Ask the Author: Beth Black
Answered Questions (9)
Beth Black
Actually, there was a mystery that occurred when I was an infant. It took place when we lived across the street from a huge orange grove. My mother was harassed by a neighbor on nights when my father was away on business trips. She couldn't figure out who was clawing at the windows in the middle of those dark nights. Eventually, the mystery was solved, and my mother, who was also an award-winning author, published the story as Blood Orange.
Beth Black
Hi Amy,
Nice to meet a fellow survivor of the Industry!
Beth
Nice to meet a fellow survivor of the Industry!
Beth
Beth Black
Hi Elizabeth. Thanks for the excellent question. Fade In Magazine has been around Hollywood for several years, and they have a well-known series of competitions. One is the "First 10 Pages" contest. I entered with a screenplay I'd written about a gifted child. They notified me by mail about my win. Prizes included some cash and opportunities to pitch the script to Hollywood executives. Since the pitches took place during the pandemic, which has shut down a lot of production, the best part of winning, for me, were the kind words they sent about the script. You can see them here: bethscape.com/screenplays and you can also see those winning pages.
Thanks for asking!
Thanks for asking!
Beth Black
The first volume of my Paranormal Women's Fiction trilogy will be released by the end of the year. This take on the genre may stand out a bit, with women who seek personal power in today's world. As novices, they often managed to vex when they hex. Sometimes they achieve greatness. And sometimes they merely catch a fire hydrant ... well, on fire. Look for a book titled The Taste of Truth.
Beth Black
It's portable and adaptable. The skills I've developed have served me well as a contract worker. My client portfolio at PracticalPoet.com shows off the range of assignments I've completed over the years based on my ability to research and write. And then there's the escapism and optimism that comes from fiction work. I can tear down bad worlds and replace them with joyful places. I can share examples of evil or bad luck -- and place them in the context of larger universes. As a former teacher, I suppose I'll never lose the occasional urge to write something that helps people. But for the most part, it's just something that's part of me -- something I cherish. Something handed down by my mother. Einstein reportedly said, "Creativity is intelligence having fun."
Beth Black
I'm an idea hoarder. No matter what I'm working on, if an idea for a new project pops into my head, I'll set it down and save it. The notes are usually less than a page or two. As a result, I have enough ideas to last me quite a while. And I consider being stuck in the middle of a project as a different sort of situation. That's usually a question of clarifying the problem and brainstorming inventive solutions.
Beth Black
I learned a lot at UCI when they had us read a famous short story, pick one element from it, and then write a "response story" using that element. It could be a line, a setting, a theme, a POV or plot device -- anything. We did this numerous times, and I learned about techniques that attracted me and how to employ them.
Beth Black
I like to think about a problem and invent characters who represent potential complications and solutions. Then it's fun to sit back and let them argue in my head. I'm pretty good at dictation. In truth, anyone watching would see a woman talking to herself ... usually in voices!
Beth Black
I wanted to show older adults as active and capable. I used to own an electric bike shop, and most of my customers were over 50. Their energy and enthusiasm for adventure inspired my characters.
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