Paul Weidknecht

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Issue 48, Spring 2017

This quarter’s theme of "Hope Springs Eternal" celebrates the renewal that comes with spring, and, as writers, it makes sense that we can apply this concept of renewal to our writing. Ample time has passed to see if those writing resolutions we made back in the waning days of December are moving toward fruition or if they were just, well, words on a paper. If we are not on pace to meeting our writing goals, it might be due to us neglecting our respective writing chairs. Yet there is still time to get some quality writing done through adjusting those goals. Adjustment should not be seen as compromising our objectives, but as a way of returning to the creative process, of circling back to our passion of writing.

An effective adjustment might be to write shorter, at least temporarily. Flash fiction or flash essays (works usually classified as running 1,000 words or less) can serve as stand-alone pieces for immediate consumption or as the start of longer works such as novels, novellas, or screenplays. In either case, the writer is back at the writing desk, moving forward, creating. One of the appealing aspects of writing short is that after several hours of writing, another or so of polishing, you have a completed piece of work, something whole, an achievement. The same can be said of poetry writing. The change of genre might seem awkward, even intimidating, to fiction and nonfiction writers, but the compact nature of poetry compels the writer to "get to the point," to engage the reader sooner rather than later. Again, the writer has a complete piece of writing from which other ideas and concepts may emerge. In other words, as writers, we do that which primes the pump.

While on the topic of writing short, it might be a great time to take advantage of the extended deadline for our Bethlehem Writers Roundtable Short Story Award. Until April 30, we will be accepting entries of 2,000 words or less on the subject of "Paranormal.” First place receives $200 and possible publication in the next print anthology by the Bethlehem Writers Group.

However numerous or ambitious our writing aims may be, whether we are racing ahead of them or painfully behind schedule, the ultimate goal of every writer should be to find a way—no, make a way—to sit in that writing chair, because once we get there and stay there for a while, good things are bound to happen.

In this issue: Our featured author is BWG’s own Diane Sinovic, whose short story “In the Delivery” suggests there is more to delivering pizza than making sure the pie didn’t run and getting the right change. The interview for our spring issue is conducted by BWG’s Kidd Wadsworth, profiling the multi-talented Kate Brandes, who talks about her debut novel, The Promise of Pierson Orchard. John Grey shares his poem, “Feedback” with us, and in &More, Melodie Corrigall and BWG’s resident world traveler, Jerry McFadden, present their short fiction.

Issue 44, Jul/Aug 2016

The twin acts of travel and exploration have always inspired writers to create, whether detailing the happenings within the journey or focusing on the events once the destination has been reached. Some of the most acclaimed books in literature address these two themes: Don Quixote, Robinson Crusoe, Moby-Dick, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and Heart of Darkness, to name a few. In these works, the aspects of travel and exploration are central and unmistakable, surrounding us as we read, yet travel is not limited only to these kinds of stories, as fantasy tales like A Christmas Carol, The Time Machine, and The Wizard of Oz accomplish the same by transporting the reader to another world by playing with the concept of time and place.

Maybe writers think of home as being boring, and if not outright boring, then possibly as commonplace compared to other locales, a sort of literary version of ‘the grass is always greener on the other side’. Visiting different places and the people who live there ignites imagination, bringing forth undiscovered ideas, infusing old concepts with new and original nuances. Travel portents change, and change invites the notion that something will happen that doesn’t normally occur at home, in short, drama. Of course, as storytelling goes, change and plot are close kin.

Perhaps the power of the travel story is most vividly conveyed as I recall a statement one of my nephews made when he was about three, just prior to our drive up from his home in the mountains of North Carolina to New Jersey for a vacation. As we were about to climb into the van, young Wade exclaimed, “We’re going to New Jersey! This is the best day of my life!”, surely words never uttered in the history of humankind—nor since—but still a pretty good illustration of why we like to write about travel and read about others doing the same.

In this issue: Our featured author is our own Josie Myers, with her hilarious tale that shows how vacations can be planned one way and, of course, go another. This issue’s interview is BWG member, A. E. Decker, talking about her engaging debut YA Fantasy novel, The Falling of the Moon, the Moonfall Mayhem series, and her creative process. Also, in our & More section we feature two fine stories; Asha Azariah-Kribbs’ story, “Lara’s Tree”, which placed 2nd in our 2016 Short Story Award Competition and 3rd Place story, “Scarecrow Moon”, by David M. Simon.

Issue 41, Jan/Feb 2016

January 1 signals not only the start of a new year, but also when we begin accepting entries for our short story competition, The 2016 Bethlehem Writers Roundtable Short Story Award. While our celebrity judge makes the final decisions regarding which entries will be “in the money,” that is, first, second, and third places, the members of BWG are the initial readers who decide which stories move on to the final phase of judging. Truthfully, each year our best-attended meeting occurs when we gather to defend our favorite stories, hoping they are forwarded for further recognition. And, in case you were wondering, yes, this process can become quite animated.

Judging art will always be a subjective process, yet certain factors seem to help a story work its way up through the judging process. So, here are some quick tips for those interested in entering the contest and, of course, if you do, best of luck!

Following Rules – Rules allow everyone to start in the same place. A masterpiece that comes in at 2,001 words has to go, whereas, a 78-word story about dryer lint still has a chance. Unpublished pieces only, please. We check; the internet makes that easy.

Originality – Like a precious metal, originality is treasured because of its rarity. Originality takes time and thought, and when we read it, there is always an extra nugget of respect for the writer’s creativity.

Intriguing Start – Show from the first sentence that you are a storyteller, and that we are in for a tale that holds our attention. Make it impossible for us not to read your second sentence.

Artful Language – You don’t want to write a poem, but a story that makes us stop for a moment and reread a sentence or paragraph to consider how the writer constructed it will always be in the running. Quality writing can help make up for a story’s other faults such as a light plot or slim characters.

Satisfying Ending – One of the biggest disappointments is reading a story that has us cheering it all the way down the homestretch, only to discover an ending that undoes all the good the writer has accomplished with an unrealistic or inappropriate wrap-up.

In this issue: Our featured author for this issue is BWG member Chris Ochs, who brings us a tale of investigation, justice, and restoration in an alternate world. BWG member Kidd Wadsworth interviews award-winning and best-selling author Donna Galanti. In our & More section, we showcase a poem by Sarah Pritchard, as well as, short stories by Gary Floyd and LaVonne Roberts.

Issue 38, Jul/Aug 2015

We enjoy reading poetry at the Roundtable and are intrigued as to how poets translate their work from the various themes we offer. We understand the nature of much poetry is personal, often highly so, making the process of what goes into accepting or rejecting a poem difficult to define. Poets might rightfully ask, “What makes a good (publishable) poem?” To which editors might deliver the easy answer, “We know it when we read it.” Of course, that answer is too slippery to be of any value, so here are some observations about poetry and how poets might refine their work:

While prose can stand a degree of dilution, poetry is concentrated. From speaking with poets at writer’s conferences, I’ve heard that word—concentrated—come up time and again. In a poem, possibly due to its brevity compared to a short story, readers roll around the ‘flavor’ of words in their minds, sort of like a literary sommelier. Word number and choice are important, as poetry readers (read: editors) don’t skim.

Poems addressing emotional issues, i.e. the tragedy of losing a loved one, are most effective when they reach out, causing the reader to reflect in a similar way, and hopefully, compelling multiple readings. A silent nod by a reader might be one of the best compliments a poet can receive.

Other items of which to be mindful: Abstract poetry is fine; its originality is refreshing—as long as you keep the interest of someone reading that abstractness. When a poem becomes too much of a puzzle, reading it becomes a chore. A poem is not a piece of flash fiction with line breaks; short stories do that better. Read the poem out loud. How does it sound? Does it stumble along under the leaden awkwardness of worn phrases or does it ascend in the inspiration of inventive language and imagery?

Perhaps the two most important rules regarding the creation of poetry, or any other piece of creative writing, are the most obvious to understand and simplest to do: keep rewriting your own work, keep reading others work.

In this issue: Our front page feature for this issue is the engaging tale by Ronald Wolff of a father’s love for his musically gifted and autistic son. BWG member Diane Sismour

interviews multi-talented author, editor, and agent Marie Lamba. In our &More section, we showcase a short story by Mary Ann Cooper, as well as work by poets Michael Salgado and Elissa Gordon.

Issue 35, Jan/Feb 2015

Despite the cold and snow and credit card bill hangover from the holidays, January is that month of new beginnings, when many of us resolve to live the coming year a little better than the previous one. It’s not that we messed up the recently passed year worse than any other, but that we all like the idea of improvement. Writing, like any other creative discipline, is worthy of goal-setting, and if we are going to indulge it, we should want to become more proficient at it.

But to say we want simply to be better writers in the coming year might not be concrete enough to push us to that end. Specificity might be the best place to start. Goals are personal and each writer needs to determine what will be satisfying, because let’s face it, no one wants to be sipping eggnog at 11:52 PM on December 31, waiting for the ball to drop, lamenting on how to write th

e final 200 pages of their novel in eight minutes. For some writers, a single large goal, perhaps the completion of that novel, is what keeps them anchored to the writing chair. For others, a series of smaller goals (daily, weekly or monthly word count goals) might be required as a step-by-step encouragement toward writing diligence and/or confidence.

Whichever kind of writer you are, any measure of your goal will have to happen with that first sentence. A goal that is too easy likely won’t help us to grow as writers; one that is too difficult will soon be abandoned. When planning our writing resolutions, we should probably examine what is realistic, with each writer doing well to begin with an honest self-assessment by asking some questions. What writing goals will I set for 2015? Do I want to finish a short story, publish a poem, attend a writers conference, place in a contest, secure an agent? Are there too many goals to sensibly achieve? (Writing three novels in a year probably isn’t realistic unless you are _____________ fill in the blank; we all know several candidates). Is there enough time in my schedule to accomplish any or all of my goals? And perhaps the most important question we might ask of ourselves when constructing our writing goals: Come December 31^st feel about what I’ve done this past year?

In this issue:Our front page feature for this issue is the short story “Six at Six” by Margo Lemberger, proof that friends, food, and drink can mix in quite unique ways. BWG member Ralph Hieb interviews prolific author and DeSales University professor Katherine Ramsland. In our & More section, we showcase short stories by Jed Power and Robin Witten, as well as, a poem by Leland James.

Issue 32, July/August 2014

The months of July and August find many people out on that annual escape from normal life, more commonly known as vacation, this time when we can wake up when we want, not having to listen to a boss, and setting our own schedule for the day. The down time from work can inspire the muse, freeing us to push aside the busyness of business and embrace contemplation, letting our imaginations start the process of building a story, poem, or an essay. Travel to another place, especially a different country or culture, can enhance this creative process, infusing our writing with a freshness that otherwise might have remained dormant. I can recall from my own experience, a job (where I stayed far too long to admit) in which my only refuge was the two or three-week span each year when I was able to hop in a car or board a jet and discover something new. For most of these years I kept a log of those trips. Anything that was part of the vacation was eligible for entry into the log: the cost of a bartered blanket in Acapulco (started at $71.00, ended at $16.00), the taste of turtle steak in cream sauce in Aruba, the sight of a starry sky on the Idaho/Montana border. Some of these entries have become details in stories, others have become whole stories, while other items are simply sitting there waiting to be turned into something. And one need not leave home to be inspired to write, as vacations that take place in the backyard hammock or before the deck grill often allow for memories, especially those about family, to rise to the surface.

That expression, “I’m so busy, I don’t have time to think,” seems most relevant when speaking to the importance of the relati

In this issue: Christine Venzon’s poignant “The Devil You Know” is our front page feature for this issue. It is the third place winner of our 2014 Short Story Award, and a prime example of the real importance of a story’s ending, especially the last line. We interview Bruce Allen Murphy, Fred Morgan Kirby Professor of Civil Rights at Lafayette College, Supreme Court scholar, and very good friend of The Bethlehem Writers Group, about his new book, “Scalia: A Court of One”. In our & More section, we showcase “Egg Salad Salvation” by Alicia Wallace, “Pickin’ Banjo” by Georgia Ruth, and “Apple Lure”, by Paula Gail Benson, who appears for the third time in The Roundtable.onship between time off and writing. Perhaps it is a saying of which every writer should be aware, a kind of signal to us that at times we might need to work less in order to write better.

Issue 26, November 2013

Editor's Note: Despite originating with the boundaries Civil War prisoners were prohibited to cross under penalty of death by guard tower, deadlines are good for writers. Having to meet a deadline means that you have work, that someone wants your writing, and that they need it at a certain time. While the best intentions of writers will lead them to writing, life can get in the way, causing distractions and, ultimately, procrastinations. Deadlines are what keep a business-like sense of urgency to this writing world of ours.

November might be considered a deadline month for those pursuing National Novel Writing Month, commonly known as NaNoWriMo (NaNoWriMo.org), a quest in which writers attempt to write a novel of 50,000 words before the calendar leafs over to December. After rounding up, fifty-thousand words figure to about 1,667 words daily, a good day’s writing, even if all the words may not make the final edit. Truth be told, I have never attempted it (I tend to agonize inordinately over each sentence, perfection paralysis I’ve heard it called, but that’s another story), yet I think it serves the noble purpose of getting words on paper, of having something tangible after a certain amount of time—not just a bunch of great unconnected ideas and concepts banging around inside your head. So if your writing temperament allows, go for it, thirty days from now you will have a manuscript (or a solid start on one) you can read, print up and mark up. Even if the words do not say exactly what you want them to say, and are not in their correct order, we know that the best order usually emerges after time, and that harvest can never precede cultivation. Happy Thanksgiving.

In this issue: This month’s featured author is Debra H. Goldstein who presents us with an original take on the wheelings and dealings (and perils) of small-town politics. Also, included is an interview with New York Times-bestselling author, Jennifer Chiaverini, and two stories of human frailty in &More. And, of course, Betty's tips from around the web. --Paul Weidknecht

Issue 23, August, 2013

Editor's Note: As they say, a blank page (read: screen) is the most frightening thing to a writer, and often a story that is clear in the mind becomes less so when that idea is ready to be translated to paper. In media res or "in the middle of things" is sage advice regarding where to begin a story, but there are seemingly endless places to start in the middle. Such is writing.

Yet if writers find this frustrating—and I count myself among this group—we can take comfort in the fact that the creative process is neither monolithic nor pedantic; there is no single way to do it. But a story must begin with a sentence, whether it is good one or a bad one. The good one might end up being the opener in the final draft or it might wind up being the beginning of the second paragraph or it might be cut altogether. The bad one, of course, should be seen for what it is and eliminated, quickly. Fortunately, writing begets writing, as one idea attaches to the next, and soon all of it begins to make sense. Ideas spring up that had not existed ten seconds prior to that first spark of thought.

Thankfully, each of the fine writers in this issue of the Roundtable discovered a way to start a story and see it through to the end. I hope you enjoy their art.

In this issue: Our own talented Ann Decker presents her short story, “Recipe for Disaster,” while award-winning Australian filmmaker and novelist, Brian Kavanagh, discusses the intersection of filmmaking and writing. In the &More section, Bethlehem Writers Group’s Stanley W. McFarland once again displays his storytelling skills through the story “King’s Gambit,” and Daniel O’Shields’ “An Ordinary Man” suggests that the lessons of family and love are anything but commonplace.