Day 2 at Nimrod Hall Writers’ Workshop

Posted on July 22, 2015July 24, 2015 by vlaw759

Nimrod Hall Travel Log

Day 2

At the Nimrod Writers’ Workshops, the first thing to go is sleep. The second thing is any pride of appearance. I live in T-shirts, scrub pants, and Tevas. Here I am doing my after-dinner reading, from DIFFERENT DRUMMER, “The Darwinian Co-Op Lending Library.”

Today was my big day to be “on”: I had group critiques of a memoir and of a short story, and tonight I read. I always like to clear my obligations ASAP so I can work on the pieces after.

A lot of good writers are here this year. Three more days won’t be enough!

UPDATE: Nimrod Hall, established in 1783, has been providing summer respite from everyday stress since 1906. It has been operating as an artist and writer colony for over 25 years. The Nimrod Hall Summer Arts Program is a non-competitive, inspirational environment for artists to create without the distractions of everyday life. The 2015 Writers’ Workshop writers-in-residence are Sheri Reynolds, Cathryn Hankla, and Charlotte G. Morgan.

Nimrod Hall Travel Log Posts

Off to Nimrod Hall

Day 1

Day 1 at Nimrod Hall Writers’ Workshop

Posted on July 21, 2015July 24, 2015 by vlaw759

Nimrod Hall Travel Log

Day 1

Midnight is approaching. I’m wiped out–equal parts exhaustion and expectation! Sheri Reynolds is the writer-in-residence for Week 1. I met her this afternoon when she helped unload my “stuff,” got to know her a bit during our organizational meeting, and heard her read in our after-dinner session. She is enthusiastic, funny, well organized, and flexible. What’s not to love?

I just finished setting up the work area of my bed/writing room. The oldest part of the main building at Nimrod dates from 1783. Now it’s greatly expanded plus there are numerous outbuildings. My room is in Square House, photo to follow in the next day or so.

But wherever the room, the amenities are the same: no TV, no phone, no heat, and no AC. Although each room is equipped with a fan, I brought my own so I can have simultaneous intake and exhaust. Last I checked, the temperature was 81. I’m hoping for pleasant sleeping soon.

Nimrod Hall Travel Log posts

Off to Nimrod Hall

Off to Nimrod Hall Writers’ Workshop

Posted on July 21, 2015July 24, 2015 by vlaw759

Nimrod Hall Travel Log

Heading Out

For many years I’ve traveled to Nimrod Hall in Millboro, Virginia, for their annual writing retreat. Nimrod has inspired several of my stories and given me hours of valuable writing time. This year, I’ll share a brief travel log.

So, I’ve packed for Nimrod. This photo doesn’t include laptop or the “supplemental food” I must take to meet my vegan protein needs. But Nimrod is rustic, so fan, work table, and writing “stuff” such as a travel printer are needed. I tend to travel heavy regardless, and now everything for two weeks–with special focus on insect repellent.

Nimrod Hall Travel Log Posts

Day 1

mannequin in chair - Barbie doll writing prompt

Writing Prompt: Barbie

Posted on July 11, 2015July 9, 2015 by vlaw759

Examine the photo below and then choose your story starter to go with it.

1) Write about a character whose feminist mother would never let her have a Barbie doll.

2) Write about a character whose feminist mother gave him Barbie dolls for birthdays and Christmas.

More writing prompts

Writing Prompt: Unexpected Turn

Writing Prompt: Hyperbaric Chamber

“Beast and the Beauty” is in Clare Literary Magazine

Posted on June 3, 2015 by vlaw759

Painting of eyes looking at viewer — Art throughout Volume 16 of *Clare* by Katie Chandler.

There’s been a lot of great news lately. I’m delighted to share that my short story “Beast and the Beauty” is in the Spring 2015 issue (Volume 16) of Clare Literary Magazine, a publication of Cardinal Stritch University.

You can read “Beast and the Beauty” and the full issue for free by CLICKING HERE.

Thank you to the Editorial Team at Clare Literary Magazine.

National Short Story Month

Posted on May 31, 2015 by vlaw759

As National Short Story Month comes to a close, I’m reminded short stories come in many dimensions. “For Sale: baby shoes, never worn.” is at one extreme. This story is usually attributed to Ernest Hemingway, though that is unsubstantiated.

That flash fiction inspired Smith Magazine to put out a call to readers, which resulted in Not Quite What I was Planning: six-word memoirs by writers famous & obscure. Subsequently, Smith Magazine edited another volume, It All Changed In An Instant: more six-word memoirs by writers famous & obscure. Those six-word entries could inspire an incredible number of short stories for writers who go longer than flash-fiction. Or how about your own six-word nugget? You might become addicted to these mini-morsels. Mine is “Granny gave me a round tuit.”

VIRGINIA IS FOR MORE MYSTERIES

Posted on May 19, 2015 by vlaw759

I have a story in the upcoming collection Virginia is for More Mysteries (Koehler Books, April 2016) titled “War and Murder at Nimrod Hall.” This is a sequel to “Death Comes to Hollywood Cemetery,” which appears in Virginia Is For Mysteries. It follows Clara as she escapes war-torn Richmond in 1862 only to encounter wounded soldiers and spies in Bath County.

Virginia is for Mysteries and Virginia is for More Mysteries — Look for “Death Comes to Hollywood Cemetery” in *Virginia is for Mysteries*, out now from Koehler Books.

You can find Virginia is for Mysteries on IndieBound, Amazon, Kobo, and Barnes and Noble.

Writing Prompt: Unexpected Turn

Posted on March 5, 2015 by vlaw759

Sometimes a story starts one way and then takes an unexpected turn–sort of like thinking it might be nice to visit Rhode Island and suddenly realizing you’re headed for the Bahamas. So today’s challenge, should you choose to accept it, is to revisit your story about hyperbaric therapy and turn it in a different direction. If it was successful, make it a disaster. Loaded with fear? Make it excitement. Or humor!

ALTERNATIVELY: write about hyperbaric therapy that goes terribly wrong. Of course it could be medical malfeasance or incompetence, but think more broadly: natural disaster, act of God, equipment failure. And what about suicide, assisted or otherwise? Or perhaps murder. Possibly some combination of the above?

To do either of these stories, you must get the details right. For example, a typical pressure is 2.0 pounds per square inch. That is equivalent to being 33 feet under the ocean’s surface. Details like that might mean something to deep-sea-diving readers. Know the benefits and risks of this treatment. Know what would be possible. And remember to bury your research by making it part of plot, dialogue, setting, and action.

And FYI, here’s a picture of a hyperbaric chamber after a treatment.

Writing Prompt: Hyperbaric Therapy

Posted on February 24, 2015February 20, 2015 by vlaw759

Photo of chamber for the delivery of hyperbaric therapy — Chamber for the delivery of hyperbaric therapy

Research is central to writing. Getting the facts/background right is central to credibility. So here’s a research exercise for all you fans who are also writers. Pictured here is a chamber for the delivery of hyperbaric therapy. It comes equipped with a blood pressure cuff and an oxygen mask. The patient being treated wears four leads to monitor cardiac function. Find out as much as you can about the hyperbaric chamber, the therapy, and the conditions for which it is used. Write a story about someone receiving this therapy. And don’t let your research show!

Why Writers Need Empathy

Posted on February 17, 2015February 13, 2015 by vlaw759

The interview with Fiona Quinn started me thinking about the myriad ways that psychology and writing intersect. In particular, I’m now thinking about empathy—the feeling that you understand and share another’s experiences and emotions; the ability to share feelings. Psychology long assumed that empathy is a purely human emotion, though there are many who would disagree (witness observational studies of animals who form bonds of what appear to be friendship across species).

In any event, when a writer chooses a point of view character s/he is choosing the character with whom the reader is to identify. When done well, the reader sees the world through this POV character’s eyes and heart, understands the driving motives, and cheers for a positive outcome for that character. Perhaps empathy is a characteristic one either has or not. But (in my opinion) all good writers must have it. If you don’t care, if you don’t laugh or cry, why would the reader?