish there was a simpler way to get the stories out of my head and down onto the paper. I tend to ramble when I speak, so the voice recorder is only good for making notes. I need pen and paper or a keyboard to write coherently.

So maybe I’d hate having some other writer… someone who obviously doesn’t share my vision, finish my stories. Heck, I get ancy just getting notes back from my beta-readers and editors!

And yet I’ve decided to ignore my control-freak predisposition and OCD and seek other people to finish my stories.

All right… I don’t want to think of them as my stories. They’re more like glorified prompts, where I chose the settings and main character and put them in an initial situation. I did that to try and make sure that we had several different choices. For romance, we have one Regency, one Paranormal, and one that’s all ready to introduce a sexy cowboy or two! For Science Fiction, there’s one set up to be fairly serious, one that could be really funny, and another that could go in any direction at all.

In the original “Choose Your Own Adventure” books, the writer purposely wound the storylines back into each other. It had to be that way, or the book would be enormous! There were actually just a few endings the reader could find.

In the blog version, each link represents exponential growth. Each writer can take the story in a completely different direction, inserting bits of backstory that might have absolutely nothing to do with the way another writer took the plot. But that’s the fun of it!

I hope that this part of my blog will soon become self-sufficient. I’ll probably jump back in every once in a while, and write another bit of the story that is several degrees removed from the beginning. Ideally, the stories will take on a lives of their own, and more and more writers will participate.

And have fun!

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Interview With Stuart Nager, Born Storyteller

Posted on May 20, 2011 by AmyBeth Inverness

Stuart Nager is a creative individual with many areas of passion that he explores and travels in:

Professional Storyteller; NYS Certified Drama Specialist/Educator; Writer of Fiction and Playwright; Professional Development Coordinator & Facilitator; Workshop Leader; Arts-In-Education Advocate; Puppeteer;  Director; Performer; Teaching Artist; Curriculum Writer; and sometimes more, as the needs arise. He has never performed at a bris, and does not want to.

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1.       We met via facebook because we both played the same game—and now neither of us can remember what game it was! How do you use facebook?

I was playing a number of games, and started collecting “friends” to add to the numbers needed for the games. I’m pretty sure we played Dragon Age or another Dragon game. Then, I started to reconnect with a number of people from my past. The games lost their interest, but FB got more interesting for me. Now, I use it to promote my blogs (yes, two blogs:  www.bornstoryteller.wordpress.com and www.stuartnager.wordpress.com ) , my website (www.bornstoryteller.com) and my new fan page on Facebook. It’s now more about using the Social Network as a marketing tool.

2.       Can you please explain what’s happening to you in your facebook profile picture?

LOL…That’s Bob. He is an Ogre who loves to hug. The only problem is that Bob, like Bullwinkle, doesn’t always know his own strength. OK..Bob is a processional puppet that was built by the art teacher and myself at a school I worked at. We built Bob for the school Halloween Parade and he was a big hit. For over two years he “lived” in my drama room. What was fun was most of the kids  would enter the room and say “Hi Bob” after they said hello to me. Stories were written about him, at least one song sung in his honor, and he was the unofficial class Mascot. He led three Halloween Parades while I was there, and hopefully still does (he was adopted by the art teacher when I left the school).

3.       What other social media do you use?

I use LinkedIn to great success: I have three collaborative projects in the works thanks to the site and I’ve gotten previous work from it. I can’t believe I’m saying this one, but I also am on Twitter (@Stustoryteller). I use it for posting my (almost) daily blogs. I’m also on:

#Amwriting: http://amwriting.org/archives/3492/comment-page-1#comment-83;

Professional Storyteller:  http://professionalstoryteller.ning.com/profiles/profile/show?id=StuartNager; and

Goodreads:  http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/4177883-stuart-nager.

4.       Two blogs! I have a hard time keeping up with just one. What is the focus of each?

I have always enjoyed writing, but never felt I was disciplined enough to be a writer. I took on TWO blog challenges in April 2011: The Ultimate Blog Challenge and the A to Z Blog Challenge. This was a cathartic experience, proving that I could write every single day. I may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but that is ok. You can’t be everything for all people.

Tale Spinning (www.stuartnager.wordpress.com/) is my writing blog. Originally, I was just bored, and asked some friends on FB to give me a prompt: first sentence of a story that’s never been written before and a theme. I did that for about a week, and then..no more prompts. I discovered the A to Z challenge towards the end of March. I started writing every day. The first three days were just the letters as prompt. Then…I started an ongoing story that is now in the Novella stage (Work in Progress). I continued writing this until the end of the challenge, and then started writing other  things. Experimenting with different  styles of writing and genres has been a blast, and I’m getting more ideas daily. Some from pictures, some from word of the day prompts, and even someone else’s blog profile info (Red Head Riding). This is where I discovered that not only am I enjoying the hell out of this,  I’m also get a lot of encouragement to publish. What was once a faraway dream (being a published author) might be attainable.

Born Storyteller (www.bornstoryteller.wordpress.com/) is my Arts In Education blog. I am very involved in Theater Arts as a Storyteller, Drama Specialist, Teaching Artist, Arts Advocate, Workshop Coach, Professional Development Coordinator and Facilitator and Guest Lecturer. Here, I write about the work I am involved with, questions that I have about education, things that inspire me, and more along those lines. Every now and then I just have some fun with it, but it’s gotten more serious as I’ve been going along. I also have found the book that I need to write in this field from the blog (Curriculum on Hold). That is my summer/fall project.

Sidenote from AmyBeth: There was supposed to be a great cartoon here about arts in education, but I contacted the owners, Hearst, and they wanted $20 as an administrative fee for me to use it on my blog, so I decided not to use it after all.

5.       What was the beginning , climax, and dénouement for The Brothers Grinn?  (1995-2006)

Back in October 1994 I was co-leading a weekly Improvisation Workshop in Rye, NY. I was asked to put together some entertainment for a town celebration. Pulling some of the members of the group together, I plotted out the outline of pieces we would do, who would do them, and… when we got to the Commons, we had a field of children! That was not what we were expecting. I did a fast fix, tossed a few games out, and made sure we kept it clean and PG.

The show was a hit. The kids were a great audience. From that, the idea percolated around in my head for a month. NO ONE was doing family based improv. I  brought in some people, rehearsed like mad, and six months later The Brothers Grinn had its first show in June of 1995.

Less than year later, I made a decision that altered Grinn: instead of doing modified improv games, I changed the artistic vision to  narrative based improvisation. The games were boring to me, and I wanted more. It was the right choice overall. We wound up performing over 1,100 shows in our twelve years.

The climax: it started being work, not fun. I was being recognized as an outstanding teacher (not my words… I was told this quite a number of times) and being asked: why don’t you teach full time? I went back to school, got my MA in Educational Theater, got my New York State Theater Teacher Certification, and..there you go. Teaching was a full time gig; Grinn was a full time gig. One had to go. I closed Grinn in December 2006.

The dénouement: a great experience, a great professional and personal achievement, and a huge learning time of my life. I miss it, but I do continue the idea of what I loved about it now as a solo Professional Storyteller.

6.       For what audiences do you perform everywhere I look?

“…everywhere I look…” is my ethnodramatic one man play that I wrote based on the stories that I know of my father’s life before and after being a prisoner in Auschwitz. Not light fare. Performing this is more for High School and College students, not Holocaust museums and the like. Definitely not for a NYC jaded theater audience. The students need to hear real testimonies (which my play is 100% made up of), and the more they hear of the atrocities still being perpetrated today and in the past, hopefully they will not just sit and listen, and then forget, but actually be stirred to DO SOMETHING. That is my hope. This is my way of doing something. Too many of us are complacent with what horrors go on in the world.

After Auswicz

7.       Are these themes something we are learning from history, or still learning today?

That’s a hard one to answer. I have heard from a number of people “oh no, not another piece on the Holocaust!” It then gets dismissed. My feeling is you may hear about that, or the Armenian Genocide of 1914, or what’s going on in Darfur today: so…what are you doing about it? Hearing about it is a far cry from LISTENING and DOING. If what’s been brought up already was enough, then why are so many thousands upon thousands of deaths  happening from genocides? Why are so many Hate Crimes occurring? We watch, we hear, but the process stops there. Or it seems to. Joseph Stalin, of all people, said: “The death of one man is a tragedy. The death of millions is a statistic.” We need to get rid of the statistic mentality that we have to make any change.

8.       You teach workshops on how to be a storyteller to teens. Does this take place in the public schools, or other groups?

Both. As a Teaching Artist (TA) I do program/residency work in schools. I also do this at Thespian HS Theater Festivals, Libraries and Museums. Recently I have been involved with a few Youth Organizations that are working with student storytellers for presentations and on Digital Storytelling. It’s really fun and rewarding. They so want to hone their skills. Working with them is always fulfilling and energizing for me. Love doing this.

9.       What play are you directing now?

Right now, a play called “Teen Reality” with a mix of Middle and High School students. This was written by the students and a school guidance counselor. We go up in two and a half weeks. The rehearsals are intense. My goal is for them to do their best, not to make stars (although I have wanted to throw the word Diva out to some of them). The thing is: on June 7th, they will be the ones on stage. It’s not about me but what I can do to help them work to do their best.  A lot of the cast sees that. Not all do.

My next directing gig is during the summer. I’ll either be directing a Drama Camp’s musical (I’d love to do “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”) or creating a Teen Drama program. If that’s the case, this will be a Devised and Collaborative work. I’m waiting to find out which position, of the two, I’ll be taking. In the long run, I’d much rather do the Devised Theater work. It’s been my passion for the last six years.

10.   You have an intimidating level of education with two Masters of Arts degrees and a range of teaching experience. Was this part of a grand design? Or did the path find you?

I’m not sure how intimidating it is. I answered part of that above: I was told, often, what a great teacher I was from the workshops and residencies I led. I had wanted to get my Masters for a number of years, but..in what? I had my BA in Human Resources (1978…yes, old old old), but that was nothing I wanted to continue.

In 2002, I found out about the degree in Educational Theater and was accepted into a program. I graduated in May 2005, also achieving my NYS certification as a Theater Teacher the same year. Right after graduating I took a one month intensive in Puppetry. During that time, I came across an ad for a degree in Oral Traditions. Reading about it, I KNEW I had to do it. So..I went from getting one Masters to beginning a second one, as well as starting a new career path as a full time Drama teacher. So… I have an MA in Educational Theater and an MA in Oral Traditions.

This all just came along, one after the other. I still, kinda-sorta, want a PhD. I like learning new things. Just at my age, and money wise, not sure if I’ll achieve that. Not counting it out, but it’s not a main goal at this moment. I would love to be called Dr. Stu for real. Maybe one day. The only time it’s too late will be when I’m dead.

11.   Why is it important to have art in public schools?

This is already long. Do you have seven hours? I answer some of this in my Born Storyteller blogging. It’s important to look at it from two angles: the Arts as its own discipline and the Arts integrated within core curricula. Short answer (as best as I can): we all learn differently, and using the arts in teaching allows more students to grasp material that they can’t by the rote testing system so blatantly in place now. We are teaching the kids to learn how to take tests, not LEARN.

The arts provides a number of ways to express a lot of things for students, not just performance product. Critical thinking,  problem solving, creative development, self confidence, and communication skills are only the tip of life lessons students get out of Arts-in-Education. It also makes other curriculum that much more accessible. I’ve seen it in practice and have heard that from the students.

12.   What do school administrators need to do in order to meet government requirements and still have the arts in public school?

It all comes down to (1) budgets and (2) school admin really being educated to what the full benefits Arts-in-Education (AIE) can offer the students and the school community. They are so focused on the end product instead of the ongoing learning process. The arts can be assessed for legitimacy, and have been, but many in and out of education do not see that, or refuse to see it for whatever reasoning. You have to start with the politicians who cut the education budgets first (yes, I’m talking to you, Bloomberg) and who have NO idea what really goes on in schools. They may think they do, but business people and educators and arts people have very different vocabularies. A meeting of the minds, understanding ALL sides and creating a working vocabulary is what’s needed so head butting could be reduced.

13.   Much of your resume is that of an educator and performer. How much writing do you do?

My writing was sporadic over the years. I have written industry articles, wrote my play, and have created and written stories that I tell in performance. I started both blogs only in January 2011, more as an add on to my new website. It wasn’t until this past April-yes, a month and a half ago-that I started to take writing seriously. I’m a real newbie, in reality, but I have gotten such great responses. It was just time for me to do it.

Since then, I try to write both blogs daily. I write about 1,500 to 2,000 words a day, but I’ve also been asked to write guest blogs, and I also have a few projects in the Arts field that I write. So..minimum of two hours a day. Never really paid attention to the time…just writing as inspired.

14.   What is your ideal performance environment?

Ideal… stadium seating for the audience, amphitheater style, with such superb acoustics that I don’t need any sound equipment. State of the art lighting, wings for entrances and exits, and a built in projection system for that extra something. Oh..and a working AC system. I sweat a lot under the lights, and a good AC..ahhhhhhh.

As to the audience, one that allows me to involve them in what I do. I don’t really want spectators. I like them involved, and open to surprises. Tossing money on the stage is good too. So are phone numbers from single females (of the right age!). I’m lonely. J

15.   What is your ideal writing environment? Have you ever been able to create it?

I’m really happiest in my bedroom, at my desk.  I’ve tried to write outside, or in other parts of the apartment, but all of my books (tactile research aides) are here. I’m a voracious reader, of fiction primarily, but I have a bookcase to my left that is full of my arts and education books. To my right, there are my storytelling resources. It’s cluttered but comfy. Today was the best for me: I love really rainy days, and today it was torrential. Just quiets everything down, and I just feel more relaxed here. Just missing some thunderstorms for it to be perfect.

16.   What is your favorite digital or electronic writing tool?

My lap top, a Dell Inspiron 1520 with Vista as my OS. I have a subwoofer hooked up with great speakers, so when I feel like writing with music..BAM! When I travel, the laptop comes with me. Portable is fun. Not sure if I’ll ever go to a Pad, but..I also thought I’d never  have a smart phone or use Twitter. My son would laugh at this: he knows I have bad mojo with electronic things.

17.   What is your favorite non-digital writing tool?

Good old Bic and legal pad. When I’m out, I always have that in my backpack. If an idea comes up, or questions I need to find out answers to, down it goes on my legal pad. I don’t write so much on it as outline and make a chaotic mess with notes, spirals, asterisks, circles and more. You’ll find a few faces in doodling. When I get home, that turns into the actual work. I don’t know why I don’t just write on the pad. For some reason, legal pads for me are mainly for notes.

18.   How do you know when you’re doing too much? Is there such a thing?

I do that a LOT. I work best when I’m busy. Too much free time and I get realllllly bored, then I just veg out on TV, or I’ll read a lot (I’ve done five+ books in a week at times). I  like to have my life piece meal, not just doing one thing. To some, they think I am too scattered and too all over the place. I’ve heard that often, especially from someone in the business world. I can drive them crazy. It’s how I function, what works for me. Tough noogies to them.

I think that’s why, right now, I’m so productive: writing two blogs, performing storytelling shows, running three threads on LinkedIn, Twitting, Facebook blogging friends (reading and commenting), directing a play, writing NYC contracts, on a planning committee for a performing arts charter school, and beginning collaborations with a few others, plus writing some stories outside of the blogs for contest submissions. Oh, and I still watch TV, listen to music daily, read, and this and that around the apt. I do hate to do laundry…THAT piles up until I have to.

19.   Who shot first… Han or Greedo?

Han shot first, and damn them for back peddling. I have SO had it with revisionist and PC everything. The past is what it was: let’s learn from it and move on. Changing it to fit the sniveling sensitivities…blech. We won’t learn crap that way.

20.   When the day comes that you are on stage, receiving some prestigious award, who are you most likely to forget to thank?

Wellllll….. that is really not a goal I have. I’m ok with people liking and appreciating what I do, whether it’s performing or writing. I HAVE thought about it while watching the Oscars or whatever award show I might sit for (not a lot..they bore me).

Here is the speech I see myself giving:

“I want to thank you all for this award. It’s really lovely, and it touches me that you feel I am deserving of it. Because I have a bad memory, and for times’ sake, a big whopping thank you to everyone connected to me and to this project. You know who you are: I love you and appreciate you. Hugs. Good night, and don’t forget to tip your server.”

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About Damn Time

Posted on May 17, 2011 by AmyBeth Inverness

Lately I’ve been feeling my overload-anxiety in a keen way. My hopes and plans of finishing my WIP in a spurt of inspiration fell flat when household and other real life priorities intervened. I had hoped to do a workshop on querying through Writer’s Digest with an agent I admire, but since I don’t have a polished manuscript ready, I didn’t participate. Money is tight at the moment, too, so that was probably for the best.

It’s all about time… damn time, or the lack thereof. Sometimes I wish I did have that bubble I could climb into and get all my own priorities taken care of while the outside world is on pause. I have interview questions to write. I have interview questions of my own to answer. I was able to finish my proofreading, although my very first submission was turned in a day late, which doesn’t exactly make me look like a reliable person. I have a meeting at church tonight, and although I’m not nearly as involved in committees and activities as I used to be, I still feel those two little hours a month are taking me away from all the other commitments I’ve made.

I try not to overload… either myself, or my children. But it’s starting to feel that way again.

To make matters worse, we got a notice from the school district that since my daughter won’t turn four till after school starts, she will not be eligible for preschool this year. She needs this; she needs to socialize with other children and do more than just run around with Mommy every day. I need this; I need to have some time when I can work undisturbed for more than an hour. But we can’t afford to put her in a private program or daycare outright, so it looks like it will wait another year.

I ended up outlining the end of Under the Radar because so many other demands got in the way that I was losing the thread. I’ve added less than 1,000 words to my WIP (With the working title Mama Mia) in the last few days. In the past month, I’ve only had a couple days where I was able to have a chunk of time more than 2 hours to work on it. I wish I could write it fits and spurts, but when I do, it’s crap. I’m a good writer. I hate it when I crank out crap.

The theme of the WIP is the difference in time between Earth and Kingdom Come and how it affects the characters. So I think I might have my new title…

About Damn Time

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