Archive for the ‘Special Announcements’ Category
Read House On Narcissus Street in Eleven Eleven
I’m quite excited about the release of Issue 12 of Eleven Eleven Literary Journal. It features my short story, House on Narcissus Street.
Here’s a link to it on-line.
House on Narcissus Street by Lisa Leibow, Eleven Eleven Journal of Literature & Art, Issue 12
There are so many hurdles to cross on the path to publication. Crossing hurdles of coming up with an idea, completing a first draft, perfecting the structure, enhancing the characters, bringing a setting to life, honing the language, getting brave enough to share it, identifying potential markets, drafting query letters, waiting, developing a thick skin when rejections roll-in, celebrating at an offer for publication, more waiting… But when the issue is released with my story in print: Yippee! It feels like I won the race! — Well at least I have won a qualifying round on the road to becoming an overnight success — even if it takes me decades.
Not Too Late To Treat Your Favorite Moms For Mother’s Day!
A download of DOUBLE OUT AND BACK is the perfect gift for all of your favorite moms!
Critics call it:
A fantastic story that I would recommend to any mother, any mother to be, or really anyone out looking for an entertaining read. -A Journey of Books
Highly addictive and engrossing. … a deeply incredible story and one that will keep you up late into the night reading. … not only captivated my heart, but also tugged at my heartstrings. -Café of Dreams
Where you can find my book
Available at Red Rose Publishing
Also available here
Target for Inspiration
I’m planning to visit the Target Gallery. This is the third time I have been invited to write a short story inspired by one of its juried art shows. I have a month to get inspired and complete the story. I’ll read my new creation at a Spoken Word Performance to be held at the gallery in February.
The first time I read at Target, the Clothesline Project (a benefit to help victims of domestic violence) served as inspiration. I read a piece called Forbidden Passion, which appeared in Sanskrit Literary Arts Magazine and has since grown into a novel — winner of Pitchapalooza D.C. Wish me luck on the path to publication!
When I embarked on my mission to write the second Target-gallery-inspired work of short fiction, the inspiration exhibit was called Systems Failure. The artists showed work related to the financial and mortgage crisis, environmental issues, and healthcare struggles. I expected to show up and zero in on one painting or sculpture as my inspiration. To my surprise, I found myself drawn to the exhibit as a whole. Characters inspired by portraits, settings inspired by landscapes, and metaphors inspired by surrealist and abstract expressions of emotion. It turns out I wrote characters into a horrible mess in a short story I call The House On Narcissus Street. The beauty of fiction, however, is I have the ability to write them out of it! Someday I might do just that! In the meantime…
Crafting fiction with a deadline is a challenge. Reading a rough draft or new work takes a lot of guts. At least it feels that way to me. But I’m excited to push the envelope on my creativity.
So, as I embark on my next Target Gallery challenge I’m excited, savoring the anticipation of walking into the gallery for the first time to view the new exhibit. The show is called Mixing Bowl. I’m particularly drawn to the idea of the immigration-related exhibit. Living in the melting pot of the D.C. Metropolitan area, I’m immersed in the lives of modern immigrants and fascinated with the social, political, and cultural histories of the people in my neighborhood. I love to imagine what the lives of the members of my community were like before they arrived and as they settled in. In Double Out and Back, Chandy Markum is a Jewish South African-immigrant escaping ghosts of her past in Apartheid-torn South Africa. Forbidden Passion, the short fiction I read at the Clothesline exhibit, grew into a novel that chronicles the life of an Iranian emigre from her repressed childhood in 1960s Tehran to her eventual liberation. The motivations and tribulations of the immigrant keep popping up in my fiction. There are a few characters floating around in my brain who made their way to America to escape war and persecution, to chase love, or under promise of economic prosperity. I can’t wait to see if the inspiration from the exhibit feeds the already germinating character development or sparks something entirely new!
Well, I’m off to the Target Gallery. I hope it’s inspiring!
If you”d like to find out what I come up with, you can hear me read a the Target Gallery, Torpedo Factory Art Center, Alexandria, VA. Thursday February 10, 2011, 7 p.m.
New Year Brings New Opportunities
Happy New Year to Fodder for Fiction readers! The New Year is starting off great. I thought I’d give a little teaser on some upcoming events on my calendar. I’ve been invited to read my work at some upcoming events. Here’s the schedule. I share more about the events later. But mark your calendars and come out to hear me.
January 29, 2011
Spoken Word Performance, Book Signing and Sale at Art Carnage at the Soundry in Vienna, VA, 8 p.m. – midnight
February 3, 2011
Reading is Sexy Kindle Party! The Soundry, Vienna, VA, 7 p.m. (too far away to attend in person? Watch for more details on live streaming of this event!)
February 10, 2011
Target Gallery, 7 p.m. Spoken Word Performance. Come hear stories inspired by the Mixing Bowl exhibit.
The Roses of Prose Seeks New Group Blog Member
You might know me best for my antics on the blog you’re reading: FODDER FOR FICTION, but I’m also a founding member of a group blog THE ROSES OF PROSE a resource for Women’s Fiction and Romance. And there’s some exciting happenings coming for 2011 over at The Roses of Prose.
We’re Searching for a New Rose!
We’re seeking another flower for our garden. Here are our guidelines:
~A female writer of non-erotic fiction that is geared toward women
~All reading levels, starting at Young Adult
~At least one contracted or published work – self-published works are acceptable
~A genuine interest in promoting reading and literacy
~A genuine interest in mentoring other writers
If you are interested, we’d love to hear from you! Please send us a blurb of
about 200 words telling us about yourself, what you write, and why you love it.
We will choose 10 blurbs that we feel best fit the Roses of Prose, and we will
post one each day during the weeks of December 13-19 and 20-26.
The week after, we’ll let our readers vote for their favorite rose, and the
winner will be announced January 1.
I hope some of my former FODDER FOR FICTION guests and current friends enter. Good Luck!
Lisa Lipkind Leibow
Author of Smart Women’s Fiction
www.LLLeibow.com
The Roses of Prose
www.RosesOfProse.blogspot.com
I Won Pitchapalooza-D.C. — Like American Idol for Authors!
The Book Doctors, Arielle Eckstut and David Sterry, authors of The Essential Guide to Getting Your Book Published toured the country looking for the next big author. Authors had one minute to pitch before a panel of four industry professionals. And… they loved my pitch!
Here’s their latest FACEBOOK status linking to their blog with a video of my shining moment. Check it out!
Washington Pitchapalooza Winner: GREAT book pitch about Love & the Middle East http://bit.ly/hUF4wU
What did I win, you ask? … a free consultation with Arielle and David. It’s coming up next week. I’ll post with more details after the big day.
Best to you,
Lisa Lipkind Leibow
Author of Smart Women’s Fiction
http://www.LLLeibow.com
Verbal Assault and Video in the Dark!
I had a great time last night reading two of my short stories at the Soundry’s VERBAL ASSAULT. The crowd was great! As you can see, taking video of a reading by flashlight was nearly impossible! (But a special thanks to my friend Carol for trying!)
I hope you have fun LISTENING to my story THE BLACK DOG on youtube.
Spark Update & The Verbal Assault!
I finished my short story for Spark! Round 10 in record time. I usually work down to the last second. I think I might have had a little influence from the Halloween season in addition to the artwork I received as inspiration. I can’t share the story on-line yet, because the round doesn’t officially end until the 29th of October. Watch for more details next week.
Timing is everything, though! What turned out to be a creepy/humor piece is ready just in time for a pre-Halloween VERBAL ASSAULT at the Soundry in Vienna, VA on Friday night. If you’re local, come on out and hear me read my new tale! Click here for more information about The Soundry.
Take care,
Lisa
Lisa Lipkind Leibow
Author of Smart Women’s Fiction
www.LLLeibow.com
I’m Getting SPARKED!
I just sent a short story as an inspiration piece to my SPARK partner and received a work of art from her. I have until the 29th to create something new, inspired by her work and she’ll create something inspired by mine. I can’t wait to see what comes of it! Wish me luck. It’s all Fodder for Fiction!
For more information about this challenge, check out http://www.GetSparked.org
Best to you,
Lisa Lipkind Leibow
Author of Smart Women’s Fiction
www.LLLeibow.com