Monday, August 19, 2019

#72 Inside the Emotion of Fiction's "KALEIDOSCOPE JANE & OTHER STORIES" by Carolyn Breckinridge



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****Carolyn Breckinridge’s KALEIDOSCOPE JANE & OTHER STORIES  is #72 in the never-ending series called INSIDE THE EMOTION OF FICTION where the Chris Rice Cooper Blog (CRC) focuses on one specific excerpt from a fiction genre and how that fiction writer wrote that specific excerpt.  All INSIDE THE EMOTION OF FICTION links are at the end of this piece. 
Name of fiction work? And were there other names you considered that you would like to share with us? What a difficult task choosing which of my works to discuss, as there are unique characteristics I’d love to share about each of them!  But I have chosen ‘kaleidoscope jane & other stories.’  Kaleidoscope Jane is one of the characters in this book, and I believe her story encapsulates the book’s main themes.  But there is another character, Ladybug Lou, who has a major part to play.  At first, I considered titles such as ‘Ladybug Lou and Friends,’ and ‘Jane, Lou and Friends.’ An ARC reader felt both these tended to sound like children’s titles.  So, I settled on the final title with no caps on any of the words.

Has this been published? If yes, what publisher and what publication date? The collection was self-published through AuthorHouse in 2018.
What is the date you began writing this piece of fiction and the date when you completely finished the piece of fiction? For me, writing is a process in which seeds germinate and sprout and only find their way onto paper at the very end of the process.  In this case, I was engaged in writing my third in a mystery series when fifteen unruly women began stomping around in my head, demanding to be released.  They were raucous and noisy and I finally relented and suspended work on the novel.  They were so ready to make a break for it that this creative process, including editing, ARC reading and publication took less than six months.

Where did you do most of your writing for this fiction work?  And please describe in detail.  The important part of my writing is done away from the word processor.  I create when I am most relaxed and not distracted.  This will be times such as weeding in the garden, playing with my animals, driving in the country, and so forth.  Most of my writing is completed in the garden.    My laptop sits on the dining room table because this room has windows across one side and allows me to feel as though I’m outside while I work. 
     
     I word process my works directly, brain to fingers, generally with my African Gray parrot (Left) on my arm and two dogs (Above Right) at my feet.  The conure prefers her perch and the koi prefer to stay outside in their pond! I read to the Gray and dogs as I write.  They are very patient listeners. After I finish writing a piece, I rest it for a couple of days and then return to edit it, rest it again a couple of weeks and return again to edit.  
     Once a month, I seek positive critique from the Tuscaloosa Writers and Illustrators Guild.  This is always an important part of the process, the comradery and helpful opinions of fellow artists. I value critique highly and seek it, also, when I am a book club guest.  Oh, I guess I should add that Carolyn Breckinridge is a pen name.

What is the summary of this specific fiction work? Kaleidosope Jane & Friends is a compilation of stories intended to reflect the many facets of human existence.  The stories range from funny to sad.  Most have endings I hope will surprise and challenge my readers, with plenty of twists and turns.  Some might be classified as slice-of-life stories.  All of my characters are eccentric, and hopefully, they remind us all of what it means to be human.
     It’s well-known that our Western culture glorifies youth and older members of society are often ignored or overlooked. This story challenges readers to recognize there’s more to those of every age than meets the eye.

Can you give the reader just enough information for them to understand what is going on in the excerpt? This excerpt helps set the scene for one of the major themes of this book—things are rarely what they appear and it is important in life to assume nothing.  As an author, I loved to write about this grandmother as my own grandparents played such a sweet and fundamental role in my life.  And, I love to celebrate the importance of the grandparent role in the lives of today’s children.

Please include just one excerpt and include page numbers as reference.  This one excerpt can be as short or as long as you prefer. The plastic crown parked itself sideways across Nancy’s forehead.  It was damned annoying, scratchy little plastic teeth digging into her skin.  Her hand started up toward her face, but halfway there her fingers fluttered, paused as though reconsidering their intent and lowered slowly toward the chair’s side.  She would indulge them.  After all, hadn’t she already?
     “Sit down, Grandma!  Sit down and let us put this on your head!”  She’d responded obediently, watching Judy pull the glittery silver children’s toy from its plastic wrapping.  It had a purple plastic rhinestone in the middle.  And if that weren’t enough, there was a plastic rhinestone ring to match.  The ring fit only on Nancy’s left pinky finger.  “Let me get this in your hair, Grandma! A person doesn’t turn eighty-five every day!”  (From ‘Nancy.’  Page 1.)

Were there any deletions from this excerpt that you can share with us? And can you please include a photo of your marked up rough drafts of this excerpt. I edit relentlessly as this is the most important part of the evolution of any story.  But, once edited, I don’t save what I’ve changed.


Other works you have published? I can’t remember a time when I didn’t write stories so I’ve had some publishing successes and won some lovely awards and honors through the years.  But, since retirement, I’ve published two mysteries, a children’s picture book, and this book of short stories.  I have a file full of drafts and works in progress, as well.  ‘Tuscaloosa Moon,’ (2013) a mystery set in my adopted hometown, has enjoyed fun success.  Its sequel, ‘Tuscaloosa Boneyard’ followed in 2016 and received a delightful review on Alabama Public Radio.  I’m currently completing the third of this series, tentatively titled, ‘Tuscaloosa Trolley.’ It will be released this year.  I also love to write for children and recently released a picture book, ‘The Messy Room,’ (2019) under my married name, Carolyn W. Ezell.   

Anything you would like to add? Thank you for featuring me in this blog and thanks to everyone who chooses to read my works.  Thanks also to those who leave reviews.  They are so important to authors! 

          I was born in New York City to adventure-loving, risk-taking parents who offered my brother and me the opportunity to live in the faraway lands of Tanzania, Lebanon and Pakistan, and to travel the globe extensively.  In the process, I cohabitated with a pet monkey, bush baby, lamb, mynah bird, parrots, a Parson’ chameleon, and since then, all manner of creatures, as well.  
          I can’t remember a time when I didn’t read books and as a child (Above Right), I slept with all my books in bed with me every night.  It made for lumpy sleeping. 

     I graduated from the University of Alabama in cultural anthropology and English/creative writing and never left Tuscaloosa.  I returned to earn my Master’s degree in clinical social work.  All of my writing reflects my passion for this field in one way or another.  I worked as a child, adolescent and family therapist for more than twenty years and taught at the University during this time.  I live with my husband, two dogs, two parrots and a pond full of koi.  Over the years, I have been a parent, grandparent, foster parent, international host parent and youth mentor. My personal writing mentor is 98 years young and is still very active as a working author.  Every human being has so many stories to tell! 
Carolyn Breckinridge (Facebook)
Carolynbreckinridge@gmail.com       

   INSIDE THE EMOTION OF FICTION links


001   11 15 2018 Nathaniel Kaine’s
Thriller Novel
John Hunter – The Veteran

002   11 18 2018 Ed Protzzel’s
Futuristic/Mystery/Thriller
The Antiquities Dealer 

003   11 23 2018 Janice Seagraves’s
Science Fiction Romance
Exodus Arcon

004   11 29 2018 Christian Fennell’s
Literary Fiction Novel
The Fiddler in the Night

005  12 02 2018 Jessica Mathews’s
Adult Paranormal Romance
Death Adjacent

006  12 04 2018 Robin Jansen’s
Literary Fiction Novel
Ruby the Indomitable

007  12 12 2018  Adair Valerez’s
Literary Fiction Novel
Scrim

008  12 17 218 Kit Frazier’s
Mystery Novel
Dead Copy

009 12 21 2019 Robert Craven’s
Noir/Spy Novel
The Road of a Thousand Tigers

010 01 13 2019 Kristine Goodfellow’s
Contemporary Romantic Fiction
The Other Twin

011 01 17 2019 Nancy J Cohen’s
Cozy Mystery
Trimmed To Death

012 01 20 2019 Charles Salzberg’s
Crime Novel
Second Story Man

013 01 23 2019 Alexis Fancher’s
Flash Fiction
His Full Attention

014 01 27 2019 Brian L Tucker’s
Young Adult/Historical
POKEWEED:  AN ILLUSTRATED NOVELLA

015 01 31 2019 Robin Tidwell’s
Dystopian
Reduced

016 02 07 2019 J.D. Trafford’s
Legal Fiction/Mystery
Little Boy Lost

017 02 08 2019 Paula Shene’s
Young Adult ScieFi/Fantasy/Romance/Adventure
My Quest Begins 

018 02 13 2019 Talia Carner’s
Mainstream Fiction/ Suspense/ Historical
Hotel Moscow

019 02 15 2019 Rick Robinson’s
Multidimensional Fiction
Alligator Alley

020 02 21 2019 LaVerne Thompson’s
Urban Fantasy
The Soul Collectors

021 02 27 2019 Marlon L Fick’s
Post-Colonialist Novel
The Nowhere Man

022 03 02 2019 Carol Johnson’s
Mainstream Novel
Silk And Ashes

023 03 06 2019 Samuel Snoek-Brown’s
Short Story Collection
There Is No Other Way to Worship Them

024 03 08 2019 Marlin Barton’s
Short Story Collection
Pasture Art

025 03 18 2019 Laura Hunter’s
Historical Fiction
Beloved Mother

026 03 21 2019 Maggie Rivers’s
Romance
Magical Mistletoe

027  03 25 2019 Faith Gibson’s
Paranormal Romance
Rafael

028 03 27 2019 Valerie Nieman’s
Tall Tale
To The Bones

029 04 04 2019 Betty Bolte’s
Paranormal Romance
Veiled Visions of Love

030 04 05 2019  Marianne Maili’s
Tragicomedy
Lucy, go see

031 04 10 2019 Gregory Erich Phillips’s
Mainstream Fiction
The Exile


032 04 15 2019 Jason Ament’s
Speculative Fiction
Rabid Dogs

033 04 24 2019 Stephen P. Keirnan’s
Historical Novel
The Baker’s Secret

034 05 01 2019 George Kramer’s
Fantasy
Arcadis: Prophecy Book

035 05 05 2019 Erika Sams’s
Adventure/Fantasy/Romance
Rose of Dance

036 05 07 2019 Mark Wisniewski’s
Literary Fiction
Watch Me Go

037 05 08 2019 Marci Baun’s
Science Fiction/Horror
The Whispering House

038 05 10 2019 Suzanne M. Wolfe’s
Historical Fiction
Murder By Any Name

039 05 12 2019 Edward DeVito’s
Historical/Fantasy
The Woodstock Paradox

040 05 14 2019 Gytha Lodge’s
Literary/Crime
She Lies In Wait

041 05 16 2019 Kari Bovee’s
Historical Fiction/Mystery
Peccadillo At The Palace:  An Annie Oakley Mystery

042 05 20 2019 Annie Seaton’s
Time Travel Romance
Follow Me

043 05 22 2019 Paula Rose Michelson’s
Inspirational Christian Romance
Rosa & Miguel – Love’s Legacy: Prequel to The Naomi
Chronicles

044 05 24 2019 Gracie C McKeever’s
BDMS/Interracial Romance
On The Edge

045 06 03 2019 Micheal Maxwell’s
Mystery
The Soul of Cole

046 06 04 2019 Jeanne Mackin’s
Historical
The Last Collection:  A Novel of Elsa Schiaparelli and
Coco Chanel

047 06 07 2019 Philip Shirley’s
Suspense/Thriller
The Graceland Conspiracy


048 06 08 2019 Bonnie Kistler’s
Domestic Suspense
The House on Fire

049 06 13 2019 Barbara Taylor Sissel’s
Domestic Suspense/Family Drama
Tell No One

050 06 18 2019 Charles Salzberg’s
Short Story/ Crime Fiction
“No Good Deed” from Down to the River

051 06 19 2019 Rita Dragonette’s
Historical Fiction
The Fourteenth of September

052  06 20 2019 Nona Caspers’s
Literary Novel/Collage
The Fifth Woman


053 06 26 2019 Jeri Westerson’s
Paranormal Romance
Shadows in the Mist

054 06 28 2019 Brian Moreland’s
Horror
The Devil’s Woods

055 06 29 2019
Epic Fantasy
Wings Unseen

056 07 02 2019 Randee Green’s
Mystery Novel
Criminal Misdeeds

057 07 03 2019 Saralyn Ricahrd’s
Mystery Novel
Murder In The One Percent

#058 07 04 2019 Hannah Mary McKinnon’s
Domestic Suspense
Her Secret Son

#059 07 05 2019 Sonia Saikaley’s
Contemporary Women’s Literature
The Allspice Bath

#060 07 09 2019 Olivia Gaines’s
Romance Suspense Serial
Blind Luck

#061 07 11 2019 Anne Raeff’s
Literary Fiction
Winter Kept Us Warm

#062 07 12 2918 Vic Sizemore’s
Literary Fiction-Short Stories
I Love You I’m Leaving

#063 07 13 2019 Deborah Riley Magnus’s
Dark Paranormal Urban Fantasy
THE ORPHANS BOOK ONE:  THE LOST RACE
TRILOGY

#064 07 14 2019 Elizabeth Bell’s
Historical Fiction
NECESSARY SINS

#065 07 15 2019 Lori Baker Martin’s
Literary Novel
BITTER WATER

#066 08 01 2019 Sabine Chennault’s
Historical Novel
THE CORPSMAN’S WIFE

#067 08 02 2019 Margaret Porter’s
Historical Biographical Fiction

BEAUTIFUL INVENTION:  A NOVEL OF HEDY LAMARR

#068 08 04 2019 Hank Phillippi Ryan’s
Suspense
THE MURDER LIST

069 08 08 2019 Diana Y. Paul’s
Literary Mainstream Fiction
THINGS UNSAID

070 08 10 2019 Phyllis H. Moore’s
Women’s Historical Fiction
BIRDIE & JUDE

071 08 11 2019 Sara Dahmen’s
Historical Fiction
TINSMITH 1865

072  08 19 2019 Carolyn Breckinridge’s
Short Story Collection

1 comment:

  1. I thought I already knew everything about you! Great person, dynamite writer

    ReplyDelete