CONFESSIONS OF A SHORT-STORY VIRGIN

 

Short stories have always been elusive to me. Despite the countless number that I wrote in my late teens and early twenties, I never finished writing even one of them. Although there wasn’t a name for it back then, I was basically writing flash fiction, though purely for my own enjoyment. Apparently, though, nothing I wrote interested me enough to finish it.

At age nineteen, I had 150 pages of a novel added to my repertoire of incomplete stories. Stories, novels—it didn’t matter: I was an equal opportunity non-finisher.

As I later learned through introspection, it was a combined fear of success and failure that kept me from finishing my work, coupled with the age-old issue of having no idea where I was going with my many WIPs. Eventually, I resolved the reasons for my unproductiveness, and with those fears no longer holding me back, I began to write. In the early days, I wrote four screenplays (still collecting dust somewhere) and two plays. Years later, my deep desire to be a novelist was liberated. I began writing books—and finishing those, too.

I first wrote three standalone novels in different genres (Crooked Moon; Squalor, New Mexico, & Molly Hacker Is Too Picky!), and then began a YA paranormal trilogy, The Desert Series. Mind you, I was still a short-story virgin. I never even thought about popping the short story cherry.

Short stories were alien beings to me. They really were.

I didn't have time-revise

The above quote, which is attributed to Mark Twain, has been attributed to others as well. I’m not sure who said it or even if Twain did. But what I do know is that it packs a whole lot of truth.

It’s usually much easier to ramble on than it is to take an idea and express it in few words. Plus, there are still so many novels in my head waiting to be written, and I couldn’t grasp the concept of having an idea that could be … dare I say it … a short story! (Rather ironic coming from someone has tweeted every day since 2009.)

So how did I lose my short-story virginity?

It was after I finished edits for the first book in my YA paranormal trilogy, Mystical High, and was writing book 2, Desert Star, that I found myself longing to write without any language restraints. It was time to release the pent-up literary fiction writer in me. I quietly did the deed, then gave birth to my first short story, and then to another. (I’m slowly putting together a collection for some time down the road.)

When fellow author Maria Savva asked me to write two short stories for the Triptychs, the third book in The Mind’s Eye series, I was eager to join my fellow authors in being a contributor for this fascinating anthology.

TriptychsDualCover

In the first two books of the series, Reflections and Perspectives, each author wrote a short story inspired by a unique photograph. In Triptychs, the same photo was given to three different writers who were asked to write a short story or poem inspired by the image. Authors were neither able to choose the photos nor given any information to jumpstart their imagination.

The title Triptychs-revise

But when I was given these two photographs, although pretty, they’re not ones that I would have chosen to inspire me to write a story. I really had to think outside of “the box.” I had to find a flicker of something in these photos that resonated with me so that I could build a story I felt passionate about telling.

This exercise fascinated me because for years, I had considered writing stories centered around famous paintings, especially some by Edward Hopper. For example, this is Edward Hopper’s, A Room in New York, one of the many paintings I thought would be a great starting point for a story or a novel.

Screen Shot 2015-02-10 at 9.28.20 PM

I have been imagining stories in my head for a lifetime, but I have always done so when looking at photos, paintings, people, cities, or just about anything that inspires me. Never before had I written stories based on what someone else felt passionate about. The challenge of writing these stories for Triptychs really stretched my imagination in new and extraordinary directions.

It’s interesting, too, that while viewing one of the photographs, it took me about a minute to conceive the story “I Wish…”

Sunset(Credit: Helle Gade)

When viewing the second photograph, however, my story, “May Twenty-Fourth,” took weeks. Creativity is endlessly fascinating, don’t you think?

SONY DSC(Credit: Martin David Porter)

Triptychs is now available at a pre-order price of .99 until the book is published on March 16, 2015.

Amazon U.S.

Amazon U.K.

The other contributors to the book include:

Eden Baylee

Ben Ditmars

Jay Finn

Helle Gade

Darcia Helle

Jason McIntyre

Marc Nash

Martin David Porter

Julie Elizabeth Powell

J. Michael Radcliffe

Maria Savva

Geoffrey West

 

 

CROSSING GENRES by Eden Baylee

 

Lisette has generously offered me space to guest blog about my latest book, Stranger at Sunset, so before anything else, I want to thank her for hosting me.

I’m very happy to be here because I’ve known Lisette for some time and have recently started to delve into her work. I have enormous respect for her as an author as she writes in multiple genres—from YA to literary fiction to romantic comedy.

I’ve always maintained that any writer with a talent for words can create a story. A genre is merely made up of ideas dropped into a funnel. If enough elements fall out of it under a specific category, that’s how the book will ultimately be labeled. There are no hard rules, and many novels stagger multiple genres.

As an author, I don’t have any great attachment to whether my book is labeled a mystery or thriller or suspense. Labels give readers an idea of what to expect and they help marketers promote books. I started as a writer of erotica, and then took a hard turn to pen Stranger at Sunset, a psychological mystery/thriller. It helped that I had written flash fiction and short stories in multiple genres previously. It’s been a challenge but not impossible to gain acceptance into a new genre.

As a reader, you might be asking: What is a psychological mystery/thriller? And what can you expect from Stranger at Sunset?

STRANGER_SUNSET

In brief, it is not a traditional mystery because although there is a crime, you will not know who the victim or perpetrator is from the start. It’s not a “whodunit?” There is no detective.

The story stimulates mood with a focus on moral conflict. I use unreliable narrators to drive the psychological tension in unpredictable ways. What I’m exploring are the characters’ motives and how they view the world, which is different from how you and I may see it. Multiple characters are revealed via changes in point of view and scenes that involve each separately.

The “psychological mystery” part reveals a battle of wits between the characters, and more importantly, a struggle within individual minds. The themes of identity and raison d’être are important.

The “thriller” part defines how the reader rides along with the protagonist, Dr. Kate Hampton, experiencing things as they happen to her. You will be just as surprised as she is when the “monster” jumps out of the closet.

Suspense is essential, and it builds between characters in a place where you would not normally have conflict—a tropical resort in sunny Jamaica. It’s the antithesis of where you would expect to find human foibles such as intolerance, inhibitions, and insecurities.

And of course, there is always the element of a twist ending, just because I love twist endings. 😀

I hope this synopsis gives you an idea of what Stranger at Sunset offers. I would love to answer any questions or discuss thoughts about genre barriers or writing a psychological mystery/thriller, so please don’t hesitate to comment.

 

* * *

 

Thank you, Lisette, for giving me this opportunity to share with your readers. I really appreciate all you do to connect authors to an audience.

My pleasure, Eden. As you know, I’ve read Stranger At Sunset and just loved it. You write beautifully and your characters were wonderfully complex and intriguing. I’m very much looking forward to the next in the series.

For readers who may have missed your interview at my writers’ chateau in December, 2012, it can be read

EdenBaylee

 CONNECT WITH EDEN

Website

Blog

Amazon Author page US

Amazon Author page UK

Twitter @edenbaylee

Facebook

Goodreads

YouTube

Pinterest

Linkedin

To stay apprised of Eden’s book-related news, please add your name to her mailing list.

28 FANTASTIC AUTHORS YOU SHOULD MEET

 

 

Hello, Friends:

Thanks for visiting my writers’ chateau. Every Monday, I chat with a new author and have been very lucky to have so many talented wordsmiths visit my humble abode.

My staff, especially Henrietta (“Cook”) and Claude (my esteemed butler), work very hard to ensure that all guests get star treatment and that everything runs smoothly.

But…I have just learned that Henrietta and Claude have eloped (it was bound to happen!) and will be returning from a three-week honeymoon on July 7th. (Oh, dear…I should have paid more attention to the rumors going around.)

In the meantime, while Henrietta and Claude luxuriate in Luxembourg, dance their last tango in Paris, and waltz in Vienna, please check out my wonderful past guests whose interviews you may have missed the first time around.

And join me in wishing Henrietta and Claude a very happy marriage.

Eloped

FROM THE ARCHIVES

29 FANTASTIC AUTHORS YOU SHOULD MEET!

Peter Carroll

Pat Bertram

Ann Swann

Cassius Shuman

Lorna Suzuki

Mike Roche

Brenda Sorrels

Dionne Lister

W.M. Driscoll

Raine Thomas

Stacy Juba

Deb Nam-Krane

Simon Hay

Amy Sue Nathan

Uvi Poznansky

RJ McDonnell

Delia Colvin

Check back on July 7, 2013 when the Monday author interviews will resume.

CHAT WITH EDEN BAYLEE

Eden Baylee writes literary erotica and infuses erotic elements into many of her stories. Incorporating some of her favorite things such as travel, culture, and a deep curiosity for what turns people on, her brand of writing is both sensual and sexual.

Her latest release is a book of erotic flash fiction and poetry called HOT FLASH.

SPRING INTO SUMMER is her second collection of erotic novellas and the companion piece to her first book, FALL INTO WINTER.

Time to chat with Eden!


What is your latest book?

My latest book is Hot Flash. It’s a book of erotic short stories and poems, with two non-erotic pieces as well.


What else have you written?

I have two other books of literary erotica called Fall into Winter and Spring into Summer. Each is an anthology comprised of four novellas. Though the two books are companion pieces, the stories are distinct and cover varying levels of eroticism.

Please, tell us about your experiences with social media. What are your favorite and least-favorite parts of it?

As an indie author who writes full time, social media is a necessity in promoting myself. I’m on numerous networks because it’s important to be as connected as possible.

Having said that, striking a balance between my work and social life is essential. There are only so many hours in a day, and it’s easy to be swayed toward “chatting” on Facebook or Twitter as opposed to writing.

My favorite part of social media is meeting incredible writers, and I’ve had the pleasure of meeting some in person.

My least favorite part is dealing with social media ‘newbies.’ These are people who only use the medium to sell their products and treat others as if they are their own PR firm. Rudeness and the hard sell do not work in real life, and they don’t work in the virtual life either.

Having our work out there to be judged by strangers is often daunting for writers. Do you have any tips on handling a negative review?

I have no fear of reviews because readers are as diverse as writers. Tastes differ.

As an author, it’s important to grow a thick skin. Don’t let negative reviews affect you emotionally. If you think there is merit to what the reviewer says, i.e.: holes in the plot, bad grammar, etc., do something about it to improve on the next book. If you don’t think there’s merit to the bad review, move on. There’s no point dwelling on it.

Writers are not perfect, and there’s always room to improve. Bad reviews should never stop you from writing. Don’t take it personally.

We all know the old saying; you can’t judge a book by its cover. This is true. However, how much importance do you place on your book cover design?

I place a lot of importance on the design because there’s another old saying, “You only get one chance to make a good first impression.” I’m a visual person, and my initial response to a book is usually from the cover.

If the cover is poorly done, then I infer the content inside might be poorly written. This isn’t necessarily true, of course, but it’s important to have a professional appearance. It entices readers to look inside. In a less competitive market, this would not be an issue, but we all know our books are competing with millions of other books out there.

A great cover design is one way to help your book rise above the crowd.

How would you define your style of writing?

I don’t like formulaic writing. Mine is filled with original storylines, strong narratives and written in an easy style. Though my books fall in the erotica/romance genre right now, I write in many genres, including thriller, suspense, and poetry.

I don’t like to be bound by style or genre.

A lot of authors are frustrated by readers who don’t understand how important reviews are. What would you say to a reader who doesn’t think his or her review matters?

I’d explain patiently that it does matter, but I would never get frustrated with a reader for not writing a review. They may not feel comfortable with writing reviews for various reasons.

Ultimately, readers (who are not authors) read for pleasure. They support authors by buying their books and spreading the word if they liked what they read. It’s not their job to “promote” the author, and writing reviews is certainly not part of a reader’s mandate.

As authors, it’s good to encourage reviews but never to coerce them from readers.

Where do you live now? If you had to move to another city/state/country, where might that be?

I live in Toronto, Canada now. I’d love to live in New York City if I could afford to.

London, England is also a favorite.

What are the most important traits you look for in a friend?

Loyalty and an adventurous spirit. Though my friends may not do everything I want to do, they are always open-minded to me doing it—especially if I make a fool of myself, and they can say “I told you so!”

What makes you angry?

People who are rude, mean, insincere, intolerant, uncaring.

What music soothes your soul?

I love old blues and jazz – Nina Simone, Van Morrison, John Lee Hooker. I’m also a fan of virtuoso guitar and listen to Jeff Beck and Pink Floyd a lot.

Many thanks for inviting me to your chateau, Lisette. It was a pleasure to be here,

eden

CONNECT WITH EDEN

about me

website

blog

Twitter – @edenbaylee

Goodreads

Facebook

YouTube

Pinterest