Issue 21

By Amanda Linsmeier

Laura Esquivel’s bestselling first novel, Like Water for Chocolate is a mouth-watering tale of love, passion and food. Tita, the youngest of three daughters lives in constant fear of Mama Elena. Since her husband’s untimely death, Mama Elena has ruled with an iron fist. Tita is raised with the help of the loving cook Nacha and spends most of her time growing up in the kitchen. It is there that Tita can seek some refuge from the harsh Mama Elena. As Tita gets older, the strict rules of her mother seem impossible to live by, for Tita has fallen in love. When Pedro comes to ask for her hand in marriage, Tita’s mother refuses, saying that her youngest daughter must never marry and must care for her until she dies. In a naïve act of love, Pedro agrees to marry Tita’s older sister Rosaura just so that he can be near Tita, the love of his life, forever. It is when Tita is forced by her mother to make her sister’s wedding cake that Tita’s strange magic in the kitchen comes to light. Grieving and distraught, her tears fall into the batter and every guest who eats the wedding cake the following day is overcome with sickness and misery. Tita continues to spend her time in the kitchen, as the head chef, and her emotions are transferred into whatever dish she is creating. Whether it is lust, anger or love, Tita’s deep feelings go right into her food and then into whoever eats it. Set in turn of the century Mexico, Like Water for Chocolate is an exquisite novel that will leave you intrigued and hungry.

One of the best things about this book is the recipes that begin each chapter. From Quail in Rose Petal Sauce to Cream Fritters. There’s even a recipe for making matches. This novel is tender, heartbreaking and satisfying. It’s a story for anybody who has ever had mother issues (Mama Elena is unbelievable) or longed for something they could never have. It is a Mexican Cookbook and tall tale put together. If you enjoy the book, you will probably enjoy the movie as well. The Spanish version with English subtitles is a fantastic portrayal of the book, probably because the author’s former husband made the film. But please read the book first. Like Water for Chocolate is a story of love, captivity, sex and war-the kind between countries- and families.

By Carole Shmurak

Of the Golden Age grand dames, Agatha Christie has always been my least favorite. Though her plots are ingenious, I’ve often felt that Christie’s characters were two-dimensional stereotypes; chessmen to be moved around as the plot twists dictated. Her detective Poirot has frequently irritated me, with his smug hints as to how much more he knows than I do. (I enjoy David Suchet’s portrayal of Poirot, nonetheless.)

But I was really drawn into Sparkling Cyanide (also published under the title Remembered Death). It’s the story of the murder of Rosemary Barton and the memories of each of the people present at her death. I found the book difficult to put down. I ended up really liking the characters Iris and Sandra and was taken by surprise by a few of the plot twists.

The parallel structure of all the different characters’ narratives was nicely done. Detective Colonel Race was a pleasant, low-key alternative to Poirot. Though the final explanation of how the murder was accomplished was a bit far-fetched and the actual modus operandi not quite clear, the identity of the villain was convincing. I suspected him or her all along!

Christie’s books have sold billions of copies; for many, hers is a brand name synonymous with mystery. Published near the end of the second World War, Sparkling Cyanide has no allusions to the war or the deprivations it caused the British people, and was undoubtedly a welcome escape for the readers of that time. It still works that way for me.

Brenda Novak

Brenda Novak is an award-winning The New York Times bestselling author of historical and contemporary romances.

Q: Your first career was as a loan officer. How did you “teach” yourself to write?

A: I taught myself how to writing by reading. I sifted out the books I liked and tried to figure out what they had in common. I trusted my intuition. Most importantly, I practiced. I approached writing a bit like sculpting. I put everything I had out on the table, and then I molded it until I was pleased with the result. The most crucial thing I learned while writing my first book is that you can't let all the how-to information overwhelm what comes naturally.

Q: With five children, what is your writing schedule like and how do you find time to properly promote your books?

A: I treat my writing like a full-time job. I get up every morning, go to my guest house (which is my office) and write. I try to do ten pages a day, but that's usually a stretch for me. E-mail and the business/promotion side of being an author take about half my time, which is why ten pages is now a stretch.

Q: What tips do you have for new writers?

A: One word: Believe. If you believe in your writing, you won't give up., you'll trust your intuition, you'll take advantage of every opportunity and you'll work your butt off. You get the picture. It all starts and stops with having faith in yourself and your dream.

Carlotta Holton is the author of Salem Pact and Touching The Dead, and is a member of the National Federation of Press Women and an affiliate member of the Horror Writers Association.

Carlotta Holton has just received her second award for Touching the Dead from the National Federation of Press Women Communications Contest. Click here to purchase the book.

What makes a thriller a medical thriller?

What makes a thriller or a suspense novel a medical thriller? A successful novel in this genre needs more than a few scientific terms tossed in at random. Placement of the plot points and the medical aspects must be carefully spaced. How does one weave these together to make a coherent work? For the framework, you need a sound storyline. The plot must build and pull the reader along. The scientific/medical aspects of the story should be sprinkled through the manuscript like breadcrumbs; a literary trail for your readers to follow.

One caution to the writer: Don’t hide anything. Leave your clues or your verbal tidbits along the path, though not necessarily staring the reader in the face. Whether the reader notices them or not depends on how savvy they are, as well as how expertly the story is constructed. It is all part of the adventure of reading. The writer’s task is to entice readers to look, but the clues must be there to find. Some of the writers of the past century would pull out a new character or reveal some hitherto undisclosed major clue in the final pages, but for today’s reader this is considered poor practice and highly unsatisfying.

Where does one get inspiration for their medical suspense/thriller novel? Scan the titles on the shelves in your local bookstore. The phrase “ripped from the headlines” can be applied to many. When an unusual cause of death or public health issue hits the news, expect to see it in the next wave of bestsellers. With the rise of serious infections with scary acronyms such as MRSA and VRE (not to mention “flesh-eating bacteria!”) it is no surprise that these have followed AIDS into the areas of medical fiction. One key to a successful thriller is that it incorporates scientific fact. The story must be plausible, not matter how unlikely. Picture a “perfect storm” of one bad event leading to another, which might be nearly impossible to replicate in reality, but nevertheless is possible.

Medical professionals who turn to writing fiction have a wealth of experience and personal cases to draw from for inspiration. By making composites of situations and characters, one can weave a fascinating case study from real life into a fictional story without compromising confidentiality. Doctors, nurses and medics spend much of their day listening to people with a variety of problems and this knowledge can serve as a background against which one can paint a story. All writers can find ideas from the media—taking a bit of this and a dab of that to add to their verbal canvas to create an original work.

Writing a medical thriller requires mastery of two worlds: constructing a good story and finding interesting medical points to thread into that story. This is a difficult task, but one that when done well, is extremely satisfying both for the author and for the reader.

Part Two: When to know when enough is enough.

Barbara Wilhelm (Mela Barrows Bennett) is the author of Murder Makes the Rounds. Click here to read an interview with Barbara Wilhelm.

On the first morning of our vacation to Yachats around 6:45 A.M., I am still drowsy while I curl over in bed taking dim note of our surroundings. Our bedroom faces East with a wall to wall picture window protected by a panel of hanging canvas-like shades. The rising sun is streaming through those vertical panels, illuminating a picture of Martha’s Vineyards on the opposite wall, and an adjacent beach painting called “By the Sea.”

I hear my wife Susan in the kitchen probably making coffee. Every so often there is a cracking boom from the surf outside, crashing against our rugged, rocky Oregon coastline.

I am more awake now, but I close my eyes to move myself deeper into the spirit of relaxation. However, I do commence to stroke Silas, our twelve pound poodle and Pomeranian mix, who is snuggled besides me. Slowly, I become aware of and more sensitive to the outside chatter of birds commingled with the cackling songs of some crows.

Woven within the cacophony is the mysterious and melodic flute-like song of an unknown avian creature. Whatever the nature of this species, I am convinced it is a virtuoso. Such sweet, soothing refrains, flash me back to the Native American music, Susan and I became so exquisitely familiar with when we lived in Albuquerque, New Mexico in the 90’s.

The flute notes continue with a slightly reedy resonance, accompanied by three staccato whistles at the end of the bird song. I know in my heart, as a few tears of joy land on my face, that I must have arrived in heaven.

As I record these precious moments in my journal, I would like to say a few words of encouragement to aspiring writers. First and foremost, start writing your own journal. There is something healing, therapeutic, and thought provoking about the whole journaling process.

Next, while you journal, pause to slow the pace down. Review the written passages and look for word gems or thought jewels to further refine and appreciate. This form of writing then becomes a kind of cognitive meditation, which facilitates peace of mind and limitless creativity.

For example, I am sitting now in a comfortable lounge chair located in our beach home living room. I have rewritten my entry at least 10 times or more, which is the third thing I want to suggest to all those who want to get published: keep polishing your work.

The more I focused on describing my immediate environment, the more receptive I became to free flowing, relaxing thoughts. I noticed the whole West wall of our living room consists of four, tempered glass windows, about five-by-five square feet each, and a matching pair attached to both side walls. The observation area presents a panoramic view that is unbelievable, humbling, and awe inspiring.

Our rental home actually rests on a grassy cliff overlooking and facing the Pacific Ocean. The spectacular water images hypnotize by the undulating motion of the waves, caressing the huge, oddly shaped, black, barnacle covered, volcanic rock slabs, jutting out in the shoreline.

As I write about the power of journaling, the surf roars with breaking whitecaps, spiraling around and splashing between the rock formation fingers. Sea gulls fly low over the waters, sometimes diving in to feast on sea bounty.

Write about what you hear, feel, and think. Know that there is a creative force within all of us. Practice accessing this inner Light that overcomes all dark secrets, which mysteriously threaten to hold us back from the good we deserve. Let your writing take you to the place of silence deep within our subconscious mind some appropriately call, “The Secret Place of the most High.”

Furthermore, listen to the spirit music of your surroundings and observations. Allow your mind, body, and soul to dance to the rhythmic pulse of inspiration and bliss. Give yourself permission to free associate with your creative strengths, talents, and abilities.

So, let’s take a deep breath together and revisit one last time the sparkling, gleaming, life images that stand before me today. I look out at a mauve sky on the ocean horizon. At times, the sun turns the sea into millions of glistening diamond lights. A partial cloud-drape extends over the bluish-green waters as far as the eye can see. Gulls and water foul are bobbing in clumps, speckling the ocean with white feather squares like enormous nature-made patch quilts. The fishy, salty, seaweed smells permeate the air.

I turn to focus once again on the infinite, majestic waves. Their surf-music play notes of rushing, slashing, percussive melodies, which mesmerize, hypnotize, and soothes the soul. To be writing on a day like this is a blessing beyond imagination, with memories to treasure and keep alive in the secret place within.

Mr. Eby is a Master Social Worker with more than 30 years of professional experience. He is a new author published by SterlingHouse Publisher. He currently works as a therapist and counselor at Options for Southern Oregon, the local mental health agency. He has also provided online life coaching services on eBay for many years. For more information visit his site at www.squidoo.com/garyeby

"Do you need help, support, or free marketing exposure for your work? Just click on Gary Eby's squidoo lense. Check out the helpful information. Leave samples of your work or questions and concerns in the blurb box at the bottom of his page. Or, click his bio for direct contact with him and his fan club. Better yet, click on the red button on his page, start your own free lense, and connect with an online community of more than 500,000 members." Publishing Club

Writing is a noble, but strange profession. What other profession is so filled with people who want to do it, but just don’t have the time?

“If I just had the time, I could write a best-seller,” is a common refrain at book-signings.
I always answer with, “You should do it, it’s fun.”

Yet it isn’t fun. Writing is hard work. Finding an agent you can trust and a publisher who shares the dream is even more difficult. Handling the absolute despair of the editor’s rewrite is agonizing at best. So why do it?

I like to write inspirational, against-all-odds, types of stories. I get all worked up when the main character is able to succeed when it looks as if there is no hope at all. Still, is that enough to keep you writing?

Years ago, after publishing my first book, I went to work on a second. A good friend of mine stopped by with beer in an attempt to get me away from the computer. “I’m writing,” I said.
“You already did it once, why bother?” he asked.

Fast-forward to about five years and three books later. A mother, who lost her son in a car accident, seeks me out at the funeral home. “Your books have meant the world to me,” she said, as she hugged me tightly.
Why bother?

Because you just might reach someone.

Cliff Fazzolari is a professional writer and prolific author. He is on the Women and Children's Hospital of Buffalo PICU Parent Advisory Council. He currently resides in Blasdell, New York.

Click here to read a Q&A interview with Cliff Fazzolari about his upcoming event at The Women & Children's Hospital of Buffalo, NY.

Douglas Carlton Abrams is a former editor at the University of California Press and HarperSanFrancisco. He is the co-author of a number of books on love, sexuality, and spirituality, including books written with Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Yogacharya B.K.S. Iyengar, and Taoist Master Mantak Chia.

The Lost Diary of Don Juan is his first novel and will be published in twenty-seven countries around the world. Read more at www.lostdiaryofduanjoan.com