| Today, Norm Goldman, Publisher & Editor
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| | very clumsy until a writing teacher at
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| of is pleased to have as our guest,
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| | the New School, in a class I'd found
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| Helen Barer author of Fitness Kills.
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| | called "Starting Your Novel," suggested I
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| Helen is a native New Yorker and has
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| | switch to first person. All of a sudden I
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| spent many years as a writer of
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| | found my voice! Slightly smart ass, New
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| non-fiction ranging from cookbooks to
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| | York City, and vulnerable. I loved it.
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| television documentaries.
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| | The dialogue came very naturally to me;
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| Norm:
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| | it was the plot I struggled with.
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| Good day Helen and thanks for
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| | Norm:
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| participating in our interview.
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| | Can you tell us how you found
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| Helen:
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| | representation for your book? Did you
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| I'm delighted to have been invited.
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| | pitch it to an agent, or query publishers
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| Norm:
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| | who would most likely publish this type
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| How did you happen to write a book about
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| | of book? Any rejections?
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| a fitness ranch in Baja and could you
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| | Helen:
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| also tell us a bit about Fitness Kills?
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| | I did pitch it to many agents, all of
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| Helen:
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| | whom said 'very well written, but not
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| I'm a big fan of fitness spas - I've been
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| | right for us - it's not hard-boiled
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| going to one or another for more than 20
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| | enough/sexy enough/ complicated enough/
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| years. About 12 years ago, while
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| | straightforward enough...' take your
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| struggling through an aerobics class at a
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| | pick. It was more than discouraging, But
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| spa in Baja California, I looked around
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| | I'm in a terrific writing workshop, and
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| and thought it was like being on a cruise
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| | two of the authors were published by Five
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| ship. We'd all arrived on a Saturday,
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| | Star, an imprint of Thomson Gale that
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| would leave the following Saturday, and
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| | publishes mystery novels. I queried Five
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| in the meantime got to be 'intimate
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| | Star directly, sent the book to them as
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| acquaintances.'
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| | an attachment to an email, and they
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| Fitness Kills is the story of Nora
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| | accepted it almost immediately.
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| Franke,, a New York City food writer who
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| | Norm:
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| having broken up with her boyfriend, and
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| | What challenges or obstacles did you
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| having gained weight as a result,
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| | encounter while writing your book? How
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| accepted a temporary job as food
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| | did you overcome these challenges?
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| consultant at such a fitness spa. She is
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| | Helen:
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| befriended by a group of regulars, and is
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| | I'd had no idea how to write fiction; it
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| caught up by their pain and loss as one,
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| | was like learning a foreign language. I
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| and then another, of the friends die.
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| | read a lot - other mysteries, writers
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| Nora's primary employer back in New York
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| | about writing, etc. -- and went to
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| assigns her to write an article about the
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| | mystery conferences. Joining a writing
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| deaths at the health spa, and she becomes
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| | workshop was a major step. Talk about
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| invested in solving the murder (and
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| | challenges! They pulled and pushed me
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| keeping herself alive!).
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| | into writing and rewriting.
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| Norm:
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| | Norm:
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| What attracted you to the mystery genre?
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| | Was there anyone who really influenced
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| Helen:
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| | you to become a writer?
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| I like stories with a beginning, middle
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| | Helen:
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| and end. As well as those with a strong
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| | My mother. She was never without a book,
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| central character - preferably a woman -
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| | nor was I. She encouraged me to write
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| that have something to say about how we
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| | even as a little girl; my first
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| live today and what our values are.
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| | significant piece was a fourth grade
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| Norm:
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| | project called "My Life in the
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| What do you believe are the essential
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| | Wilderness." It got an A.
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| ingredients of a good mystery novel?
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| | Norm:
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| Helen:
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| | Many writers want to be published, but
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| Suspense! And caring about what happens
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| | not everyone is cut out for a writer's
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| to the characters. Which means, of
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| | life. What are some signs that perhaps
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| course, that you have to know the
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| | someone is not cut out to be a writer and
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| characters. Believability is also
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| | should try to do something else for a
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| essential. This is not a fantasy genre.
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| | living?
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| Norm:
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| | Helen:
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| Is your work improvisational or do you
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| | Don't give up your day job! I actually
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| have a set plan?
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| | waited until I was nearly retired to
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| Helen:
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| | write full time. Otherwise there's so
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| It starts off with a plan. Actually, I'm
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| | much pressure. It also helps to have a
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| meticulous at the beginning. I have a
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| | thick skin.
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| summary page, a chapter-by-chapter
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| | Norm:
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| outline, and know how it ends. But the
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| | What are your upcoming projects? How can
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| middle...that's the real mystery! As I
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| | readers find out more about you and your
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| established the characters' voices, I
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| | endeavors?
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| found they led me in unexpected
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| | Helen:
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| directions.
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| | I'm almost halfway through writing my
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| Norm:
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| | next Nora Franke mystery novel, while
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| Helen, this was your first mystery
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| | promoting this one. Check out my website,
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| fiction writing project. Did you enjoy
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| the process? How was it different from
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| | Norm:
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| your typical format?
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| | Is there anything else you wish to add
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| Helen:
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| | that we have not covered?
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| I'd never written fiction before. It was
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| | Helen:
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| like re-inventing the wheel. I found it
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| | I can't imagine. You've been so thorough.
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