Summer Short Story Spectacular! Season 1, Episode 1 - BARBARA PHINNEY

Welcome to Season 1, Episode 1 of my Saturday Short Story Spectacular! 

What better way to begin the summer than with a summer photo of our very first author guest! Doesn't that picture just make you want to drop what you're doing and head for the beach? (With your eReader loaded with stories, of course!) In my section of Canada today, Hurricane Arthur is on the rampage with rain and wind, it's lovely to see such a sunny picture.

My first guest is a very good friend of mine, Barbara Phinney who writes not only full length novels for publishing houses like  Harlequin's Love Inspired, but she also writes short stories and novellas as a full-fledged Indie author.

Without further ado, let's meet this wonderful straw hatted lady who is making us all want to hang out with her there—

Barbara's writing career goes back to when she retired from the Canadian Armed Forces. That's when she decided to take up writing. She writes, "Romantic suspense was as far from my previous career as possible, so I chose that one."

 Though her two children have flown their New Brunswick coop, Barbara spends her days either writing or with her semi-retired husband.

Now, time for a few questions. Barbara, what is your all-time favorite short story and why?

This is a hard question! I think it would have to be Soaked in Seaweed or Upset in the Ocean by Stephen Leacock. I think the story (It’s one story, btw, the title is Soaked in Seaweed or Upset in the Ocean, drew me because it was funny and I understood the ending, whereas other kids in the class didn’t get it. I was a silly, fun story and I loved reading Stephen Leacock.

What, in your opinion, is the most difficult part of writing short fiction? 

You need to make your motivations believeable in a short time. No space for deep explanations and we all know that people are complicated.

What piece of advice would you give to a prospective short story writer?

Oh, that would be keep writing and keep reading. Tear your favourite authors’ works apart and see what works in them. Above all, never give up.

Which of your short stories should we read first and why?

I think Cape of Secrets. It’s a long novella, but it starts a series that will include shorter ones, and gives the full flavour of my Bay of Fundy mysteries.

Here's where you can find Cape of Secrets: 

Amazon

Smashwords

Here's where you can find Barbara.

My note: I just finished reading Cape of Secrets, where Barbara Phinney writes as Georgina Lee, and if you like suspense, romance and a very intriguing plot that spans continents, you will enjoy it!

Thank you, Barbara!