Interview with E.K. Baer about her New Collection!

Talented young writer E.K. Baer has recently published a new collection of poems titled Down the Road (which is available on Amazon here -- there's even a Czech edition!) This is a stunning collection that showcases her continued evolution as a poet, and her fresh insights and wisdom about the world will blow you away. And, in a testament to her compassionate soul, E.K. is donating all proceeds from book sales to charity. Buy one for yourself, and buy a copy for a friend, too! 

E.K. was kind enough to stop by the blog today to answer questions about her writing process, how this second collection differs from her first, and where she finds inspiration. You can also read the interview she did with us after publishing her first collection of poems here. 

Congrats on this beautiful book, E.K.! I am so proud of you. 

Take us through your writing process when you were creating Down the Road. Was this a different experience from writing your first book, A Collection of Poems? 

When creating Down the Road, it felt as if I was suddenly ready to address all of the difficult and sad situations that I have been through over the years. When I was writing the poems of A Collection of Poems, I wasn’t really ready to go there. So, writing Down the Road was a very cathartic experience.

To you, what is the hardest part about writing? Do you have any advice for other writers who might struggle with this? 

The hardest part for me is the time when I am inspired, but am not quite able to find the right words to weave into a poem. What helps me is to write down the thought, get up, walk away, and come back to the poem later. Personally, if I push myself to come up with something when it doesn’t flow naturally, I’m not happy with it in the end.

What is the most fun or magical part of writing, for you? 

I love being able to weave my dreams into a sort of reality in front of me. Also, when I write I strive to make all the difficult times in my life relatable, and I feel better, in a way.

How do you think you have grown as a writer since your last book was published? 

I feel that, having read more of other people’s poetry, I have changed my style a little bit, and write a bit differently than I used to. I now feel more comfortable digging deep and letting the emotions tangled up inside of me come out.

Can you share a few of your favorite poems or poets? 

A few of my favorite poets and/or my favorite poems by them are:

• Mary Oliver, "Angel" 
• Robert Frost, "A Time to Talk" 
• Emily Dickinson, "Because I Could not Stop for Death" 

What nourishes you and fills up your creative well? 

I am inspired by everything around me – the way the trees wave in the wind, the way the crickets chirp, all in all how beautiful the world can be. I come up with a lot of my poems just by looking out the window! Also, I try to turn my life experiences into a relatable form – poems.

Can you give us a peek into your writing routine? 

I really do not have a very strict writing routine – I write when I feel inspired, which is almost every day. Many days I write several poems/short stories in a day, and other days I just write one.

What are you working on now? What’s next for you? 

This summer, I was fortunate to travel a lot and see other cultures and places, which gave me a lot of inspiration. Currently, I am working on more new poems and a few short stories. I hope to create another book soon!

Anything else you’d like to add? 

When writing, I feel one needs to have people around who support you and your craft. For me, one of those people is Ms. Woodburn. She is always encouraging me and guiding me through my writing journey. Thank you, Ms. Woodburn!

Aww, it is my pleasure! Thank you E.K. for taking the time to join us today and to share your beautiful thoughts on poetry and writing. 

Links:

• E.K. Baer's website
• Purchase Down the Road
• Purchase A Collection of Poems

Celebrating Success

For most of the year, my job as a writing teacher is a slow, gradual process with my students… helping them write more clearly and expansively, broaden and deepen their thinking, and discover more joy and freedom in the act of writing. Like training for a marathon, it is a “slow and steady” endeavor. I see their growth, but sometimes it is harder for them to see it.

Then, every so often, there are spectacularly exciting days. Days when I receive their giddy emails and phone calls and I get to celebrate with them. Days when their hard work and hours of time are rewarded.

Just in the past few weeks, I have learned that my students were honored in the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards with a whopping 7 Gold Keys, 11 Silver Keys, and 3 Honorable Mentions; Honorable Mention in the national Princeton University High School Poetry Contest; and National Finalist honors in the American High School Poets Just Poetry Competition.

Sometimes the successes are more personal, such as my student who proudly told me that he received a perfect score on an in-class English essay “for the first time ever!!” He said, “I didn’t think I could do that.” I knew he could.

Recently, I received an email from one of my adult students -- who is finally, bravely working on a book that has been bouncing around in her mind for years -- that simply said: "Thank you for helping me break through my inertia." After years of thinking she was not good enough to try her hand at writing, she is now getting her words and ideas down on paper.

I am so grateful for my students, who remind me daily the power of persistence and who fill my life with imagination and enthusiasm. I am so proud of them. It fills my heart to see them gain pride and confidence in themselves.



Would you like to work with me? 

I currently have a select number of spots available in my Guided Mentorship and Online Tutoring programs for young writers, as well as my Writing Coaching programs for adults. Contact me to learn more and book your free 20-minute consultation call with me. I'd love to help you, or your child, gain confidence in your ideas and tell the stories that matter most to you. Let's work together to reframe writing for what it truly is: a tool of connection and empowerment! 

Interview with Irish author Caroline Finnerty

A couple months ago, my parents took a trip to Ireland for two weeks to celebrate their anniversary. One evening, they walked past a small independent bookstore in Dublin, heard laughter, turned around, went inside and followed the voices upstairs. And so it was they met Irish author Caroline Finnerty, whose book launch party was wrapping up. After a pleasant conversation, she signed a copy of her new novel Into the Night Sky as a gift for... ME! :) 

I devoured the book as soon as my parents gave it to me. It is one of those books that, as the Irish Independent newspaper stated, is "impossible to put down." Simply put, Into the Night Sky is a luminous and heartwarming story that will stay with you long after you turn the final page, and Caroline is a superbly talented and empathetic writer. You can order Caroline's books here.

After Caroline was thoughtful enough to email me about my own writing and books, I asked if she would mind answering a few questions for this blog. She kindly agreed, and I am thrilled to present her insightful answers to you now. With no further ado, here is Caroline Finnerty!

Welcome, Caroline! Tell us about your latest novel INTO THE NIGHT SKY. In what ways was this novel different from your other books? 

Into the Night Sky is the story of four people who come into each other’s lives when they are each in need of a friend and how the bonds that form change each of them forever more.

Conor Fahy is the owner of struggling bookshop Haymarket Books and is finding it hard to cope with everyday life in the aftermath of his partner Leni’s tragic death.

Conor’s best friend Ella Wilde is struggling with her own problems having just been axed from her job as a TV presenter after being caught shoplifting. She is struggling to deal with the weight of public disgrace and adjust to life away from the TV cameras.

Jack White is eight years old. He likes Ben 10, Giant Jawbreaker sweets and reading adventure books. He likes his Dad (when he doesn’t shout). He doesn’t like the bad monsters that are eating up his ma inside her tummy.

Rachel Traynor is the social worker assigned to Jack White’s case but sorting out messy family disputes is taking its toll on her. And it doesn’t help that she has had to say goodbye to the man she loves because he doesn't want to have children with her.

It’s different from my other books because the story is told through a present tense narrative and also one of the main characters, Jack, is a young child, which I have never done before.

Have you always wanted to be a writer? How did you get into writing? 

I always loved writing but I never recognized it in myself until I entered my twenties. I was always bookish as a child and made my own "books" with illustrations. In hindsight, I was good at essay writing in school but it never occurred to me to study English and so I studied biotechnology in university. I was in my twenties when I had an idea and said that would make a great story so I just started writing it and I didn’t stop. After a while I decided to do an eight-week creative writing course by night which spurred me on a bit more. Then after I had my first child in 2009 and I had the idea for In a Moment, which was the first book I actually finished and I was lucky enough to get published.

What is your writing schedule? How do you find time to write? 

It is chaotic at the moment! I have three small children, two of whom are not yet in school so it’s challenging to find the time -- but, like everything, if you really want to do it, you have to make sacrifices. So when I get them all into bed in the evenings I stay up late to try to do a bit then or at weekends my husband sometimes takes them all off for a few hours so I can get a bit done. I am quite disciplined so if I do have some free time I use it to write instead of doing anything else.

What is your biggest advice for other writers, particularly young writers just starting out? 

Don’t be too hard on yourself when you read back over your work. Just put the words down on the page and don’t get disheartened. I used to re-read my early drafts and cringe so much that I would never go back to it again. Then I went to a really inspiring getting published workshop and the authors speaking at it said how they all think what they write is awful but that they keep rewriting it until one day they don’t want to throw their laptop against the wall and it finally starts to seem okay.

That’s the key – rewrite, rewrite, rewrite. I love the saying, "You can edit words on a page but you can’t edit a blank page."   

Ooh, I love that saying, too! So very true. Who are some of your favorite writers? 

Too many to mention, but the ones that stick out in my mind are:

• Kate Atkinson
• Maggie O’Farrell
• David Nicholls
• John Boyne 
• Marian Keyes

I read in the Acknowledgements section of INTO THE NIGHT SKY that writing this book was a challenge at times. It seems that writer's block is something every writer has to deal with at one time or another. Do you have any tips for advice for vanquishing writer's block? 

I find that usually when I am experiencing writer’s block it is because some part of the book is not working. Either the character isn’t fully developed in my mind or there is a problem with the plot.

When I was writing Into The Night Sky, I was finding it difficult to research the role of Rachel the social worker and how that storyline fitted into the book but it took me a few months to put my finger on exactly what it was that was missing. Eventually I contacted a friend of mine who was a social worker and she helped me immensely; once I had concrete facts, the story moved on again.

Usually if I can’t figure out what the problem is, then I go on to another scene that is coming easily to me and then go back to the problematic one at a later stage when hopefully it will come a bit easier then.

Great advice! Is there anything else you would like to add?

Thank you for having me, Dallas it’s lovely to be over here on an American blog – hello everyone!

Thank you so much for joining us today, Caroline!

Connect with Caroline at the following links:

• Her website: www.carolinefinnerty.ie 
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/carolinefinnertybooks 
• Twitter: @cfinnertywriter
• Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Caroline-Finnerty/e/B007X4NSBE

Story Published!

Exciting news! My short story "Ten Reasons" has been published in the latest issue of Women in REDzine, a multicultural literature and art magazine out of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Here is the beginning of the story to (hopefully!) whet your appetite:

Ten Reasons

by Dallas Woodburn

1. The lacy red panties she discovers wedged between the back left and middle seats of the Jeep Grand Cherokee while reaching down to yank out the seatbelt that always disappears into the crack between the seats. Abe usually drives the Jeep, but this is LeAnn's week to drive Miles and his friends to soccer practice, so he took the Prius instead.

Her breath catches at the feel of the cheap silk lewdness between her fingers. What a silly, stupid cliché. She manages to ball up the panties inside her clenched fist and slip them into her purse without Miles or his friends seeing them.


2. When she buys a new dress on sale at Macy's, with a low-cut neckline and a flattering belt that cinches at the waist, and she puts it on and saunters up to her husband, stretched out across the couch reading the newspaper, and asks, “How do I look?” with a coy smile on her lips, Abe glances up for only a moment before muttering, “Fine,” and turning back to the newspaper.


3. “What's wrong?” she asks on a Tuesday night during dinner, noticing how he picks at his food like a child.

He sighs. “Nothing.”

“Don't lie to me.”

“Your mashed potatoes,” Abe says. “They're too lumpy.”

“I made them the same way I've always made them.”

“Maybe you should add more milk,” he says. “Next time.”

* * *

You can read the rest here: http://www.fictionaut.com/stories/dallas-woodburn/ten-reasons

This story stemmed from a writing exercise I was given in my undergraduate workshop with Aimee Bender to write a narrative using a list format. It's a fun prompt to try -- I challenge you to do so!

Short Story Published in "Bartleby Snopes" Literary Magazine!

I'm very happy to share that my short story "DING!" has been published in the literary magazine Bartleby Snopes, and was selected as an "Editor's Pick" to appear in the forthcoming PDF printable magazine! You can read it this month online at http://bartlebysnopes.com/ding.htm. Here's the first couple paragraphs:

The old man baked bread every Wednesday. An early riser, he baked before the sun came up. Even before he did the crossword puzzle--in ink, for he's a brave soul--because he often baked before the newspaper arrived. 

He baked cinnamon bread. More like cake, actually. Flour, sugar, eggs, water, butter, and the secret "starter" ingredient of dough saved from last week's batch. Chocolate chips, sometimes, if he made it for the grandkids (which he usually did, considering he had nine of them.) Walnuts if he brought it to the office. Just plain for him, maybe an extra pinch of cinnamon--but he hardly ever made it just for himself. He could never finish a whole loaf before it grew dry and stale. And it seemed like such a waste to throw half a loaf away. His mother would have scolded him, just as she had when he was a boy during the Depression and didn't clean his plate.

"Eat your carrots, Ollie!" she would say. "Plenty of kids will go to bed hungry tonight and would give anything to have those carrots to eat. So be thankful! Wastefulness is a sin!"

"Cooked carrots are a sin," the young boy thought then and the old man thought now, stirring the thick batter with a wooden spoon. His arm muscles would ache by the time the batter was smooth and ready for the oven, but he still stubbornly mixed everything by hand. To do it any other way seemed like cheating.

Read the rest at http://bartlebysnopes.com/ding.htm.

Chicken Soup for the Soul Calls for Submissions from Young Writers

Chicken Soup for the Soul is an amazing opportunity for writers to share their true personal stories with the world. I have published stories in eight Chicken Soup books and the experience has been great.

Now, the Chicken Soup editors are collecting stories by young adults in high school and college for preteens who are caught between childhood and the tumultuous teens -- a time when bodies are changing, friendships are forming, and everyone's just trying to find someone to sit with at lunch. Chicken Soup for the Soul: Preteens is going to be a companion for kids, whether they're looking to laugh or be told everything will be okay.

What was your experience like as a preteen? Did you fit in with the popular crowd, or were you left behind to eat your peanut butter and jelly in the library? What kind of humorous or embarrassing things happened to you when you were that age? They want stories about friendship, family, learning to do the right thing, and all the mistakes you made along the way.

The editors are looking for true stories and poems written in the first person of no more than 1,200 words. Stories should not have been previously published by Chicken Soup for the Soul or other major publications. These must be your personal stories -- things that happened to you or someone you were close to.

Here are some suggested topics to get you started:

• Dealing with tough stuff
• Acts of kindness
• Teachers, parents, and friends who gave you guidance
• Embarrassing moments and funny stories
• Beloved pets
• Changing schools and being the new kid
• First crushes
• How technology influences your life -- texting, instant messaging, and emailing
• Sibling relationships
• Learning to be comfortable in your own skin

If your story is chosen, you will be a published author and your bio will be printed in the book if you so choose. You will also receive a check for $200 and 10 free copies of your book, worth more than $100. You will retain the copyright for your story and you will retain the right to resell it.

SUBMISSIONS GO TO http://chickensoup.com
Select the Submit Your Story link on the left tool bar and follow the directions.

DEADLINE IS AUGUST 31, 2010.

Essay Published in "The Litter Box" Online Literary Magazine

I am very excited to share that my essay "A Love Letter to Norwich, England" is now up on The Litter Box website! The essay centers on my experiences studying abroad for a semester at the University of East Anglia in the beautiful coastal town of Norwich, about two hours away from London. I only lived there for six months, but I have a feeling that no matter how many years pass, Norwich always feel like a "home" to me. It's amazing how the places you travel can really become a part of you!

Here's the beginning of my essay:

A Love Letter to Norwich, England

The number 25 double-decker bus threads its way through the narrow two-lane streets. Coughing and burping without a hint of embarrassment, it carries us from the train station, with its cheerful round clockface and neat front of red brick, over the weeping-willow-lined river and up the road, past the Tesco and Superdrug and a handful of pubs, past the castle and the mall and Poundland (my favorite store because everything only costs a pound.) Climbing the stairs behind the bus driver's seat and choosing a seat up top will remain a novelty no matter how many times I ride this bus. The front seat up top is best—the huge panoramic window makes me feel like I'm part of the sky, cloudless and carefree, tracing the peaked gray rooftops with outstretched fingertips.

The bus stops four times on its way through the city centre. At each stop, I peer down at the people walking along the cobblestone sidewalks: young mothers pushing bundled-up babies in prams; old women wearing small flowered hats pinned primly to their hair; groups of teenage boys, their legs lost in the billowing fabric of their trousers, hurtling their way toward the bus. The boys pay their fare and stampede upstairs. I don't look back, but I can picture them, each one sprawled out across two seats. "Joe, don't be a bloody twat!" one of them says. I can't help a smile from spreading across my face—the novelty of the dialect makes even curse words sound lovely.

You can read the rest at: http://www.litterboxmagazine.com/7nonfictionwoodburn.php

Short Story Published in "The Green Silk Journal" Winter 2010 Issue!

I am excited to share with you that my short story "Click, Then Silence" is part of the Winter 2010 issue of The Green Silk Journal!

Here is an excerpt:

“I miss you,” I say. I don’t mean to; the words just tumble off my tongue, like pearls slipping off a broken necklace then spilling across the floor, a few caroming underneath the furniture. You can try to collect them all and string them back together, but you’ll inevitably be missing one or two.

The good thing about the phone is he can’t see me, can’t see the way I’m nervously twisting a strand of hair around my index finger, around and around and around, as if by doing so I can turn back time and take back those three little words I so carelessly threw at him.

My best friend Susanne says guys don’t like to have things thrown at them, even unexpected compliments; they like to work for it, or at least feel like they are working. I haven’t asked Keith if this is true, of course, but if I did I bet he would snicker, “Why do you always listen to Susanne?” I don’t think he likes my friends much, Susanne least of all.

I hear him breathing on the other end of the phone. Just soft breathing. The silence lingers, stretches, two breaths, three, five, and then he exhales an awkward little laugh and says, “I’ll talk to you later.”

“Okay, bye.” I wait a few more breaths – mine, one, two, four – until I hear the tiny click of him breaking away from me, and then I, too, hang up.

Read the rest at http://www.thegsj.com/storiespg2win2010.html
(Scroll down; my story is the second on the page.)

"Boysenberry Jam" Published in Debut Issue of New Literary Magazine Eclectic Flash!

I am thrilled and honored to announce that my flash fiction story "Boysenberry Jam" has been published in the debut issue of the wonderful new lit magazine Eclectic Flash.

Here is the opening:

A place for everything, and everything in its place – though her rationale behind the placement of each item was a mystery to him. It all seemed haphazard, random. Cans of tomatoes and corn and peas stretched back into the darkness. Cereal boxes stood guard beside the Ritz crackers and hot chocolate mix. Tins of tea rattled beside plastic jars of peanut butter, store-bought, and glass jars of jam, personally canned. Some she had canned herself, others were gifts from friends. Raspberry, strawberry, boysenberry.

The pantry door squeaked slightly when opened. It sounded like an admonishment. After all, he wasn’ t hungry. But he stood there, in his threadbare socks and drawstring pants, staring at the life she had accumulated for them. No matter how angry she was at him, no matter how badly her third-grade class had behaved that day, no matter how many ragamuffin friends (or, later, ragamuffin boyfriends and girlfriends) the kids brought home with them after school to eat their food, she never complained. She always had the pantry stacked to overflowing, and she always had dinner ready on the table at 6:00 sharp, after Wheel of Fortune. They ate together, as a family, during Jeopardy. The volume muted, they guessed at the answers, shouting to blank-eyed TV contestants who never heard them.

He took a jar of jam off the shelf and studied the label. Boysenberry. For Ida Jean, With Love, Carlotta.


You can read the rest of the story -- as well as numerous other provoking, humorous, chilling, delightful fiction, nonfiction and poetry pieces -- at this link:

http://www.eclecticflash.com/files/VOL_1_JAN_2010.pdf

You can also order print copies of the journal here:

http://www.lulu.com/content/paperback-book/eclectic-flash-volume-1-january-2010/8017577

Thank you to editor Brad Nelson for all the hard work he put into this
terrific first issue! And thanks for letting me be a part of it!

New Write On! Website

Check out my new and improved Write On! website.

www.writeonbooks.org

* Get published
* Enter writing contests
* Read book reviews
* Join the Holiday Book Drive
* Register for Writing Camp
* Subscribe to the Write On! newsletter.
* Buy my books
* Find cool links to other websites

I'd love to hear what you think of my new site!

Article on Trojan Entrepreneur

I published an article titled "Turning Disadvantages into Advantages" on the Trojan Entrepreneur website. My thoughts about building a successful business are also very true about writing. Enjoy!

http://trojanentrepreneur.com/2008/11/turning-disadvantages-into-advantages/

Story Published in "Faith, Hope, and Fiction"

I wrote a story about my experience studying abroad in England last semester called "Learning from a Distance." It is featured this month in the wonderful e-zine "Faith, Hope, and Fiction" -- a delightful and inspiration-filled publication for everyone who loves stories that tug on the heartstrings. Check it out (and subscribe to this wonderful free monthly publication) at www.FaithHopeandFiction.com.

The Ultimate Dog Lover Book

Wanted to let you all know that I have a story published in the just-released book The Ultimate Dog Lover. The book includes dozens of true, heartwarming stories about the special bond between people and dogs. It would be the perfect gift for any dog-loving people in your life!

Article in Justine Magazine

Check out my article, "New School, New You!" in the back-to-school issue of the popular teen girl magazine Justine, on newsstands now!

http://www.justinemagazine.com/