Tag Archive for: Debra Goldstein

Fulfilling a Passion by Debra H. Goldstein

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Fulfilling a Passion by Debra H. Goldstein

Passion.  Aging.  Wanting to fulfill my passion to be a writer (even a mid-list writer) before my arms go beyond their present flabby state.  These are things I’ve been thinking about a lot lately because of a wonderful award I received on July 31.  Positive Maturity, a United Way agency in Birmingham that addresses issues associated with senior citizens, in partnership with the city of Birmingham and B-Metro Magazine, honored an inaugural class of fifty individuals based upon their achievements in business, personal life and civic engagement.

Besides being 50 or older at the time of the event, the honorees must have demonstrated success in one of the following areas:  current career (including encore careers), civic engagement, personal goals such as training for a marathon later in life, or beginning and succeeding at a new career based upon a lifelong passion.  When I learned the 2014 winners would include University of Alabama Coach Nick Saban and 2011 James Beard Who’s Who of Outstanding Chef Frank Stitt, I was appreciative and a little unbelieving that I was included in their company.

In other words, someone goofed.  True, I have been active in the community and there were some pretty high highs in my legal career, but I’ve always tried, and for the most part succeeded, in flying under the radar. I thought about saying “no,” but three things made me agree to be an honoree:  1) to be a part of a fundraising event for an agency that does so much good; 2) that my son informed me that he would fly in from Chicago to attend the event – “oh, and do you think you could arrange for me to get a picture with Coach Saban?” and 3) when I was told I had been selected as the poster child for my success as an individual who walked away from a well-paying cushy judgeship to follow a lifelong passion – my dream to be a writer.

It didn’t matter to the nominating committee that my first book, Maze in Blue, failed to make the New York Times best-seller list.  They thought the weeks it spent on Birmingham’s best-seller list, how it engaged members of the public, and the support various community groups received from my book signings and talks was more important.  The selection committee didn’t look to see how the book was published by now defunct Chalet Publishers, LLC, kept alive through a Creative Space edition, and then purchased and published as a May 2014 Harlequin Worldwide Mystery book of the month.  Instead, the committee looked at the pure joy I have had being a writer of short stories, essays and what I hope will soon be two novels.  They chose to recognize the passion that consumes me.

Writing isn’t an easy path.  I marvel more and more at the writers I meet and their personal stories.  One thing those at the top of the pinnacle, the mid-list writers, and the wannabes like me have in common is our passion.  There are many other things we could do with our time – perhaps performing those things far better than we write – but we can’t help ourselves.  We have to write.  Our writings aren’t always pretty or perfect, but they are expressions of thoughts we must share.  It hurts when others reject our writings, but we simply put our efforts into a new project.  We can’t turn off the passion.

I was proud and humbled to be a 50 Over 50 award recipient. I am prouder to be part of the passionate group who make up the writing community.

Book Covers Are Like a Rose by Any Other Name

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Juliet in William Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet proclaimed that “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”  Although this is often taken to mean what’s in a name, I have discovered that the same can be said for book covers.  This month, Harlequin Worldwide Mystery is featuring a mass market version of my 2012 IPPY winning book Maze in Blue as a May book of the month. http://www.harlequin.com/storeitem.html?iid=51770&cid=337 .  Although the content of the book remains the same as the original, it has received a new cover:

Maze in Blue, a mystery set on the University of Michigan’s campus in the 1970’s, was first published in April 2011.  During book signings and talks, I described it as a book designed to be a beach, airplane, or night table read.  My goal was to write the type of book I enjoyed – a FUN read.  When it was first published, the cover design’s maize and blue colors hopefully resonated with Michigan fans.

In 2012, Maze in Blue received an Independent Publisher Book Award (IPPY) so the book’s cover was redesigned to prominently display the award’s insignia.  This took care of people who bought the book online…those who bought it at a signing were rewarded with a sticker being placed over the award symbol.

Books normally have a short life span, but Maze in Blue has defied the odds – in its 2012 trade book and e-book editions and now Harlequin’s 2014 version, it continues to prove that no matter what the cover looks like, the book still is bringing enjoyment to readers. Truly, a rose by any other name……..

Sharing Words + Evoking Emotions = Writer’s Joy

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by Debra H. Goldstein

Starving artists, writers, and other creators of the arts often share the sentiment that personal satisfaction is enough.  The claim is that it doesn’t matter whether or not an audience exists for the work.  As many writers explain, “I write because I have to.”  For those of you who feel that way, I tip my hat and salute you.  I am not as noble as you are.

I want an audience!  To me, a writer’s joy comes from sharing words that evoke an emotional response. Lest you think me selfish, understand the listener can be the universe of readers, a room of people, my neighbor’s pet dog, or my almost one-year-old granddaughter.  She thinks anything I write, as long as I read it with weird voices while making funny faces, is fantastic.

My Best Audience

Not all of my writing is fantastic.  A lot of my efforts aren’t even good.  Hopefully, I am the only audience for those pieces.  But, I want reaction to the ones I believe have some merit.  I want to know if I touch someone or if something in the piece doesn’t work.  Feedback is what gives me the tools to revise, to think deeper, and to grow my ability to write.

It’s truly a joy when my work hits a homerun, but as a writer I get joy even from a critique.  Perhaps I do write because I must or perhaps it simply is the way I share my feelings in a manner that connects to those around me.  What about you?

Confessing Passions – Offering Fun

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Debra H. Goldstein
Confessing Passions –
Offering Fun 
by Debra H. Goldstein
I confess to two sinful passions:  shoes and books.  I’m a sucker for any pair of shoes that fit
me.  Luckily, size six AAA flat feet that are only comfortable in low heels limit the number of shoes with my name on them.  This allows me use
my money to indulge my second obsession – buying books, especially
mysteries.  Consequently, how could I say
no to marrying heels and murder every second and fourth Friday through The
Stiletto Gang’s blog?  It is a perfect
match for me J.
But then I started to worry about you.  What engages you?  Obviously, prattling about my love of shoes
and books will quickly bore you. So, what to write about?
Describing me can pretty much be summed up in a few words:  judge, litigator, author, wife, mother of
twins, step-mom, civic volunteer, transplanted Yankee and a woman who hates to
be pigeon-holed.  My writings are equally
diverse.  That’s why my personal blog is
called “It’s Not Always a Mystery.” (http://DebraHGoldstein.wordpress.com) 
Spending a lot of words telling you about how Harlequin Worldwide Mysteries
will be issuing my 2012 IPPY Award winning debut novel, Maze in Blue, a mystery set on the University of Michigan’s campus
in the 1970’s, as its May 2014 selection seems a waste of time because you can
read about that on my website, www.DebraHGoldstein.com.  The same holds true for introducing you to my non-fiction pieces including “More Hugs Less Fear” that was published by More Magazine online, my short
stories like “Legal Magic,” “Malicious Mischief,” “Grandma’s Garden” or this
month’s Bethlehem Writers Roundtable featured
story “A Political Cornucopia” (www.bwgwritersroundtable.com
).

I could share funny anecdotes about having four children, a
husband whose blood runs Crimson, how I reacted when my book publisher ceased
operations the week I was on my first Malice Domestic panel and had speaking
engagements lined up for the next six months or balancing my legal career with
writing, but I’d prefer to know what interests you.  Whether something personal from my website,
my Tom Sawyer philosophy, or why I think networking is almost as important as
getting words on paper are all possible topics. 

Let’s make this fun – I’ll spend the next few
days thinking about shoes and books while you take a look at my website and stories and leave me comments on The Stiletto Gang Blog about your preferred topics. As an incentive, I will randomly pick a name
and theme from your comments and send that person a free copy of Maze in Blue.  Check back on November 22 to see who won and what the blog topic turns out to be.

Contact: 
DHG@DebraHGoldstein.com
Personal Blog:  http://DebraHGoldstein.wordpress.com
or through website-DHG’s Blog
Twitter: @DebraHGoldstein    
Facebook: Debra Goldstein LinkedIn:  DebraHGoldstein