And the Winner Is…
Volume number 2 is now behind us, but not without declaring who is our winner. A big congratulations goes out to William Walton and his wonderful story “Ozzie the Clown”, our latest winner in the yearly Anthology contest “An Honest Lie”.
We are very pleased to be working with William Walton as our newest author, he is definitely a writer that I for one am looking forward to reading more from, and I can see that you are as well.
William, I want to thank you for taking the time to submit this wonderfully crafted story to our second volume, and also for revisiting us yet again for our third volume with “Mike from the Mailroom”, it’s always great to see Alumni returning to work with us again.
Open Heart Publishing is very pleased with the partnerships we’ve developed already and we are looking forward to developing more, maybe our next winning Author could be you.
Have you met Greg Kuehn?
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HELLO TO ALL YOU FANS AND FRIENDS!
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My name is Deborah Still and I am so very pleased to now be a new junior editor with Open Heart Publishing, helping with interviews! The people at OHP I have met so far are awesome people and I can’t wait to meet the rest of this year’s authors, and maybe someday, you too! I’ve looked at the list of submissions that Open Heart Publishing has received over the years and was intrigued when I saw that there were so many authors from other countries who were interested in An Honest Lie. Although this year’s authors all come from the United States, they do come from a variety of places, including Texas. I thought that was terrific, because I’m from Texas too!
I also am a writer and understand the nuances of this wonderful world of writing. I hope to expand into editing others’ work, which is more fun than editing my own! Sound familiar? I have some published short stories and have moved from them into the mystery genre novels. These are still unpublished but where’s there a pen, there’s a way!
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My first interview is with Greg Kuehn, who as you will see has some great responses.
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During this interview, Greg gives us a peek into the great streak of humor that runs through his veins. In addition to that, his loyalty for his country has not gone un-noticed, and his passion for his fellow Marines shines through.
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You will be able to see Greg had some fun answering my questions, and was open in sharing the complexities of his life. Let’s see what he has to say!
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So, without further delay, it is my pleasure to introduce you to Greg Kuehn!
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Deborah: I understand you are not a newcomer to the world of writing. Can you tell us why you decided to submit your work to An Honest Lie?
Greg: I wanted my story to find a home amongst a respectable print publication. I couldn’t be more pleased with the result.
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Deborah: OH! I think I see the publisher blushing. What a nice compliment, thank you! While we are on that subject, what caused you to be a writer and how did that happen?
Greg: I’ve always liked writing, even the grammar and usage side of it, and yes I understand that that makes me a bit of a nerd, but I’ve learned to live with that. It wasn’t until very recently that I began writing short fiction. I took a couple writing classes in college, one of them a writer’s workshop with Sybil Baker, author of The Life Plan and Talismans. It was then that I realized you can do more with writing than just produce boring academic essays, and I got the itch, the writer’s itch. I’ve been in love with writing fiction ever since.
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Deborah: I’ve got a great back scratcher for that itch! (I’ll give it to you.) Speaking of talismans, would you rather be an eagle soaring the skies of the Rocky Mountains or a country mouse eating blackberries under the bush, and why?
Greg: Flying scares me, even in the safety and comfort of an airplane, so I’d be a mouse by default. Also, blackberries are delicious and loaded with vitamins and antioxidants.
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Deborah: If you’re the mouse, you had better keep under the blackberry bush. Remember the eagle is always watchful for the mouse below! Is there a writer that makes you soar and what do you like about their style?
Greg: That’s a tough one, because I have so many. I’ve always enjoyed the storytelling abilities of Edgar Allan Poe and Stephen King, the stylistic genius in the writings of Hemingway and Faulkner, and the emotion and creativity that flowed through the poetry of Sylvia Plath. But if I had to pick a favorite, I guess I’d have to go with a more contemporary and unfamiliar writer, Kevin Wilson. He is such a talent. Every word is the right word and in just the right place. His stories are unlike anything else I’ve ever read, dark but humorous, sometimes disturbing, and entwined with genuine emotion that will move you. Every time I read one of his works I say to myself, “I wish I had written that.” He’s good.
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Deborah: Having read your story, “The Easy Way Out”, I’d say you are well on your way to achieving your goal! Do you have a writing nemesis?
Greg: I’d say Danielle Steel. She just keeps pumping out crap and people keep buying it. I don’t get it. I’d rather have my face repeatedly mauled by a honey badger while being forced to listen to Nickleback than read one of her books.
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Deborah: You know, behind every good writer is a supporting family. How about you? Would you tell us about your family?
Greg: My parents were married for 27 years before they divorced a few years back. They have both since remarried. I have two brothers, Nick and Chris. The three of us did everything together as kids and tried to kill each other on more than a few occasions. We’re pretty good friends these days. Then, there are my Marine Corps brothers. I will always have a special place in my heart for them. I live with my fiancée, Candy, and her two children Samantha and Alex, and as far as I see it, they are part of my family now. The rest of my relatives are cool, but they’re jealous that I’m so much better than them at board games. I have a pet fish named Mighty Mouse. I’m afraid the kids are going to overfeed it one day and I will have to buy a look-alike while they aren’t home.
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Deborah: Does your muse look anything like Mighty Mouse?
Greg: No, she’s a fat and pale middle-aged Italian woman, somewhat handsome in the face, and she always carries around a stone scroll in her right arm. She is so demanding.
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Deborah: We so understand about your muse. They must all be related! So, you’ve now told us about your muse, what about the characters in your writings. How do they compare to the antagonists you’ve encountered during your tours and/or any you may have had in your platoon?
Greg: The Marines I served with were incomparable. There are no characters that could ever do justice to them, any of them, even the ones I didn’t much care for. As far as my characters, I try not to base them around anyone I know. I prefer them to be unpredictable strangers whose actions will surprise not only the reader, but me as well.
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Deborah: So, you like surprises! Did your decision to join the Marines surprise you and what inspired you to join?
Greg: There was a lot that went into my decision to enlist. I had a couple friends that had joined a year before me and they told me nothing but good things about the Marine Corps. I was at a time in my life where I wanted a change of pace and a challenge. But what really swayed my hand was when I watched the Marines making the initial push into Iraq in March of 2003 and I thought to myself, “I could do that.” I went into a recruiter a few weeks later and said, “How do I join the Marines?” and he handed me some papers with a mischievous, almost evil smile and said, “Here, just sign all these,” and that was that.
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Deborah: Like any good interviewer, I simply must ask that age-old question that starts with “tell us how you felt”. How did you feel, Greg, when you received your certificate of commendation, the meritorious mast, and your combat action ribbon as a field artillery cannoneer?
Greg: As far as the recognition, it was okay, but the best feeling was coming home.
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Deborah: Yes, coming home’s always the best part! But before you came home to stay, you were deployed again to Iraq in 2008. You said on the second tour, you were a team leader for a key traffic control point in the small city of Rutbah . I understand you and you team worked to ensure that illegal weapons, drugs, and highly valued individuals were not permitted to pass into the city. My question to you is what did you learn about people and personalities while you were there?
Greg: The civilians in Iraq , they are just like you and me. Sure, they look different, and speak a different language, and probably pray a lot more, but they are just people trying to live their lives and be happy. It’s just a shame that such a small percentage of them have given a bad reputation to their race, religion, and nation.
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Deborah: Were there any situations during your tour that would be good for a story?
Greg: Yeah, there were a few, but I don’t want to give away any spoilers.
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Deborah: Okay, no spoilers here folks! So we have to sit and wait like everyone else! While overseas your nerves had to be on high alert. Will any of your future writings relate to that time in your life? Or is that part of your life shelved and over?
Greg: It’s definitely there if I ever want to write about it. I still remember everything so vividly and honestly there is a lot that I could use. I just don’t know if I could ever put on paper something that was so much a part of me. I prefer to write about things a little less personal. I’d hate to base a character around me and then have someone say to me, “I think your protagonist is a little flat,” or even worse, “That guy is a douche.” No one wants to be a douche.
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Deborah: Are you kidding me? With your personality and humor, no one would say that about you! At least with your being a Marine, I’d think twice before saying that! Let me ask this. What do you feel about the following quote “Imagination is more important than knowledge?”
Greg: Well whoever said that must have been an Einstein. Before I read J.R.R. Tolkien, I had no prior knowledge of hobbits, or Middle Earth, or Sauron, but thanks to my imagination and the brilliance and creativity of a much smarter man’s imagination, I, like many others, was able to enjoy one of the greatest stories ever told. Your knowledge is limited, but your imagination is endless.
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Deborah: Didn’t they do a song about imagination? Kidding! Besides writing, what other sorts of deviant behavior do you happen to enjoy?
Greg: Well as much as I’d hate to consider myself a conformist, I’m not really sure if I engage in much deviant behavior. I’m almost thirty and still play video games. Does that count? Also, I like to cycle, paint with acrylics, and I grind my own coffee beans, so in yo’ face Starbucks.
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Deborah: Sounds like you’re really serious about your coffee! (Me too!) Where do you believe humanity is headed as a whole?
Greg: Have you ever seen the movie Idiocracy? Yeah, that’s where we’re heading.
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Deborah: That is an incredible simile there. I’ve got to ask, what other writing endeavors are you currently engaged in?
Greg: Aside from pumping out short stories and keeping up with my blog, I’ve been writing a lot of flash fiction lately. But what I’d really like to do is write a novel. I just haven’t yet discovered an idea that would be worthy of that sort of a commitment. But soon, hopefully.
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Deborah: We all are looking for the one great idea to make it! With that in mind, what is, in your opinion, the more important discovery of humankind … plumbing or the written word?
Greg: Definitely plumbing, I do some of my best reading on the John.
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Deborah: I hear that quite a lot! I’m more of the lying crossways on my chair-and-a-half, with my head on one arm and legs hanging over the other. Okay, here’s another question about someone famous. According to Anatole France , “To die for an idea is to set a rather high price on conjecture,” in your opinion what do you believe is worth dying for? What do you believe is worth living for?
Greg: There’s plenty worth dying for: God, country, love, faith, family, freedom. But there’s really only one thing worth living for; the never-ending quest for the most delicious sandwich on Earth. I will find you – I swear it.
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Deborah: Simper Fi to that! In your blog, you state, “As far as writing goes, I’ve always enjoyed it. The feeling of pencil against paper forming perfectly purposed lines and shapes. Deliberate sentence fragments. Unconventional punctuation.” Most writers nowadays use computers; does this make you feel like a non-conformist?
Greg: I cannot tell a lie. I do most of my writing on a computer. But there is something about breaking out the moleskin writer’s notebook and a nice fountain pen that is so much more personal. It changes things up too, and I find my style is a little different, each word considered more carefully, when I can’t rely on spell-check or the backspace button.
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Deborah: Thank you Mr. Apple-tree Washington …I mean Greg! Yes, the technical age has added an easier way to collaborate our ideas. Now, I know this is going to come out of left-field, but I’ve got to ask this question. If you were your own pet, what would you be? And why?
Greg: I’d be a cat. They pretty much have their own lives and they think they are God. They eat good too. And secretly, I’ve always wanted to kill a bird or a mouse and give it to someone as a gift.
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Deborah: You are either a cat person or have had, at least once in your life, a cat to know this! Speaking of gifts, in your blog you state, “So this blog will become my voice. More importantly, it will be my portfolio for creative writing …” How important is “your voice” to you?
Greg: For a writer, voice is everything. There are plenty of writers out there who understand the mechanics and the elements enough to put together a decent story worthy of publication. And with the way technology is going, you could probably even train a robot to write fiction. But a voice, a truly unique voice, is what makes readers want to keep pushing through to the end, and what helps a writer stand out above his or her peers, and robots.
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Deborah: Well said, very well said. You know, I just looked out my window and noticed that it’s raining today. Rainy days always make me want to pull out a good book and read. Are you a rainy day reader?
Greg: Actually, I’m more of a rainy day sleeper.
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Deborah: You’re right. That pitter patting against the window will do it every time. Before I get too sleepy myself, let me ask you this. There are only so many times you hear “I like it because you wrote it” from family and close friends and those who don’t question your abilities. How do you feel about this?
Greg: That’s funny. I’ve actually got into some pretty heated arguments about this with my fiancé. I’ve been told by more than a few experienced writers that I should take what my loved ones say about my work with a grain of salt since their opinions will most likely be weighted with bias. When I told this to Candy, she kind of took it personally and refused to read my stuff for quite a while. Honestly though, I don’t want people to like my writing just because they like me. They can like it or hate it or be completely indifferent about it. I really don’t care. I just want them to read it.
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Deborah: You’re right. Basically, most writers think the same way until the rejection letters start filling the mailbox. And then suddenly, the “I don’t care,” becomes “Just read and publish it.” It reminds me of something that Mark Twain once said, “You can’t depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus.” What do you believe he meant by that?
Greg: There’s really no telling. That dude was crazy.
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Deborah: Yes, he was, and like him, you will also have several stories published! Most people have two stories for doing anything … a plausible excuse and the real reason, why do you really write?
Greg: Would you believe me if I said I did it for the characters? The real reason; I’ve always tried to do as many things as I can to give my name a longer shelf life than my body. Translation: I want to be famous.
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Deborah: Okay, I’ll call CNN and talk to Cooper Anderson and ask for his help with getting your name out there for you! Kidding again! And speaking of kidding, here’s a really important question, maybe the most important question ever asked. Which came first, the chicken or the road?
Greg: The egg.
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Deborah: Gold ring! That was the right answer! Let’s see if we can make that two gold rings. Here’s another question about your writing. Would you tell us how would you sway the reader’s sympathies towards an antagonist?
Greg: Give them something they can relate to. Darth Vader comes to mind. Yeah, most people can’t relate to the idea of becoming a Sith Lord, but we understand why he did it. And the truth is, underneath that dark façade of evil and ruthlessness, there was a pretty decent human being who just wanted what we all want, to be loved. Come to think about it, how did he stay single for so long?
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Deborah: Probably because he was just a kid when he first met his future wife? Using this for an example for inspiration, where do you draw your inspiration from?
Greg: I can’t really pinpoint it. I’d say I’m inspired by randomness. One day it could be the perfect pink sunrise pushing across the city skyline and the next it might be a homeless dude relighting a half-smoked cigarette butt that he picked up off the sidewalk. Sometimes I’ll just see things and the creative spark flickers inside me, and, at that point, it’s my responsibility as a writer to let it smolder and breathe until it catches, and then to let it burn hot and bright until that perfect moment presents itself when the fire cries out to be extinguished.
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Deborah: Yep, you’re hooked and have the bug bad! Your answer shines with passion. Here’s another question just loaded with passion. If you were a hat, what would it be?
Greg: I’d be a Trilby hat like JT wears. Those are pretty trendy.
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Deborah: You must have a great fashion sense! Not trying to age you, or anyone else who remembers them, but Trilbys have been trendy since the 1920’s, way, way, before I was a little twinkle. Now, this is my favorite question, how does breathing new life into your characters excite you?
Greg: It’s always such a unique personal experience, like meeting your first love. Except you can make them whatever you want, and if they break your heart, you can always kill them off in the end.
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Deborah: (Laughing) Love your answer! Okay, last question, if you were a baseball, football or hockey puck (you pick one) and someone hit you, where would you go?
Greg: I’d go straight to the cops. That’s assault!!!
Deborah: I’d love to see you explaining that as a baseball, football or puck! The cops would think you’re crazy! That is a great visual though. Too funny!
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Thank you Greg! I could tell you enjoyed yourself by your answers! They were great and I know they will bring a smile or chuckle to all of our readers. Speaking of which, I want to remind all of our readers to catch Greg’s story, “The Easy Way Out”, which will be in An Honest Lie, Volume 3: Justifiable Hypocrisy, scheduled to be on sale this fall. Also, everyone, check back next week for another exciting interview!
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Greg Kuehn writes literary fiction and southern literature. While in high school he received The Most Courteous Superlative Award and the Class Clown Award by his peers and was also named The Most Valuable Player of his soccer team. Greg is currently a senior at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga where he majors in secondary education with an emphasis on English. Upon completion of his degree he plans to pursue a career as a creative writer who will, in his spare time, also pursue positions as a high school English teacher and as a soccer coach. Prior to his current curriculum, Mr. Kuehn served eight years in the United States Marine Corps before receiving an honorable discharge in April 2011. During his time in the military he completed the Marine Corps field artillery cannon crewman course, the Marine Corps machine gunner course, the combat lifesavers course, and finished his enlistment as a Howitzer section chief. He deployed to Fallujah, Iraq in 2004 where he received a certificate of commendation, a meritorious mast, and a combat action ribbon as a field artillery cannoneer. While in Fallujah, his Chattanooga-based unit fired more artillery rounds than any unit since Vietnam during one of the most famous battles of our generation, the Battle of Fallujah. He deployed to Iraq again in 2008 where he was a team leader for a key traffic control point in the small city of Rutbah. There, he and his team worked to ensure that illegal weapons, drugs, and highly valued individuals were not permitted to pass into the city.
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Friends of Friends I give you Donna Hole
Donna Hole Interview Questions
Hey ya’ll. Your Intrepid Jr. Editor of very small publishing company here in the dessert that North Texas has become. The temperatures are blistering, tempers are short, and our country is struggling, and so are we all. But one thing I know in the midst f it all is that people are working their tails off to keep it going. I know disabled vets and injured mothers making things happen. I know hard working fathers who spend every moment they can at the pool with their children during this epic turn in weather and economic events. We are all carrying our own burdens, and many of us, a great many of us are carrying them well. I had the privilege to get to know one of those people.
Donna Hole
Open Heart Publishing: Hello. I know you have been on pins and needles waiting on us to move forward with AHL V3. Believe me when I say everyone has. I had the best time doing my research for this interview. Your blog is compelling and I enjoyed reading it. One thing that really stands out for me is the fact that you work in the social services sector and that you love your work. The general idea about that type of work is pretty negative. What is it you like so much about social services?
Donna Hole: Yes, there are a lot of negative associations; but when the programs are being used in the manner they are intended it can be a rewarding experience for both the recipients and the case manager. I love working with families, putting people in touch with the resources that can help them get back on their feet and feel good about themselves. As an Employment and Training Worker, who also happens to be an eligibility case manager, I am privileged to meet and assist a wide variety of people in various transitions of life. Given today’s volatile job market, many of my clients have worked their whole lives, and suddenly find themselves unemployed from business closures, employee cutbacks, funding loss. Whatever the reasoning, they have exhausted every available resource, and my agency is their last resort before starvation or homelessness and not uprooting their family on a wish for better circumstances elsewhere. Geographical relocation is no guarantee of employment success. The agency and people I work with also make it a great job. Work is work, no matter what you choose to do for a living, or how much you enjoy the field. My co-workers, managers, directors; all make the office environment a congenial place to call a second home. Short of sounding altruistic, it’s hard to explain how fulfilling it is when people work together to bring about a success story.
OHP: Wow. That’s an insight to the service sector I’ve never considered before. In the end ya’ll are doing what it takes to help people. I also realized that in addition to your desire to help the community that you also have a pretty large family, by today’s standards anyway. They obviously inspire you. What makes them your creative muse?
D.H.: LOL, five kids is quite a lot. And before any of the readers has a heart attack they are quite spread apart; 28, 26, 22, 21, and 13. Four boys and a girl (26). As kids go, they all did the usual stuff; but they are all so different in personalities, interests, skills and friends. Talk about an education in life! There is always something going on in their lives, or their friends’ lives, and as weird as it ever got, sometimes I can still say “yeah, but what if instead . . .” and come up with an even freakier story.
My kids taught me anything can be true if it is bizarre enough. No, I never had to sit at a mall or the DMV to observe people; I just had to let my daughter have a slumber party, or listen to my oldest explain that he didn’t intend to build the pipe bomb he researched for a science project, or eaves drop on the middle son talking to his geek buddies about game scenarios like the characters were physically present in the bedroom with him all night long . .
Two blonds, two brunets and an ADHD red head … Does that say anything about my muse?
OHP: Indeed it says quite a lot. Kids … they are a heavy spice in life. You inspired me just telling me about it. I read in your blog that you have some characters that people aren’t really connecting with. Why do you think this is and have you considered breathing new life into them in separate stories?
D.H.: My best writing strength (IMO) is my ability to write vivid, realistic characters. Readers become quickly and intimately involved with the character’s world, their perspective and their specific circumstances. This skill works in my favor in fantasy/thriller stories. In the case of my women’s fiction trilogy, I have developed people that are easily identifiable in just about everyone’s lives; a sister, brother, parent, best friend, or even the reader themselves. I think I accomplish my intent of taking social issues that are usually published in non-fiction – memoir, biography, case study reporting – and exploring it in a fictional setting.
The problem is, possibly, that readers have an emotional or moral reaction to the subject matter (domestic violence and substance abuse), which in turn means they either love the novel (or characters) or they hate them. There is no in between.
The members of my FTF critique group are action/plot driven writers; fantasy, mystery, YA, thrillers. They write to escape the real world, so real world issues aren’t interesting enough to catch their attention. I’ve had a few online friends who write in the same genre read the first novel, and they liked it and had some valuable feedback that did “breathe new life” back into the characters. I also had two expensive professional readings that had about the same responses as the women’s fiction/romance writers.
All of this leads me to believe that honest feedback is invaluable, even if it hurts initially.
I have experimented with the characters separately. I have a serial I’m writing on my blog that uses Cal and his illicit lifestyle from his POV, and Amy and Robert have shown up in several of my romance excerpts. I also wrote a very sexy short story using Cal and Amy and a lot of erotic toys that is set in Las Vegas. The serial and blog excerpts are never intended to be published anywhere else, and while they are true to the character profiles (ARCs), not intended as anything more than writing experiments.
The original premise for the novel(s) remains intact; scene plot and character progression is the only thing that changes with the feedback. But I’m no Jodi Picoult (even minus the sexual content), and perhaps I still have some story/character building skills to hone before delving into such controversial issues with any amount of success. I keep learning new writing skills, and maybe one day a light bulb will flash and I’ll again be able to work with my favorite characters and make them marketable. Many authors never sell the first novel (in my case trilogy) that launched the writing obsession. Like the first child, the first novel is the one that hosts all an author’s experiments and learning experiences.
OHP: Again, with the inspiration over here. But that’s not all. I saw the vlog you have attached to your blog. It’s very good. What’s your inspiration?
D.H: The vlog is good? Or the story it portrays? Both I hope. My blog friend Elana Solodow is experimenting with vlogs, and has a spot on her blog you can submit up to 500 words of your manuscript and she creates this awesome vlog excerpt. For free! She has a U-Tube account she posts through.
Elana wasn’t the first blogger to go vlog that I’ve heard though. Nathanial Lee (Mirrorshards) posted a link to one of his short story writings and while I can’t remember exactly the story title, I’m sure the publication was either through Drabblecast or Dunestreef that I listened to about an hour and a half of story vlog (no visual, just audio) and it totally engrossed me. Of course, Nathan is an excellent writer – uhm, no really – and to hear his amazing short stories and novella’s in verbal medium (Nathan reads his own work sometimes, but Drabblecast is the best readers for his work) just astounded me.
Like finding the right agent/editor/publisher for your written work; finding the appropriate reader for the vlog/audio presentation is just as important. I think Elana is an amazing reader; and she gave me some editing inspiration to make the “reading” smoother.
As for the story itself, it is the brain child of my 22 year old son. Literally, it is a story he wants me to write for him. (There are more fantasy and sci-fi books on my shelves than any other genre.) Although there are barely two chapters written of his requested novel, we’ve spent hours and hours arguing over Wynter’s heritage, where she grew up, what type mage she is, what the exact items of her quest should be. We’re using the character descriptions from the Never Wynter Nights game book, but that is where the similarities end. He was adamant about the MC name as Wynter, and that she has a crow for a familiar (which is difficult to explain since I insist she is Paladin trained); but he’s unusually silent when I bring up the necessity of a plot.
If I could pick any novel to work on consistently, it would be Quest for the Book.
OHP: OOOOhhh. That’s just fantastic. I just had a nerdgasm. You sent us a fantastic story. I loved reading Scent. It has an almost erotic emotional depth to it that is very engaging. What was your inspiration for the story?
D.H.: Thank you Davin. To tell the truth, An Honest Lie was my inspiration. (Eric Trant was my introduction to the site) Under the “What we’re looking for” heading, my interest was piqued with “… the mix of mood, moment, and movement”, and “… we’re looking for the perspective.” I had this stalker story lurking in the back of my head – probably from watching police story episodes like Criminal Minds – and put that “perspective” concept together with the “justifiable hypocrisy” concept. I wanted to know how a stalker/serial killer justifies his actions in his own mind. (Yep, blame Dr. Spencer Reid)
But it needed something different to give it the in-the-moment feel that would sway the reader’s sympathies towards a ruthless killer. As I was writing the back-story section on his first meeting with the girl that becomes his obsession, I remembered a writers group prompt that involved a modern day werewolf passing an outdoor café and is distracted from his path by the smell of female blood.
And suddenly I knew how to “justify” the killer’s perspective. It was so much fun to write Reggie. I was afraid it might be too sexual, but after a bit of research on gray wolves – well, let’s just say it all fit.
OHP: Indeed it did, it fit very well indeed. That inspires me to query something else I found on your blog. It would appear you have a few novels you’re shopping. Would you be willing to share with our readers something you are super proud of?
D.H.: I’m only shopping the one novel, but have several short stories ready. As for sharing, do you mean an excerpt from the query ready novel?
OHP: That would be very nice.
D.H.: No problem; but what to choose that is reflective of the novel voice without being too sexual or abusive? How about:
A few days later, Robert paid her an early morning visit. He came in without knocking, helped himself to the refrigerator and a Bud. Dropping onto the sofa beside her, he patted her knee. Amy launched herself off the couch and ran for the front door.
“That wasn’t the real me you know,” he said, as if picking up a conversation they’d left hanging earlier. “I was just drunk. Worse than that. I’ve never treated a girl so disrespectfully before.”
Disrespectful, she repeated to herself. It should have sounded strange, but didn’t, not from Robert. She knew sincere when she heard it. Too torn to move, she stood with her hand on the knob and waited for him to say or do something that would make a decision for her.
OHP: Yeah, yes that’s the type of scene I love and that you deliver in Scent as well. Bravo. I have to say though that the whole writing process seems to keep your nerves on high alert. Why do you do it?
D.H.: Because the whole writing process keeps my nerves on high alert. I’m a stress junky. I enjoy creating worlds, and characters, and giving them crisis to overcome, growth to achieve. Thinking about the next idea, or how to get character A to point B, developing possible end-of-world scenarios, or creating alternate worlds is exciting. I love the challenge.
The most stress I feel regarding writing is querying, and finding the actual time to write. Most people have problems fitting in family time; but my day job is all consuming. It is ironic that I rediscovered my childhood dreams of being a writer at a time when I was unemployed. I spent that year writing the first two novels in the trilogy, and the early months of my job training (no stress, no responsibilities, no overtime) writing the third.
Four years later, I feel I have two careers, and I’m not willing to give up either the paying job, or the writing. I’m at a time of change in my life with the children being grown and gone, or self sufficient. Most of my co-workers are either out partying and chasing down the perfect relationship, or raising young kids and planning the next family outing, or enmeshing into their grandkids lives; (A second chance at raising their kids.) After 27 years of constant children, I’m not ready to start all over again with constant grandparent duties, and the outdoors has never been my thing.
Had I not been pointed in the direction of the online writing community (by my FTF writers group leader) I may have given up about three years ago – after my first round of query rejections. Meeting so many other writers with the same frustrations and desires has kept me going. I’ve gotten constructive feedback on my writings, encouragement as an author, tips from fellow blogger/writers that have been-there-done-that, resources I may not have found on my own. I have now achieved two writing publications; but without the interaction with the larger writing community, I doubt I would have made it that far without becoming discouraged
There are only so many times you can hear “I like it because you wrote it” from family and close friends and not question your abilities. So I guess what really keeps me going (aside from the dream of writing the next NY bestseller) is the writing community itself.
OHP: I noticed that some of your interests slide over into the realm of “geekdom”. Are you a product of the geek generation?
D.H.: I’m not entirely sure what the “geek generation” entails. I love futuristic worlds, technology, gadgets. I grew up watching my Dad work on Heath Kit projects, and my first husband was an electronics genius. I know the difference between a capacitor and a transistor, a mother board and a memory chip. A floppy disc will always be 5×8, not 3×5; Word Star was the first decent word processing program I used as an admin clerk in the Air Force. (I hated Magcard readers!) I still miss DOS, and my Apple IIe. How many people remember a TRS 80, Commodore 64? The Atari?
I’m like my father, who was a mechanical genius and could make any old hunk of junk run like the newest car on the market. But when everything under the hood was as electronic as the inside accessories, he just gave up. The PC changed the electronic age; sped it up and somehow made it smaller. No matter how quickly I learn something new, it’s obsolete before I perfect a skill. Except for the software that drives my day job, I get lost in the actual application of all this technology.
But I’ve been blessed with children who are motivated by this electronic world they live in. My 22 year old son is my consultant on the Cyborg Fairytale for gadgets, appropriate language, even weaponry. I am glad I can listen to and decipher enough of his monologues to sound knowledgeable in my stories.
OHP: Yeah, you qualify. You work very hard obviously. How do you keep it all together?
D.H.: Well, I don’t always. I fall behind, get overwhelmed, and lose my focus. I forget why I do what I do – day job and writing. But I am surrounded by friends and family who keep me sane – even against my will. And it helps that I enjoy my work. I even take breaks once in a while to read a novel and enjoy time outside of work and writing.
OHP: It seems to turn out that way, no matter how deep the pressure. There is always time for a book and a dip in the pool. I usually ask for advice for writers out there, but I want to ask you if you have any advice for our dear readers. You may advise our writers too if you like.
D.H.: My advice to readers is to be patient with a story. In this fast paced, progressive world, it’s easy to overlook exactly what you are looking for in a good book because it happened in the narrative instead of the action or dialogue. Remember it is not a movie, where you “see” the room or the character and can focus your attention solely on the action, and the plot. Even Neo had to slow down to “talk” with the Oracle, or to adjust from the vividness of the Matrix to the stark reality of the gruel Mouse called cream of wheat. Words take time to read and assimilate. Read with an open mind; be prepared to be entertained or to learn something new about yourself, or the world you live in. Let the story unfold at its own pace.
I guess I’d give some of the same advice to writers about patience. Words take time to write, to craft into a vivid world that a reader will barely glance at and expect a complete visual. Write with an open mind; let the characters speak to you, let the world develop its own unique set of rules and culture (yes, even the contemporary world).
Listen to feedback, but don’t be mired in too much opinion. A beta reader or critique-er is just a second set of eyes to point out things you may have missed, or that could be misinterpreted. Write with confidence that you are the best author to relate the story, and trust the reader to understand your message.
And don’t be afraid to offer your own feedback. Constructive criticism helps an author grow; and if you think you have nothing to offer as a writer because you’re reading out of your comfort zone, then switch hats and critique as a reader. Ultimately, it is the unknown reader that will either sell or denounce our story concept.
OHP: Do you play Words With Friends? And if so would you be willing to share your player tag?
D.H.: Huh? Is that a Twitter thing? Or game on Facebook? I’m all for social networking, but I don’t have time to tweet or play trivial games on FB (my blogging is time consuming enough). Word play sounds interesting, though; perhaps you can explain it?
OHP: It’s virtual scrabble. If you have a smart phone just look it up on your market. Words with Friends.
Donna Hole is an eclectic reader who enjoys horror, fantasy, sci-fi, and women’s fiction. She has a passion for short stories, both for reading pleasure and to write. Her short story “Two Minutes In Tomorrow” was published in Bewildering Stories issue #424. Her short story “Scent” will appear in An Honest Lie, Volume 3: Justifiably Hypocrisy. Donna continues to write short stories and novels, and also enjoys social networking. For more information about Donna Hole, visit her blog at http://www.donnahole.blogspot.com
Ahem … Presenting Stephanie M. Loree
Hey there!
Friends and fans, in case you haven’t guessed by now, this is the time we have conversations with all of our authors from An Honest Lie Volume 3: Justifiable Hypocrisy. If you’d like to congratulate this year’s participants please leave a comment here. They have all crafted exquisite pieces for your enjoyment and we are working hard to bring you the best collection we’ve ever produced.
Okay … let’s dive right in. This week we are featuring Stephanie M. Loree. She’s blessed us with a fascinating story called Skin Script. There is little I can say to illuminate this tale for you. It’s a “what if” moment turned to a work of art. Not surprising considering Stephanie’s creativity seems to know no bounds. But, well let’s find out what she has to say about it.
Open Heart Publishing: On top of writing you are a vocalist and pianist. Do all these projects fuel your creative side, or do you do so many things because your creative side won’t be still?
Stephanie Loree: For me, music and writing are intertwined. It’s all a part of my creative side and my creative process. Making music is about taking a beat, a melody, and adding words. Writing is taking words and making them sing. They’re both concerned with telling a story. More than anything I think my creative side wants to be a storyteller, and these are the mediums it chooses. There have been other mediums, but sadly my drawing skills never advanced beyond “abstract” finger-painting.
OHP: Man do I understand that. It’s great when you can explore that creative side. Like your blog, I’ve really enjoyed reading it. What is your motivation for keeping it going when you have so much going on already?
SL:It’s hard sometimes, but blogging can be a lot of fun. When you make connections with other bloggers and writers; when people leave comments and participate in your events, that’s when it’s worthwhile. I’ve met a number of fantastic people through blogging, including my critique group. It’s really an invaluable tool for writers, both in learning from others and marketing your own work. It also helps to know there are others out there just as crazy (and weird) as you.
OHP: Your Twitter Fiction idea is brilliant. I loved the one from 4-21. Is it about the essence of love?
SL: Do you mind if I include it?
OHP: Allow me.
“The Sun burned up today, inhaled the world like a fiery maw. Four billion years to plan and all I could do was hold you.”
SL:Essence of love sounds good! I like to leave interpretations up to the reader, and I love it when people take away different things from my work. I can tell you that I wrote it because I was thinking about the Zombie Apocalypse and asking myself, “Are you prepared for zombies?” (And no, no I’m not.) Then I thought about the actual way Earth will end someday when the sun dies, and how no one really is planning for it (granted it is four billion years away). My plan is to basically snuggle with the nearest person. Maybe that would work for zombies, too?
OHP: Somehow I doubt it. The zombie horde is an unending relentless force. You write speculative fiction. As a genre it’s … open ended. What does speculative fiction mean to you?
SL: Anything weird; Science Fiction, Fantasy, Paranormal, Magic Realism, Horror, anything that can’t happen in real life … I live real life every day. Why would I want to write about it? Talking swords and psychic tattoos are way cooler.
OHP: Way cooler. I noticed you are working on an Urban Fantasy. Would share a little of that story for us?
SL: It’s about a blind woman who sees dead people. More specifically, she sees the ghost of her fiancé–a cop who was killed in the line of duty. Together they attempt to solve his murder and learn that a woman who can’t see and a man who can’t touch can still find each other.
It’s a darker tale with a dash of romance. Readers who like my short story in An Honest Lie should find it similar in style.
OHP: Yeah that sounds like a good read. You do a ton of book reviews. Is all that hard work for fun or profit?
SL: Fun, though every once in awhile I get free books. I’ve also met a number of wonderful authors through book reviews and came across some fantastic stories I never would have known existed. I love reading, so reviewing became an extension of that and a way for me to expose my blog. I like it, though I expect that with my own work being published I will be doing less reviewing and more articles on writing, publishing, and the like.
OHP: Free books. I love fee books. Especially when it’s stuff I like to read. What are you reading now?
SL: HAMMERED by Kevin Hearne, #2 in his Iron Druid Chronicles. It’s a seriously awesome and funny urban fantasy.
THE HUM AND THE SHIVER by Alex Bledsoe; an ARC provided to me by the author. So far it’s, a really unique alternate history with a strong heroine.
REALMS #2, a compilation of short stories published in Clarkesworld magazine, which any SF/F fan should check out immediately.
OHP: Skin Script was one of the more fascinating stories I’ve read this year. What was your inspiration for such an amazing tale?
SL: I was talking to my critique partner and said, “Wouldn’t it be cool if someone could see your future on your skin? Like the pattern of your soul, in Technicolor lights.” And chaos ensued. Another critique partner had been discussing her tattoos with me, and she even went out and did some firsthand research. I have a dedicated critique group.
OHP: Yes it seems you do. And the research paid off. I may be mistaken here but in your blog it seems as if we are the first house to publish your work? Is that true? How does it feel finally being a published author?
SL: An Honest Lie will be my first professional publication, it’s true. It feels surreal, but completely fantastic! Most times I can’t believe it’s actually happening. It’s the acknowledgement, I think, from professionals in the industry that makes me believe maybe I don’t suck at this writing gig. It gives me the warm and fuzzies.
OHP: We all take up this crazy gig for one reason or another. What does writing mean to you?
SL: Like music, I write to entertain. It’s a means to convey the cool stuff in my head to others, and hope they think it’s cool too. It means I don’t have to contain the voices inside my head; I can let them out to play! It also means a boatload of work. Writing is hard. Those who say otherwise are dirty liars.
OHP: Horrible charlatans. If you were asked to give a class of aspiring writers a few words of advice what would you say?
SL: Finish it. Don’t stop until you type, “The End.” Don’t go back. Don’t restart. Don’t skip. Don’t give up. Don’t be me! Writers write. Aspiring writers… aspire.
OHP: Final question and I’ll get off you back. Do you play “Words with Friends”? If so are you willing to share your screen name with us?
SL: First I’ve heard of it. I play a lot of games, most of them involving
dice and/or pixels. Word games are great, but pwning your friends is
priceless.
Indeed it is, My Lady, indeed it is.
:)
Born and stuck in Ohio , Stephanie received her BS in Criminal Justice and works in a cubicle for “the man.” She writes speculative fiction and is a professional vocalist/pianist. Though she prefers money, Stephanie will also work for dark chocolate. She enjoys experimenting with everything from epic fantasy to twitter-sized sci-fi. A “SuperNerd” who loves gaming, technology, good sushi, and bad Kung Fu flicks. Stephanie’s story “The Skin Script” is her first published stoey for An Honest Lie .Learn more about Stephanie at blog.stephaniemloree.com and tweets @smloree.
