  Short Stories
This week: Murder in the Grove Edited by: Shannon  
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Welcome to the Short Stories Newsletter. I am Shannon and I'm your editor this week. |
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Last month we talked about the first day of Boise's 2008 Murder in the Grove writer's conference. Today I'd like to talk about day #2 and an afternoon with J.A. Jance. She broke the ice with a funny story:
"I once went to a soccer game with a soccer mom neighbor of mine. She asked me how I was doing. I told her I was having a helluva time with this chapter 11. She said, 'I didn't know you were having financial difficulties.'
"Web of Evil is my least favorite book because when I was writing it, not only was I up against a tight deadline, I was also dealing with my 36-year-old son-in-law dying of cancer. I didn't put those horrible emotions into the book, but whenever I see it or read any of it they all come flooding back. You know, we think we have a curtain between ourselves and the reader, but that's not true. They can see right through it.
"I've always wanted to be a writer, so I went to my local college and asked the creative writing professor if I could sign up. He said that I couldn't because I was a girl. He said that women who wanted to be police officers could marry a police officer, women who wanted to be ministers could marry a minister, and women who wanted to be writers could marry a writer. So I did. I married a man in the creative writing class that I myself wasn't allowed to attend. He was an alcoholic. I finally decided to divorce him when once, at our child's game, he was so drunk that he had to crawl from the bleachers all the way back to the car. After that he kept showing up on my doorstep every Saturday saying if this marriage is for better or for worse, then this is the worse part. I finally decided that I needed to get outta there, and I moved to Seattle.
"When I finally decided that I could write after all, I bought a computer with something like 178 kb of memory, and had the man who hooked it all up arrange for the following to scroll across my screen every time I started my computer: A WRITER IS SOMEONE WHO HAS WRITTEN TODAY.
"Growing up I was 6-foot tall by the time I was in seventh grade. I wore these really thick glasses--thank God for Lasik!--and I was smart ... the kiss of death for any adolescent girl, so I lost myself in music. That's when I discovered Janis Ian. Do any of you know Janis? Well, she is only like four-foot nine or something, but when I heard this song for the first time, I knew we'd walked a mile in the same moccasins. The song went something like this." Then J.A. Jance proceeded to sing At Seventeen by Janis Ian. She tearfully sang/spoke/whispered the entire song, and you could have heard a pin drop.
I learned the truth at seventeen
That love was meant for beauty queens
and high school girls with clear skinned smiles
who married young and then retired
The valentines I never knew
The Friday night charades of youth
were spent on one more beautiful
At seventeen I learned the truth
And those of us with ravaged faces
lacking in the social graces
desperately remained at home
inventing lovers on the phone
who called to say, "Come dance with me,"
and murmured vague obscenities
It isn't all it seems at seventeen
A brown eyed girl in hand me downs
whose name I never could pronounce
said, "Pity please the ones who serve
They only get what they deserve."
The rich-relationed hometown queen
marries into what she needs
with a guarantee of company
and haven for the elderly
Remember those who win the game
lose the love they sought to gain
in debentures of quality and dubious integrity
Their small-town eyes will gape at you
in dull surprise when payment due
exceeds accounts received at seventeen
To those of us who knew the pain
of valentines that never came
and those whose names were never called
when choosing sides for basketball
It was long ago and far away
The world was younger than today
when dreams were all they gave for free
to ugly duckling girls like me
We all play the game, and when we dare
we cheat ourselves at solitaire
Inventing lovers on the phone
Repenting other lives unknown
that call and say, "Come dance with me,"
and murmur vague obscenities
at ugly girls like me, at seventeen
Copyright © Janis Ian/her co-writer(s) if any/their publisher(s). All rights reserved.
There wasn't a dry eye in the house, and J.A. received a standing ovation.
There was still an entire afternoon of 50-minute classes left to participate in, but I decided to leave. There was no way to top that. It was the perfect end to a perfect day.
Thank you, J.A. It was beautiful.
The next day I had an epiphany: All writers, regardless of how famous they are, like to hear about how their work has touched the lives of others. I decided to research Janis Ian, find out how to contact her, and let her know what J.A. had done ... and I did. This is what I wrote on June 8, 2008:
Hi, Janis. First of all, allow me to say I love your music. At Seventeen is one of the most hauntingly beautiful songs ever written, and it's why I am writing you this email today.
I am a freelance writer from Boise, Idaho, and on June 6 & 7th I attended a writer's conference here called Murder in the Grove. The guest speaker was mystery novelist J.A. Jance.
After she accepted the Bloody Pen Award she gave a speech in which she paid tribute to you. I thought you might like to read about it. I can tell you there wasn't a dry eye in the house!
Please visit my blog to read the whole story (it's under the day #2 section of my most recent post): http://www.writing.com/main/books/item_id/1227060 [this blog is no longer a public item]
Thank you for touching so many lives. You are wonderful!
Shannon Chapel
Boise, Idaho
To my utter amazement, I received a response from Janis the very next day. This is what she wrote:
Shannon,
Thanks so much for letting me know. I actually wrote to her myself and received a lovely answer this morning!
Again, best of luck with your own work.
Janis
Sometimes there really are happy endings.
Thank you for reading.
J.A. Jance, June 7, 2008 |
Please enjoy this week's featured selections and remember to do the authors the courtesy of reviewing the ones you read. Thank you, and have a great week!
(First Place winner in July's Quotation Inspiration Contest)
|  | Girl on a Bus (E)
We meet someone special, but then find that we can not communicate with them.
#1194119 by Trirat  |
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#1233584 by Not Available. |
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Feedback
The following is in response to "Short Stories Newsletter (July 20, 2011)" :
Legerdemain  says, "Awesome newsletter Shannon. I love hearing what other authors have to say about the trade and their inspiration. Who knew Rambo was inspired by a Glen Campbell video? There's a leap of thought!  " I know, right? lol Thank you for reading, Leger.
Adriana Noir says, "This was such an awesome and inspiring Newsletter, Shannon! I absolutely love the notes you took and feel like I'm walking away with a fresher perspective. Just in time to help me struggle with the three-quarter novel blues!" I'm glad my notes came at such an opportune time, Adriana, and best of luck with your novel!
LJPC - the tortoise says, "Hi Shannon! I LOVED your newsletter about David Morrell. He had many insightful things to say about writing and the business of publishing. I also appreciated the remarks about Stephen Cannell and Stephen King--two of my favorite writers, and also ones who give great writing tips. Thanks so much for sharing all this info with us.  " You are very welcome, Laura. Thank YOU!
SHERRI GIBSON  says, "Very informative newsletter, Shannon." Thank you, Sherri! I'm glad you liked it. 
chlavine says, "Loved this newsletter! Thank you for sharing Mr. Morell's ideas with us. I needed the 'engage your other senses', and it came just when I needed it." You are most welcome, and thank YOU for your kind words.
stokecity says, "Hi. I was making a note of how much you recanted was helpful to me. I was going to say this and that, but by the end there was so much I dropped the idea. Great! Thank you." Thank you, Ian. I'm glad you found the newsletter helpful.
Zeke  says, "I had never thought of it before. It's a great idea. Never have a period at the bottom of a page. Wow!" I know! I was equally stunned by its brilliance and simplicity, Zeke. Thank you for reading, my friend.
VictoriaMcCullough says, "I have always been in love with Sylvester Stallone and follow his movie career voraciously. What I liked about your talk with David Morrell was how interested you were in finding good quotes that chill the soul when it comes to mystery and thrillers. I still watch reruns of RAMBO on TV. Great viewing." Me too! In fact, I recently saw a Stallone interview in which he talks about how Rocky came to be. You can watch it in its entirety (it's a four-part YouTube series) here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJvPD2u3YBI
Brooklyn  says, "Hi Shannon. Thank you so much for sharing your experience from your writer's conference with David Morrell. I loved reading all his quotes and thoughts on writing. Keep up the great work!" Aw, thank you, Brooke! I appreciate your kindness.
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Short Stories: August 17, 2011 Issue [#4557]
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