Mentors for a Reason, Season or a Lifetime by Debra H. Goldstein

Mentors for a Reason, Season or a Lifetime by Debra H. Goldstein

An unknown poet often is quoted in slideshows, Facebook posts, and books of thoughts to live by as writing: People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime. For me, this idiom hasn’t proven true in the writing world. Instead, each writing mentor coming into my life fills all three roles. Each has been there for a specific project, element of writing, or modeling of behavior for an ongoing or defined period of time, but what I’ve learned from each will stay with me for a lifetime.

For example, when I attended my first Malice Domestic, in 2012, I found myself alone in an elevator with Carolyn Hart. I stumbled over my words as I tried to tell Ms. Hart how much I enjoyed her books and was delighted she was receiving the Amelia Award. She was most gracious, even when I tripped over my own feet backing out of the elevator. During the weekend, when she was interviewed, she did something none of the other honorees did – instead of touting only her own accomplishments, she plugged an up and coming writer (Terry Shames). At the Sisters in Crime breakfast, Carolyn and another New York Times bestselling author had a programming idea for the “We Love Libraries” project. Rather than demanding or assuming it be implemented, they asked my opinion as the initiative’s coordinator. I barely kept it together during our discussion. At the end of the conference, again together in an elevator, she kidded “We can’t Keep Meeting Like This,” and I replied, “You’re right, Carolyn.”

Although our paths subsequently crossed occasionally as acquaintances, I believe, even though the season was limited to that weekend, the reason for our interaction was to put me at ease at Malice and in the writing world. It was her example of a grounded personality and humility that will stay with me for a lifetime.

After reading “Thea’s First Wife,” I wrote my first fan e-mail to author B.K. Stevens. In the e-mail, I expressed my awe at the story and asked if she taught internet writing classes. She didn’t, but she wrote me a detailed note of things I should read and could do. We became friends. She was one of a group of people who encouraged me to have the guts to submit my work to Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine and Ellery Queen. The last time we were together, before her untimely death, was at last year’s Malice conference when the new Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine issue provided to every attendee featured my story, “The Night They Burned Ms. Dixie’s Place.”

A few weeks after the conference, I received a package from Bonnie which contained several copies of the issue and a note telling me she knew I’d want extra copies and that the story was award winning. Her words alone would have been a compliment, but I wish she could have known other writers and readers agree with her – “The Night They Burned Ms. Dixie’s Place” is a finalist for this year’s short story Agatha Award.

Bonnie, or B.K., was only in my life for a few years, but reading her works taught me technique. Personally, she instilled confidence in me. Both things, and the hope of emulating her willingness to help other writers, will keep her with me for a lifetime.

When I was assigned to a panel with Bill Crider, my impression was of what an unassuming nice guy he was. His bio said he’d been a teacher and the calm way he came across belied that fact. Thinking he was a nice Joe, I invited him to write a guest post for my personal blog, “It’s Not Always a Mystery.” He agreed. A few months before his post was scheduled, another friend called to say my blog was cited in his Ellery Queen column as one that lived up to its name – it offered thoughts on writing and general life from Debra H. Goldstein and her friends. The week I wrote to remind him his promised piece was coming due, he responded he was appreciative of the reminder and would dash something off that day because he was going into the hospital for some testing the next day. I offered to forget his piece, but he wanted to fulfill his obligation. He sent me an excellent piece on writing, which I received while he was undergoing the tests that diagnosed his cancer. I printed the piece that week and reprinted it the week he announced that the doctors advised him the treatments were no longer working and he should enter hospice. (http://www.debrahgoldstein.com/guest-blogger-bill-crider-write-novel/ )

I can reread Bill’s lesson on writing and look at the mention in his column where, unsolicited from me, he gave my writing career a vote of confidence, but it was reading his posts about the VBKs and seeing how he handled himself during his final months that left an impact. Bill was humble, a gentle man and a gentleman. Again, an individual who came into my life for a reason, season, and a lifetime.

The writing world is filled with mentors. They don’t necessarily take inexperienced writers under their wings and teach particular skills, but the way they act, treat others, and live their lives impacts others in small and large ways that can last a lifetime.

Books and brews for literacy

by Julie Tollefson

On Wednesday, I have a date.

It’s a first for me. A local civic organization asked me to participate in its third annual Authors and Appetizers fund raiser as a featured author. I get to talk about my writing and hang with people dedicated to promoting literacy in our community. What an honor!

Books and Brews: Short Fiction Picnic Pack.

The organization, the local chapter of Altrusa International, has served the Lawrence, Kansas, community since 1951. Members support a number of community literacy efforts, including my favorite: Born to Read, in which every baby born at our local hospital receives a new book. More than 15,000 babies so far have taken home books courtesy of Altrusa.

The fund-raiser part of the Authors and Appetizers festivities includes a silent auction, and when organizers asked me to contribute I happily agreed. In the months since their request, I’ve thought long and hard about what to donate. I wanted to create a basket or package of items that would represent my writing and would tie into the themes of the talk I intend to give: the beauty of Kansas, travel, nature, and how combinations of those elements appear in both my fiction and nonfiction.

I settled on what I’m calling Books and Brews: Short Fiction Picnic Pack consisting of a small soft-sided cooler, a water bottle and a couple of coozies celebrating Kansas wildlife and parks, plus copies of the four publications in which my short stories have appeared: Flash and Bang: The Short Mystery Fiction Society Anthology, Fish Nets: The Second Guppy Anthology, and two issues of Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine. (And just to make sure someone will bid on it, I’ve included a six pack of craft beer from the first legal brewery to open in Kansas after Prohibition.)

Now comes the hard part: Talking about myself. Wish me luck!

ne·far·i·ous by Debra H. Goldstein

We’re adding writers to our blog this New Year. Please welcome author Debra H. Goldstein to WWK.                                                                                                                                                                         E.B. Davis

ne·far·i·ous by Debra H. Goldstein

I already was nervous about writing a blog introducing myself to Writers Who Kill readers when Elaine Douts (E.B. Davis) asked me for a nefarious picture for the sidebar. Many words, including judge, author, litigator, wife, step-mom, mother of twins, community volunteer, Sisters in Crime Guppy president and national board member, Southeast Mystery Writers vice-president, and loyal friend have been used to describe me, but I’ve rarely been accused of engaging in activities characterized as wicked, evil, sinful, or criminal.

There was a time, early in my career as a trial attorney for the Department of Labor, when I was co-counsel on a case of first impression dealing with equal pay in higher education in the state of Georgia that the other side, when being kind, referred to me as “That Damn Lady Lawyer,” but it was for my hard work digging into the facts and evidence rather than for monstrous behavior. During the years I sat on the bench as a federal Administrative Law Judge, I’m sure the attorneys appearing before me said different things, but I hope most included integrity and fairness as opposed to fiendish or diabolical.

Since my first book, Maze in Blue, a mystery set on the University of Michigan’s campus in the 1970’s, was published in 2011 and won an IPPY award in 2012, the standard headshot I’ve used, as seen above, has been meant to be friendly and open rather than depraved or monstrous. In fact, even though my two novels are mysteries, their covers hint at crime while making it clear they have cozy elements.

2017 allowed me to call myself a “Cover Girl” when my name for two short stories made the covers of the magazines they appeared in. Believe me, I was on top of the world when my best story to that point, The Night They Burned Ms. Dixie’s Place, my first attempt to be published by Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine succeeded (May/June 2017). It was icing on the cake when Mystery Weekly featured Day After Thanksgiving Soup on its cover. Each time, I smiled and danced with such abandon that anyone would have been hard-pressed to attach a negative adjective to my behavior.

Faced with a busy schedule and the need to submit a nefarious picture, I mentioned my dilemma to a friend while we were at dinner at another friend’s home on a rainy night. The next thing I knew, she had me sticking my face out from behind the wrought iron of our host’s front door while she snapped a picture with my cellphone. Between the weather and my deliberately stern pose, I thought we had my nefarious picture. My friend wasn’t satisfied. She suggested we create a picture around a colored steam machine. A shout-out to Penny H. who, as you can see from the sidebar picture, captured my nefarious side. The irony is, after a life on the straight and narrow except for my murderous writings, I liked the feeling. Stay tuned – every third Monday.

Celebrating the Short Story

By Julie Tollefson

Earlier this month, Kathleen wrote of her love of shortstories and especially the challenge of writing for themed anthologies. As May is Short Story Month, it seems appropriate to piggyback on her post with my own tribute to the short form.

As a reader, short stories fill a void when I crave a bit of fiction but don’t have the time or attention span to tackle a more hefty work. My son graduated from high school a week ago, and the month leading up to graduation was filled with “lasts”—last band concert, last forensics banquet, last play, and on and on. Add a healthy dose of preparing for college (endless forms to fill out and decisions to make) and life got a bit hectic. Short stories allowed me to escape the madness into bite-sized fictional worlds where satisfaction could be had in half an hour or less.

As a writer, I have a soft spot for short stories because my first fiction publishing credit came as part of Fish Nets: The Second Guppy Anthology (Wildside Press, 2013) from the Guppy Chapter of Sisters in Crime. With that story (“Keeping Up Appearances”), I proved to myself that I could write a complete story from beginning to end. Until that time, I had pieces of stories, a half-finished novel, and a lot of ideas, none of which had come together into a solid, coherent tale. With “Appearances,” though, I edited and revised, edited and revised again, submitted, and eventually saw print.

Lessons? Finish what you start. Have confidence in yourself. Seeing your words in print in a book that other people will read is a blast.

Each story I’ve published since then—two in Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine and “Fractured Memories” in Flash and Bang: A Short Mystery Fiction Society Anthology (Untreed Reads, 2015)— reinforced those lessons. Each success gives an extra boost to the self-confidence and an extra kick in the you-know-what to write more, finish more, submit more.

Two more things before I wrap up my ode to the short story. The Short Mystery Fiction Society is celebrating Short Story Month by highlighting members’ stories. Visit the SMFS blog for links to some fine short reads.

Sisters in Crime recently launched a We Love Short Stories campaign to support short story writers and markets. If you’re a member of Sisters in Crime, the organization has some nice benefits to help you support and celebrate the short fiction form. Find out more at the Sisters in Crime website.

Read (or written) any good short stories lately?

Days of Wine and Chocolate

The summer after my senior year of college, I spent eight weeks in a copy editing internship for Newsday on Long Island, New York. At the end of the summer, my colleagues asked what kind of going away party I’d like to have. They offered suggestions from the ridiculous (the managing editor in a tutu singing my alma mater’s fight song) to the ridiculously indulgent (chocolate and champagne). I chose the second, and oh my, that party was the most lavish, rich, and decadent of my life: Bottles of champagne and chocolate everything: Chocolate-covered potato chips, a solid foot-long chocolate ruler, chocolate-covered fruit, chocolate cups filled with chocolate liqueur.

Maybe it’s the champagne talking, but I loved the news business with a passion that day, and I still love it, though my career took a sharp, voluntary turn away from the newsroom many years ago.

That celebration, though, and the way it made me feel—valued, part of something big and important, tipsy—stuck with me.

So it was bittersweet this week to raise a glass of bubbly to toast the publication of a short story that has roots in my journalism past.

In recent years, almost everyone I know in the journalism world has been laid off or threatened with layoffs. Newsroom staffs dwindled to nothing. Newspapers began outsourcing everything, including copy editing, my old job. Two years ago, our local paper outsourced printing to another nearby, larger newspaper, and all of my friends who worked with the presses and in the mailroom lost their jobs.

That’s when I began writing “Abundance of Patience,” a short story loosely inspired by layoffs in the news industry and published in the March 2016 issue of Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine.

Since I started writing and publishing fiction, I’ve kept a “celebrations bowl” on my counter. Every time I publish a new piece, I pop the cork on a bottle of sparkling wine, then write the name of the publication and date on the cork and drop it in the bowl. My bowl, like my aspirations, is large. After my first publication, the single cork looked a little silly, but I left it on the counter as a reminder and an inspiration.

The bowl’s nowhere close to full yet, but I added cork number four this week and, in a toned-down echo of that party in New York, celebrated my new publication and my longstanding admiration for newspapers and news people.

Sweet chocolate tempered with the bite of champagne.

Beginnings

I’m thrilled to join Writers Who Kill and be part of this terrific community. I can’t wait to get to know all of you better.

For my first post, it seems appropriate to talk about beginnings and a concept that to me is inescapably related: risk. Now I used to be about as risk-averse as they come, but a few years back, instead of drafting a list of New Year’s resolutions, I decided to try something new. I adopted “risk” as my “word of the year,” a guiding concept for stretching beyond my comfort zone. (Sound familiar? In her last post two weeks ago, Sarah talked about focusing on words instead of resolutions, too.)

I wrote the word in all caps on a sticky note and posted it on my computer, where I could see it every day and remind myself that sometimes, a little risk can be a good thing.

A couple of months later, the Guppy chapter of Sisters in Crime announced that submissions were open for its second anthology of short stories. Ah-ha! An opportunity to put risk to work for me. I drafted my first short story ever but wavered as the deadline for submissions crept closer. I fiddled with the story and revised and had many second thoughts. But that sticky note on my computer was a constant reminder. A nag, really. It was my year of risk, after all. So I took a deep breath, hit send, and “Keeping Up Appearances” was one of 22 stories accepted for publication in Fish Nets: The Second Guppy Anthology. Woo-hoo for taking risks!

Since then, I’ve adopted a “word of the year” two more times. Instead of replacing the previous year’s word, I added to it. And those three words have been my companions and my inspiration for several years. I have three sticky notes on my computer now:

• RISK: Take a chance, stretch, look for new experiences and new challenges.
• SPONTANEITY: Be open to unexpected opportunities, surprise twists, and joyful distractions.
• STRENGTH: Be steadfast in pursuit of dreams and desires.

And in the three years (almost) since Fish Nets was published, I’ve had two stories accepted for Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine (AHMM) and another for Flash and Bang, the first anthology from members of the Short Mystery Fiction Society. In fact, my latest story will be in the March issue of AHMM, on sale this week.

Along the way, I’ve become more comfortable with taking risks. Not every risk pays off, and sometimes spontaneity takes a back seat to practicality. But I like to think of each risk as a beginning, full of wondrous possibilities, and that inspires me to keep taking them.


So cheers to 2016, risks, and beginnings! What risks or beginnings do you look forward to this year?

(I’ll be here every other Sunday. You can also find me on Twitter, @jtollefson, or at my website, http://julietollefson.com.)