Volume 4

By Bethany Olson

Arthur, a recent college graduate who has just ended a strange dating relationship, starts out a lazy Pittsburgh summer with little idea of purpose or knowledge of self. He stops into the University of Pittsburgh’s Hillman Library without realizing that that decision would catapult him through an unusual and enlightening series of events.

Arthur meets Art in the library, a young man of whom he “hadn’t a doubt that he was gay,” and with whom Arthur was “keen to avoid, as they say, a misunderstanding” of sexual interest. Despite his reservations, Arthur agrees to have a beer with Art on Forbes Avenue. Shortly thereafter, Arthur meets Phlox in the library, a girl who had admired him from behind the metal bars of her small work area. “She was unquestionably beautiful, and yet there was something odd, wrong, about her looks, her clothing: something a little too, from her too blue eyes in their too direct stare to the too red stockings she wore.”

Arthur estimates his own identity by his interactions with others; throughout, he alternates between friendship with both Art and Phlox to being sexual lovers with one or the other of the two (Arthur no longer knows if he is straight or gay.) And ever-hidden is Arthur’s secret, “the nature of my father’s work,” which “I came to associate… with shame.” Arthur did not realize his father was in mob work until his thirteenth birthday: “I never afterward had the slightest desire to tell [my father’s] secret to any of my friends; indeed, I ardently concealed it.”

If only Art did not need his father’s money; if only Art did not desire his father’s never-given approval. If only a third friend, Cleveland, had not exploded into Arthur’s life; Cleveland’s interest in mob business and his knowledge of Arthur’s father threatens to join the two worlds Arthur so desperately tries to separate. Some time after realizing that Cleveland would “breach the barrier that stood between my family and my life, and scale the wall that I was,” Arthur says, “I saw that I’d been mistaken when I thought of myself as a Wall, because a wall stands between, and holds apart, two places, two worlds, whereas, if anything, I was nothing but a portal, ever widening…. And a wall says no; a portal doesn’t do anything.”

The Mysteries of Pittsburgh by Michael Chabon is a coming-of-age story with elements of self-understanding and making one’s way in the world, without the influence of others. Its quirky subthemes and genius passages are too many to list here. The Mysteries of Pittsburgh was Chabon’s premiere novel that launched his fame (first published in 1988); his The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay won the 2001 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. The Mysteries of Pittsburgh is an unusual, inviting, thoughtful read with layers of meaning infused not only throughout the plot, but evident in every word and metaphor. It is exciting for a Pittsburgh native to read about places and streets that are so familiar (I live around the block from Arthur’s fictional home). But regardless of where a reader lives, Chabon crafts both setting and characters’ complicated emotions with startling intensity, promising a meaningful read for all adult readers.

By Amanda Linsmeier
Pink sequins. Elephants. Clowns. We all have an image in mind when it comes to the circus. In Water for Elephants, many of those images come to life in this sometimes gritty and always entertaining novel. Jacob is a 90-something year old man living out his last, unhappy days in a nursing home. While he has some moments of senility, Jacob is relatively adept for his advanced age. When he learns a circus is in town and he’ll get to see it, he is overcome with flashbacks of his colorful past decades before. After his parents are killed in a car accident during the Great Depression, Jacob drops out of college without taking his final exams to become a vet. He joins The Benzini Brothers traveling circus as their veterinarian and soon discovers circus life is much harder than it is glamorous. Between the sometimes awful abuses of the animals by others, the mistreatment of the workers and the inability to trust almost anybody, Jacob has his work cut out for him. The animals’ trainer, August, is an unpredictable, sometimes violent man given to bursts of temper one moment and undeniable charm at others. It makes matters even worse when Jacob falls for Marlena, the lovely wife of August. Loving Marlena only adds to Jacob’s frustration in which not only his job, but often his life is at stake.

Water for Elephants is a good novel. I was disappointed in that I had heard somewhere that Rosie, the elephant, is actually the main character and the story is told from her point of view and that wasn’t so. Although Jacob was an interesting character and I enjoyed reading about him, I suppose I was expecting something a little more unique. That being said, the best part about Jacob was reading about him in the nursing home at his advanced age. I haven’t read many books from an elderly person’s point of view and I could really sympathize with him. The circus parts of the book were very interesting but also somewhat sad. I felt bad for nearly every character involved, most particularly the animals. But for anyone who has ever seen a circus show, I’m sure they would appreciate the genuine historical details in this book as well as the behind the scenes look the reader gets. I am sure you’ll never look at a performing elephant the same way again.

Carla Neggers has written more than 50 novels – a dozen of them New York Times bestsellers. Her books blend chilling suspense and daring romance. Her romantic thriller The Angel, due out in paperback in June, is a finalist for a RITA – romance publishing’s Oscar.

Q: How do you respond to the charge that romance novels are “chick lit?” Have you seen an increase in the number of men who write romance? Any personal favorites?

A When I climbed a tree with a pad and pen as a kid, I just wanted to write the story that was in my head. That’s as true for me today as it was then. I love a mix of romance, suspense, action, adventure, but I try not to get bogged down in genre definitions and instead focus on the story. I’ve always known men who write romance, and men who include a strong romantic element in their books. Are there more today? Honestly, I don’t know, but I wish them well.

Q: You have said that “you never know what sparks an idea,” and have cited trips as one source. Can you give a couple of other examples (places, events, people, etc.) that have inspired you to write a book?

A: It’s actually rare that I can trace a story back to the original spark. I guess I’m more likely to remember the spark that happened while standing in a windswept Irish ruin than on a trip to the grocery store! In the case of the ruin, it was being there, captivated by my surroundings, that started The Angel, and later The Mist (due out in July) simmering. In the cast of the grocery store … well, it’s just a good place to let my mind wander.

Q: How important is “what if?” thinking when it comes to exploring/brainstorming ideas/possible scenarios for a book? How important is studying other writers in the genre in which one writes?

A: “What if” is a great way to push back all the “dos and don’ts” and “shoulds and shouldn’ts” and turn loose our creative minds. Doubts and constraints fall away. It’s also fun, because you’re not locking yourself into anything. You’re just asking, “Okay, what if …?” As for “studying” other writers – I love to read, and most writers I’ve met do, too. I prefer to turn off the writer in me and just enjoy the story as a reader.

Q: You’ve written so many books. Which is your favorite and why?

A: No fair! Truly, I can’t name a favorite. I just know that I did my best at the time with every book I’ve written. I’ve been fortunate to have started publishing at a young age and stayed at it - and I’m as excited about he books I’m writing today as I was when I first climbed a tree as a kid, dreaming of being a published author. Every book is an adventure. I loved diving into the story that became The Mist, which is due out this summer, and Cold River, which I’m finishing now. Writing for me is as fun, challenging and engaging as ever – I couldn’t’ ask for more than that!

Q: Some writers maintain the most important aspect of writing a saleable novel is character development. Do you agree or disagree? Why or why not? Any hints for new writers looking to flesh out their characters?

A: A story doesn’t take off for me until the characters are “there.” I don’t think of myself constructing characters so much as figuring out ways to get them to reveal themselves to me. I usually have to throw them into scenes and let them talk, do things, before I can even attempt anything as left-brained as a character sketch. For new writers looking for solid advice on this subject, I highly recommend Elizabeth George’s Write Away, especially the sections on how she approaches characterization. She’s a gifted teacher as well as a gifted writer.

Q: The Internet is moving more into the realm of publishing with Kindle, etc. What is your vision for the future of the printed novel?

A: That’s not up to me – I just focus on writing! I’m thrilled that readers will be able to download The Widow on Amazon for free from June 8 to 12, 2009. The Widow is the first book in my Boston-Maine-Ireland series. I love having books available in a variety of formats … hard, soft, e-book, large print, audio … it’s amazing.

Carlotta Holton is the author of Salem Pact, Touching The Dead and Vampire Resurrection, and is a member of the National Federation of Press Women and an affiliate member of the Horror Writers Association.

Okay, seniors who want to publish. We've written about research,
writing what you know, learning from others, writers clubs, a comfortable work area, spending a lot of time writing, costs and a bunch of other things you should do that are very important when it comes to writing successfully. To me, the two worst things to not do or have is not spending enough time writing, and not having the most important tool: a computer.

If writing is your goal, no matter what age, then dig deep and spend a few hundred dollars for a computer. A web search will net you a very good and reasonable priced outfit. Buying equipment won't be easy, but if you are intent on writing, suffer the pain.

I can type over a hundred words a minute, but I've been typing for fifty-five years doing professional sports publicity and promotion, college, newspaper reporting, feature writing and public relations propaganda. I recall how erasing or whiting out errors or wrong phrases was such a pain and always caused my most vile Marine Corps expletives to erupt. And that wasn't too swift in a crowded editorial news room.

A computer eliminates those problems – well, not all of them.
I still have a few eruptions on the golf course. But a computer does make writing fun instead of work. (Too bad I can't say that about a five iron.) Instead of using White Out by the gallon, I now tap my computer delete key and voila - my anger management problem is solved without consulting a psychologist. The time I had to spend on the couch can now be used for writing. Sometimes you might feel like a good psychologist would come in handy. But don't let that slow you down. Every writer goes through some difficult times. You just have to tough it out.

Set your goal for the day, week or whatever, and like a sprinter, get off the block fast. While sprinting toward the tape, give serious thought to the following, some of which are pointed out in The Writer's Digest Handbook of Novel Writing.

Point of View: Be clear from the story's beginning so readers won't have to guess whose perception they are seeing through (1st person, 2nd person, etc.)

Conflict: Action proceeds from characters in conflict and pulls readers into your story - and the faster the better. By posing conflict clearly for the reader, you may surprise yourself by reaching for more active phrases and situations that create immediacy.

Exposition: Avoid long, mundane descriptions of characters and places. This often times becomes boring, unbelievable, and intrudes on illusions. A single sentence, if well imagined and worded, can do far more immediately than long drawn out passages. In other words, keep sentences short and active and well written. Go over your sentences or passages a dozen times. Don't get cute. Cut out unnecessary words. That is so important. Activate all the readers' senses - smells, sounds, feelings and tastes.

There are more, but right now absorb these and try to follow them as you write. Ask yourself questions like: Is this too mundane? Is this passage believable? Is this character believable? That sounds like a lot to grasp, but practice and it will soon become second nature. That's enough for now. We'll cover more in a future column.

Questions/Comments? Contact Jim at james@jamesfalk.net, or visit www.jamesfalk.net.

James Falk, as a teen-ager, used to dream of being a big-time racketeer. Fortunately, his dream didn't come true. A 10th grade dropout, he finished highschool after four years in the Marines and went on to earn a B.A. in Journalism and an M.A. in Communications.

Gillian Roberts (the pseudonym of Judith Greber) is the author of the Anthony-award winning Amanda Pepper mystery series that features a Philadelphia high school English teacher and her significant other, C. K. Mackenzie. She has also written two books in a second series, featuring the pair of private detectives, Emma Howe and Billie August.

Q: You are a former English teacher as is your fictional character, Amanda Pepper. Are you an example of the old adage: write what you know? How does she differ from your teaching persona? How can writers develop a character from their chosen profession without it being too close for comfort?

A: I have honestly never found a murdered woman in my living room, or in the schools where I taught, and I have never solved a crime—except on paper. So I’m not writing “what I know” except for my protagonist’s profession, and that began almost by accident. My first draft of what became Caught Dead in Philadelphia had a housewife-protagonist, but she kept winding up at the school: PTA meetings, teacher-conferences, etc., etc. Only then did it dawn on me that my story was determined to be in school, and I turned Amanda into a teacher. After a while, I happily realized that a school was a wonderful setting because it’s a microcosm of the world, with all the passions, politics—and population—to provide Amanda with lots of mysteries to solve.
One of my pet peeves in fiction is a character who supposedly has a job but never needs to work at it. What we do all day seems central to our lives, and so I think it’s terrific to use an occupation you know—or do some serious research. The writer needs to know the obligations, frustrations, joys and restrictions that job would put upon her character. Toss all of that into the mix, and you’ve got a richer, more interesting book.

Q: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle faced tough criticism when he attempted to kill off Sherlock Holmes. You have recently ended the Amanda Pepper mysteries. What is that like for you and for your fans?

A: First, it’s quite exciting to be in the same question with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle! Amanda’s move to New Orleans with C. K. hasn’t caused quite the same stir as did Holmes’ going over Reisenbach Falls. But then, she’s quite alive and involved in new adventures. However, I have gotten hundreds of the most wonderful letters from readers saying they’ll miss her. None of the “tough criticism” Doyle faced. My readers are obviously nicer than his. Parting, after twenty years and fourteen books, was and still is bittersweet. I do miss her, but we’ve both moved on to new adventures before, I hope, the old ones became stale.

Q: Why did you decide to write the nonfiction, “You Can Write a Mystery”? Have you had any feedback from readers who have tried out your theories?

A: I was actually asked to write the book by Writer’s Digest Publications. I’ve been teaching writing for a few decades and had copious notes and a sense of how I like approaching the topic, so I was happy to do it. I’ve been delighted to receive many letters over the years from writers saying the book helped them.

Q: Some say that certain genres such as romance and mystery amount to “formula writing” with only the names, places and times changed. What is your response?

A: I once had a workshop instructor who pointed out that the only difference between Anna Karenina and a soap opera script is the writing. They’re both about an illicit love affair and its repercussions, so was Tolstoy writing formula?
There are good, mediocre and downright bad novel writers. There are also lazy writers who hit upon a winning pattern and repeat it book after book. But in actuality, a mystery has few requirements—it needs a crime, a resolution, and in between, an author playing fair with the reader. I don’t think that can be called a formula. I certainly tried to never repeat myself even though I had the same protagonist in those fourteen books. I consciously worked at making the situation, the ideas or issues, the structure and as many characters as possible fresh and new. Otherwise, if I were working from the same pattern year after year, I would have bored myself silly long before I bored my readers.

Q: Various authors offer mixed messages to would-be authors regarding the importance of a consistent point of view. What are your thoughts?

A: If we’re talking about point of view, and third person narrative, I’m all for staying in one point of view in any given scene or chapter, and for letting the reader know when you switch into another point of view. I have no problems with multiple points of view and in fact, I’ve written six books so far using them (four non-mysteries, two mysteries) and I’m working on a seventh. It’s fun—but I don’t like it when the point of view changes within a scene because it pulls me out of the story. I want to stay with a character—be that character and live in his head—for a scene, even if next chapter I’m going to live inside somebody else’s head.
And having said that, I have to also say I’ve read some dazzling books (Russell Banks comes to mind right away) where the author uses an omniscient voice and goes into any mind or place he likes, and makes it work brilliantly. Any “rule” is breakable if you can make it work.

Carlotta Holton is the author of Salem Pact, Touching The Dead and Vampire Resurrection, and is a member of the National Federation of Press Women and an affiliate member of the Horror Writers Association.

By Amanda Linsmeier

Eating Heaven, a novel by Jennie Shortridge, is a lovely and bittersweet novel about family and truth. Eleanor Samuels is a food writer with plenty on her plate- both literally and figuratively. Besides her (un) healthy appetite for food, she is also dealing with the sudden and frightening decline of her favorite uncle’s health. Uncle Benny is not really her uncle but he’s been a part of her life since she was a child, and she’s going to discover, perhaps much earlier. Caring for Benny becomes a full-time job and Ellie is the only one willing and able to do so. While she spends her time cooking and nurturing Benny, Ellie is forced to take a hard look at herself and her family. She soon discovers that things aren’t as confusing as she thought but in many ways, they are much worse.

Eating Heaven was real. I enjoyed every last bite of it! From the first page to the last, Ellie took me on a journey of family secrets, romance, self love (and sometimes hate) as well as a heavy dose of delicious foods- from diet foods all the way to full fat pineapple upside down cake and lard-laden fried pork chops. I thought the journey Ellie had with herself was inspiring and something I could really connect to. I think readers who have dealt with the serious illness of a close family member, particularly an older member, will relate to this novel. I also believe any woman who has ever put anyone before herself will enjoy it as well. And if you have a good appetite, that probably wouldn’t hurt!

Vampire Resurrection by SterlingHouse Publisher author Carlotta G. Holton was named the best book of the year by the New Jersey Press Women’s Association. It will now be entered in the national competition with the National Federation of Press Women. Congratulations, Carlotta! Click here to read more about the book.

Check out this week's Literary Spotlight by Carlotta G. Holton

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At a recent author event, I was asked what possessed me to include “ghosts” in my “mystery” novel. The gentleman who asked the question wrote murder mysteries, but veered away from ever using paranormal elements in his novels. He seemed truly dumbfounded as to why I would take a perfectly mainstream genre and muck it up with supernatural elements. What was perplexing to him was perfectly clear to me—using “ghosts” or any other kind of paranormal characters, offers authors incredible freedom in expanding the story in ways that would be impossible by only using “flesh and blood” human characters. Of course they can create a chilling tension, but more importantly, these otherworldly creatures lend depth and breadth to a story.

It really doesn’t matter whether or not you believe in the existence of ghosts, vampires or witches for the paranormal to be used as an effective device in writing. As a fiction writer, there isn’t a pre-requisite that states you need to be a medium, a certified “paranormal investigator,” or a Wiccan priestess to create a haunting landscape rich with creatures existing “outside” of everyday reality. Characters that defy the human limits of time, space, and the five senses can weave their way through a plot, dropping strategic clues for the protagonist to decipher. Ghosts from the past can appear with messages, warnings, and advice. Where physical boundaries, such as walls or great distances, obstruct humans, supernatural characters have a distinct advantage.

In my novel, Midnight Revelations, the ghosts that haunt its pages draw the main character, Sara, gradually toward a dark secret. She has to take a “leap of faith,” along with the reader, to piece together the “mystery” laid out by the ghosts from the past. Could the story have been told without the use of ghosts? Of course, but in this case, the plot was enriched by having the “back story” told by those who were “there.” The physical intrusion of the “ghosts” into Sara’s life propelled her toward the truth about her own identity.

Being able to suspend reality is the hurdle that all fiction takes, so enlisting the “supernatural” in the service of storytelling fits right in with that objective. If you look at the exponential growth of television programs, books and online websites devoted to paranormal events and “ghost hunting,” it would be a shame to pass up the opportunity to attract this audience in order to strictly stick to one of those “mainstream genres.”

Karen M Bence graduated with a bachelor of arts in Psychology from Dickinson College and a master's degree in Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania. A former social worker, psychotherapist and educator, Ms. Bence is also an avid equestrian and dog breeder.

Thomas Pierce is the author of the non-fiction book, The Last Rose. He has been a computer programmer, consultant and speaker.

Q: Other than being cathartic, what was it like sharing such a personal story of the loss of your wife and daughter with the public? What kind of response has it received from readers?

A: The Last Rose is a book that I never intended to write. I just started telling friends and relatives about the strange, yet wonderful, things that were happening in my life and they all kept telling me to write the stories down so I would not forget them. I wrote them for myself and my granddaughters, and it was very therapeutic. When I started telling people my stories I almost felt like they would think that I was ready for a straight jacket, however, every time someone heard them they always told me to put them in a book. I printed copies and put them in loose leaf binders for friends and family. They in turn started letting other people read it and I began receiving beautiful e-mails from people I did not know telling me how much the book helped them with something in their lives. It became very obvious to me that I had to get the book published so it could help more people.

I expected that the target audience for my book would be older women, but I have received beautiful emails from 19- year- old service men to 65- year- old men and everyone n between. They all found at least one thing in my book that relates to them and each one has been totally different.

The book is not really about the accident, but many have told me that after reading it they felt like they were right there with us in that water and on the rescue boat.

Q: A reporter said that the book is “a story of survival and true love and how it prevails.” Can you elaborate on this hopeful theme?

The book covers the year of my life after I lost both my wife and daughter in a Baltimore water taxi accident, but it really starts before the accident. It talks about how both JoAnn and Lisa realized something was going to happen and did things to prepare me and them for it. It then talks about all the rainbows and the extraordinary number of times the number 13 has appeared to me and my family. It is totally beyond logic and defies explanation. The fifth anniversary of the accident is almost here and these things continue to appear to us on very specific dates and times. JoAnn and I were married for 37 ½ years and we were never unhappy. I truly believe that love never dies and that they continue to watch over us. I can no longer doubt that there is an afterlife and that life and love lives on past our time on this earth. Chapter ten is about my session with a medium that served to deepen my faith in eternal life. I have always approached everything in my life with a positive attitude and it became obvious that my wife and daughter were helping me go on with my life in that positive way and to help others approach problems in their lives in the same way.

Q: Why did you decide to go the route of self-publishing? What have been the advantages/disadvantages?

As more and more people requested the loose leaf copies of the book I decided to have 500 printed by a local printer. I had to do this three times to keep up with the local demand and decided it was time to find a publisher and make the book available nationwide. I thought that because the accident received world wide publicity that I would have a better shot at attracting an agent and a publisher. This did not happen, so I finally self-published the book. This made it available worldwide. My publishing package included media training and a media campaign that got me started doing radio interviews. It also allowed me to go to Book Expo America and have a book signing there. I found that getting worldwide publicity is much harder than getting local publicity. It requires a constant effort to let people know about the book.

Q: You are not by training nor vocation a professional writer. How did you go about telling your tale?

Writing the book was the easy part. I felt like the book was being dictated to me from above. I found four people to edit the original work. They did a fantastic job. The local newspaper and independent book store and radio stations were a big help in getting the ball rolling.

Q: Without the benefit of a publicist or large publishing house marketing department, how have you marketed your book?

The first thing I did after getting my book published was create a website. Mine is www.thelastrose.com. If you are advertising, doing media interviews, or just talking to people you need to direct everyone to your site to learn more and to purchase the book. You need to constantly find new ways to attract attention to your book. It is never easy but it can be a lot of fun.

Carlotta Holton is the author of Salem Pact, Touching The Dead and Vampire Resurrection, and is a member of the National Federation of Press Women and an affiliate member of the Horror Writers Association.