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Beth C. Greenberg
Flash Fiction, Life, Writing

5 Key Life Lessons My Adult Students Taught Me

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Zoom screen on a desk with a mug beside the laptop where a teacher is reflecting on lessons taught by students

What lessons have you been taught by your students?

I recently led a 4-week workshop on writing micro- (<100 words) fiction to a group of adult learners in my community. The experience, with all its ups and downs, reminded me that the best teachers I’ve had are ALWAYS actively learning from their students. With that in mind, I tried to keep my mind and heart open and humble to the wisdom that was sure to come my way, and I was duly rewarded.

Here are 5 key life lessons my adult students taught me while I was busy teaching them.

Life Lesson #1: One person’s sharing could be another’s trigger.

Aside from one friend who’d registered for the class, every student was an unknown quantity, a name on a spreadsheet. Even when we “met” on Zoom that first evening, I still only knew what each openly shared. And that wasn’t a lot.

Writing (at least GOOD writing) often claws at our most intense, most intimate emotions. Everyone brings a unique set of experiences into the room. Triumphs, traumas, and the minutiae of daily living. You never know what an “innocuous” prompt might unleash. And that goes for the writer as well as the receivers of story.

One woman felt very comfortable writing about domestic violence in a manner that felt quite realistic. Another had a very hard time hearing those stories. Both needed to be respected and heard.

Life Lesson #2: Technology is both helpful and challenging.

Zoom is great. No matter my location, weather, or traffic, the 9 of us could easily convene online. But from the moment I agreed to teach the class, I worried my internet connection would give me trouble. I’d had a few bizarro issues in the weeks leading up to the first class. It’s one thing to glitch when you’re taking a class, quite another when you’re teaching!

I had an ipad and phone backup plan, which I luckily never needed.

Another potential issue with Zoom is the lack of connection among the participants. When you can’t see each other, social cues are even harder for those who are already challenged. The lack of syncronicity sometimes causes people to talk at once, which can be awkward too.

I also had my Powerpoint “deck” in place, complete with graphics and the occasional photo. Still, my screen sharing wasn’t perfect. I often accidentally scrolled forward or back, causing confusion and giving away my secrets before their time!

As the classes went on, I became better at both the technical aspects and at keeping my WiFi anxiety at bay.

Life Lesson #3: Classes are like kids’ birthday parties.

I once hosted a very elaborate pirate and princess treasure hunt birthday party for two dozen 6-year-olds. The details that had taken me a week to create – “buried” jewels, treasure maps burnt around the edges, rhyming clues to solve – took the kids all of fifteen minutes to plow through. After which followed an hour of unplanned time before cake. It wasn’t pretty. There were swords.

Since that day, I have always planned for more activities than I thought I’d need. Same goes for teaching materials. You want your materials and the class time to come out even. Just like ice cream and cake.

Part of the challenge turned out to be me sabotaging myself! I’d planned a bunch of writing exercises for 7-10 minutes, but as soon as I gave the prompts, I was impatient to hear their creations. I’m not sure I ever made it past the 5-minute mark.

If you’re looking for a great site for writing prompts, start here.

Life Lesson #4: Starting with kindness is not always apparent.

For some strange reason, there are people who believe that speaking critically makes them appear clever. You can see this readily in the world of book reviews. If you have a stronger stomach than I, take a look at a couple of the less-than-stellar reviews of First Quiver (Cupid’s Fall #1) over on Goodreads.

Though I assumed that the participants in my class had only good intentions, I did find it worthwhile to repeat “Kindness first,” – and hold us all to that standard.

Chances are, in a roomful of novice writers, no critical comment will be impactful enough to risk hurt feelings. And my personal feeling is anyone who DOES have such an important, clever comment to share can find a nice way to say it.

This is not to undervalue the enormous benefit of great critique! Here are a few of my feelings on that topic…

Life Lesson #5: I’ve actually learned a lot about writing.

Well, here was a pleasant discovery! Organizing my thoughts on writing allowed me to realize I have actually gained quite a bit of knowledge through my years of practice and contest writing. And happily, the folks who joined my class tended to agree. I could tell not only from that lovely glow of understanding, but also by the way they were incorporating some of those best practices into their writing samples. I was proud of them!

I can only hope that the wisdom I imparted measures up with the life lessons my adult students taught me.

Thanks for reading!

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Adventures in Publishing, Books

Cozy Fantasy: Cupid’s New Book Covers

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Cupid's Fall new cozy fantasy covers - 4 books in series with Cupid leaning against a column in his half-toga.

What does ‘cozy fantasy’ even mean?

Have you ever heard of a “cozy fantasy”? Neither had I until very recently. But the moment I heard the term, I knew it perfectly captured the essence of the Cupid’s Fall series.

What’s cozy fantasy? Take the small-town, relatable hero of a cozy mystery (think Miss Marple and Murder She Wrote) and add an element of imaginative fiction – magic, supernatural beings, or in my case, Greek gods. The genre often features quirky characters, light world-building, romance (of varying spice levels), and an absence of gratuitous violence. These are feel-good, slice-of-life stories where the good guys usually win by doing the right thing.

It’s time for Cupid’s wardrobe change.

SO – cozy fantasy it is! No more worrying or wondering where to file my modern-day Greek mythology romantic-comedy low fantasy literary romance! YAY! My genre-bending series would finally have a home on its rightful shelf!

Aside from there being no actual shelf, I had just one rather large problem – my four books were already clad in wonderfully romantic-comedy-esque covers. And while they beautifully communicate the whimsical tone I originally wanted to convey, they fail to evoke the magical element inherent in a story about a bunch of gods walking/floating/screwing around on both Mt. Olympus and Earth.

Time to find a cover artist!

Enter Holly Dunn

I’m thrilled to have partnered this time around with graphic artist Holly Dunn, who specializes in gorgeous hand lettering, intricate and colorful scroll designs, and creative art nouveau-inspired imagery.

I encourage you to check out her dazzling book covers and creations on her website. While you’re there, download and enjoy her coloring pages of your favorite mythology characters!

[For the record, my original cover artist and dear friend, Betti Gefecht, has been totally supportive of the redesign but was unable to create the designs herself this time around.]

I was immediately drawn to Holly’s designs, but what clinched the decision for me were the case studies she included on her website. I knew that working with Holly would be an artistic collaboration we would both enjoy. Let’s face it, I like to have my say! But I also deeply appreciate and respect an artist’s gifts.

Our collaborative process

Design scan

I contacted Holly by completing her intake form, which asked for a lot of detail I was very happy to provide: story themes, design elements and plot points. It was an interesting challenge to convey the essence of each book and overall series to someone who had absolutely no inside knowledge of characters or plot.

I shared a dozen or so fantasy covers that evoked the mood I was hoping for – and several of those covers were Holly’s own designs.

After the initial input, I waited for Holly’s interpretation of my stories…

Initial designs

Holly returned three different design concepts of single-color line drawings for direction.

Welp! Right out of the blocks, without any prompting from me (because I’d never thought of it!), Holly had incorporated a brand-new design idea that immediately clicked – an “above and below” area for each book! Readers of the Cupid’s Fall series know there are two simultaneous storylines playing out at all times, one on Earth and one on Mount Olympus (“Mt. O”). That simple (and now obvious) fact had never directly been depicted in the covers.

You’ll see this concept in the final designs. The godly realms include swirly clouds and icons of ancient mythology. The Earth space is more concrete: trees, a house, a pool, mountains, the ground.

Holly’s initial drawings included some truly wonderful depictions of Aphrodite, Ares, Cupid, and Pan. I was sorry to see them go, but I had made the strategic decision not to include any representational figures on these new books – especially Cupid and Pan, who’d already been drawn in cartoon form in the original covers.

Honing the design

Aligned on concept, we next discussed which individual design elements best represented the stories. We had the advantage of working on all four books at the same time, which really helped clarify styles and thematic arcs from book to book.

Holly beautifully infused mythology into the designs with ancient architectural elements such as the wonderful Ionic columns and lushly depicted Aphrodite’s palace. She highlighted the fantasy aspect with her gorgeous drawings of Cupid’s wings, Aphrodite’s dove-drawn chariot, and the gold-tipped arrow rising majestically from Hephaestus’s fiery forge.

A few tweaks later, the line drawings were in great shape. It was time to nail down the all-important lettering.

Lettering

Holly’s early vision was a lovely hand-drawn script to highlight the romance aspect. For me, this landed us a bit too far from the cozy fantasy/mythology feel. By the same token, the original covers’ classical block font did not leave enough room for magic or romance.

Fortunately, Holly had a third route up her creative sleeve – hand-drawn block-style letters with a romantic flourish. At least that’s how I view the final lettering!

One element that was non-negotiable: that stand-out, all-important letter “Q” in each title! Holly accepted this challenge and upped the ante with individualized arrows piercing each title.

Colors

This part was hard! I really wanted the titles to pop, which translates to a big contrast between background and lettering. Once I saw the gold-filled lettering, I knew the background would have to be a deeper shade – of something! We considered black but agreed it was too dark for the whimsical nature of the stories.

I’ve always loved the color progression of the original covers. Holly was able to maintain the series flow from (blue) sky through which Cupid falls to the (gold) posh interior of Ruthie and Zach’s home to the (aqua) pool where Cupid and Pan meet Reed to the (rosy) blooming of mated love between Cupid and Psyche. Yet Holly’s use of richer tones evokes ancient paint colors and sets the backdrop for the dazzling drawings that seem to be lit from behind. A true GLOW UP.

The Covers – Deconstructed

First Quiver cozy fantasy cover - Mt Olympus in the clouds, quiver and arrows falling to earth against a dark sky

Book 1: First Quiver

High above the mortal realm, floating on the fluffy Great Cloud, sits Aphrodite’s palace, the only home Cupid has ever known, from which he is cruelly thrust at the opening of book one (not that he didn’t earn it!).

Feathers, arrows, and Cupid’s quiver tumble to Earth along with the tragically virginal God of Love. The sturdy trees and the simple line beneath them indicates the solid, firm grounding of Cupid’s new reality.

The arrow running straight through the title brings to mind cause-and-effect. Naughty act >>> punishment. Tiny sparkles lend a magical air to the atmosphere. After all, a god has fallen to Earth!

Book 2: Into the Quiet

Above, Aphrodite’s team of doves burst into flight to draw the goddess’s golden chariot through the Olympian sky. The clamshell used to represent the goddess is reminiscent of Sandro Botticelli’s “Birth of Venus” painting. Presumably, Aphrodite is racing to meet Ares (God of War and Cupid’s bio-dad) for a “strategy session,” but we know the two illicit lovers are up to their ancient tricks.

On Earth, all appears tranquil from the house’s neat facade, but behind the white picket fence lurk secrets and half-truths that are tearing Ruthie & Zach’s marriage apart.

Roses (along with their swirly thorns) symbolize the treachery afoot in both worlds.

Into the Quiet's cozy fantasy cover - Aphrodite's chariot drawn by doves in the clouds, below a house on a quiet street
Quite the Pair's cozy fantasy cover - Olympic pool below with Cupid's arrow rising from a fire at the top

Book 3: Quite the Pair

The third book – Pan’s love story – always ends up being zanier than the others and with good reason. When Cupid falls for his BFF, formerly the satyr Pan, all heck breaks loose!

The brilliant fire represent the forge of Hephaestus (God of Fire, estranged husband of Aphrodite and loving stepfather to Cupid), who takes matters into his own hands and crafts a forbidden gold-tipped arrow to help Cupid fulfill his duty. The dark puffs of smoke represent anger shooting from Hephaestus’s ears when he learns he has once again been betrayed by his wife and his brother Ares.

Below, an “Olympic” lap pool represents the setting of many pivotal scenes of this story. Cupid tries swimming to relieve the awful tension of his unbearable desire and love for his BFF Pan, who turns out not to be Q’s to love. Splash!

Book 4: The Quest For Psyche

The series finale brings a parting of clouds and a brilliant burst of sunlight. Could those be Cupid’s wings awaiting his ascent? Does he even want any of his old life back?

On Earth, summer gives way to fall. Cupid’s final mission draws him to the mountainous terrain of Lake Tahoe, where he discovers his reluctant soul mate.

The rose-gold backdrop is the perfect marriage of ancient myth and the present-day embodiment of Cupid & Psyche.

The Quest for Psyche cozy fantasy cover - autumn mountain scene below with clouds parting on a brilliant sunburst and Cupid's wings above

So what do you think about the cozy fantasy covers?

Whether you’ve read the series or not, I’d love to hear how these new covers strike you.

Does this vibe fantasy? Magical realism? Low fantasy? Some other genre I’ve never even heard of yet? Lemme know!

How Do I Get Mine?

Thanks for asking! Click on any cover to find all the paperback and ebook buy links – just please make sure you’ve got the cover version your heart desires in your shopping cart! (And if you don’t, RETURN IT for the right one!)

The new hardcovers will be available later in the year as collector’s editions.

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Did you know you can receive blog updates straight to your inbox? Yup! Just enter your email address in the box just below and hit “subscribe.” This is a no-spam zone!

And if you want all the news FIRST, you’ll want to join my email newsletter list. Heck, those folks got to see the cover three days ago.

Comments, questions, concerns? Let me hear it!

Flash Fiction, Writing

My new very short story has 280 characters

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two lines of people dressed as different types of characters in a would-be story

The Very Short Story (aka #vss) Challenge

I’m not about to argue that writing a “very short story” (specifically, participating in the Twitter #vss365 challenge that requires your story or poem to fit within 280 characters) is harder than writing a novel. It’s not!

Dude, writing a novel is hard! Writing a series is harder still.

BUT it can be (truthfully) said that the challenges of infusing meaning, creating memorable characters, and telling a compelling story are more difficult the fewer words you’re working with.

Then why, oh why, do I torture myself writing ever shorter stories?

#1 – I’m a sucker for a challenge!

Proof text: I am a golfer.

There’s an entirely separate artistry involved in the craft of short story writing. [I invite you to read my previous blog entries exploring the worlds of flash and micro fiction.]

To give one quick example, a great story always “sticks the landing.” You know what I mean if you’ve read a short story with a zinger of an ending. A great writer seizes the unique opportunity afforded by the scarcity of words to surprise the reader with a big revelation, a punch line, or a gut-wrenching twist.

Ernest Hemingway's famous 6 word story illustrates this beautifully:
“For sale: baby shoes, never worn.”

When you get it right (and I’m definitely NOT saying I do this 100% of the time, but it is ALWAYS a goal), you are rewarded with an endorphin rush that explains the addiction.

#2a – I love learning.

The discipline of telling short stories is a speed ramp to improving one’s writing. Short stories teach you how to distill your message into the “bones of the story.” You don’t have time to flail around or lose yourself down a side path with just 240 characters at your disposal. (Obviously you don’t want to do this in long-form writing either!)

Here are a few “rules” I try to abide by:

Use power (not necessarily bigger) verbs that capture not just movement but mood.

The shorter the story, the harder each word needs to work. Think of the difference between ‘slogged’ and ‘skipped.’ You can feel the energy levels AND see the action.

I like to relieve my writing of as many am/is/are verbs as possible.

Use efficient (and dramatically exaggerated) descriptors that draw vivid pictures.

What to describe: Choose only the most important details and leave the rest to the reader’s imagination. Rather than spend my valuable words describing hair color, I’d probably choose to convey personality traits instead.

How to describe: Adjectives are sometimes useful but not always the most satisfying to a reader. You might have heard the saying, “Show, don’t tell,” a general philosophy I ascribe to with a judicious dose of oversight.

Anothony Doerr (All the Light We Cannot See) is masterful at introducing characters. Here’s a snippet of Zeno from his newest bestseller, Cloud Cuckoo Land:

He is an octogenarian in a canvas coat; his boots are fastened with Velcro; cartoon penguins skate across his necktie.

Note how much we readers would have missed if he’d just told us Zeno was “”an old guy with a green tie.”

#2b – I’m about to lead a workshop* on writing 100-word micro stories and wanted to exercise my short story muscles in preparation!

On the practice green where I occassionally work on my putting, there is one hole that is much smaller than the others. In fact, it’s barely big enough for the ball. The theory is that if you get used to practicing with such a small target, the actual hole will seem much larger and putting successfully will be that much easier.

280 characters averages around 50 words, so I figure by the time class rolls around, 100 words will give me all the freedom I need.

*Interested in the workshop? It’s open to all adult learners and will be taught on Zoom. Check it out here – and if you have trouble registering, shoot me an email. [There is a fee for the 4 sessions]

#3 – I love editing.

I let my characters direct the first draft. After that, the crafting is up to me.

I don’t see editing as “cutting.” Less CAN be more, but not always. I view the process as carving away the excess to reveal the story underneath, then sharpening, molding, and massaging to bring out the best.

#4 – I enjoy creative community.

While I have little use for the cesspool known as Twitter, I do appreciate the amazing community of writers who inspire creativity and lift each other’s work. We are all so very different, and yet we share this enterprise. It’s way cool.

#5 – The daily #vss365 prompts are like bonbons

I do not lack for writing prompts in my life. No person could live long enough to write down all the stories in my head. But there’s a value in a shared writing prompt. If you have ever played Wordle, you understand the thrill of participating in the same challenge along with other enthusiasts around the globe.

I’ve only recently committed to taking on this daily challenge, but some of these crazy tweeters have been at this for 6 years! Here’s a bit of the backstory and a link for you to sign up to receive the daily prompt via email.

Which, by the way, you absolutely don’t need to do. All you really need to find the prompts is a twitter account. You can search for the hashtag #vss365 and find a slew of stories using that day’s hashtagged word. Nor do you need to post your creation on Twitter (or anywhere else) for all the world to see. Keep a little Word doc socked away in your slice of the cloud.

Please do tag me on Twitter if you give this a try. I would LOVE to read your creations!

And now, the moment you’ve been waiting for… a sampling of the very short story form!

I hope you’ll enjoy these. Feel free to follow my Twitter account for more shenanigans. And please feel free to drop your very own #vss into the comment section using any of these prompts!

[Note: Clicking on the hashtagged prompt will take you directly to the Twitter page where you can read more of the stories and poems from other writers.

1

A week in, my Styrofoam cup was the only one without a green sprout.
Mrs. Poe squeezed my shoulder. “Bad lima #bean, I guess.”
“Nah, I threw mine away. I hate beans.”
“I see. Then what are we growing?”
“A Hershey’s kiss.” I’m no dummy.

2

“It’s garbage!” Sal slams the #script on the desk. “They turned my book into a porno!”
“Hon-”
“And the screenwriter hides like a coward behind a pen name.”
My cheeks flare. “Maybe they-”
“They WHAT?” He rounds on me.
“Know what sells?”

[Guess who ‘hon’ is]

3

“When were you last intimate?” Dr. Kay asks.
“Hmm, are we counting the time Alma turned around and barked, ‘Aren’t you done yet?’”
I shoot Alma a #deadly glare, but my attack comes too late. She’s already dealt the mortal blow.

[This is an edited version I wrote after considering an astute comment left by a friend/fellow writer. I left the original up on my Twitter account as written.]

4

“You #coddle the boy, Aph. It’s time for our son to grow up.” Ares was right, but banishing Eros from Mt. O tore at Aphrodite’s heart. “What if he fails?”
Ares bared his teeth. “Then, my goddess, we shall punish him till he succeeds.”

[I sure hope this sounds familiar! Lovingly crafted from one of Aphrodite and Ares’s many “private conferences” in First Quiver]

Thanks for reading!

*

P.S. – Did you know you can receive blog updates straight to your inbox? Yup! Just enter your email address in the box just below and hit “subscribe.” This is a no-spam zone!


[Not to be confused with my NEWSLETTER, which is a monthly-ish update with book news, sneak peeks, special deals, etc. You can sign up for my newsletter by clicking on “Join the Mailing List” in the sidebar.]