The Stories Behind the Stories

I recently had two short stories come out in the same week, both around Halloween, and both are horror.

"Shadow Man" came out first, in a collection called Soon. Abby Goldsmith put this together and did an illustration for each of the four stories included. Her illustrations are always amazing, so I'm pretty excited to have one to go with this story. I wrote "Shadow Man" because, quite frankly, I'm still afraid of things that go bump in the night, and that dark space beneath the bed, and creatures that could be hiding in the closet.

"Shadow Man" was the first short story I completed after I finished the Odyssey Writing Workshop in 2007. I wrote it slowly, trying to incorporate everything I learned at the workshop. I sweated over this story. A lot. While writing it, I also learned about a cool therapeutic intervention in psychology called 'sand play.'

"Gris-Gris for a Mal Pris" was the second story that came out. Featured in Stupefying Stories: TWO, it's my second published story with them. This one was written for a Halloween contest for one of the writing groups I belong to. I was given a prompt that included a multitude of creepy toys. I kept focusing on those dolls that go in the corner and look like little kids who are being punished. I found it strange that, of all the possible poses a person could enjoy in a doll, some people preferred that of discipline.

At the time that I wrote the story, my son was under a year old. Being a new parent, I was scared of a lot of things, but mostly that I'd fail my child in some huge fashion. So I started thinking of all the things that could lead a parent to fail in a big way. I ended up with a story about one small family fighting their demons, both physical and metaphorical.

If you enjoy horror, try out either collection, or both! Just make sure you leave a light on while you read.

Thumbnail Thursday with Abby Goldsmith

Today I'd like to welcome Abby Goldsmith to the blog. Read on to find out why you might want to take her up an offer to go to lunch, particularly if you're in Maine.

What are you working on right now?

The fifth novel in my epic science fantasy series (visit http://abbygoldsmith.com/torth/ for information). Is it foolish to write an entire linear series before getting the first book published? Many people tell me so.

What's your pre-writing ritual?

Turn on the fireplace. Make sure the dog is fed. Sit down in recliner with netbook, and write.

Tell me about your favorite story that you've published. What inspired it, and what does it mean to you?

My favorite is the first story I ever got published, in 2002. Unfortunately, the magazine went defunct and I've been unable to get the story reprinted. I might sell it in an ebook anthology or put it on my website for free. Anyway, the story is a modified excerpt from a half-completed novel that takes place in a far-future spinoff of my epic series. I may never complete that old trunk novel, but the story stands on its own, and I think it showcases my skill with characters.  I've seen it copied on a couple of random blogs, which is a form of flattery, although it never got officially reviewed.

You can have lunch with any writer, living or dead. Who would it be, and why?

Let's see. I've already had lunch with Robert Jordan and George R.R. Martin, two of my biggest influences. I'd love to do that again with either of them. Stephen King is my earliest major influence, and I haven't had lunch with him yet. That would be grand.

What's one of the best novels and/or short stories you've read recently?

I've enjoyed some nonfiction books recently, including Stealing God's Thunder (about Benjamin Franklin), Over the Edge of the World (about Magellan), and Catherine the Great.  I also just read the final book in Robert Jordan's epic Wheel of time series, which was satisfying.

Writing is a sedentary endeavor. What do you do to stay healthy and active?

My dog helps me by requiring a 30 – 60 minute walk every day. I live in a neighborhood with steep hills.

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Visit http://abbygoldsmith.com/online.html for links to Abby's published fiction and articles. She's a freelance animator, and her extensive website includes her art gallery and an FAQ.

The Next Big Thing Blog Hop

The witty, talented, and charming Barbara A. Barnett tagged me in her blog for The Next Big Thing Blog hop. Barbara was in my Odyssey class in 2007 and is a fellow wine connoisseur. Her writing ranges from humorous to dark, and everything in between, and her work has appeared in publications such as Fantasy Magazine, Daily Science Fiction, Black Static, Shimmer, and Wilde Stories 2011: The Year's Best Gay Speculative Fiction. Should you come across her work (and I do encourage you to seek it out), you'll be glad you took the time to read it.

What is the Next Big Thing Blog Hop, you ask? An author answers some questions, then tags other authors, who then tag other authors, and so on, giving readers a chance to find some great new writers they may otherwise have never discovered. So read on to find out what I'm working on right now, and then consider the work of some other writers who might turn out to be the Next Big Thing.

What is the working title of your book?


I'm pretty awful at coming up with titles, but I like the working title of my current novel-in-progress, Death is the New Normal. It's a young adult/new adult urban fantasy novel set in Albuquerque about a recent high school graduate named Rose who comes from a long line of necromancers.

Where did the idea come from for the book?


I took an online writing class about a year ago taught by Bruce Holland Rogers. One of our assignments was to come up with a scene-by-scene outline for a novel. I did that for a young adult-space opera sort of novel and then realized that I didn't want to write it, at least not at that time. I wanted to write something more along the lines of urban fantasy, and maybe with a character just out of high school (because really, I don't want to revisit that part of my life, even in my imagination), and maybe something a little dark. Don't ask me how my brain got from the first idea to the second.

What genre do you write? What genre does the book fall under?


I write primarily fantasy, and I occasionally dabble in science fiction and horror. If I'm honest with myself, the reason I set aside the young adult-space opera novel is that I don't feel as confident in writing science fiction as I do fantasy. I'm slowly overcoming that, and I look forward to writing that sf novel someday.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?


I have a toddler, I've hardly been to the movies lately! Seriously, I have no idea who I'd pick. I don't know current actors that well. But if I could go back in time and choose Anne Hathaway as she was in The Princess Diaries, I'd have her play the lead.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?


An eighteen year-old discovers she can raise the dead and unintentionally draws the attention of three self-proclaimed angels who believe it's their duty to kill her.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?


I'll pursue publishing through more traditional means.

How long has the editing taken you?


I wrote two drafts last year, and right now I'm waiting for responses from beta readers. So all together, it will probably be a year of edits before it's ready to send out into the world.

What other books would you compare your book to within the genre?


Hmm, I'm not sure. I'll get back to you on that one.

Who or what inspired you to write this book?


I wanted to explore what it means to be good or evil.


What else about your book might pique your reader’s interest?

Rose works in her brother, Ed's, restaurant, which is a fusion of Cajun and New Mexican cuisine. As far as I know, a restaurant like that does not exist in the real world. I wish it did.

***

And now for the tagging, in no particular order:

If you enjoy haunting stories and lyrical writing, you'll love Luisa Prieto's work. I met Luisa at The Never Ending Odyssey, where I discovered her work. It's dark, it pulls no punches, and I love it. She's the author of the After Series, Cooking With Ergot, Written in Blood, and Shadow Hunt.

Susan Abel Sullivan is the author of The Haunted Housewives of Allister, Alabama and Cursed: Wickedly Fun Stories from World Weaver Press, as well as the short story collection--Fried Zombie Dee-light: Ghoulish, Ghostly Tales. Her short fiction and poetry have appeared in numerous online and print publications, including Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine, ASIM Best of Horror: Vol II, Beyond Centauri, New Myths, AlienSkin, and Writers' Journal. She is a graduate of the Odyssey Writing Workshop for Speculative Fiction. When not writing she likes to get her groove on by teaching Zumba Fitness classes. Visit her website at: http://susanabelsullivan.weebly.com/.

Abby Goldsmith  is a fellow Odyssey graduate and has been working on an epic science fiction series. And she is a fabulous artist. And she started a web show. And she's had several short story publications. I think she sleeps. Sometimes. I can't wait to see her Torth series on book shelves some day. Until then, go to her blog, or her website, to find out more. She'll also be making an appearance on this blog on February 14th.