What is it about Me and Short Stories?
Kaye George is a novelist and a short story writer whose story, “Handbaskets, Drawers, and a Killer Cold”, was nominated for a 2010 Agatha award. It can be found in the collection, A Patchwork of Stories, available on Amazon and Smashwords as an ebook.
Her first novel, Choke, is being published May 2011 by Mainly Murder Press.
She reviews for “Suspense Magazine” and other articles occasionally appear in newsletters and booklets.
She, her husband, and a cat named Agamemnon live together in Texas, near Austin. They can be found there sometimes, but they often visit children and grandchildren who, for some reason, have decided to live in Tennessee and Virginia.
Visit her webpage, KayeGeorge.com for more information. Or catch her at TravelsWithKaye.blogspot.com, her solo blog. She also joins other writers at AllThingsWriting.blogspot.com and DialogForMurder.blogspot.com .
I’ve always loved reading short stories. And I guess I’ve always loved writing them, too. Back when Julius Caesar and I were young, I would send my efforts off to “The New Yorker” and “Atlantic Monthly” for the privilege of collecting a drawer full of rejection slips. A college composition teacher (bless him) told me I would be a good writer eventually. “Don’t stop writing,” he said.
When marriage, jobs, moves, three children, and various pets intervened, I almost did stop. But never completely. About ten years ago, kids all grown, retired from job, husband in fourth career (which necessitated moving out to the vast beyond, past the edge of my known world), it was time for me to see if I could get anywhere devoting full-time efforts to writing.
My preferred reading matter has usually been mystery, so I started there and wrote one. Then another. The third wasn’t too bad and I started to query it. Wrote the sequel. Now I was querying both of them. Meanwhile, since I was living where I didn’t know anyone involved any writing communities (no Sisters in Crime or MWA chapter near), I ventured into cyberspace to look for like-minded friends. And found them!
In my frustration at not getting anywhere with novels, I turned to my first love, short stories, and started cranking them out again. And got some published! I even won some contests and got paid for a few.
But still, I kept writing novels. There’s something about being a published novelist….
When my novel, Choke (not one of the ones mentioned above, but yet another), was accepted for publication next spring (Mainly Murder Press, May 2011), I was thrilled! And, to celebrate, (besides finishing up the sequel and beginning to plot the third of that series–and querying a previous series–also one not mentioned above), I published a 
volume of my short stories. They had given me a boost when I needed it, so I guess I just naturally turned to them. The stories in my collection have all been published in online and print magazines, and one got me nominated for an Agatha award, a proud moment! This little ebook is giving me another boost now, because some people are actually buying it. I have plans to make it into a “real” book in a few weeks.
Since moving to the Austin, TX, area, where there are lots of writers, happily, I’ve become reacquainted with the most marvelous independent book store, Book People! One of my writing groups meets there regularly to critique each other in a word-friendly atmosphere. Book People hosts writers from across the spectrum, literary, genre, well-known, local. I’m looking forward to my signing there in May!
But IÂ guess no matter how many novels I publish (and I hope it’s a lot!), I’ll always come back to my first love, short stories.
If you’d like to visit me at http://kayegeorge.com/ or email me at mailto:kaye.george@gmail.com, I’d love to hear from you. At the website you can peek inside my short story collection, as well as Choke and its sequel.
Many thanks for allowing me to blog here, Lelia!
November 20, 2010
Posted in: Guest Blogs
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15 Responses
You have my undying admiration. I also love short stories, but find them hard to write. You need to get so much into such a few words, its a real talent and requires a sharp red pencil. I’m going to look yours up. But not unil after Thanksgiving. Kathleen
Kaye, short stories are hard to write. So much to pack into a short space! I think everyone loves short story collections. They’re perfect for our hectic lives. Good luck with your new book!
~ Krista
Yay, Kaye! It pays to be tenacious. Congratulations on all your success. Short stories rule!
Kaye, good for you! I love your stories, you know that. You have a terrific voice and great talent for picking just the right word, just the right action. Wishing you much success with your anthology as well as your new novel! Wahooo!
~Avery
AveryAames.com
Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen
I’ve enjoyed your short stories, Kaye, and look forward to reading Choke when it comes out.
I look forward to reading Choke, and agree with you about short stories. I love to write them to. Mine tend to go off into SF/Fantasy. Good thing crossover is popular.
Kaye – many congrats on your success. I have a new appreciation for short stories but have always found them difficult to write. I look forward to reading “Choke”. The title is cool and catchy.
Thanks for the comments and the congrats! And, Lelia, thanks a million for having me here. This is a great blog. But I’ll tell you guys a secret: short stories are easier for me than novels. Must be why I keep writing them.
I enjoyed your short stories and look forward to reading CHOKE. I wrote short stories and had them published many years ago but then I focused on novels and now find short stories a real challenge. I’m going to read your collection and other collections so I can focus on how they are created.
Kaye,
I love your short story that was a nominee this past year for an Agatha. I look forward to reading the others.
Marilyn
I’m working on a paperback edition. It should be ready soon! I’ll announce it on my webpage kayegeorge.com (and elsewhere, of course), when it’s ready. I’m submitting corrected proofs today. Thanks, Pauline and Marilyn!
Whatever it is with you and short stories, Kaye, it is with me, too. I started out writing them, still do, and always will. I love writing novels, of course, but it feels so good to finish a story in a matter of days or weeks instead of the months (years!) it takes to turn out a good novel. I’ll make a deal with you. I won’t stop writing short stories until you do.
Deal, Earl! Now I have to keep writing so I can read yours.
Kaye, it has been such a pleasure having you visit—I hope you’ll come back
I’d love to, Lelia! Thanks!
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