Southern WritersJanuary / February 2016

Volume 6 Issue 1ISSN 2333-3189 (Print)

ISSN 2334-5845 (Online)

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Susan ReichertMANAGING EDITOR Doyne PhillipsCREATIVE DIRECTOR Gary FearonCOMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR Annette Cole MastronSOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR Edie MelsonCONTRIBUTING EDITOR Vicki H. MossWRITER-AT-LARGE Chris PeppleSTAFF WRITERS Jessica Ferguson Jonathan Gardner Londa Hayden Barbara Ragsdale Rick RobinsonCOLUMNISTS Julie Cantrell Sunny Cooper Shelly Frome Sara M. Robinson W. Terry Whalin

Lisa WingateCONTRIBUTORS THIS ISSUE

C. Hope ClarkClaire FullertonLiz DeJesusAmalie JahnCaryl McAdooKathleen M. RodgersDiane Vallere

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IN EVERY ISSUE5 Magnolia Corner7 Social Media by Edie Melson9 The Writer’s Jar by Julie Cantrell & Lisa Wingate – Katherine Clark11 Poetry Matters by Sara M. Robinson15 Must Reads by Southern Writers17 Book Proposal Boot Camp by W. Terry Whalin18 What’s the Story?23 Screenwriting by Shelly Frome 31 Tale Spin – Countenance by Joy Ross Davis35 Burning Questions by Sunny Cooper37 Sneak Previews38 The Last Word – Guest Author Diane Vallere

FEATURES6 Kristina McMorris – Storyteller at Heart8 The Merits of a Literary Conference by Claire Fullerton10 Falling in Love with Writing Again by Liz DeJesus12 Minton Sparks – Rebel with a Clause14 Roland Mann – Superhero to Super Writer16 Happily Hybrid, Part 2 by Caryl McAdoo19 Vik Rubenfeld – The Suspense Guru22 Focus on Book ‘Em North Carolina26 Frye Gaillard – The Books That Mattered28 Jeanie Loiacono – Questions You Might Ask a Literary Agent29 The Use of Unspoken Dialogue by C. Hope Clark30 Ellen Butler – The Stuff of Life32 Elizabeth Spann Craig – Ambushed by a New Genre34 Writing for Young Adults by Amalie Jahn36 Diane Burton – Out of This World

Laura ChildsTrouble Brewing

them. He said, the only writer you can be is yourself. “John Egerton, a longtime colleague and friend, was another nonfiction writer whose example was important, and later I had occasion to talk at some length with David Halberstam, author of The Best and the Brightest. And my editor at the Charlotte Observer, Jim Batten, was a huge influence.”

With so many mentors and encouragers, a book at a later date was bound to happen. But how does a nonfiction author come up with an idea for a first book? Frye says, “Sometime in the early 1970s, I was working for a small magazine called the Race Relations Reporter. There, surrounded by talented colleagues and a good editor, and with the opportunity to write about things that mattered, something just clicked. I finally felt like I could make the typewriter (that was what we used in those days) do what I wanted it to. In 1974, I had a chance to write a piece on country music for a magazine called Southern Voices, and that story grew into my first book, Watermelon Wine: The Spirit of Country Music.” Then after that first book? “It’s like I just kind of stumble onto book ideas. One thing leads to another. It always seems like I have more ideas than time. There are a lot of good stories out there.” Frye has also co-authored The Quilt and the Poetry of Alabama Music with Kathryn Scheldt, a singer-songwriter from Fairhope, Alabama. In this book-length combination of essays and song lyrics, Frye and Kathryn pay tribute to the literary legacy of Alabama’s songwriters, and since 2008 have co-written three albums worth of songs including

Scheldt’s top ten country hit, “Almost Cheatin’,” and “The Last Shrimp Boat,” which anchors the soundtrack of the documentary In the Path of the Storms. A writer-in-residence at the University of South Alabama, Frye writes on a computer in his office at the university and also at his home office, mostly on a computer. ”I keep a notebook handy, or a scrap of paper, in case ideas come at an inconvenient time. Then I scribble. And since writing is what I do for a living, it’s

fter a Kirkus Review of Frye Gaillard’s The Books That Mattered—“An exuberantly written account of one writer’s leap toward understanding life’s intersection with literature”—I was enticed to read more about the author and his body of work, for writers are all influenced by the authors they read. And what a novel idea to write personal essays that blend “memoir, history and critical analysis to explore the works of Harper Lee, Anne Frank, James Baldwin, Robert Penn Warren, John Steinbeck, and many others” to share with readers about how the writings of others have “enriched and altered” Frye’s life. So, I wasn’t too surprised to discover that Frye came early to the love of reading, as most writers do, and later to writing. Frye, a nonfiction writer, says, “I was in college when I first wrote for publication—in the student newspaper at Vanderbilt. Some of my favorite authors, however, actually wrote fiction. “I was influenced by the literary journalists of the 1960s and ‘70s—people like David Halberstam, Willie Morris, Larry L. King, and Gay Talese; and by essayists such as Lilliam Smith and James Baldwin. I love graceful, melodic prose used in the telling of a story that is true.” Without a formal writing education, Frye relied on others to help him down the writing path. “Just mentors, established writers who did it for a living, offered encouragement, and reminded me that the only path to writing better is to read critically and write often. Gradually, through that process a person’s own voice and style will emerge. And then mentors, yes! One of the most important was Joe Cumming, the Atlanta bureau chief for Newsweek, who was legendary in the South for mentoring younger writers, including Pat Conroy and Marshall Frady. Joe was exceedingly patient, kind, and firm in the advice he offered me. He used to tell me when I was first starting out to study the work of other writers I was drawn to. What was it about their writing that worked for me? Study what they are doing, he said; absorb it, but don’t try to be like

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The Booksthat Mattered

Frye Gaillardby Vicki H. Moss

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not so much finding the time to write as doing my job. For sure, there are the inevitable interruptions of life, but you just have to stay with it, where the writing is concerned and do your work.” When asked about sacrifices that writers sometimes have to make, Frye shares, “I guess one sacrifice, if you can call it that, is that I have never made a lot of money as a writer. I know what I want to write—what stories are most compelling to me—and those are the ones I write, even if the financial returns are unpredictable. When I was first beginning to write books, I also worked full-time at the Charlotte Observer, so there were times when I had to work really hard, almost like having two full-time jobs. It was worth it, though I’m too old for that pace now.” Staying with traditional publishers, Frye has been published by five university presses, by St. Martin’s Press in New York, and by such respected regional trade publishers as New South Books in Montgomery, Alabama, and John F. Blair, Publisher, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. “The latest book has gotten good reviews. Feedback from readings and public presentations has been positive. I love going out and talking about the book—at public libraries, colleges and universities, art centers, literary festivals; in this case, museums. I’ve done some radio and TV, which is okay, especially if the interviewer is actually prepared. And bless their hearts, some of them are!” When I think back on my own life’s intersection with literature, I think back to first grade and what an accomplishment it was to be able to read “See Spot run!” I don’t know how much critical analysis could be written about that sentence—it would be a stretch to categorize those three words as great literature—but maybe those three words could trigger memories enough for all of us to get motivated about writing at least one chapter of a The Books That Mattered memoir—if only to be read by descendants for encouragement and entertainment. The thought of such a project is evocative. Thanks for the writing prompt, Frye. n

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sat in front of my computer and stared at the screen. With family visiting for the holidays, I had been away from my writing for eight whole days. And at that moment I didn’t know what to do with these characters. They were frozen in time, waiting for me to breathe life back into them. But all I could do was reread the same sentence over and over again, not knowing what to write. What if the next sentence I wrote was awful? What if people didn’t like this story? Was it even worth telling? Should I just quit altogether?

Knock, knock. Who’s there? Crippling self-doubt!

The sad truth is that sometimes, no matter how hard we try, anxiety can barge in on our writing. If I give into these worries and fears, my writing suffers and I fall completely out of love with the act of writing. Rather than suffer a painful breakup, here are a few things I found helpful in rekindling the romance:

Get to know each other. When I lose touch with my characters, I renew my relationship with them. Meaning? I go back to page one and read everything I had written so far. It’s like a mini-edit. I go over the story and even fix a few things here and there. Most of what I do is try to fall in love with my characters and the story all over again. I’m reminding myself why I have to tell this story.

Bring flowers. You can do this literally or mentally. Nature has a beautiful way of inspiring you or reigniting that spark you thought was lost. Close your eyes and clear your thoughts. Think of flowers, a beautiful forest, the tropics or anything that you feel will ease your thoughts. Even going outside for a short walk can help you restore the balance you didn’t realize you’d lost.

Chocolate. Why? Why not?! Chocolate is delicious, and sometimes we need some sugar and caffeine to give us an extra burst of energy. Writers are amazing alchemists that turn sugar and caffeine into books!

Music. Some authors prefer to work in silence, but if you are like me and need a soundtrack, then find some tunes that will inspire you. Listen to music you think your main character would listen to, something that might help you get into your character’s head. Perhaps some soothing music or atmospheric sounds might help (check out the Noisli app on iTunes).

Believe in yourself. This is probably the hardest thing to do, mostly because you are trapped inside your head with your own fears, anxiety and self-doubt. Tell yourself three things that you like about yourself. Do your best not to focus on the negative. Be kind to yourself.

Talk to someone. It’s hard, trust me, I know. But if writing is what you want to do, if it’s your passion and the one thing that brings you absolute joy, you cannot give up. Pick up the phone and call your spouse, best friend, sibling or parent. Tell them how you feel and allow yourself to be open to their encouragement. And believe them when they say “Don’t give up.”

Trust. Listen to your characters. You may be trying to force them to do something they don’t want to do. Or perhaps you’re trying to force them into a situation that doesn’t really fit into your story at that particular moment. “Talk” to your characters and they will give you the answer you need.

Save the Date! Sometimes a deadline is the one thing we authors need to help us stay on track. Give your novel a series of realistic deadlines for each stage of the process that you and your characters will love, honor and obey.

When the thrill is gone, I hope these tips help you fall in love with writing once more. n Novelist, poet and writing coach Liz DeJesus is the author of The Frost Series, for fans of fantasy and fairy tales. She is currently working on a new series, Zombie Ever After. www.lizdejesus.com

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A good novel is possible only after one has given up and let go.—Walker Percy

by Liz DeJesus

Falling in Love with Writing Again