Tag Archive for: Paula Gail Benson

Bethlehem Writers Group

/in /by

by Paula Gail Benson

Since 2006, the Bethlehem Writers Group has been showcasing short fiction through its online literary journal, the Bethlehem Writers Roundtable (now a paying publication — $20 for featured stories, $10 for other stories, and $5 for poetry — issued quarterly), and through its terrific anthologies, which include:

Each year, the Group holds a short story contest with a celebrity writer judge. Three winning stories receive cash prizes. First place is usually published in the Group’s anthology and the other winners and honorable mentions often are included in the online journal.

I’m proud to say that my story, “Long in the Tooth,” was a third place prize winner the year that Hank Phillippi Ryan was the celebrity judge. It’s also included in the Let It Snow anthology.

If you haven’t already discovered the Group or its Roundtable, please check it out. You’ll discover some delightful reading.

Learning about the DAR and the Constitution

/in /by
by Paula Gail Benson

I remember hearing about the DAR or Daughters of the American
Revolution most of my life. While I had no family who were members, I grew up
in South Carolina, the location of 200 Revolutionary War battles. As a child,
my parents took me on a trip to Washington, D.C. and Virginia to see Monticello, Williamsburg, and Mount Vernon, which was
restored by a South Carolinian, Ann Pamela Cunningham, in the 1850s.

Ann Pamela Cunningham
Cunningham grew up in Laurens, South Carolina. As a
teenager, she was crippled from a riding accident. She never married. During a
time of mounting discord between the states, she devoted herself to raising
money and awareness about the condition of the first President’s home and appealed
to women throughout the nation to help in the restoration effort. With help, she
raised the funds to buy the property and established the Mount Vernon Ladies
Association, the oldest historical preservation society in the United States.
For more information see: https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/ann-pamela-cunningham

Theodosia Burr
Last week, a dear friend, Gini Abee, invited me to
attend a meeting of her DAR chapter, located in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and
named after Theodosia Burr, the daughter of Aaron Burr and wife of South
Carolina Governor Joseph Alston. (Musical theater enthusiasts will recognize the name
from a beautiful song in Hamilton.)

The
chapter’s projects include historic preservation, education, and commemorative
endeavors. Their program had a “Conservation Minute,” endorsing a “no straw
September” campaign to help eliminate the environmental effect of discarded
plastic straws, and a “National Defense Minute,” highlighting the forever
stamps to be released in February to honor military working dogs. Please check
out the chapter’s activities on their website: https://www.myrtlebeachdar.org/

I particularly enjoyed the presentation given by
author and constitutional scholar Ron Gragg, who spoke about the work of the
Constitutional Convention and the concerns arising from incorporating the principles of
the Declaration of Independence into the Constitution with care in order to
balance the power of the government with the rights of the individuals. He described George Washington, aged fifty-six when elected President, taking the
oath of office. Gragg said that Washington added the words “so help me God” and, at
the end, bent to kiss the scriptures where he had placed his hand.

What I did not realize was that the Constitution Convention
met for the last time and signed the draft Constitution on September 17, 1787. In
recognition of this anniversary, the Myrtle Beach Chapter will gather to ring a
bell thirteen times, for the original thirteen colonies.


The meeting was a
delightful celebration of the Constitution combined with efforts to help future generations understand the importance of that
document and the history that created it. I’m very grateful to Gini and the
members who welcomed me so warmly. And, this week, I’m proud to join with them
in remembering the signing of the Constitution of the United States.

Gini Abee and Paula Gail Benson (Photo by Michelle Cox)


What’s Today’s Celebration?

/in /by

by Paula
Gail Benson
From: https://nationaldaycalendar.com/national-soft-ice-cream-day-august-19/
Did
you know that today, August 19, is National Soft Ice Cream Day? Shari Randall, you should take note of this commemoration!

According to
the National Day Calendar website,
while no one has been clearly identified as organizing the special designation,
soft serve ice cream began around Memorial Day in 1934 when an enterprising
salesman with a flat tire pulled into a parking lot and knew he had to get rid
of a load of melting ice cream quickly. Later, he patented a machine and
developed a secret formula. The product’s popularity caused a decrease in
business for hard ice cream and the Minnesota legislature briefly required that
it had to be pre-packaged instead of sold from a machine. The site suggests
that people observe the holiday by getting a dipped cone or sundae.
The
site boasts of over 1,500 national days. It also lists some international ones.
For instance, today also is International Bow Day, a tradition started by Claire’s.
August
20, tomorrow, is National Chocolate Pecan Pie Day. Not to be confused with
National Pecan Pie Day (observed July 12) or National Pecan Torte Day (August
22) or National Pecan Month (April).
You
can check out the recognitions that share your birthday. For example, my
birthday, on September 13, is National Celiac Disease Awareness Day (based on a
2005 unanimous resolution passed by the United States Senate) and Uncle Sam Day
(because New York meat packer Sam Wilson, born on September 13, 1766, supplied
meat to soldiers during the War of 1812 in containers stamped “U.S.” and they
called it Uncle Sam’s grub).
The
website allows you to register a national day, shop for merchandise, search for
recipes, and play National Day trivia.
What
does this site have to do with writing? (Please note that World Calligraphy Day
is celebrated August 14.)
Occasionally,
writers are asked to submit a holiday story for a collection. You can imagine
that well-known holidays like Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Valentines Day will
have numerous stories, but going with something like Talk Like a Pirate Day
(September 19), as Cathy Wiley did with her “Dead Men Tell No Tales,” published
in Homicidal Holidays (Wildside
Press), an anthology organized by the Chesapeake Chapter of Sisters in Crime, could
be unique. Barb Goffman currently is editing a collection of time travel
stories to be released on December 8, Pretend to be a Time Traveler Day.
So
consider taking a look at the National Day Calendar website, for a story idea
or just to celebrate a slice of life. Happy holidays!

Short Story Nominees for Macavity and Shamus Awards

/in /by

by Paula Gail Benson

Two more award lists, with presentations to occur at Bouchercon 2019 in Dallas, have been announced and include some familiar names and titles for short story finalists. The Macavity nominees, presented by the Mystery Readers International (MRI), subscribers to Mystery Readers Journal and members and friends of MRI, are:

Gigi Pandian

“Race to Judgment” by Craig Faustus Buck Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine Nov/Dec 2018

Craig Faustus Buck

“All God’s Sparrows” by Leslie Budewitz Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine May/Jun 2018
“Bug Appetit” by Barb Goffman Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine Nov/Dec 2018
“Three-Star Sushi” by Barry Lancet Down & Out: The Magazine Vol. 1, No. 3
“The Cambodian Curse” by Gigi Pandian The Cambodian Curse and Other Stories (Henery Press)
“English 398: Fiction Workshop” by Art Taylor Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine Jul/Aug 2018

Art Taylor

Art’s story won the Edgar for best short story and has been nominated for the Agatha and Anthony.

Leslie Budewitz

Barb’s story also is an Agatha and Anthony nominee.

Gigi’s story won the Derringer (from the Short Mystery Fiction Society) for best novelette.

Leslie’s story won the Agatha (a tie with Tara Laskowski, Art’s wife). Another of Leslie’s stories “With My Eyes” Suspense Magazine Jan/Feb 2018 won the Derringer for best long story.

Barb Goffman

With the Macavity nod, Barry Lancet’s “Three-Star Sushi” also is nominated for a Shamus award, given by the Private Eye Writers of America. Here is the complete list of Shamus short story finalists:

Barry Lancet
Twist Phelan
Elizabeth McKenzie

“Fear of the Secular” by Mitch Alderman Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine
“Three-Star Sushi” by Barry Lancet Down & Out: The Magazine Vol. 1, No. 3
“The Big Creep” by Elizabeth McKenzie Santa Cruz Noir
“Game” by Twist Phelan Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine
“Chin Yong-Yun Helps a Fool” by S.J. Rozan Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine

S. J. Rozan

Congratulations and best wishes to all these nominees! What a terrific group of writers and stories for summer reading!

Leslie Budewitz and Tara Laskowski

Mystery in the Midlands

/in /by

by
Paula Gail Benson

Logo by Krista Anderson

Nancy Pickard (Photo by Anita Baker)

For
the second year, the Southeastern Chapter of Mystery Writers of America (SEMWA)
and the Palmetto Chapter of Sisters in Crime presented a day-long mystery
conference offering master classes and panels in Columbia, South Carolina.
Called Mystery in the Midlands, it featured twenty-one authors, including our
guest of honor best-selling author Nancy Pickard. Known for her own Jenny Cain and
Marie Lightfoot series, continuing Virginia Rich’s Eugenia Potter novels,
acclaimed stand-alone novels The Scent of
Rain and Lightning and The Virgin of
Small Plains, numerous short stories, and the nonfiction Seven Steps on the Writer’s Path written
with Lynn Lott, Pickard graciously shared information about her work and her recent
relocation to Charleston after spending most of her life in Kansas. She was
interviewed by her good friend and fellow past President of Sisters in Crime
National, Cathy Pickens.

This
joint conference effort began two years ago when SEMWA brought then MWA
President Jeffrey Deaver to Columbia to give a writing seminar. The following
year, we organized the first Mystery in the Midlands. With each event, we have
been able to have authors representing multiple states. We plan to continue the
tradition during “famously hot” summers in Columbia.

Special
thanks to this year’s authors: Stacy Allen, Paul Barra, Candace Carter, Tracy
de Hahn, Elysabeth Eldering, Kaye George, Victoria Gilbert, Sally Handley, Sasscer Hill, Roger Johns,
Terrie Farley Moran, Dorothy St. James, J.R. Ripley, Nancy Sartor, Raegan
Teller, Jaden (Beth) Terrell, Brian Thiem, Maggie Toussaint, and Warren Moore. Master classes
explored Hemingway’s POV, Police Procedure, and Humor in Mysteries. Panels
discussed the importance of settings, writing both novels and short stories,
cozy mysteries, and the journey to publication.

Midday,
we had a buffet lunch and a game of “guess the author.” The first person who
picked out the correct author for each description won bonus bucks to be spent with our bookseller, Books on Broad from Camden, South Carolina.

During
the conference, we held a silent auction and raised $630 to benefit My First Books,
the South Carolina affiliate of the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, which
provides a book a month to registered children from birth to age five.

Each
year, not only have readers been introduced to new writers, but also the
authors have time to exchange information. This year, on the Friday before the
conference, a local forensic anthropologist welcomed a group to visit his lab and
ask questions about his process.

A
local weekly paper advertised the event and sent a reporter to cover the
conference. It was wonderful to have the stories available online as well as
appearing below the fold on the first page. See https://www.thecolumbiastar.com/articles/local-mystery-writers-conference-features-award-winning-author/

Article and photos by Anita Baker for the Columbia Star

Many thanks to all
the people who participated, attended, and helped with the organization behind
the scenes. Please come and join us next year!

A Tribute to Sandra Seamans

/in /by

by Paula Gail Benson

If
you’re a writer of mystery short fiction, you’ve probably followed a blog
called “My Little Corner” that was written by Sandra Seamans. Faithfully,
Sandra chronicled potential publishers seeking short fiction and linked to
information about the submission guidelines. Every time I spoke to groups about
writing short stories, I referred them to Sandra’s blog as an essential market
guide.
Sadly,
Sandra Seamans passed away on the morning of Thursday, May 23, 2019. Here is a link to her obituary. 
Paul
D. Brazill wrote a message spotlighting Sandra’s talent and work on December 3,
2010. He began with a quote from Sandra, who described herself as “a wife, a mother, a
grandmother, and a writer. But not always in that order.”
Later in the Brazill interview, she
explained how she became a writer and why she felt that short stories were
important:
“I’ve been making
up stories in my head since I was a kid but about twenty years ago I decided to
start putting them down on paper. Not very good ones, I might add. I discovered
that there was a whole lot I didn’t know and started studying. About five years
or six years ago I started submitting my stories on a regular basis instead of
just one a year then quit for a year because it got rejected. Staring that
rejection in the face, then sending that story back out is the hardest part of
writing. . . . I was also tired of being told that just writing short
stories wasn’t good enough, that you had to write novels to be an actual
author. But there’s so much talent out there in the short story field, and
especially online, that I decided to share what I loved about shorts, the
writers who pen them and the zines that publish all those great stories. So,
the Corner became a place to celebrate short stories.”
Since her passing, a number of authors
have written tributes about her contributions:
“R.I.P. Sandra Seamans–My LittleCorner” by Patricia Abbott (May 30, 2019).
“Remembering Sandra Seamans” by Al Tucher (May 30, 2019).
  
“Small Crimes: Sandra Seamans and Friday Reads” by David Nemeth (May 31, 2019). 
“Loss and Gratitude” by Travis
Richardson at Sleuthsayers (June 3, 2019). 
Her
blog, which she last updated on May 16, 2019, contains messages of admiration
and respect in the comments to her final message: https://sandraseamans.blogspot.com/
In
2007, Sandra’s story “Home Entertainment” (A Cruel
World, July/August 2006) was a finalist for a Derringer Award for Best
Flash fiction.
From
2010-2012, she served
as President of the Short Mystery Fiction Society. Prior to her election, she
wrote a statement that was posted on the SMFS blog. Here are a few snippets
from that message:
“I’d like to see every short story writer feel welcome at the
SMFS, no matter if they write cozy or dark. Only the strength of the story
should count. . . . I’d also like to see if we could get editors to post
more often on the list – get them to give us insights into their selection
process or maybe just do a Q & A interview that we could post. . . . Shorts
are starting to come into their own via the online markets, there are more and
more people talking about them and I know of several sites that actually review
individual stories and collections. As a short fiction society we should be a
part of this. Well, I know I’m not supposed to be posting this before I’m
asked, but the membership deserves to know where I stand so they can nominate
someone to run against me if they don’t agree with what I believe the SMFS
should be about. And I’d really prefer that this be an election not just a put
her in office because nobody else wants the job situation.”
Unfortunately, Sandra’s anthology,
Cold Rifts, is no longer in print. I appreciate so much the interviews
and tributes I found for this post because they directed me to links where you
can read Sandra’s work online and in anthologies. Here is the list of Sandra Seamans’ stories that
I found:
“A Mulberry Street Christmas”
(December 19, 2008) https://a-twist-of-noir.blogspot.com/2008/12/twist-of-noir-027-sandra-seamans.html
The
following are available though Amazon:
“The
Gimmick” in Discount Noir an
anthology edited by Patricia Abbot and Steve Weddle, Untreed Reads (October
21, 2010) (available on Amazon).
“Taking
Back” in Grimm Tales an anthology
edited by John Kenyon with introduction by Ken Bruen, Untreed Reads (December
19, 2011) (available on Amazon).
In
a July 25, 2012, interview with Steve Weddle, Sandra described the process that led to her story “Taking Back”
in Grimm Tales:

“The minute John Kenyon put up the challenge to rewrite a
fairytale into a crime story, I was in. Yeah, I’m a fairytale freak. I also
knew I wanted to do something different. There are only so many variations of
the usual suspects that you can write. I found a website that had many of the
Grimm’s published. Reading down through the list of titles ‘The Blue Light’
caught my eye. It was the story of a Soldier who’d fought for the King and when
he was wounded and not as useful, the King sent him away. Through a meeting
with a witch he finds a way to get his revenge on the King – perfect setup for
a crime story. I used the basics of the fairytale but turned the soldier into a
cleanup man for a mob boss, gave him some rules he lived by and off we went. It
was a fun story to write.”
Thank
you to a writer’s writer, Sandra Seamans. We are richer for the legacy you have
left us.

May is Short Story Month!

/in /by

by Paula Gail Benson

Since 2013, StoryaDay.org has declared May
Short Story month and has set up a website (http://shortstorymonth.com/)
to recommend short stories and recognize their authors.
Indeed,
May has been a month where short stories have been celebrated.
During
the first weekend in May, at Malice Domestic in Bethesda, Maryland, a
tie-winner was announced in the short story category at the Agatha Banquet.
Leslie Budewitz and Tara Laskowski’s stories were honored.
Leslie Budewitz and Tara Laskowski
Photo by Robin Templeton
That weekend also saw the announcement of the winners
of the 2019 Derringer Award sponsored by The Short Mystery
Fiction Society.



Best
Flash Story (up to 1000 words)

“The Bicycle Thief” by James Blakey (The Norwegian American, September 21, 2018)



Best
Short Story (1001 to 4000 words)

“Dying in Dokesville” by Alan Orloff (Malice Domestic 13: Mystery Most Geographical)



Best
Long Story (4001 to 8000 words)

“With My Eyes” by Leslie Budewitz (Suspense Magazine, January/February 2018)



Best
Novelette 

“The Cambodian Curse” by Gigi Pandian (The Cambodian Curse & Other Stories by Gigi Pandian, Henery
Press)
And now, we have the Anthony awards to
anticipate for October.

Anthony Nominees for Best Short Story:
“The Grass Beneath My
Feet” by S.A. Cosby, in Tough
(blogazine, August 20, 2018)
“Bug Appétit” by Barb
Goffman, in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine (November/December 2018)
“Cold Beer No Flies” by
Greg Herren, in Florida Happens (Three Rooms Press)
“English 398: Fiction
Workshop” by Art Taylor, in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine (July/August
2018)
“The Best Laid Plans” by
Holly West, in Florida Happens (Three Rooms Press)
Have
you read a short story lately?

A Pre-Malice Domestic QUIZ!

/in /by

by Paula Gail Benson

At the end of this week, many of us will gather in Bethesda, Maryland, to celebrate the best of the traditional mystery. It will be a homecoming, family reunion, and all round party blast–wonderful in the anticipating and attending, yet over far too soon.

Let’s get the party started early with this quiz. Can you match the following words (from their stories or novels) with the authors in the Best Short Story and Best First Novel categories? Answers at the end!

1. Harvard

2. Speed Dating

3. Mermaid

4. San Juan Hotel

5. Teen-aged Brother

6. Syllabus

7. Homeless Person

8. Mission

9. A Royal Blue Gown

10. Nancy Drew

A. Art Taylor
B. Shari Randall

C. Tara Laskowski
D. Keenan Powell
E. Barb Goffman
F. Aimee Hix
G. Susanna Calkins
H. Edwin Hill

I. Leslie Budewitz

J. Dianne Freeman

Answers: 1. H.– 2. E. — 3. B. — 4. G. — 5. F. — 6. A. — 7. D. — 8. I. — 9. J. — 10. C.

Can Writing Motivate Writing?

/in /by

by
Paula Gail Benson

When
your day job requires extensive writing, can the well run dry? Do you come home
from work and avoid the computer or laptop, just ready to let the words flow
over you from the closest television or other viewing or listening device? Do
you wake reserving your word skills for the workplace rather than spending an early
morning hour on a fiction project before heading to the office?

As a
legislative attorney, I’m constantly working with language. It’s always
fascinating to try to explain a concept with brevity, clarity, and
comprehensiveness. Like working on a puzzle, it’s usually a matter of figuring
out how to put the pieces together to create a picture everyone can see, appreciate,
and understand.

However,
after a full day of writing and rewriting, sometimes it’s difficult to convince
myself that I need to put in a few more hours at home, even if it’s on a
project I’m truly devoted to completing. I convince myself I need a break. And,
once I give myself permission to relax (to be ready for what tomorrow brings),
then it’s easy to keep depending upon that rest period.

So,
I began thinking about how to use my work writing to energize my fiction
writing.

Last
year, I started “bullet journaling” to organize my schedule and keep notes. I wrote
a message about it here at The Stiletto Gang. The official website was
established by Ryder Carroll, who now has a book called The Bullet Journal Method. Because bullet journaling is adaptable
to each practitioner, the ways to set up a journal may differ. I have used my bullet
journal not only to track appointments, work projects, and daily
accomplishments (like a mini-diary), but also for fiction. With everything in
one easy to carry notebook, I can capture ideas, phrases, bits of dialogue, and
other things I want to remember to explore in a story. For example, at dinner
one night, I had an incredible view overlooking the city. I wanted to capture
what I was seeing and wrote a description while I waited for the meal. Now, I
have the words to remember the image I found so intriguing. Maybe I’ll use it
in a story or maybe it’s just for my benefit, but it exercised those writing
muscles and that is always a good thing. Having the bullet journal made the
writing possible.

The
hand-written aspect of the bullet journal allows me to “think on the page” in a
different way from typing. In addition, because the bullet journals I use have
a “dot grid,” I’m not restricted by lined pages. I can write at an angle if I
want or use drawings to help illustrate what I mean. (I wonder if I should try
drawing legislative concepts?)

Another
“exercise” I’ve found myself using lately is to retell familiar stories from a
single character’s perspective. In particular, I’ve worked on a series of fairy
tales, starting with the prince’s viewpoint, then progressing to secondary characters,
and finally villains. I write examples on my personal blog, where I limit each
entry to 100 words (a drabble), forcing myself to make every word count and
meaningful, just like with writing legislation. It’s been a good motivator,
allowing me to focus on character traits and motivations rather than plot. For
one group (the villains), I used rhyme, another variation from my day job.

What I’ve concluded
is that filling that blank page, whether with a to do list or a story idea,
helps lead to more writing. In the bullet journal, I give myself the freedom to
let thoughts lead me. Sometimes, the road is a dead end. At other times, it’s a
great adventure. That’s the life of a fiction writer with a writing day job!

Mystery Short Story Nominations

/in /by

by Paula Gail Benson
This time of year, it’s great to be able to celebrate some of the
best in mystery short stories with the nominations for recognition by the
Mystery Writers of America (which presents the Edgar awards, named after Edgar
Allan Poe) and Malice Domestic (which presents the Agathas, named after Agatha
Christie). The Edgars are determined by MWA member judges and presented at a
Gala Banquet, held this year at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York City.
pauldavidsoncrime.com
Following are the 2019 Edgar Best Short Story nominees:
“Rabid – A Mike Bowditch Short
Story” by Paul Doiron (Minotaur Books).
“Paranoid Enough for Two” – The Honorable
Traitors by John Lutz (Kensington Publishing).
“Ancient and Modern” – Bloody Scotland by
Val McDermid (Pegasus Books).
“English 398: Fiction Workshop” –
Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine by Art Taylor (Dell Magazines).
“The Sleep Tight Motel” – Dark Corners Collection by
Lisa Unger (Amazon Publishing).
Gigi Pandian’s 2017 Agatha Best Short Story Award
The Agathas are nominated by
persons registered to attend the annual Malice Domestic conference in Bethesda,
Maryland, and will be selected by a ballot of those who attend the conference. The
awards will be presented at the banquet on May 4, 2019. This
year’s nominees provide a range of time periods and characters to contemplate
and savor. For the first time, a wife and husband (Tara Laskowski and Art Taylor) have been nominated for the award. Here are the links to each story:
“All
God’s Sparrows” by Leslie Budewitz (Alfred
Hitchcock Mystery Magazine)
“A Postcard for the Dead” by
Susanna Calkins in Florida Happens (Three Rooms Press)
“Bug
Appetit” by Barb Goffman (Ellery Queen Mystery
Magazine)
“The Case of the Vanishing Professor” by
Tara Laskowski (Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine)
“English 398: Fiction Workshop” by
Art Taylor (Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine)
Please
read and enjoy!