SPRING IS UPON US!
March 4, 2025
Not a lot of news to share other than to focus on the first anthology I've had a short story in: Holiday Stories Book One Valentines Day! It's a cute little book, and the stories are fun with unexpected plots.
Short stories aren't easy for me to write. A limit of five thousand to ten thousand words is a definite challenge for me. The challenge story I hoped to use as a short story reached over nine thousand words without reaching the part where Dolly Madison collided with Teddy Roosevelt! For some reason, I have an easier time with stories limited to one or two thousand words or less.
(An aside for a moment: speaking of limits, another Destination Unknown challenge is in the works!! Many of the short stories I've shared with you are a result of past Destination Unknown challenges. I'll keep you posted.)
If you recall, I juggled writing that challenge story while working on Bourbon Neat, but I shelved it to concentrate on Maggie and Connor's adventures. I decided on Resolved Regrets for the title of the challenge story. I may rework it to be a short story. I received positive feedback on a line I'd written to begin a chapter, and that prompted the thought of using the line to begin the story. This is the line: Darcy Hall was back. Damn. What do you think? Would it compel you to continue reading? That change requires a rewrite, but perhaps with better success at turning it into a short story. If I succeed in crafting a short story between five and ten thousand words, it could serve as the main story for an anthology featuring only my short stories. An exciting thought. Time will tell.
Writing short stories is a craft all of its own. What are the differences between a short story and a full-length story besides the number of words you ask? Well, there are fewer characters to start with. It's acceptable to have more telling than showing. The focus is on one specific thing, with less conflict, and higher intensity. The goal is to get to the point in fewer words. Enough about short stories!!
Bourbon Neat is progressing well. I'm adding touches of conflict (internal and external) and more police action against bad guys. It's all good!
Been creating new reels for my Author Facebook page. I currently have two in the works focused on romantic heroes and romantic heroines. Did you happen to catch the one on the progress of Bourbon Neat posted on February 24th? The music I used is a favorite song by Lee Brice. I thought it worked well with the title. Click on this link to watch a video featuring the song. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZV1oQiRdoPc
Since March is National Reading Month, I should pull a book off a bookshelf or dig into my extensive archive of NOOK e-books to read something old or new. How about you?
Enjoy the changing of the seasons. And good luck with losing an hour as we switch to Daylight Savings Time! Spring Forward!!
Happy reading!
Elaine & Missy, the Extraordinary Assistant
P.S. I'm still accepting suggestions on which character to interview next!