apples

On Satu Ashley-Franklin (2) rday, December 14, I had the pleasure of attending the launch of County Lines: A Literary Journal (Vol. 7).

I joined a number of talented writers who also had work published in County Lines. I was deeply honored to read my story, “Golden Delicious,” which was chosen by writer Nancy Peacock as the 1st Place winner in the Starving Writers Fiction Contest. I particularly enjoyed meeting Jackie Dove-Miller, Contest Chair and a celebrated poet in her own right.

A theme quickly emerged among the work read that day: the twin poles of grief and the joy that our loved ones bring us.

My own story was inspired by my sometimes disastrous pie-baking adventures and girded by memories of my beloved grandmother Wilma. “Golden Delicious” was written in letter form, but follows a traditional short story structure that we’ll cover in my Central Carolina Community College workshop in the spring: DIY Kit: Write A Short Story in a Day. More to follow, but in the meantime, I hope that your holiday season is filled with your own favorite apples, whether that be cider, pie, jam, or more!

golden delicious

ashley at pmo On Saturday, I had the pleasure of spending an hour with the distinguished writing group known as Pittsboro Writers’ Morning Out, (sponsored by our friends at the N.C. Writer’s Network) in Pittsboro. We met in the backroom of the Greek Kouzina restaurant and discussed the outlook for the modern short story in today’s literary landscape.

The good news is that the short story appears to be stronger than ever and with distinguished publishers such as W.W. Norton and the vibrant community of online lit magazines publishing more short stories than ever before, the time has never been better to write stories! Bolstered by the recent surge of flash fiction, new markets for short fiction appear every day.

We also awarded the WMO’s own “Ultra Flash Fiction Award” to the talented and distinguished writer Judith Stanton, and I was very happy to be the one to read it aloud. Her “Life is A Tale You Write As You Go,” was lyrical, evocative, and utterly spellbinding. My hour went by way too fast, but I did so enjoy spending time with both old friends and many new ones.

On our way home, we stopped by and visited our good friend Lee Calhoun, who is a national expert on the southern apple, and interestingly, is featured in the August-September issue of Local Palate Magazine. Crazily, and doesn’t the short story show up in unexpected ways, but on the way home I learned that I won first place in the Starving Writers Contest sponsored by the Franklin County Arts Council for my own short story titled “Golden Delicious.” Talk about apples to apples! It will be published in County Lines magazine in November.

The good news for you is that there are many places to submit your own stories, from Women on Writing and Mental Paper Cuts (both with deadlines of Aug. 31) to Okay Donkey and The Disappointed Housewife, which accept stories on a rolling basis. These are a few of my favorites, and they are just the tip of the iceberg!

So keep sending your own “apples” out there! You never know just where they may end up.

Golden Delicious in Franklin County!

Short Stories at Pittsboro Writers’ Morning Out!