Sharon Vander Meer

Writer Rebecca Lee lives in Charlottesville, Virginia. She has published with The Noctua Review, Cleaver Magazine, Existere Journal, The Rusty Nail.  Her blog is at www.AWordOfSubstance.com

Q. Tell readers about yourself and your writing goals.
A. Writing is my #1 passion in life. I’ve been writing since I could pick up a pen.  My main writing goal for the future is to publish a collection of short stories and vignettes.

Q. Your blog is an eclectic collection on a variety of topics. Comments from some readers refer to it as being quirky and original. Talk about the premise of the blog and why you started it.
A. My blog is mostly about objects personified. When I first started the blog I wanted to be able to write about anything and make it interesting. I hope that’s what I’ve been able to accomplish.

Q. Why write about what some would consider irrelevant, I mean power outlets? How can this be relevant?
A. Lately I’ve been writing about any kind of object that I think relates to a news article. The power outlet seemed like a perfect fit for the news surrounding college rape. Words have a way of seeping through the subconscious mind and piecing themselves into a way that makes sense. Even if those words are describing objects, one can still grasp the deeper meaning.

Q. “Object enthusiast. Fiction writer. Six word stories on twitter.” That’s you’re Twitter profile. What does it all mean?
A. I’m a big fan of inanimate objects. If something isn’t alive, you can create and attach any sort of feeling to it. Who’s to say a silver spoon doesn’t feel a certain way? We’ll never know.

As for the six word stories – I came across Hemingway’s story and was inspired. He wrote: For sale: baby shoes, never worn. In just those six words, he said it all.

Q. In one sentence, describe yourself as a writer.
A. For sale: words with hopeful promise.

Q. What do you find most challenging, concept development or writing?
A. Depends on the writing and the concept. In general I find poetry to be the most natural form of writing and essays to be more challenging. Depending on the topic, my feelings can change.

Q. What do you wish people knew about you as a writer?
A. I write about everything. My blog focuses mostly on stories surrounding objects, however I write non-fiction and poetry as well.

Q. You have been published in a number of literary journals for your short fiction and nonfiction. How do you decide where you will submit your work and how do you handle rejection?
A. I read a lot of literary magazines. I spend a lot of time on Duotrope. I take writing classes with other students who also submit their work to various places. I always have an eye out for publications.

In terms of rejection, I think I might be a rejection addict. When I was eleven, I asked a boy to dance with me at a school social and he turned me down. It was love at first sight. Rejection gives me an energy that encourages me to try harder.

Q. What encouragement would you offer writers about getting published?
A. Read a lot of literary magazines. Find the best one that fits your style and keep trying.

Q. What are you working on now or what would you like people to know about your work and where they can find it?
A. I am working on a collection of short stories and vignettes as well as a memoir. My published online writing is available at Linden Ave Literary Journal, Haggard and Halloo Publications,  Chicago Record, *82 Review, and in the next issue of Cleaver Magazine. For print publications, I have been featured in The Rusty Nail, The Noctua Review, and Existere Journal. For regularly updated writing, please visit  www.AWordOfSubstance.com