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Any writers?

NicolettaRose

Practically Family
Messages
556
Location
Toluca Lake, CA
MelissaAnne said:
Hi all -

Just wondering if any of you write fiction set during the Golden Era. I'm currently working on a WWII fiction novel and have another WWII thriller series in the works.

Anyone else?


I'm a writer, I write historical fiction, modern fiction, short stories and poetry.
 

missmelly

One of the Regulars
Messages
206
Location
Portland, OR
I did NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) for the first time this last year but didn't make the 50K word goal. I write young adult. I have a few stories started but it seems I can't find bulk to keep them going.

.:Miss Melly:.
 
Has anyone ever submitted to either Alfred Hitchcock or Ellery Queen Magazine? I sent AH a manuscript for consideration about three months ago and I still haven't had it retuned. The website indicates that three months is the average turnaround and since they don't accept simultaneous submissions, I'm holding off on sending it anywhere else, though to be sure, the short fiction market is practically nil these days. Just wondering if they're in the practice of losing manuscripts and not returning e-mails.

Regards,

Senator Jack
 

AmateisGal

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,126
Location
Nebraska
I'm resurrecting this thread since I am on the look-out for a critique partner for my World War 2-era thriller. Anyone interested? I'll critique your novel/short story in return.

I also think it might be neat to have some sort of thread where the writers of the Lounge can go to ask for advice or commiserate on the writing life. :)
 

Undertow

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,126
Location
Des Moines, IA, US
Thank you for bringing this gem back from the dead, AmateisGal!

I am a writer also, but my work is usually in the modern day. However, I almost always have a common theme, or a specific character, or SOMETHING related back to the Golden Era. First and foremost, because my grandparents were a huge inspiration in my life, but also because it was simply a good time with alot of material.

I wrote a short story titled The Pony which was set at the Iowa State Fair, mid-1930's, from the perspective of an 8yr old boy following his crazed uncle through the misfortunes of a pony raffle.

I have a follow up story titled Quick! My Bayonet!, which although not explicitly stating the fact, is the same young boy grown to an old man. In this story, he indirectly relives experiences from WWII while attended by his grandson.

I have other works, specifically other novels, but I won't go into that...my god, too much to say with too little room!

Personally, I don't have a ritual associated with writing. However, I will occassionally have to "reset" my mind in order to get into my groove. If I'm really tired (which is often), or if I've had a busy day, it's hard for me to sit down and start writing. I've experimented with rituals that would gradually put me in place, but nothing has worked thus far.

I CAN say that if I'm ready to write, and I retread where I left off, the flames start shooting out of my fingertips and I'm on a roll!
 

AmateisGal

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,126
Location
Nebraska
Undertow said:
Thank you for bringing this gem back from the dead, AmateisGal!

I am a writer also, but my work is usually in the modern day. However, I almost always have a common theme, or a specific character, or SOMETHING related back to the Golden Era. First and foremost, because my grandparents were a huge inspiration in my life, but also because it was simply a good time with alot of material.

I wrote a short story titled The Pony which was set at the Iowa State Fair, mid-1930's, from the perspective of an 8yr old boy following his crazed uncle through the misfortunes of a pony raffle.

I have a follow up story titled Quick! My Bayonet!, which although not explicitly stating the fact, is the same young boy grown to an old man. In this story, he indirectly relives experiences from WWII while attended by his grandson.

I have other works, specifically other novels, but I won't go into that...my god, too much to say with too little room!

Personally, I don't have a ritual associated with writing. However, I will occassionally have to "reset" my mind in order to get into my groove. If I'm really tired (which is often), or if I've had a busy day, it's hard for me to sit down and start writing. I've experimented with rituals that would gradually put me in place, but nothing has worked thus far.

I CAN say that if I'm ready to write, and I retread where I left off, the flames start shooting out of my fingertips and I'm on a roll!

I'd love to read your stories sometime, Undertow! I have a few Golden Era stories that were published (and funny, when I wrote them, I wasn't into vintage much - but the ideas sort of hit me, so I ran with them!).

I have to "reset" my mind, too, especially if I've been away from my novel for awhile. Sometimes I just have to close my eyes, try and stop my mind from its crazy thoughts, and put myself directly into my characters' lives.
 

skyvue

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,221
Location
New York City
One half of my book, Men My Mother Dated and Other Mostly True Tales, published by Villard in 2000 (it's now out of print, and therefore available used or NOS for dirt cheap), takes place in the late 1940s and 1950s.

The first half of the book comprises tales (some of them true) of my mother's youthful romantic exploits in the '40s and '50s. The second half is made up of (now not so--it's been ten years) contemporary tales of, and essays on, my own life.

Some of the golden-era figures who appear or are mentioned in the book: Sammy Kaye, Jack Kerouac (in the forties, before he was famous), Bob Wills.

I have it in mind to release a Kindle edition of the book at some point, but I've not yet gotten around to it.
 

Pompidou

One Too Many
Messages
1,242
Location
Plainfield, CT
I'm writing a serial adventure set in a steampunk Victorian era for my cafe. Not really golden age in itself, but I am trying to capture the feel of a radio show. It's the continuing adventures of an airship crew after they enter the Bermuda Triangle and end up in a dimension where I can pretty much do anything I want. Not very far yet.
 

AmateisGal

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,126
Location
Nebraska
Pompidou said:
I'm writing a serial adventure set in a steampunk Victorian era for my cafe. Not really golden age in itself, but I am trying to capture the feel of a radio show. It's the continuing adventures of an airship crew after they enter the Bermuda Triangle and end up in a dimension where I can pretty much do anything I want. Not very far yet.

Sounds fascinating! I think Steampunk is going to be the next BIG thing in publishing.
 

vintage68

Practically Family
Messages
959
Location
Nevada, The Redneck Riviera
I'm a professional copywriter working in advertising. Both my parents are published authors, so I come by my affliction honestly.

I write stories set in the Depression/Prohibition era.
 

Shangas

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,116
Location
Melbourne, Australia
I am an unpublished fiction-writer. I wrote a couple of private detective stories set in postwar (late 40s early 50s) New York City, but that's about it so far...
 

David Conwill

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,854
Location
Bennington, VT 05201
I write in spurts, usually to lance the boil of my creativity. Most recently I was re-writing the story of Stagecoach set in an alternate-history 1939 Northern Michigan.

I don't claim to be good, but I have fun.

-Dave
 

Mr Vim

One Too Many
Messages
1,306
Location
Juneau, Alaska
AmateisGal said:
I'm resurrecting this thread since I am on the look-out for a critique partner for my World War 2-era thriller. Anyone interested? I'll critique your novel/short story in return.

I also think it might be neat to have some sort of thread where the writers of the Lounge can go to ask for advice or commiserate on the writing life. :)

I am not a professional writer by any means but I have been working on a movie script for an artist friend about Alaska and I do dabble in short stories and would love to take a look at your work, send me a message if that is satisfactory.

I have a series of short stories that I write from time to time, they're all centered on a circus in Jersey, but in the latest issues, the characters have been branching out.

The one thing I've always wanted to write would be The Spirit. What wonderful noir.
 

Viola

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,469
Location
NSW, AUS
There's a new writing contest on, prize being 20,000 pounds, for writing an alternate history novel. Terry Pratchett prize. I'm sort of mulling that over - I love the period and there's a lot of ways to go besides the alternate history classic of what-if-the-Nazis-had-won.
 

AmateisGal

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,126
Location
Nebraska
David Conwill said:
I write in spurts, usually to lance the boil of my creativity. Most recently I was re-writing the story of Stagecoach set in an alternate-history 1939 Northern Michigan.

I don't claim to be good, but I have fun.

-Dave

Having fun is integral to writing, I think. :D I lose track of that sometimes, especially now where I'm bogged down in plotting hell (thrillers are HARD to write. What was I thinking???).
 

AmateisGal

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,126
Location
Nebraska
Spitfire said:
Copywriter in advertising.
But have also written a few published shortstories and I am working on at film/TV script set in 1944-45.

I'm a copywriter, too, Spitfire. Do quite a bit of freelance (though it's been rather sparse lately) in that area, mainly in book publishing.

Where is your script set?
 

David Conwill

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,854
Location
Bennington, VT 05201
AmateisGal said:
Having fun is integral to writing, I think. :D I lose track of that sometimes, especially now where I'm bogged down in plotting hell (thrillers are HARD to write. What was I thinking???).

This is why I don’t ever complete anything. I’m a lazy writer, so when it gets hard, I quit.

It might be different if it meant putting food on the table. Heck, I know it does, because I have to muscle past writer’s block all the time when I’m briefing issues.

-Dave
 

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