42 Stories Anthology Presents: Linda Marie Hilton Interview

Linda Marie Hilton, Honorable Mention Award Winner in the Mythopoeia Chapter for

WHAT WAS WOVEN WILL BE EVER WORN UNIVERSALLY

under the pen name Annelise Preble

 

Biography

A native New Englander, Linda Marie Hilton moved to NYC in her early twenties, dreaming of becoming an orchestral musician. Starving, she worked as an accounting clerk, studied accounting, eventually working in public accounting. Displaced by computerization and starving, she became a poet.

 

BAM: Linda also has a story under her real name in the anthology’s Poetic Prose Chapter called SHE TAUGHT NAÏVE NOAH THE ERRORS OF HIS WAYS. Linda, you sent a photo of a rose with your interview responses. Why don’t you tell me about it?

Linda: The photo is of the last rose of the season, taken the third week in October. I planted this rose bush, a peace rose, in 2015. A few days after this photo was taken, I lost my apartment. I am greatly saddened at the loss of the garden I worked so hard on. It was very healing for me to nurture a garden.

 

BAM: It’s never easy to leave somewhere when you call it home. I’ve lived in the same house in Itami, Japan for four years. It’s actually the longest I’ve ever had a home. In a few years, my fiancée and I will move to America. So, I understand your feelings. Where are you located now?

Linda: Idaho.

BAM: Oh. Heard it's peaceful there. Okay, let’s start with some icebreaker questions so that readers can get to know you. What’s your favorite color?

Linda: My favorite color is blue.

 

BAM: Blue? They say imaginative and creative people like blue. However, I’ve had some teachers who’ve said a color is a color and nothing else. Sometimes, you can tell more about someone by what sweets they enjoy. Tell me about those.

Linda: My favorite sweet is anything chocolate.

 

BAM: Yummy. Are there any places you favor?

Linda: My favorite places are hiking in a hill forest and in Acadia National Park: Sand Cove.

BAM: Oh? I’ve hiked throughout Japan. If you ever get a chance to come here, as a hiker, you should definitely check out any famous trails you happen to be nearby. There are tons of them. Okay, let’s talk about music. What’s inspired your writing? Any favorites come to mind?

Linda: My favorite popular group is The Moody Blues. Favorite classical composer is a tie: Haydn and Mozart.

 

BAM: Mozart had a sad background, as did other artists in his situation. He’s a classic case of helicopter parenting. On tortured souls, are there any artists you like?

Linda: My favorite artist is Vincent van Gogh.

 

BAM: The ear guy. You know, van Gogh was apparently addicted to drinking absinthe. In his defense, it was a popular drink at that time. What’s your addiction, coffee or tea, in between?

Linda: I do not function without caffeine. I drink both coffee and various kinds of tea.

 

BAM: There’s nothing like Japanese Matcha. Highly recommend. All right. Let’s talk about writing. Why do you do it?

Linda: I write because I am inspired to express something in words.

 

BAM: Makes sense. Do you play any music to inspire your writing further?

Linda: When writing I may listen to music, but often I am totally quiet, or sitting under a tree somewhere listening to birds sing.

 

BAM: Interesting you should say birds "sing." Some cultures hear sounds from animals and insects as songs, and English is one of them. It’s why westerners get annoyed by sounds they dislike, such as cicada cries. Other cultures in the east hear creatures' sounds as languages, and many of them respect that animals and insects are communicating with each other. For example, a bird might make a certain hum sound to call a mate or find its parent, and humans hear it as a song. Food for thought. Let’s get more in depth about your writing. Is there a theme that perhaps appears in your work where you elaborate on something you want people in the world to stop doing?

Linda: Since I was in junior high school, I have passionately wanted peace, true lasting peace on earth. Because, as the last page in my second book of poetry, "Swans of the Boundary Waters" says: "Earth is our Sol Home". Sol being the name of our sun.

 

BAM: I immediately thought sol was Spanish for the sun when you mentioned it. Fascinating sounding book. I’d love to read it. As an experienced author, do you care to help other writers with strategies on how you handle story rejection?

Linda: It takes a tough person to deal with having one's creative output rejected. I sigh. If I feel angry, I go for a long walk. I find a cheap novel and read it. I go about my life and the feelings pass, and then I write some more.

 

BAM: It's great to take a break and jump back in. Plus, reading is a wonderful resource to deal with almost any issue in life. Solid advice. Tell me, what types of reading inspires your writing? What else inspires your creativity?

Linda: I read all kinds of stuff: magazines, poems a day, poetry blogs, books I find used for a pittance. I walk. I bicycle. I hike in beautiful places. I garden. I listen to music (mostly classical but, also, some jazz and blues, folk music and bluegrass). I love to watch dance performances whether it be Nutcracker or modern dance that is being choreographed as they dance. I seek art that mimics or expands on the natural beauty of our planet. I focus on what is and what may ensue.

 

BAM: Thank you for your time. Readers can find Linda’s work on Amazon and other outlets. And of course, she’s also in 42 Stories Anthology Presents Book of 42², where you can read her award-winning story.

Amazon link

42 Stories Anthology Presents: KJ Cartmell Interview

KJ Cartmell won the Honorable Mention in the Outer Space Category for his story, 

“TWO ASTRONAUTS STARGAZE AND PONDER EXISTENCE,” 

which he put under his “real name,” Kevin J. Wilson.

 

KJ writes under the pen name, KJ Cartmell. His second entry, “LARA’S PROPHECY ABOUT SADIE FALLING IN LOVE,” is in the Romance category, under that name. He lives in Livermore, California, in the United States.

 

BAM: Why don’t you tell everyone your 42-word bio?

KJ: I write about young people in early, formative relationships. I have a BA in English from Cal State East Bay. I am still married to my high school sweetheart. Our daughters are grown, but they still like to hear about my stories.

(Photo by Savanna Taing)

 

BAM: Where’s your writing space?

KJ: I write in my home office, using a computer sitting on a little glass topped desk, but I’ve written in cafés and on planes, trains and automobiles.

 

BAM: Let’s start with an icebreaker question. What are some bands and songs you like?

KJ: All the cool people at my high school got on the U2 bandwagon in 1983, after the release of the War album. All the popular people at my high school got on the U2 bandwagon in 1987, after the release of The Joshua Tree, their big hit record with many singles including “With or Without You” and “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For.” I (being neither cool nor popular) got on U2’s bandwagon in 1985 after the release of The Unforgettable Fire, which had the single “Pride (In the Name of Love)” on it. I always thought that was my record, one that I didn’t have to share with anyone else. Bono’s lyrics are elusive, mysterious and poetic. The music alternates between dreamy and driving. Listening to the title track is still a spiritual experience for me.

 

BAM: That’s relatable. I got on the U2 bandwagon because my mom went on a date with the guitar player, and it was one of her favorite stories when I was a kid. Not the date, just that she went on it. She never forgot the experience. When U2 played, there was always an extra gleam in her smile. She never mentioned which guitar player, unfortunately. It was probably Dave Evans, just guessing based on the time frame, but it wasn't Bono. She didn’t like his personality. How about another icebreaker question, one as big as Bono’s ego? Are there any mountains that have inspired your writing?

KJ: There is a mountain near my house, but it’s small as mountains go. I have hiked in the Sierra Nevadas, near Yosemite. Then, there is Denali (aka Mount McKinley), the tallest mountain in North America. It dominates the landscape, three times as wide and tall as the peaks around it. The last time I was in Anchorage, my guide pointed out the tip of Denali, three hundred miles away, rising up over the edge of the horizon. The photos I took during that trip do not convey its majesty.

BAM: The picture you shared of the mountain was extraordinary. Okay. If my Bono joke didn’t offend you, let’s get into your writing. Who’s your reader?

KJ: I made a conscious choice to stop writing about war and violence, and instead to write about love - the different forms love takes at different ages and in different contexts. Because of that, women and girls are more receptive to my work than are men and boys. I imagine my readers being like my daughters – smart, inquisitive, and appreciative of my honesty and straightforwardness.  

 

BAM: I’m sure that’s flattering to your daughters. Tell me, what got you into writing?

KJ: One of my earliest memories – I am sitting on my grandmother’s lap in her house in San Carlos, California. I must be about three years old. We are at the kitchen table together. Before me is a piece of paper and in my hand is a silver hole punch. I am punching holes in the paper, and while I do so, I am telling her a story. I was writing the story in an indecipherable code of hole punches. I did not decide to be a writer. Yes, I chose to learn, hone and practice the craft, but I was always a writer, a storyteller.

 

BAM: Okay. Sounds like a good grandma. It sounds like we’re getting into inspiration of your writing. Why don’t you tell me more about what inspires you as an author?

KJ: The athlete rises early and goes to the gym to work out. The chess master studies for hours to prepare for the next match. The musician practices for hours to get ready for the next concert. The photographer goes out in the dark and freezing cold so that they are in the perfect spot to capture the sunrise, and the deer coming to drink from the lake. Yes, there is satisfaction in the finished product – sinking the decisive shot, winning the match against a formidable opponent, or creating that perfect photograph. The satisfaction that comes from the daily grind I think is even more important.

 

BAM: Tell me more.

KJ: My best novel (IMHO) is called Every Time You Speak You Break My Heart. It sat in my head, gestating, becoming ever more elaborate, for ten years. I finally started writing it on July 4^th, 2016. It took me about two years to complete the draft. I had a few friends beta-read it and give feedback. I’ve revised it multiple times since then. The last revision was in 2021. Because I feel this one is “the best,” I’ve been reluctant to self-publish it. I want to find a partner who can bring this story to a larger audience. I peeled off three different scenes from the book to make short stories out of, and I’ve been peddling those stories on Submittable for the last six years. In that time, I’ve made twenty-one agent queries for Every Time You Speak, while continuing to churn out other novels and short stories.

 

BAM: Keep the momentum.

KJ: The daily grind in this case isn’t just going back to the keyboard each day to write the next scene. I revise and edit what I’ve written, plan new material, and search for publishing opportunities. Successes - publishing credits like this one or a recent one I had from The Bookends Review, or the sale of one of my books on Amazon - are few and far between. I take satisfaction in the quality of my output, especially when a long-contemplated scene comes out just as I had envisioned it.

 

BAM: Yeah? Were there any questions you think I should have asked?

KJ: Where do all of these story ideas come from? From God? The Muses? From some unique mix of personality and upbringing? Whatever is the cause or wellspring, I feel a sense of responsibility to continue. It is an honor to have these ideas in my head. The characters are as real to me as my family, friends and work colleagues. I owe it to them to get their stories out where they can be enjoyed by others.

 

BAM: On where they come from. Do you have an outline process?

KJ: Yes, I use outlines. I’m more a plotter than a pantser, but outlining is only one step in the creative gestation process.

 

BAM: What do you mean?

KJ: This is a common experience for writers: we’re chugging along on our project, excited, churning out pages, when suddenly a completely different idea downloads from our subconscious. We think, Wow, this idea is really great! But what about my WIP? When I’m faced with that situation, I give the new idea some thought. I run it in my head like a movie. Sometimes, it’s just a scene. Other times, it’s a whole novel. For a week, maybe, I play this movie in my head, adding to it, refining and focusing it. I take notes on the idea and then get back to the work in progress. I may go back to those notes to elaborate further, or to add snippets of dialogue, but the current project has priority, and I always return to it.

 

BAM: Yeah?

KJ: By the time I finish that current project, I might have two or three new ideas in notes, plus all the ones from previous years. I read through them and judge which one is the most interesting, compelling, or commercially viable. For the best ones, I write an outline.

 

BAM: Can you elaborate?

KJ: For outlining, I use spreadsheets. I love having perfectly straight lines and columns to work with. I have a column for the chapter number and a wider column for the notes of the scene. I’ll put #1 for the first chapter, but after that, I’ll leave the column blank until I’m actually writing. I put downall my ideas for how I think this story will go. I use the same process for short stories as I do for novels. Not every outline becomes a novel, but you can’t advance to the front of the idea queue until you have an outline.

 

BAM: Okay.

KJ: When I’m drafting the novel, I go down the outline and write each scene. I highlight in yellow the current scene I’m working on. When I finish it, I mark it green. It gives me great satisfaction to see all those green bars as the novel gets closer and closer to completion. Some chapters involve two or three lines of notes. Other times, one line of notes becomes a whole chapter, or even two chapters.

 

BAM: Makes sense. What else?

KJ: This outline is never set in stone. That’s the beauty of spreadsheets. I can insert new ideas, add chapters, move scenes around, and everything stays neat and tidy. With novels particularly, there are gaps to fill that I don’t know are there until I reach them. Oh no! what do I put here? I come up with the idea, insert a new row into the outline and slide the idea right into the gap.

 

BAM: Tell me about your current projects.

KJ: I’ve been writing a series for this fanfiction site, fanfictalk. The latest book in the series had a weak, underdeveloped outline. I ended up re-working the whole outline while I was writing the novel. Only a few of the original ideas made it into the book. The rest was new, but each new idea went into the outline before I wrote the scene. It was as close as I come to “pantsing” my way through a book.

 

Social Media:

@kjcartmell on X and Instagram. KJ Cartmell on Good Reads

KJ Cartmell's books on Amazon

My story Lost Friends in the Bookends Review

Wren of Hufflepuff on AO3

 

 

42 Stories Anthology Presents: Travis Garner Interview

 

Travis Garner was the 42 Stories Anthology Presents: Book of 42² Runner Up Award Winner in the Parent Chapter for TALES MY MOM, A WIDOW, WEAVED ABOUT MY DAD

          

 Video Vlog

He also has a story under F. N. Doore-Locke in the Trapped Chapter.

 

Biography

Travis Garner is a Canadian writer who has lived everywhere from Vietnam to Germany. When he isn't writing, he enjoys rock climbing and yoga. His stories have been published by Liars’ League NYC and Cheeze und Krackers e-zine. Read more at travisgarner.ca.

 

BAM: Where are you, Travis?

Travis: Berlin, Germany

 

(from freepik.com)

BAM: Really? I went there in 2017 during New Year’s Eve. My friend and I walked from Brandenburg Gate to Victoria something or other, watching fireworks everywhere. For me, it was amazing and fun. My friend, however, was freaking out and blaming it on PTSD. One of the best ways to celebrate New Years, in my opinion, is in Berlin. Anyway, where is your writing space?

Travis: Usually at the desk in my bedroom

 

BAM: Okay. Let’s get into your writing. Who do you write to when you picture your reader, or who is your target audience?
Travis: People close to me. My friends and family. I like imaging that the people I like enjoy something I created.

 

BAM: What a wonderful and kind response. The fact that you won an award in the parent chapter is quite appropriate, then. I hope the people you write to appreciate your work. What got you into writing?

Travis: Reading amazing stories and wanting to create that same experience for others.

 

BAM: Yeah, I remember reading Douglas Adams’ Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy for the first time and thinking something similar. On that note, what deceased or living writer do you want to meet?
Travis: I already met him briefly at a conference, but I would love to have a long conversation with Brandon Sanderson. No writer has taught me more about the craft of writing than he has, and I think his writing-insights are always spot on.

 

BAM: Conferences are great ways to meet authors. I’ve gotten some great advice and made long-lasting friendships through those. Okay, let’s switch gears to editing. Do you edit alone, have a friend read your work, or do you hire a professional editor?

Travis: I usually edit the first several drafts myself until it feels pretty polished. After that, it’s helpful to have a friend look it over and give insights that never would have occurred to me.

 

BAM: You mentioned several drafts. Tell me about your outline process.

Travis: The more I write, the more I learn about my outlining process. And for me, outlining is about as inefficient as possible. I start with a general shape of the story in my mind and write a basic road map, which is basically just specific story moments that I want to hit along the way.

 

BAM: Oh. What else?

Travis: I don’t do much in the way of character or world building. I usually have a very basic idea of the world and the most important characters, but I don’t really know who is going to be important yet. I don’t know what aspects of the world need to be developed. I don’t even the exact personalities the main characters need to have for the story to unfold the way that I want it to. At this point, the characters are more or less just stereotypes, like “strict father” or “cheerful teacher”.

 

BAM: Sometimes, the characters tell you about them as you write, and they grow from there. What do you do next?

Travis: I then write a first draft. This is a chance for me to see what direction the story wants to go. I ask a lot of questions while writing the general first draft, such as:

 

·       Who do the characters need to be to meet the desired story moments?

·       As the story progresses, do those story moments still make sense?

·       What scenes do I need to create to surround the story moments for them to have the desired emotional impact?

·       Do I need to add new characters? Or locations? Or remove characters I previously thought would be important?

 

Once I have the first draft (which takes me a long time to get through), I then have a much better idea of what the story actually is. I can then re-work the outline, knowing better who the characters need to be to tell the story that I want to tell.

BAM: And then?

Travis: The next draft usually goes a lot more smoothly.

 

BAM: Sounds structured with flexibility. There’s got to be points in all of that drafting where you get writer's block. How do you overcome it?
Travis: Just keep writing. That’s the most important thing.

BAM: Yeah?
Travis: If I let my writer’s block keep me from writing, then my routine is broken; I lose momentum. And that makes it very difficult to start again.

 

BAM: Okay.

Travis: Writer’s block can have a lot of causes, I think.

 

BAM: Agreed. What’s that mean to you?

Travis: Sometimes I’ve hit either a wall or a hole – a problem - in the story that I don’t know how to solve. The perfectionist in me doesn’t want to put anything down on paper until I have the perfect solution. But if I let solving the problem keep me from writing – even just for a day or two - then I lose all momentum. It becomes very difficult to start back up again. Better to keep pushing through and making progress, even if it means ignoring the problem for now. I can always come back and fix it later.

 

BAM: Good to stay positive. What else?

Travis: Other times, writer’s block manifests as me simply feeling uninspired or un-motivated to write. If I let that keep me from writing for too long, then I soon lose interest in the story. Sometimes you just have to show up. Even if I don’t particularly feel like writing, making a little bit of progress, even just a couple hundred words can often help to re-inspire me.

 

BAM: That’s great.

Travis: But if I let myself lose moment, then usually, that means the writer’s block wins.

 

Social Media:

·       https://www.instagram.com/travellingtravisty/

Published Work:

·       https://www.londonindependentstoryprize.co.uk/post/like-pocket-lint-by-travis-garner

·       https://www.liarsleaguenyc.com/an-unexpected-event-by-travis-garner

 

42 Stories Anthology Presents: LindaAnn LoSchiavo Interview

 

LindaAnn LoSchiavo, Special Guest Judge of the War chapter

 

Biography

Native New Yorker and Elgin Award winner LindaAnn LoSchiavo released three new books in 2024: “Apprenticed to the Night,” “Always Haunted: Hallowe’en Poems,” and “Felones de Se: Poems about Suicide.” Her memberships include British Fantasy Society, HWA, SFPA, and The Dramatists Guild.

 

BAM: Where are you located, LindaAnn?

LindaAnn: Greenwich Village, New York, NY

 

BAM: Specifically, where’s your writing space?

LindaAnn: home is where the Siamese cats are.

 

BAM: Let’s start with some icebreaker questions. Tell me about yourself.

LindaAnn: I’m a vegetarian who dotes on fruits, legumes, dark-skinned vegetables, and cashew nuts. Sugarless licorice from Australia and Grether’s pastilles are my favorite sweets.
Favorite poets are Molly Peacock, Richard Wilbur, Gjertrud Schnackenberg, and Sarah Hannah.
I don’t own a TV but when I go out to watch a film, it’s likely I’ll choose a documentary.

 

BAM: Okay, I’ll try a random question on you. What’s the best animal on earth?

LindaAnn: The best animal on earth is the Siamese cat because they have a higher intelligence than other feline breeds, love to be trained and please their owners.

 

BAM: Unique answer. Coffee or tea or something else? 

LindaAnn: COFFEE!

 

BAM: Me, too, but only in the morning unless I want to get lectured by my partner. She’s very health conscious. How do you relax?
LindaAnn: I type the writing I have done in long-hand.
Also, I have a massive indoor garden I like to fuss with.

 

BAM: Who is the author you vehemently hate, and why?
LindaAnn: Sharon Olds, a shallow, boring poet who just happened to get lucky.

 

BAM: On writing, do you have a writer circle?
LindaAnn: I used to run a speculative poetry critique group. It was valuable and even produced a collaborative poetry book, but I had to bow out after 3 years.

 

BAM: Busy with other obligations, most likely. LindaAnn, is there something you passionately want the human race to stop doing, which you might be subtle about in your writing?
LindaAnn: Yes. The trend is towards eliminating the middle class as well as affordable housing. The lack of affordable housing guarantees one outcome: an increase in homelessness. I wish I had enough money to personally ensure there is no more homelessness – at least in my city, New York City.

BAM: True. The system is not middle-class friendly. So, tell me, what’s the best way to write? 
LindaAnn: To be fired up about the topic.

 

BAM: You’ve worked hard on your topics. What's your greatest achievement in writing?
LindaAnn: Though I don’t feel I’ve reached it yet, having three different publishers releasing three of my poetry books in 2024 is no small feat.

 

BAM: Once achieved, it’ll be an amazing achievement. So, tell me, what got you into writing? 
LindaAnn: When I was 3 years old, I hated reading Hallmark cards aloud to my family, with their stupid rhymes and absurd sentiments, so I started my own greeting card business with my aunt, an illustrator. Also, I had been taken to Broadway theatres a lot, and so I had my first play onstage in NYC when I was 9 years old. Both ventures gave me a keen sense of what pleases an audience.

 

BAM: Was that when did you realized you liked writing? Why?
LindaAnn: At age 3 -- because our homemade greeting cards were praised and appreciated.

 

BAM: I’ll bet some people still have copies of your original cards. Tell me about your writing process. While writing, do you play music, or watch shows/movies?  

LindaAnn: NO.

 

BAM: All-righty. Is anyone in your family a writer? If yes, who? 

LindaAnn: NO.

 

BAM: On drafting, what’s the most you’ve gone through?
LindaAnn: For my stage play “Courting Mae West,” I wrote 19 drafts.

 

BAM: Are there any specific works of yours that you think someone should start off with?

LindaAnn: A reader who likes Hallowe’en will enjoy my fully illustrated book “Always Haunted: Hallowe’en Poems” [Wild-Ink Publishing, 2024] and “Messengers of the Macabre: Hallowe’en Poems” [Audience Askew, 2022] - - and both can be found on Amazon in paperback or Kindle.

 

BAM: Could you tell me about how you organize writing in your life?
LindaAnn: This method works for me. I will rarely write a stand-alone poem nor respond to an off-the-wall “writing prompt” for a contest. Instead, I stay focused by always having a few themes in mind. Consequently, each new poem will be a building block in my next book. Right now I am working on a collection about true crimes and a speculative poetry collection on the werewolf. 

BAM: What was the first story you ever wrote about, and was it published? Elaborate. 

LindaAnn: While in high school, I was in a creative writing class and a staff member of the school’s literary magazine. I wrote a lot of forgettable stories, and they made it into print. But then I became seriously ill (at age 15) and I was hospitalized.  My parents pre-signed all the medical paperwork so they wouldn’t have to come and visit me.  I had almost no visitors, which made me cry during visiting hours because everyone else in the ward had numerous family members who stopped by daily, bringing the patient snacks, balloons, stuffed animals, and flowers. My stupid teenage boyfriend used the excuse he wasn’t visiting me because he “didn’t like hospitals.”  Naturally, I got rid of him when I recuperated. 

BAM: Really. What happened next?

LindaAnn: Anyway, the hospital volunteers, The Candy Stripers, and the nurses took turns visiting me.  Invariably, the nurses were Hispanic immigrants who were living in bad neighborhoods, and they had seen it all.  These conversations “wised me up” and my next short story “No Way Out” was about drug addiction.

 

BAM: Oh.
LindaAnn: It won my high school’s gold medal for Literary Achievement, and I walked onstage to accept it.

 

BAM: Quite an achievement.
LindaAnn: Years before, at age 9, I began having my one-act plays onstage in NYC and I thought of myself as a poet and a dramatist. Now I was an award-winning writer.   

 

BAM: Keep it up. Thank you for your time with this interview. As a sendoff, would you like to include a personal message to the authors of the chapter that you read?

LindaAnn: I selected the section on WAR because I feel this is an important topic.

Though a few authors treated the theme playfully, most of you addressed the topic with gravity, focused on the physical dangers, the munitions, the loss of life.    
As you did in 42 words, I have also incorporated these themes into my work.
Recently, my two war sonnets "Mekong Delta" and "The Wall, Washington, D.C." were published in the journal Vietnam War Poetry, Summer 2024 issue, on June 25, 2024; LINK:
http://www.vietnamwarpoetry.com/lindaann-loschiavo.html        

 

Social Media:
Twitter: @Mae_Westside
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/LindaAnn-LoSchiavo/author/B084WSGD5K?
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/18972725.LindaAnn_LoSchiavo

 

LindaAnn LoSchiavo released three new books in 2024:
“Apprenticed to the Night” (UniVerse Press, 2024);
“Always Haunted: Hallowe’en Poems” (Wild Ink Publishing, 2024); 
and “Felones de Se: Poems about Suicide”  (Ukiyoto Publishing, 2024).

"Always Haunted: Hallowe'en Poems" can be read for free here:

 

NetGalley     ― https://www.netgalley.com/catalog/book/437468

BookSirens ― https://booksirens.com/book/V2LHTGL/XKERWXX

 

42 Stories Anthology Presents: Becky Benishek Interview

 

Becky Benishek won the Runner Up Award in the Myth chapter for

THE BROTHER OF THE MOIRAI SITS IN THE CORNER

 

Biography

Becky Benishek has authored several children’s books, including “The Squeezor is Coming!” and "Dr. Guinea Pig George," and contributes to science fiction anthologies. She’s also published articles in academic publications. Becky has a BA in English and manages online community spaces.

 

 

BAM: Where are you, Becky?

Becky: I hail from the United States.

 

BAM: Oh? I’ve been in Japan for ten years. It’s funny how you answered that way. I had to fight to get teachers to let me say I was from Texas, and not just the United States when I moved here.  Okay, let's get more specific. Where’s your writing space?

Becky: Home! This can mean typing at my desk, curled up awkwardly in a chair with pen and paper, or sitting outside in the garden, which feels like a sanctuary.

 

BAM: Sounds relaxing. I wonder how you stay awake to write when you’re curled up. Let’s get to an icebreaker question. Who are some of your favorite authors?

Becky: I love Terry Pratchett, C.S. Forester, Becky Chambers, Mary Stewart, Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle (as a writing duo), Tamora Pierce; it's terribly hard to share only a few!

 

BAM: Some talented names there. I’ve read tons of Pratchett, too. Are you an art connoisseur? Or at least like any particular artists and paintings?

Becky: I am deeply enchanted by Maxfield Parrish – vibrant scenes with depth and beauty you can feel. Michael Whelan – fantastical, evocative, richly hued. And Ruth Sanderson – lavish, tactile, mythical, surreal.

 

BAM: All of the artists you mentioned use elements of real blended with fantasy in their works. I wonder if they inspired you at all. On that note, when did you realize you liked writing?

Becky: It seems to have always been a part of me; I have no memory of learning to write stories – though I do of learning to make letters! (My handwriting was abysmal.) I still have the stories I wrote when I was in elementary school, along with my first poem.

It really goes beyond mere liking. It’s more like the breath of life.

 

BAM: Maybe it’s genetic. Is anyone in your family a writer?

Becky: Yes, my dad (RIP), who for many years was an award-winning music historian. Because of him, I experienced a richly interwoven tapestry of music. Classical, rhythm’n’blues, opera, country, heavy metal, punk, musicals – and beyond. But rhythm’n’blues was his especial favorite. Read about him here: https://beckybenishek.com/2021/10/17/remembering-my-dad-peter-grendysa/

 

BAM: I read the link. Thank you for sharing. Definitely recommend others do so as well. Your dad had quite a life from the sounds of it. What stuck out to me was the picture at the end. Very touching. Similarly, my dad was a writer, too, and he knew more about jazz than anyone else on earth. The final poem he wrote before his passing can be found in the Poetic Prose chapter of the anthology. I hope you’ll give it a read when the book is released in November. Search for Jim Michael Mullin’s story if you’re interested. 

Becky: I'm so glad you have that poem; what a lovely, living memory. I look forward to reading it.

BAM: That's kind of you. Okay, let's focus on an important writer topic now. Becky, how do you handle story rejection, and celebrate acceptance?

Becky: You definitely need a thick skin. Believe in yourself, your dream, and your words. This is not to say you should not accept constructive criticism – or that you shouldn’t get your work edited! But try not to let a rejection of your story idea or manuscript take you down a dark path. I know, it feels like a part of you yourself was rejected, not just words on a screen. Try instead to understand how exceedingly subjective this business is, keep dreaming, and above all, keep writing.

 

BAM: Yeah?

Becky: Yep! That’s what I do, anyway.

 

BAM: Tell me more about that.

Becky: So along with continuing to write, you can choose to self-publish or submit to agents and publishers. When your work is accepted - whether by that agent you've been hoping for, or directly by readers with sales and reviews, go ahead and feel that joy, celebrate it! You’ve earned it.

 

BAM: True.

Becky: But also keep a clear head. For example, if you've got a contract in front of you, read the entire thing! Make sure you retain copyright. You can even get a lawyer to look over it. Even if you don't, think ahead to the next steps. Ask questions about everything, even if you think you should already know it. You have to protect your best asset: Yourself.

  

BAM: Very encouraging. So, how about this, if you could inspire thousands of writers in 42 words, what would you write?

Becky: Don’t stress over writing to a daily word count. Just write something whenever you can. You won’t like everything you write, and that’s okay. Writers have editors for a reason. And it gets easier. It gets better. May good fortune find you!

 

 

Social media: https://beckybenishek.com 

42 Stories Anthology Presents: Nick DiChario Interview

 

Nick DiChario won the Science Fiction Story of Excellence Award for

LOST SODA BOTTLE FINDS LOVE WAY OUT IN SPACE

 

 

(from freepik.com)

Biography

Nick DiChario’s lucky number is 42 + 2. He’s written many stories of science fiction, fantasy, horror, mystery, and oddball stuff. He’s written short stories, long stories, and flash fiction. But this is his first story (and bio) of exactly 42 words.

BAM: So, Nick, where are you now?

Nick: I live in Rochester, New York, the city where I was born and raised, although I moved away for a while. I spent about ten years in St. Pete, Florida, a spectacularly gorgeous city. I loved it there, but I returned to Rochester in 2020. There’s no place like home.

 

BAM: Good. In a few years, I plan on moving to New York from Japan. I'll ask you more about New York later. So, where is your writing space, home, café, your desk?

Nick: Home. I need my creature comforts. My old desk, my favorite coffee, my best snacks, and so on. I’m a homebody at heart. 

 

BAM: Mostly the same for me, too. How about an icebreaker question? Do you drink coffee, tea, or something else?

Nick: I’m definitely a coffee person. I never tire of trying different beans. I love it when I discover new ones. I always drink my coffee straight-up black. I don’t like flavored brews, which are sins against nature in my opinion. Shoutout to my hometown roasters, who have produced some of my all-time favorite coffees.

 

(from Adobe Fire)

BAM: It sounds like you’re big into community. On that note, do you have a writer circle?

Nick: I love being in the company of other creative people. I’m in a writers’ support group and a manuscript critique group. Both have helped me focus and write through all the ups and downs of my career. Plus, I’ve met warm, kind, and loving people in these groups who have become life-long friends.

 

BAM: That’s great how you maintained such friendships through your writing. So, tell me, then, what got you into the craft initially?

Nick: As a boy, I used to go to the public library and read all the science fiction and fantasy anthologies I could get my hands on. I loved the shocking new worlds and ideas they introduced me to. It’s hard to explain the rush I felt when a story captured my imagination and kidnapped me from the real world. It was magic to me back then, and it made me want to be a magician.

 

BAM: Never thought about writers as magicians of words. Great way to think about the craft. You must come from a creative family. Any of them writers, too?

Nick: Funny thing. I’m the only one in my family who became a writer. I don’t think anyone else ever wanted to be one or even thought about it. When I say family, I mean everyone, not just my immediate family, but aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, etc., in the three generations known to me. I like to think that an ancestor in my distant past was a storyteller and passed it on to me. I also like to think that I’ll do the same for some unsuspecting soul in the future. I’ve carried the torch for my family for a long time. I hope to pass it on someday.

 

BAM: Hope you get to fulfill such a goal soon and indeed pass it on. Too many people rely on machines to do everything, even writing. So, we need more dedicated writers such as yourself in the world. With this in mind, could you tell me about how you organize writing in your life?

 Nick: This question always interests me. So few writers I know make a living writing full-time, so organizing can be a real necessity and a problem. Most of us must balance work, family, the day-to-day demands of living our lives, and the complications of being human, all while trying to find time to write. Sometimes, even when we manage to carve out a few precious moments, we don’t have the energy, the muse fails us, or what we write isn’t any good. There are no easy answers. Everyone is different. But those who have a passion for creative writing will find a way. My way won’t work for anyone else. It doesn’t even make sense to me. I don’t organize. Not really. I can’t. I’m constantly searching for stories. I search for ideas every day, and in everything I do. If a story idea reveals itself to me, I let it heat up inside my brain and bake there until it’s well-cooked. Sometimes, when it’s good and ready, a fully formed story will come out of the oven, and sometimes it won’t. I think this works for me because I’ve never quit on it. Even if it doesn’t always work, I trust that it will eventually. If not the next time, then the next, or the next. And if there comes a day when the oven is empty, I guess that’s the day I’m no longer a writer.

 

BAM: Well said. I’m sure you could inspire others, why don’t you tell me 42 words to motivate other writers?

Nick: Unplug your television set. Stop streaming. Give up social media. Spend that time reading, writing, and talking to people. See if that improves your health and your life. You’ll be amazed at how clean and bright you’ll feel. How open. How free.

You can watch Nick read his award-winning story here and on my YouTube channel here.

 

Social Media

nickdichario.com