It’s difficult to find someone to read your work and give you feedback before you publish. And those of us that find regular beta readers for our work should consider ourselves fortunate. Beta readers make a serious commitment of time and energy to read your work and provide the suggestions for improvement that we are looking for.
 
First of all, what should we expect from a beta reader? First of all, they aren’t editors. Sure, they may catch spelling and grammar mistakes or point out where we may have drifted in tense and tone, but they aren’t there to edit your work. They are there for a bigger purpose, actually. Beta readers give you something incredibly valuable…their thoughts.
 
They provide you with solid analysis of your work as they are reading through it. Knowing what readers will likely be thinking during certain parts of your story can be vital knowledge to you, the writer. Did your action scenes fall flat? Your beta reader can tell you. Was your romantic angle believable or too steamy? Was the main character not fully developed for the reader to be invested in them or were the supporting characters more interesting than the main character? Did you leave plot holes? What questions remained unanswered for the reader that took away from the experience you tried to deliver with your book? Your beta reader can tell you.
 
It is hard enough for us to edit our own work. We often become so invested in our books that we fall in love with the story that we have already told a hundred times in our head. It can be easy for us to miss these vital parts during our review process. As writers, we have a unique perspective on our work. However, it is not the same perspective that our readers have. A beta reader comes in with a clean slate, which is impossible for the writer to do. They have the perspective of an outsider and will tell you what readers are going to think about your book.
 
For some writers it is hard to take the feedback. Any negative feedback can sometimes feel like criticism. We need to look at this process in a different way. Beta readers aren’t there to criticize your work. They are there to make it better. Having thick skin is sometimes one of most important traits a writer can have. When a beta reader finishes your work and delivers their thoughts and suggestions, take them seriously. Their feedback will help you decide on how you will approach your rewrites and complete a book that you will truly be happy with, one that your readers will love.


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Writing a short story, a book, or even a poem can be a daunting task for seasoned authors. Even the most experienced writers face certain challenges. One of the main goals of a writer is to evoke emotion in their readers. That is much easier said than done. If you’re like me, you’ve poured through countless books on writing and about how to unleash emotion in your story telling, but no matter how many books you read on the topic it never seems to get easier. Maybe the reason is because it’s so hard for many of us to share those most personal moments and lessons that we’ve learned. We value our emotional privacy maybe a little too much.

One thing we want to avoid in our writing is unemotional and dull writing. A story that feels “flat” won’t keep a reader interested for very long, and characters that don’t exhibit honest emotion in the midst of their turmoil will come across more like robots than people. Writing for emotion needs two elements. The first is there needs to be a cause, some sort of event or stimulus that calls for an emotional reaction. The second is a strong character with an honest and believable emotional response. The response has to be well timed, too. A scene that has a subtle stimulus may slip past the reader and the emotional response may be confusing. It’s also important to avoid being cliché or melodramatic in order to seem honest to the reader. After all, honesty in our storytelling is the most vital way we connect with our readers.

If you still have reservations about opening up so much of your emotional and personal side when it comes to your work, perhaps this would be a good time to reflect on the infamous words of Ernest Hemmingway when he said, “There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.”
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We have so many great writers in our guild. Feel free to share advice on this topic in the comments below. 

​Q: In your book "My Short and Long-Stemmed Stories" you say it took you 35 years to put this together. Talk a little about the process and what stories in the book stand out most in your memory?
 
Rose: I didn’t plan an anthology of my short stories for many years. In 2012, I published my 50-year collection of poetry in 2 volumes with Create Space (now KDP)
In 2014, I decided to again use them to publish My Short & Long-Stemmed Stories collection. Some of the stories were previously published and/or received awards.
 
The fiction collection includes slice-of-life stories, stories with a “twist” and (metaphysical) science fiction. For instance, “Plowing, Planting, and Planning” follows a Dakota farmer struggling with weather, changed mortgage policies, and his family’s immediate needs. It earned an award in a fiction contest sponsored by the Black Hills Writers Guild (BHWG) in Rapid City, SD.

Why did this city girl decide to write about a farmer? After all, I grew up in the 2nd largest town in SD (Rapid City). West River (west of the Missouri) is primarily cattle country. I moved to East River and attended Dakota Wesleyan University (DWU) in Mitchell, SD. There I earned my BA in English with an emphasis on Creative Writing. In SD, east of the Missouri River is predominantly corn and wheat region (i.e. farming).

I didn’t specifically know what it was like to be a farmer. However, when my husband and I moved to an east river location (Mitchell, SD), I often pondered owning a piece of land in the country. I got a taste of East River living. Before our move we had some experience growing food in a large garden, bred rabbits, and gathered eggs from our laying hens. All this was within a block away from I-90! My experience on agriculture before moving to farm country at that point was about ranchers like my homesteading paternal grandparents, and my father working as a ranch hand. He saved up his meager pay to buy a few heads of cattle only to lose his small herd in the blizzard of ’49 (1949). This story was born in my imagination in a region of farmers. I knew there would be similar hardships and heart-wrenching decisions. My knowledge still makes the story believable.

The longest story “Ridin’ Easy” is about a novice female reporter being assigned to a Harley Davidson biker fresh out of jail. He introduced her firsthand to the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. Her editor hoped she would write a frightening firsthand experience in order to discourage readers’ attendance at annual Rally events. I attended a couple of the rallies and was acquainted with Harley riders. I imagined the story in a setting with which I was familiar.

In 2011, another story Giant Thinking won 1st place at Northeast State Community College and was published in their Echoes and Images anthology. It’s about a little girl manifesting a sleeping giant by thinking of him.  Her imagination caused distress for her parents and the next door widow. This is a metaphysical short story.

My other stories provide a peek into a variety of family lives and their situations: Some stories have been described as having an O’Henry twist. Plot lines include a toddler not understanding her father’s death, a grandmother touring a tattoo parlor with her teenage granddaughter, a crippled girl at the bowling alley, a couple fighting over an online solitaire gambling site, and an elderly mother trapped in her own mind in a retirement home ‘prison’. If I didn’t compile the collection the stories would still be collecting dust in my file cabinet. Fortunately, about that time I was involved with the Writers Circle at the Johnson City Senior Center. Rosemarie Shields, Professor Emerita, English and Humanities, at Milligan University led the group, encouraged me, and reviewed my collection.
 
Q: You've been writing poetry for over fifty years. What sparked your interest in poetry in the first place and what inspires you most when it comes to writing poetry?
Rose: Time sure flies. It’s now been almost 60 years since I started writing poetry in 1962!

My fifth grade teacher Mrs. Speakman encouraged me to write. She also impressed on me that spelling was very important when she noticed I misspelled ‘stupid’ as ‘stuped.’

My high school Creative Writing instructor Myrna Haight encouraged me in the class exercises and introduced me to the Black Hills Writers Group. The group encouraged my writing efforts in both poetry and prose. I entered the SD State Fair in Huron, SD and Central States Fair in Rapid City, SD competitions and won awards.

My English advisor and Creative Writing instructor at Dakota Wesleyan University Dr. Mary Weinkauf really cemented my love of the poetic arts. Lewis Turco’s “The Book of Forms: A Handbook of Poetics was our text. For that semester, Dr. Weinkauf stated for a “C” we needed to write 40 poems. Then she challenged us to contract how many poems for a higher grade. I determined I would attempt to write 60 poems for an “A”. The saving grace of my ‘contract’ was that those poems needed to try many forms of poetry. They did not need to be great works. I particularly loved syllabics and her many examples in class.  I started to fast right my poetry to meet my goal and discovered what a wonderful starter tool that is. She also introduced me to the South Dakota State Poetry Society (SDSPS) which was, and is, an affiliate of the National Federation of Poetry Societies (NFSPS). I was too intimidated at first to join them. NFSPS also is the parent affiliate of Poetry Society of TN and PST-NE the local group I founded in Tri-Cities of TN.
 
My inspiration for poetry comes from so many avenues I couldn’t say it would be from one source. I’m not listing these in any order of preference and the following list is not all-inclusive: workshop prompts, contest themes, the natural world, family, relationships, humor, religion, reading others’ poetry and on and on. When I first retired, I desktop published a collection of religious and spiritual poetry with photographs I’d taken in my travels. The second desktop chapbook was of daily walks in a park near my home in Greenbelt, MD. It also was illustrated with photographs taken in Schrom Hills Park. The poems were later inserted into my two-volume Pastiche of Poetry published in 2012. I did not include the color photographs from the desktop version. Someday, I may re-publish an illustrated edition for both God, My Greatest Love Schrom Hills Park, and a new one Barn Charm.
 
Q: In God, My Greatest Love you share poems that were all religiously inspired. In the end you finish with a section of your prayers. How has faith directed your writing work over the years?
Rose: I’ve been involved in Christianity since I was a child at the 1st Congregational Church in Rapid City, SD. I embraced the Lutheran philosophy in my 30’s and continue as a member in Our Saviour Lutheran Church (OSLC) today in Johnson City, TN. I interviewed member families for a spotlight in their newsletter New Sense. At that church, I also contributed “Roses of Motherhood” a poem of stages of motherhood from bud to potpourri. It was printed in A Mother’s Tribute for a Mother’s Day brochure given to the church’s mothers. I also contributed to a Lenten devotional and contributed several religious poems to the publication Common Ground Herald.

I expanded my spiritual beliefs beyond those written in the Bible and believe there are more cosmic connections than those written by a patrilineal society who determined which experiences and history to include and which to edit. It’s a great example of “losing something in translation.” I’m always fascinated by the pastors providing historic evidence behind many Bible stories.

Q: Do you find it more difficult to write short stories or poetry, and why? 
Rose: Both are extremely challenging most of the time. Free verse has fewer restrictions but I often gravitate towards formal poetry. They are a stretch of my poetic muscle.
 
Fiction’s challenges are how to make the story both believable and engaging for the reader.
 
Q: If you could give advice to fellow writers, especially younger ones, about finding inspiration and writing poetry, what would you tell them?
Rose: This is more general advice: Don’t stop learning the craft of writing through writers groups and workshops as well as formal education. Enter contests because your success will provide confidence to enter the competitive publishing world. Even if aspiring writers need to work for a living, I suggest they set aside regular time to write, engage with other writers, attend workshops, enter contests, submit to smaller journals and online publications. Build up confidence and experience before tackling more prestigious publications.
 
My one regret is that I did not pursue my ambition to earn an MFA in creative writing from Iowa State University. But I had no tuition money and didn’t feel confident about earning a scholarship. I’d recommend young aspiring authors/poets to find mentors and at least one critique group that can gently assist you without killing your creativity or natural voice.

​Whether you are writing fiction or non-fiction, most of us rely upon research as a big part of our writing process. Our guild has no shortage of members that have taken up the task of significant amounts of research to gather information about their topic before the actual writing process even starts. This past week at our monthly meeting, Dan Swanson, author of Benjamin’s Journey: An Appalachian Memoir conducted a very helpful workshop on research and research methods.
 
Dan has spent countless hours, years in fact, researching his family history in order to write such a captivating memoir. He explains that writing about history, especially family history, is like putting a puzzle together. The more doors you open, the more questions you end up having. “There is a certain degree of madness involved in this process,” he says half jokingly. “Not only is researching your family tree for a work like this very humbling and thought provoking, but it can also be frustrating,” he goes on to say.
 
The research, as Dan explained, can be broken down into two types, primary and secondary. Primary research is very hands on such as conducting interviews and traveling to find locations that are relevant to his topic. In Dan’s case, it was tracing the family tree from Appalachia, across the country, and back again. Secondary research, although just as vital, can be very time consuming. This encompasses all of the historical research. These days, thanks to the internet, most of this can be done online but it will also mean spending time in the library and digging through books that can’t be accessed online.
 
If you’re writing a family history, he suggests websites such as findagrave.com and familysearch.org.
 
Our guild has been fortunate to have had so many great speakers this year and we are excited about the lineup for 2022. Stay tuned to the guild’s website for information on upcoming events. 

​Writing is a passion that we all share in this guild. Since my time as a part of the group, I have been surprised at how many of us write across different genres. My first thought is to pat everyone on the back for that effort. I know just how difficult that can be. One of the most impressive things to me is how someone who writes fiction or non-fiction can transition over to poetry and make it look easy. It’s a skill that takes a lot of confidence and bravery to even attempt!
 
To be able to accomplish this means that most of us have to be incredibly well read. Life is inspiring in itself. But I would wager a guess that most of us get inspired mostly from reading. To be able to write well in your preferred genre means that you read an incredible amount in your genre. To be able to write well across genres the same rule most likely applies. Some people are so in love with reading that they read anything and everything they can get their hands on. I know firsthand that describes a lot of folks in this guild.
 
Inspiration can come from so many parts of a great book. A particular character, a plot or sub-plot, an intense scene or a single line can spark a passion inside a writer that burns until we churn out pages of our own. What books have inspired you to write and what are you doing about it? 

​Kari sat down for an interview with Appalachian Shine recently. We asked her to do a Q & A for the blog, and we appreciate her sharing her work with us!

What is the most challenging thing that you face running Spiral Publishing?
The hardest thing by far is time, but not in the way I might have expected a few years ago. I realized back in December of 2018 (oh such innocent days on Planet Earth) that the publishing side wouldn’t last long without making sure I took care of the production side. And since my husband Jason A. Adams is a writer with a day job who greatly prefers to write short stories, production means me. I started writing at least 250 words every day that December to make sure there would always be books in the pipeline.
Not everyone has to write every single day by any means, but it works better for me than anything else. For example, Jason tends to write his short stories in one day, and that’s usually the day they’re due. Too stressful for me! So since I’ve boosted up to 1000+ words a day for the last year, the production side of the time equation is handled.
The time problem is in wanting to try new things! Hearing about a new online sales channel, or a new publishing format, or the possibility of learning how to produce audiobooks, or a new type of promotion. On and on and on. This is a tremendously exciting time for indie publishers to be sure.
But going back to that production side, if I jump in and put time and mental energy and possibly money into learning ALL THE NEW THINGS, I won’t get the writing done. Then the whole business grinds to a halt. And the writing is the most fun for me anyway. So I have to decide whether each new opportunity is worth the effort as they come along.
Pretty often, the truth is I’d be better off writing the next story and keeping an eye on how the exciting new thing is developing. Always write the next thing.
 
In normal times, how many festivals do you attend a year? Any favorite festivals or functions?
We decided in 2019 to try going to some sort of event each month, and that year we did do that and more. Again, back in those days of innocence. That ranged from the wonderful Cooks and Books event right here in St. Paul that we attend each year, to RavenCon in Williamsburg, MystiCon in Roanoke, RobCon in Kingsport, and all kinds of smaller events in between. And the truth is for me as an introvert and pretty much a hermit, it was exhausting! Fun, and exciting, and great to meet readers and other writers. But it drained me something awful.
So once we’re in the clear for travel, I’ll probably only do Cooks and Books and a couple of others, especially if they’re for a great cause like that one is.
MystiCon in Roanoke was our first convention as guests after years of attending the writer panels at DragonCon when we lived in Atlanta, so getting a badge that said “Guest” was quite a thrill. As it turned out, they asked me to moderate a panel. So it ended up that my first ever panel at my first ever con as a guest was as moderator, and it started less than an hour after we arrived at the hotel. Major stress and major fun at the same time. J
Then at the last panel for that con, as we finished up, a big gaggle of readers came charging up toward the front. My first instinct was to look behind me to see who they could possibly be interested in! It was bizarre to realize they were from our local area, and they wanted to hear more about the fantasy stories I write set here. Quite a moment.
 
You finished a book in what we movie fans know as the Stanley Hotel...in the infamous room 217. What was that experience like, from Transylvania to the haunted hotel made famous by Stephen King and The Shining?
I had no plans of starting a novel on the first trip to Transylvania back in 2015. I just wanted to have the fantastic travel experience, spend time with writer friends I’ve known for years, meet new friends, and learn as much as I could. What I didn’t count on was how much being behind the old Soviet Iron Curtain for the first time would hit me. As a Seventies and Eighties kid who always paid a lot of attention to world events, I was surprisingly moved by the whole experience, especially talking to people our age and older who lived through it all.
We spent several days before the workshop in Bucharest, Romania’s capitol, doing typical tourist things. But with four writers traveling together, it all got...interesting. We toured a Romanian folk museum with examples of houses and villages from their history, and toured the parliament building, built not long before the fall of the USSR and at a terrible cost to Romanians.
Much to my surprise, once we got back from that trip, I kept going on the assignments during the workshop. Many of the things from the whole trip found their way into my novel Until Death, along with all kinds of Romanian and Eastern European folklore. We stayed a few miles away from Dracula’s Castle in Bran, Romania, so yes, of course the story includes a form of vampire.
By a purely lucky stroke of timing, I went to a horror writers retreat in Estes Park, Colorado, the next year, and stayed at the fabulous Stanley Hotel. It’s a wonderful town and the hotel is spectacular, but the knowledge that a certain famous writer got the idea for a certain famous haunted hotel story while staying in one of the rooms was on my mind.
The organizer of the retreat also stayed in room 217 (the most haunted room from the book, changed to 237 for the movie), and he offered writers a chance to work in that room for four hours. I absolutely jumped at the chance! I finished Until Death during my time in room 217, but I have to admit nothing particularly spooky happened there. The best part was when groups of tourists would come by to peer at the door, and I naturally yanked it open. Got some pretty impressive jumps out of them!
I’ve also been lucky enough to visit the Timberline Lodge in Oregon where exteriors from the movie were filmed, and to stay at the magnificent Ahwahnee Lodge in Yosemite National Park, where the designs for the movie interiors came from. Inside the Timberline is tiny compared to what you see in the movie.
On my last visit a couple of years ago with Jason, we drove from a warm, springlike day up to the Timberline, where it was pouring snow! If you’ve seen The Shining, you might remember how the weather was a character in itself. Being up there with snow piled many feet high against the lodge was surreal to say the least. Sadly there’s no hedge maze, but I admit I glanced over my shoulder a time or two, watching out for a guy with an axe.

Over the years, what have you learned most about yourself by jumping wholeheartedly into writing as a career? 
These are all specific to me, because we’re all so different as writers and as people. Comparing ourselves to others is one of the worst ways to set ourselves back.
The big one is I’m so much better off writing every day. Now that I’m halfway through the third year of my writing streak, it’s become almost an ordinary thing in a strange way. Kind of like brushing my teeth. It’s just something I do.
And that’s in turn made me much, much less picky about what I write. I know I’ve got to write something, because a long streak like that exerts its own positive pressure. So I don’t wait for inspiration or A Great Idea or anything like that. I just get started. That’s really freed up how I feel about different topics, different genres, different story lengths, everything.
I can also write pretty much anywhere, anytime because of that streak. I once wrote on a bus full of ten-year-olds on a field trip with my nephew’s class on the way to Washington, DC, with Finding Nemo playing full blast over the speakers! It’s a real game-changer for me as a writer, and it carries over to other things in my life that simply need to get done. I just get started.
I’ve also gotten into the habit of publishing something major (novel, novella, collection) each month, and publishing a short story each week this year (a challenge from a friend that I couldn’t resist!). That’s entirely eliminated any lingering fear of publishing I might have had.
The truth is there will be stories people love, and others will hate those same ones. There will be stories that sell well, and stories that never sell a copy. Some will work, others will fall flat. And ALL of that is okay. As long as I do the best I can in the moment I’m writing, and as long as I keep learning, I’ll be on the right track.
And last of all, I’ve learned that I truly enjoy teaching. One-on-one, online, or occasionally for groups. I’ve been fortunate to have had some wonderful writing teachers since 2015, and a bunch of writer friends who love to try new things and let us know how they work. I’m also a computer and software nerd going back to the 1980s. Putting all of those things together means I have a lot to share. It’s a real treat to see people’s eyes light up at something when I explain it well, and even better when they tell me how they’ve used it in their own writing and publishing.

In this Author Spotlight, we talk with Tammy Robinson Smith. Tammy recently came onto the Appalachian Shine podcast to talk about her writing career, her influences, and her efforts to promote Appalachian women writers. She took some time to field a few questions from us here at the AAG.
 
Q: The Ivy Creek Sewing Circle, was there anything in particular that influenced you to write that book?
A:  The primary inspiration behind my writing The Ivy Creek Sewing Circle was the main character, Emmybeth. She first came to me as an inquisitive nine-year old girl who loved to listen to the adults talking and try to figure out what was going on in their lives, some of which directly or indirectly affected her. I realized as I wrote there was a lot of me in Emmybeth. I'm not sure why, except that I've always been inquisitive, but, even as a child I liked to listen to what the grownups were talking about. I realized if I was quiet and didn't bring attention to myself, I got to "stay in the room." Maybe I was just nosy. Lol.
 
Q: In the past you've been a champion of Appalachian women writers. Can you tell us about establishing your own publishing house and what led you to do that? 
A: Well, first of all, I appreciate you calling me a champion of Appalachian women writers. It means everything to me to have you say that. I began writing my first novel in 2003. I tried to shop it to a couple of traditional publishing houses, but, it just seemed overwhelming, and I didn't get the feeling there was a lot of interest in publishing a book that by definition had such a narrow appeal. Perhaps if it were southern fiction or general women's fiction, it might have been different. Once I self-published, I realized there were probably other Appalachian women writers who were in the same position I had been in and I realized I could help them publish their work. It was a fulfilling part of my life for a long time.
 
Q: When did you first consider writing? Were there any writers in your family? 
A:In elementary school, I loved it when the teacher would task us with writing a story. Then, in junior high I won an essay contest sponsored by a community civic group. I guess from there it just grew. I majored in Broadcast Journalism when I was in college and have made my living writing professionally whether reporting, public relations, or marketing for more than 35 years. Since the early 2000s, I've added fiction writer to the mix. And, yes, there are and were some talented writers in my family. Namely, my great-aunt, Bess McReynolds Becker. She was a regionally known poet and I am proud to admit I have an unpublished 600 page manuscript she wrote in the late 1940s which details my mother's family trip to work and live in Lake Tahoe, California for a year. The entire family went on that adventure and it's a fascinating story I hope to get published one day.
 
Q: Having worked in publishing, promoting, and marketing other writers, you now find yourself jumping into your creative side. After experiencing all of that, what advice would you give to new writers?
A: Honestly, just start. Start today, but also realize it is work. One needs to study, take classes and seminars, work with coaches, and surround one's self with other writers who are dedicated to their craft. Most of all, recognize some days will be hard. However, on the successful days, it will be worth it!

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It’s always great to get together with our fellow writers to learn more about our craft, to gain insight and ideas from each other whether it is in person or by virtual meeting. Many of us got together for our most recent workshop where author Steven James spent a couple of hours with us going over some great information and tips on character development.
 
These workshops have been a great way for guild members to learn and grow. It has also been a great way to develop friendships and subgroups that work together for beta reading and keeping each other motivated to write more consistently. The AAG has another workshop coming up on May 15th, our annual Spring Fling Writers Day.
 
Spring Fling is on a Saturday and begins at 8:30 at the Virginia Highlands Small Business Incubator in Abingdon. You have the option to attend in person or join us through Zoom. Make sure you register for the event. Even during these times, we are enjoying growing attendance and participation. Click the link below and join us for a day of fun and learning.
 
http://appalachianauthors.com/events.html
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​Welcome back, blog readers! We’re going to be doing something new and fun with this blog. Some of our blog posts will now be used as an Author Spotlight! It’s a great location and opportunity to share information about our members, their work, and their lives. In this first Author Spotlight, we welcome new member Dr. Christal Presley to the guild and she was gracious enough to share a bit about herself with us. So, we tossed a few questions her way and we’re happy to showcase her book Thirty Days with My Father: Finding Peace from Wartime PTSD.
 
AAG: Tell us a little about yourself such as your hobbies, where you’re from and your local passions.
Christal: I’m from Honaker, Virginia. My wife and I recently moved back home—to Abingdon—to be closer to my parents. We lived in downtown Atlanta for many years. My biggest passions are farming (we own a donkey sanctuary here in Abingdon) and running our Airbnb. It’s called Abingdon Donkey Lodge. I also teach full-time at Georgia Cyber Academy. My school is all-virtual, and I currently teach American Literature. I am very passionate about creating safe, inclusive spaces for people, whether that be in my classroom or at home.
 
AAG: We noticed you have a PhD. What is your doctorate in and what got you interested in that field of study?
Christal: My PhD is in education. My specialty is mentoring and coaching other teachers to become more reflective practitioners—and to ultimately improve their craft.
 
AAG: Can you tell us a bit about Thirty Days With My Father? About the writing process of that…PTSD is such a hard thing for folks to deal with (soldiers and their families).
Christal: Thirty Days with My Father: Finding Peace from Wartime PTSD is a memoir about connecting with my Vietnam-veteran father in thirty days of phone conversations after being estranged from him for many years. I finally got to ask him questions about the war and what happened to our family back then--and the answers changed my life. I began my journey searching for my father and I found myself. In terms of the writing process, it was wonderful AND it was awful. I don't regret any of it. Writing about trauma and about PTSD is such a sensitive subject. You live through the trauma twice when you write about it. And then I feel like I lived through it again every time I did media about my book. The year it was published, I did over 100 TV and radio shows, including CNN (twice), CBS Sunday Morning, NPR, Canada AM, and more. It was very tough to talk about my own trauma that much--and sometimes several times a day.  
 
AAG: What did you take away most from writing this book?
Christal: Writing a book is one thing. Marketing it and getting it into the hands of readers is something else altogether, and equally as important. Authors don't talk about the latter enough. 
 
AAG: Any future books being planned?
Christal: I’m currently working on a children’s picture book. The subject is a secret—for now! :) 

​2021 is finally here! With 2020 now in the rearview mirror, it is a great time to refocus on writing goals and ways to get better at our craft. With that said, the AAG is excited to welcome back all of our members and even a few new ones. If you haven’t yet paid dues for the new year, please do so here on the website.
 
We’re still hoping for life to get back to normal this year and we have a full slate of events planned. On Tuesday, February 9th our board will meet at noon at the Virginia Highlands Small Business Incubator in Abingdon. Everyone is welcome to attend. Immediately following that meeting, Vicki Fletcher will lead a workshop titled Writing TIPS. That will begin at 1 PM and go until 3 PM. Make plans to attend! We hope to see everyone there. Our next meeting will be a general membership meeting on Tuesday, March 9th at 11:30 at Shoney’s in Abingdon.
 
ANTHOLOGY NEWS! We will be putting out a new anthology this year. If you would like to add a short story, essay, or poem to the mix, please submit your work to Vicki Fletcher at [email protected] by April 2nd. Our last anthology, Mountain Mist, had some great submissions and we look forward to another excellent group of submissions this year.
 
If you have events scheduled for the promotion of your books this year, please let us know so that we can help share those events with others and help promote your work. Send that info to Vicki Fletcher.
 
Last year was an incredibly challenging year for everyone. Despite that, we still grew the organization and had some fun. We look forward to doing the same this year and that everyone can be a part of it.
 
We will be welcoming back authors at the Virginia Highlands Festival. The event will be at the Higher Ed. Center in Abingdon and more details will follow. To be able to sign up for a table, you must renew or join by March 9th so take advantage of our $20 dues until then.