Tag Archives: Fiction

A Bit of Sweetness (From Chapter Four)

Posted on March 18, 2013 by Laura Stanfill

I promised myself I’d get back into my novel this month. Forest Avenue Press will still be my primary focus, but I want to make room in my life for Henri, my protagonist now languishing in Chapter Four, draft two, … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Revision, Writing | Tagged , , , , | 7 Comments

Pumpkin Is My Theme

Posted on November 7, 2011 by Laura Stanfill

While so many folks have been focused on escalating word counts for National Novel Writing Month, it’s no secret that I’ve been distracted from writing so far this month. I wake up thinking about house projects and various spinning plates, … Continue reading →

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The Wrong Protagonist

Posted on February 21, 2011 by Laura Stanfill

I started my new novel this past August, and instead of moving from the 1970s to the present, as I had intended, the story did a backflip of its own accord (I swear!) and plunged itself into the mid-19th century. … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Plot, Writing | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Tapping into the Language of a Story World

Posted on February 7, 2011 by Laura Stanfill

During intermission at a theater performance this weekend, a woman asked me about my handmade vest. It was the Back to School pattern by Stephanie Japel, and I used a Yarnia blend of wool and a strand of rayon. Our … Continue reading →

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Two Recommendations

Posted on January 24, 2011 by Laura Stanfill

So far, 2011 is shaping up to be an excellent reading year. It’s still January and I’ve discovered two new favorites. One is Julia Glass’ The Widower’s Tale, a compelling, multi-dimensional story that reminded me why she’s consistently on my top-author list. … Continue reading →

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Dirty Laundry

Posted on January 22, 2011 by Laura Stanfill

My ancient Crown Frigidaire washing machine was carted off this week. In its place is a shiny white Whirpool Cabrio with lid lock and lots of options. While I’ve heard complaints about the new high-efficiency machines, mine–along with getting my … Continue reading →

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The Interviewer Gets Interviewed

Posted on January 17, 2011 by Laura Stanfill

I’ve spent much of my newspaper career asking people questions and transforming their answers into a story. Fellow fiction writer Sarah Cypher turned the tables this week, though, and interviewed me over on her blog. You can see the results … Continue reading →

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A Sentence That Changes the Story

Posted on January 12, 2011 by Laura Stanfill

I’ve spent six years working on Body Copy, my most recently completed novel, and I still remember bringing an early piece of it to the Pinewood Table group, facilitated by Stevan Allred and Joanna Rose, my amazing mentors. It was … Continue reading →

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Before and After

Posted on January 6, 2011 by Laura Stanfill

Some objects are more important than others. Take this Starbucks coffee cup, one of two sent to us by my husband’s friend in Korea. We’ve enjoyed the significance of the gift as much as the object itself. Often in fiction, … Continue reading →

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Scene Versus Narrative

Posted on December 8, 2010 by Laura Stanfill

I’m still thinking about last night’s writing group (the anonymous one I hinted about in a previous post). Each writer had amazing pages to share, ones that made us laugh, shake our heads or sit there with our mouths dropped … Continue reading →

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