Cover art by Kim Wickman I'm excited to have Editors Brittiany Koren and Lara Hunter of Written Dreams on my blog today to discuss their recent project, When Dreams Come True.
The anthology consists of ten romantic fantasy stories about the trials and tribulations we go through in order to make our dreams come true. It starts with a lovely poem, The Written Dream, by Lessie DeGroot. Then follow the shorts written by: Esther M. Friesner, Abby Goldsmith, Christen Anne Kelley, John Marco, Victoria Murray, Mickey Zucker Reichert, Laura Resnick, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Randy Tatano, and Tricia Zoeller.
The anthology consists of ten romantic fantasy stories about the trials and tribulations we go through in order to make our dreams come true. It starts with a lovely poem, The Written Dream, by Lessie DeGroot. Then follow the shorts written by: Esther M. Friesner, Abby Goldsmith, Christen Anne Kelley, John Marco, Victoria Murray, Mickey Zucker Reichert, Laura Resnick, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Randy Tatano, and Tricia Zoeller.
About the Editors:
Brittiany A. Koren has edited hundreds of novels and short stories, many of which have been nominated for, and won awards. She’s co-edited five anthologies with Martin H. Greenberg for DAW Books, and developed the White House Gardener Mystery series with author, Dorothy St. James. When Dreams Come True is her sixth anthology. In 2011, she founded Written Dreams Editorial and Writing Services. Visit writtendreams.com to learn more about her business and the services Written Dreams provides for authors. She lives in Green Bay, Wisconsin with her husband, Michael, and their three amazing children.
Lara Hunter has been reading since before she could remember. After a long career in accounting she realized that her first love was books and joined Brittiany Koren at Written Dreams in order to edit for a living. When Dreams Come True is her first anthology. Lara lives high in the mountains of Colorado with her husband and their chocolate lab.
What first inspired you to create this anthology?
BK: I guess I’ll take this first one. When Dreams Come True is my sixth anthology, and Lara’s first. Before starting Written Dreams, I worked for a man named Martin H. Greenberg who was legendary in his field and known as the ‘king of anthologists.’ Under his tutelage, I worked on hundreds of anthologies and learned to love the short story concept. It’s been a few years since my last anthology was released, and honestly, I just missed it. I thought it would be fun for Lara to have that same experience. When I contacted her about the idea of putting together an anthology, she was excited, so we went with it! Romantic fantasy stories was a natural category, since we both enjoy reading that type of short story.
The cover is beautiful—did you have a concept in mind when you started?
LH: The stories helped determine the cover, in particular, Tricia, your story, and Mickey Zucker Reichert’s. We knew we wanted forest and water on the cover after reading those two stories. Kim Wickman, our cover artist at Written Dreams, really deserves the credit for creating it. I think she did an amazing job!
Did anything surprise you in the stories you received?
BK: Everything, and that’s what is so much fun about putting an anthology together. You never know what you’ll receive from the authors. Each writer turned a themed concept into their own distinctive creation. We think they did a phenomenal job of writing stories unique for the anthology.
Who is the intended audience?
LH: Fantasy and romance fans of all ages. We wanted the anthology to be something teens could pick up and enjoy, but also be a book adults would like to read over and over.
As editors, what did you need to be mindful of when compiling this anthology that incorporates diverse authors’ works versus the traditional work of fiction?
BK: The important thing to remember is letting the authors have their lead, allowing them to be as creative and individual as they can be so readers aren’t reading the same type of plot over and over. That’s one of the biggest challenges of themed anthologies.
How was the experience of editing the piece together?
LH: We really enjoyed collaborating. Brittiany and I have different views on things and discussing the various stories was really interesting. We also helped each other make sure we kept true to the vision of the anthology as a whole.
Do you have any advice for how to write a short story?
BK: The best advice I ever received from my editing mentor, and I share this frequently with writers I’m coaching, is write a short story a week. That’s 52 possible short stories. It’s a great way to work on your craft as a writer, especially if you’re a beginning writer, and it’s also fun to see what kind of stories you can come up with. You might surprise yourself!
What are your plans for the future—do you see more anthologies?
LH: Maybe; this anthology is scheduled to be printed for the Written Dreams 2nd Anniversary this September, as a way of celebrating. We’re really focused on growing the business and offering different services to writers that will help them with their writing careers. We’re also preparing for our annual Writer’s Retreat in July so only time will tell. http://writtendreams.com/editingessentials/?p=1274
Advice for aspiring writers and editors…
BK: Work on your craft as much as possible. As a writer, you should be writing 5-6 days a week, at least 40 minutes a day. Don’t worry about writing, or not writing. Just sit down and write. That’s your job as a writer. Also, have a support group of writers that are willing to help you grow. If you’re not currently in one, find one. And always remember, it’s okay if what you’re writing isn’t perfect. After all, we don’t learn things overnight. Be patient with yourself and grow with your craft. If you need help, don’t hesitate to call on us.
LH: As an editor, it’s important for us to remember that the work we're editing is not our own. We need to dig deep and help each author to be the best writer they can be. We can't do this by rewriting their work, but by making suggestions that help improve their work for a more enjoyable reading experience.
BK and LH: Thanks so much, Tricia! We enjoyed being on your blog today! Your readers can reach us on our Website, Facebook or Twitter, and they can also check out our blog!
A big thank you to Brittiany and Lara for stopping by today. Anthology is available for purchase on these sites:
http://www.amazon.com/When-Dreams-Come-True-ebook/dp/B00DDVL7N2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1372263273&sr=8-1&keywords=when+dreams+come+true+anthology
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/when-dreams-come-true-brittiany-koren/1115716944?ean=2940016654256
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/325862
Don't forget to enter to win an eCopy of When Dreams Come True!
BK: I guess I’ll take this first one. When Dreams Come True is my sixth anthology, and Lara’s first. Before starting Written Dreams, I worked for a man named Martin H. Greenberg who was legendary in his field and known as the ‘king of anthologists.’ Under his tutelage, I worked on hundreds of anthologies and learned to love the short story concept. It’s been a few years since my last anthology was released, and honestly, I just missed it. I thought it would be fun for Lara to have that same experience. When I contacted her about the idea of putting together an anthology, she was excited, so we went with it! Romantic fantasy stories was a natural category, since we both enjoy reading that type of short story.
The cover is beautiful—did you have a concept in mind when you started?
LH: The stories helped determine the cover, in particular, Tricia, your story, and Mickey Zucker Reichert’s. We knew we wanted forest and water on the cover after reading those two stories. Kim Wickman, our cover artist at Written Dreams, really deserves the credit for creating it. I think she did an amazing job!
Did anything surprise you in the stories you received?
BK: Everything, and that’s what is so much fun about putting an anthology together. You never know what you’ll receive from the authors. Each writer turned a themed concept into their own distinctive creation. We think they did a phenomenal job of writing stories unique for the anthology.
Who is the intended audience?
LH: Fantasy and romance fans of all ages. We wanted the anthology to be something teens could pick up and enjoy, but also be a book adults would like to read over and over.
As editors, what did you need to be mindful of when compiling this anthology that incorporates diverse authors’ works versus the traditional work of fiction?
BK: The important thing to remember is letting the authors have their lead, allowing them to be as creative and individual as they can be so readers aren’t reading the same type of plot over and over. That’s one of the biggest challenges of themed anthologies.
How was the experience of editing the piece together?
LH: We really enjoyed collaborating. Brittiany and I have different views on things and discussing the various stories was really interesting. We also helped each other make sure we kept true to the vision of the anthology as a whole.
Do you have any advice for how to write a short story?
BK: The best advice I ever received from my editing mentor, and I share this frequently with writers I’m coaching, is write a short story a week. That’s 52 possible short stories. It’s a great way to work on your craft as a writer, especially if you’re a beginning writer, and it’s also fun to see what kind of stories you can come up with. You might surprise yourself!
What are your plans for the future—do you see more anthologies?
LH: Maybe; this anthology is scheduled to be printed for the Written Dreams 2nd Anniversary this September, as a way of celebrating. We’re really focused on growing the business and offering different services to writers that will help them with their writing careers. We’re also preparing for our annual Writer’s Retreat in July so only time will tell. http://writtendreams.com/editingessentials/?p=1274
Advice for aspiring writers and editors…
BK: Work on your craft as much as possible. As a writer, you should be writing 5-6 days a week, at least 40 minutes a day. Don’t worry about writing, or not writing. Just sit down and write. That’s your job as a writer. Also, have a support group of writers that are willing to help you grow. If you’re not currently in one, find one. And always remember, it’s okay if what you’re writing isn’t perfect. After all, we don’t learn things overnight. Be patient with yourself and grow with your craft. If you need help, don’t hesitate to call on us.
LH: As an editor, it’s important for us to remember that the work we're editing is not our own. We need to dig deep and help each author to be the best writer they can be. We can't do this by rewriting their work, but by making suggestions that help improve their work for a more enjoyable reading experience.
BK and LH: Thanks so much, Tricia! We enjoyed being on your blog today! Your readers can reach us on our Website, Facebook or Twitter, and they can also check out our blog!
A big thank you to Brittiany and Lara for stopping by today. Anthology is available for purchase on these sites:
http://www.amazon.com/When-Dreams-Come-True-ebook/dp/B00DDVL7N2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1372263273&sr=8-1&keywords=when+dreams+come+true+anthology
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/when-dreams-come-true-brittiany-koren/1115716944?ean=2940016654256
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/325862
Don't forget to enter to win an eCopy of When Dreams Come True!
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