Tag Archive for: Paula Gail Benson

Two Mini Anthologies

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by Paula Gail Benson

Woman’s World has two weekly features: 5-minute romances and 2-minute mysteries. Mystery Writers of America lists Woman’s World as one of its approved periodicals/webzines, which means that it meets “MWA’s professional standards of good business practice and fair treatment of authors” and that stories published in Woman’s World may qualify for Edgar Award consideration and applications for active MWA membership.  

During the holiday season, Woman’s World released anthologies of 40 romances and 40 mysteries. Available for $5.99, these compilations provide excellent sources to study the work Woman’s World editors are likely to accept.

In addition to some delightful reading, each anthology has information about where to submit stories.

Further information, analyzing the romance stories Woman’s World has published may be found in Kate Willoughby’s blog, Woman’s World Style.

John Floyd, whose mini mysteries often appear in Woman’s World, has provided tips for would-be submitters in his Sleuth Sayers posts A Woman’s World Survival Guide and 100 and Counting. His fellow blogger, R.W. Lawton, whose short story “The Road to Hana” (Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine) has been nominated for an Edgar, also wrote about the process in Writing for WW and Other Magazines.

Looking for a new experience this new year? Why not read these anthologies and submit your own story to Woman’s World?

Looking Back and Looking Forward

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Answering Debra’s message
from Friday: yes, there is still time for resolutions! Also, there’s time to
celebrate last year’s accomplishments.

In 2021, I was pleased to
make progress in my writing. My short story “Cosway’s Confidence” won second
place in the Bethlehem Writers Group annual contest and was featured in their
quarterly online publication, the BWG Roundtable. Another of my stories,
“Hollandaise,” received honorable mention in the South Carolina Writers
Association, Surfside Chapter’s short story contest and appeared in its
blog. 

Finally, three of my stories were published in
the Red Penguin Books Collection (a group of anthologies) (one twice!):
“Beloved Husband,” a monologue based on Norman Baskin, Majorie Kinnan Rawlings
second spouse, in An Empty Stage;

“The Fairy Godmother’s Christmas”
in Once Upon a Time and Stand Out: Volume Two; and

 “No Legs” accepted for The
Robot and Me.

The robot story had to be
about the interaction between humans and technology. My story involved Nella
Bella, who existed in a fortune telling box and dispensed cards while providing
security for her facilitator, a human fortune teller. Without legs, Nella had
to find a way to get rid of a spectral being draining her facilitator of all
energy and life. A friend of mine called it “a coming of legs” story. I really
like that description!

Since October, I’ve been
putting some words on paper each day. I’m not as far ahead with some projects
as I would like to be, but I’m making progress.

That’s my New Year’s
resolution: to keep moving forward and finishing work. What resolutions have
you made?

I wish for all of you the
very best in this New Year, in reading and writing. May you reach all your
goals!

Holiday Story Traditions

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by Paula Gail Benson

Stories have always been part
of the holiday season. Whether from reality, like the newspaper response to
Virginia O’Hanlon’s letter from the editor of New York Sun (often called “Yes,
Virginia, there is a Santa Claus”); or Clement Clarke Moore’s “A Visit from
Saint Nicholas,” also known by its first line “T’was the Night Before
Christmas;” or Charles Dickens’ frequently presented in different contexts A Christmas Carol; or movies like It’s a Wonderful Life, White Christmas, Christmas Vacation, and Elf.
They have all found their way into our hearts so that we long to rehear them or rewatch them during this time of the year.

1947 Version

One of my favorite stories is
Miracle on 34th Street. When
I first saw the 1947 version with Maureen O’Hara, Edmund Gwenn, and Natalie
Wood, I felt it encapsulated all the elements that had become important in my
life. The location: New York City, where I loved to travel to see Broadway
shows. The idea: a child suspicious of Santa, particularly in stores (personally,
I always preferred believing in the unseen Santa). The courtroom: since law
became my profession, it only seemed right that it should be the forum for
determining the “true” Santa. The Post Office: I come from a family of postal
workers. It seemed perfectly normal to me that the Post Office should save the
day.

I also enjoyed the 1974
televised version with Jane Alexander, Sebastian Cabot, David Hartman, and
Suzanne Davidson, and the 1994 movie with Elizabeth Perkins, Richard
Attenborough, and Mara Wilson, even though it moved the story from New York to
Chicago and deleted the Post Office.

This year, through Amazon Prime,
I located a television adaption from 1955, which was presented for The 20th Century Fox Hour,
and featured Teresa Wright, Thomas Mitchell, and MacDonald Carey. The shortest
of all the versions I’ve seen, this one is very close to 1947 film, containing
much of the same dialogue and situations. Thomas Mitchell speaks very quickly.
I wondered if that was to help fit everything into the program timeframe.

1955 version

If you are looking for more
recent stories to add to your holiday reading list, please let me recommend two
online sources. Since Thanksgiving, the authors at Writers Who Kill have presented
short stories for their readers. They include offerings from the following writers
beginning on the dates in parentheses: Annette
Dashofy (11/28), E. B. Davis (12/3), KM Rockwood (12/8), Korina Moss (12/13), Tammy
Euliano (12/18), Warren Bull (12/23), and myself (12/28). These tales have some
familiar characters and some mysterious and paranormal elements. Please stop by
and check them out.

On Saturday, December 18, 2021, Loren Eaton
hosted his Advent Ghosts 2021, where he invited writers to contribute 100-word
stories (drabble) that celebrated a scarier aspect of the holidays. He links followers
to each author’s blog or presents the stories on his message. Authors from all
over the world participate. Here’s the link to share the fun.

So, take a few moments away from the hustle-bustle,
find a favorite holiday beverage to sip, and enjoy being transported fictionally
into another place and time. Don’t forget to let the online authors know you’ve
enjoyed their work.

Happy
holidays, everyone!

1995 version

      

The Red Penguin Collection

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by Paula Gail Benson

Red Penguin Books, a small publishing company based in New York and headed by Stephanie Larkin, began an imprint to showcase new and established writers of shorter works. Its Red Penguin Collection currently has twenty-eight volumes of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, essays, monologues, and short plays. The editor is J.K. Larkin, Stephanie’s son, who has published his own autobiography, not kidding.

The collection first drew my attention when I noticed that John Floyd had been published in one of its romance volumes, A Heart Full of Love, and two of its mystery anthologies, Behind Closed Doors, and the recently released, Pets on the Prowl.

I decided to check out submissions opportunities and was fortunate enough to have my own work included in An Empty Stage: A Collection of Monologues and Once Upon a Time, fairy tales written for adults.

I received an even bigger thrill when my “A Fairy Godmother’s Christmas” was selected for a second publication in Stand Out: The Best of the Red Penguin Collection, Volume 2, which also contains two of John Floyd’s stories.

If you write short fiction, poetry, essays, or plays, you definitely should check out the submission opportunities at this link. While many of the anthologies are non-paying, an upcoming humor short story contest offers monetary prizes for first, second, and third place.

Additionally, Red Penguin has encouraged its authors to participate in marketing efforts, join in group meetings, and learn from virtual programs. It offers an excellent chance for authors to see their work in print, have a publisher that supports them, and become part of a writing community.

Elizabeth “Betty” Wason: Journalist and Cook Book Author

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by Paula Gail Benson

While doing some research on the history of cooking, I came across foodtimeline.org, created in 1999 by reference librarian and food lover Lynne Oliver and meticulously maintained by Lynne until her death in 2015. The site now is updated by the Virginia Tech Library system, which has a special collection on cooking history, including many volumes contributed by Lynne.

Food Timeline Library

The timeline indicated that the first recorded menu was from ancient Sumeria. The source for that information was a few paragraphs from Betty Wason’s Cooks, Gluttons & Gourmets: A History of Cookery (1962). The site indicated that Wason’s book had an extensive bibliography, but this point was not footnoted.

I’m not in the habit of investigating unfootnoted documents, but Wason’s paragraphs were so intriguing, I purchased the book. I found it absolutely delightful. She began each chapter with a description of the culture or time (including one chapter about cannibals), then followed that with a list of possible recipes.

Indiana University Archives

Upon further research, I found out that Betty Wason had authored 24 books, most on cooking. Her The Everything Cookbook (1970) received rave reviews as a comprehensive guide. I ordered it and found it to be on a par with Betty Crocker or Julia Child. In addition, Wason had authored accounts based on her life like Ellen: A Mother’s Story of Her Runaway Daughter (1976) and Macular Degeneration: Living Positively with Vision Loss (1998). Perhaps most astonishing was her first hand story of the Axis invasion of Greece, Miracle in Hellas.

Who was Betty Wason?

I returned to the Internet and learned that Elizabeth “Betty” Wason (1912-2001) was born in Delphi, Indiana, the daughter of a judge, and the graduate of Purdue University. Her first ambition was to be a dress designer, but after participating in a broadcast about cooking, she realized that journalism might be a way to see the world. She went to New York City and visited news organizations, telling them she was going to Europe and offering to be their correspondent. Transradio Press Service gave her a chance, then later she worked for CBS News, chronicling the events of World War II.

While CBS respected her reporting, its executives preferred a male voice on air. Phil Brown, a secretary at the American Embassy in Greece, read her copy with the introduction, “This is Phil Brown in Athens, speaking for Betty Wason.”

After World War II, Betty returned to the United States, acclaimed for her work, but still unable to serve on air at CBS. She found other broadcast opportunities and pursued her passions of traveling and cooking.

Her books are well written, as if she is taking readers along on the journey. And, the recipes sound delicious. You may want to try some for the holidays. Maybe just not those from the cannibal chapter!

Plotting or Plodding, or Both?

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by Paula Gail Benson

About a month ago, I began noodling with an idea for a
novel. I started writing in a notebook, with a cover that had the phrase: “Wherever
life takes you–trust your journey.” Following that advice, I started generally
with entries about what I would like to write. I had a strong idea for a
protagonist and gradually figured out the people who surrounded her.

On the fourth entry, I heard my protagonist’s first words: “I
am a relic.” And then, her best friend’s response.

I continued on the journey and finally had a chronology for
the opening scenes of the novel, which I sketched out in another notebook, then
began examining the timeline more closely in the notebook containing all the
other entries.

Finally, I managed to name the central characters. While I still
hadn’t written out the opening scenes, I found myself developing one where the
protagonist is talking with her best friend about a choice she made and action
she took. The best friend disagrees with her decision and is worried about how
it will play out.

As the two characters talk, the scene becomes lengthy. It provides a perspective about the relationship between the two friends. Because
they indulge in mojitos, the protagonist stays over at her friend’s house. She’s
roused once in the middle of the night and can’t figure out why.

The next day, the protagonist and her friend are called to
come to the friend’s workplace, where a homicide victim has been found. The
victim is connected to the action the protagonist took and her friend found
problematic. After giving statements to the police, the protagonist and her
friend begin to investigate how the victim might have been killed.

I’ve progressed through several scenes without going back to
write the beginning. The other day I made some discoveries about the characters
that I wasn’t expecting.

As I contemplated what I’d learned, I wrote: Amazing where
the writing journey takes you. I had been wondering how the scenes with such
long conversations would evolve and was surprised by what I discovered.
Sometimes, when you’re wondering if the winding road is worth traveling, you
find the trip astonishing. All it required was to keep plodding forward with a
general goal in mind, flexible enough so any unexpected shift didn’t bump you
from the trail.

Abigail Drake

When I wrote “plodding,” I wondered if that was the synonym
or antonym for “plotting.” I decided both plotters (who plan out their stories
before writing them) and pantsers (who observe the emerging plan as they write their
stories) depend upon plodding, as in moving forward. I think what worried me at
first was the idea that plodding is often associated with the uninteresting,
the pedestrian. But, I think it’s more important to think of those gently
clomping horses’ hooves progressing methodically toward a target.

I remain concerned that my scenes are more talk than action,
but I know I can fix that. Maybe for now, I just need to hear my characters
tell me what they know.

Also, I’ve just purchased and started reading Abigail Drake’s
The Reformed Panster’s Guide to Plotting.
Abigail, author of seventeen novels, presenter of writing workshops, and
facilitator for Ramona DeFelice Long’s continuing Sprint Club on Facebook,
wrote this book after being asked to deliver a seminar on the topic in West
Virginia. Released October 7, 2021, and 86 pages in length, it is an excellent
discussion about how to plan a work of fiction, chapter-by-chapter. At the end,
an appendix outlines the overall process. Drake’s book works for building a
novel as well as for analyzing how to revise a novel.

I have to admit, it’s great to “plod” forward with a terrifically supportive guidebook, which describes Drake’s book. I recommend
that you try both.  

 

New Short Story Anthologies for Fall

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by Paula Gail Benson

 

This fall, several new
short story anthologies have appeared to provide wonderful entertainment on
cooler evenings. Here are a few:

 

So West: Love Kills is the ninth anthology published
by the Desert Sleuths Chapter of Sisters in Crime, recently released in
conjunction with its virtual Write Now Conference. Featuring tales of love gone
wrong in the American Southwest, the following authors contributed work: Shannon Baker, Mysti Berry, Meredith Blevins,
Patricia Bonn, Lauren Buckingham, Susan Budavari, William Butler, Patricia
Curren, Meg E. Dobson, Beverly Forsyth, Denise Ganley, Roberta Gibson,
Katherine Atwell Herbert, Tom Leveen, Susan Cummins Miller, Charlotte Morganti,
Julie Morrison, Claire A. Murray, Kris Neri, Karen Odden, R K Olson, D.R.
Ransdell, Kim Rivery, Elena E. Smith. Maegan Beaumont served as lead editor and
Deborah J Ledford, Susan Budavari, R K Olson, Shannon Baker, Meg Dobson were
co-editors..

 

For Murder by the
Glass: Cocktail Mysteries, editors Teresa Inge and Yvonne Saxon asked the
contributors to write stories that had a glass, a murder, and a mystery. Written
by Allie Marie, Betsy Ashton,
Frances Aylor, Mary Dutta, Eleanor Cawood Jones, Diane Fanning, Debra H. Goldstein,
Libby Hall, Maria Hudgins, Teresa Inge, Maggie King, Kristin Kisska, K. L.
Murphy, Alan Orloff, Josh Pachter, Shawn Reilly Simmons and Heather Weidner,
these seventeen tales cover many locations, offering lighter fare as well as grittier accounts. Prepare a shaker of your
favorite beverages, sit back, and enjoy!


Josh Pachter, who
previously edited, anthologies based on the songs of Joni Mitchell, Jimmy
Buffett, and Billy Joel, has put together and contributed to Monkey Business: Crime Fiction
Inspired by the Films of the Marx Brothers. The
fourteen short stories by Donna Andrews,
Frankie Y. Bailey, Jeff Cohen, Lesley A. Diehl, Brendan DuBois, Terence
Faherty, Barb Goffman, Joseph Goodrich, Robert Lopresti, Sandra Murphy, Robert
J. Randisi, Marilyn Todd, Joseph S. Walker, and Pachter are based on the Marx
Brothers’ films. In his introduction, Pachter explains a bit about the selected
films as well as pointing out the Marxes’ other connections with crime fiction.
This concept and these authors make it a winning combination. Or, as Grouch
would say, “Who are you going to believe, me or your own eyes?”

 

Fabulous Books to Be Released this Fall!

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by Paula Gail Benson

This fall a number of great
authors are making their debuts or continuing their publishing success with
some fabulous reads for the season. I selected the following four to highlight
because of my connections with each writer: Yasmin, Tara, and Hank have become
close personal friends and Wanda and I are both attorneys and graduates of Lori
Rader Day’s instruction at the Yale Writers’ Workshop. I hope you’ll have a
chance to check out each of these novels. I know I’m looking forward to reading
them all! 

Yasmin Angoe

Yasmin Angoe
is the Secretary for my local Palmetto Chapter of Sisters in Crime and the 2020
Sisters in Crime Eleanor Taylor Bland award winner. Her debut novel, Her Names Is Knight, will be released in
November 2021. The story features Nena Knight, who was stolen from her Ghanaian
village as a child and has become an assassin for the Tribe, a powerful
business syndicate. After saving a life while on assignment, Nena hopes to take
a new life direction, but then she discovers a new Tribe council member is the
man who destroyed her village, murdered her family, and sold her into
captivity. She cannot begin anew without taking him down first. Not only is
Yasmin looking forward to the launch of her novel, but also she is anticipating
working with Endeavor Content and Ink Factory who have purchased the rights to
develop Nena’s story into a series.

Tara Laskowski

Crimereads calls Tara Laskowski: “A lyrical new voice in
the world of gothic storytelling and suspense.” Tara’s novel One Night Gone won the Agatha, Anthony,
and Macavity awards as well as being nominated for the Mary Higgins Clark
award, Left Coast Crime award, Strand Critics award, and Library of Virginia
Literary award. Her new book, The Mother
Next Door, will be released on October 12, 2021, and tells the story of the
Ivy Five, a group of four neighborhood moms who plan the annual Halloween block
party. When a new mom moves in, the group invites her to make them five once
more, but then they start receiving anonymous messages threatening to expose
secrets of the past. New York Times bestselling author Andrea Bartz says The Mother Next Door is “a witty, wicked
thriller packed with hidden agendas, juicy secrets, and pitch-perfect satire of
the suburban dream.”

Wanda M. Morris

Wanda M. Morris,
a corporate attorney based in Atlanta, Georgia, has her first novel, All Her Little Secrets, debuting on
November 2, 2021. Her protagonist, Ellice Littlejohn, a corporate attorney in
Atlanta, finds her boss dead in his office, but rather than notifying the
authorities, Ellice leaves. She’s protecting a number of secrets from her past,
including those of a younger brother who has been at odds with the law. New York Times and International
Bestseller Karen Slaughter praises the novel as “a brilliantly nuanced but powerhouse exploration of
race, the legal system, and the crushing pressure of keeping secrets. Morris
brings a vibrant and welcome new voice to the thriller space.”

Hank Phillippi Ryan

Phenomenal
USA Today bestselling author Hank
Phillippi Ryan is the winner of five Agathas as well as the Anthony,
Macavity, Daphne du Maurier, and Mary Higgins Clark awards for her fiction and
37 Emmys for her broadcast journalism. Hank’s latest stand alone novel, Her Perfect Life, tells the story of
Lily Atwood, a beloved television reporter who has fame, fortune, a
seven-year-old daughter, and an apparently perfect life. Lily depends on an
anonymous source. When the source begins telling Lily secrets from her own
life, Lily fears someone is out to destroy her. Rachel Howzell Hall, Los
Angeles Times Book Prize finalist and Anthony, ITW, and Lefty award nominee,
said, “I loved this book! Reading Hank Phillippi Ryan’s Her Perfect Life made me paranoid–who’s watching me, who’s lying
to me, who’s hiding from their prior life? My nerves were shredded by the time I
reached the last chapter of this big-hearted page turner.”

Welcome fall and hooray for these new fun reads!

Visiting Beaufort, South Carolina

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by Paula Gail Benson

If you’ve seen the movies The Big Chill, The Great
Santini, and The Prince of Tides,
then you’ve seen parts of Beaufort, South Carolina. Pronounced Beau (rhyming
with DEW) -fort rather than the North Carolina Beau (rhyming with SEW) -fort, the
city preserves its historic features while offering a thriving community for
the arts, education, and military installations (Beaufort Marine Corps Base,
Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, and Naval
Hospital Beaufort Navy Base).

Tripadvisor

Two weeks ago, while traveling for work, I had the
opportunity to stay over in Beaufort and visit with a friend. During the
summer, it is hot and humid, but there are plenty of sights to explore inside.
We had a delightful lunch at the Lowcountry Produce Market & Café, which
offered both indoor dining as well as a variety of products to take home. It’s
located next to the library on Carteret Street. As I was going there, I stopped
behind a long line of cars. I noticed no one seemed perturbed by the wait.
Later I learned that the bridge had been open, allowing vessels to pass. It’s a
regular occurrence in Beaufort.

Up the street from Lowcountry Produce is NeverMore Books,
now located at 910 Port Republic Street. It provides a warm and welcoming
environment for any book lover. As you enter, there is a large collection of
books by local authors about Beaufort. I’ll recommend two in particular by a
good friend and excellent historian, Alexia Jones Helsley. A Guide to Historic Beaufort, South Carolina (History and Guide)
(The History Press 2006) provides both the story of the city as well as
suggestions for touring. Wicked Beaufort
(The History Press 2011) offers a history of Beaufort’s illicit activities
spanning from the 1500s to the 1900s.

Gregorie Glass Website

My friend, Greg Rawls, displays his beautiful glasswork art
at Thibault Gallery. You can view his work at the Gallery through this link or on
his website.

Greg with Audrey II from Little Shop of Horrors

In addition to his glasswork, Greg designs sets for the
Beaufort Theater Company and Beaufort Children’s Theater. Sometimes he also
appears in the productions.

Beaufort may best be known as the home of novelist Pat
Conroy. The Pat Conroy Literary Center is located downtown and contains
memorabilia and offers programs of interests to readers and writers of all
ages. Come see the Spanish moss, smell the pluff mud, and be inspired by a man who drew his own
inspiration from this charmed city.     

ITW 2021 Thriller Short Story Award Goes To . . .

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by Paula Gail Benson

Alan Orloff

I remember meeting Alan Orloff at Malice
Domestic when his first novel, Diamonds for the Dead, was an Agatha
award finalist. Since that time, he has published nine additional novels and a
myriad of short stories that have appeared in Needle: A Magazine of
Noir, Shotgun Honey Presents: Locked & Loaded, Jewish Noir, Alfred
Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, Mystery Weekly, Windward: Best New England Crime
Stories 2016, Chesapeake Crimes: Storm Warning, Noir at the Salad Bar, 50
Shades of Cabernet, Chesapeake Crimes: Fur, Feathers, and Felonies, Snowbound:
Best New England Crime Stories 2017, Black Cat Mystery Magazine, The Night of
the Flood, and Mystery Most Geographical.

Recently, Alan’s story, “Rent Due” (in Mickey Finn: 21st Century Noir)
received the 2021 International Thriller Writers’ Thriller Award for Best Short
Story.

 

This follows the success of his novel Pray for the Innocent (Kindle Press)
which received the 2019 Thriller for Best E-Book Original.

 

“Rule Number One” (originally published
in Snowbound, from Level Best Books) was selected for the 2018
edition of The Best American Mystery
Stories anthology, edited by Louise Penny.

 

“Happy Birthday” (published on Shotgun
Honey) was a 2018
Derringer Award Finalist in the Flash Fiction category (an
award given by the members of the Short Mystery Fiction Society).

 

“Dying in Dokesville” (published in Mystery Most Geographical) won the 2019
Derringer Award in the Short Story category.

 

Currently, his novel I Know Where You Sleep (Down & Out Books) is
a 2021 Shamus Award
Finalist in the Best First P.I. Novel category.

 

Congratulations, Alan! May your writing
continue to thrive!