My Scribblings

Telling you about Survivor, the action memoir I wrote for actor, director, and producer Reza Fazeli, may prove dangerous. After all, I used a pseudonym on the book’s cover because terrorists murdered his son in England. They felt justified: Reza’s anti-regime videos mocked their sacred cows. When investigators traced the bomb back to a high ranking official in his native country, two governments had to combine efforts to spirit Reza out of England. (Maybe if I don’t mention the name of the offending country, they won’t come after me with guns or bombs. The way things are heating up over there, the threats of nuclear weapons…well, that should give you a hint.)

Survivor’s full of murder, mayhem, and miracles–though Reza wouldn’t call them that. Amazon carries the English version. It was under contract with a foreign publisher (again, not naming the country) for the translation when Reza died in April 2009. I was fortunate to have known him and his family.

What else?

Several novels clog my hard drive or lie dormant on floppies. A few years ago, I wrote the first book of a fun series, Two from Isaac’s House. A partial won the Alpha Award for best new fiction at the Sandy Cove Writers Conference. The three acquisitions editors said, send it. I said it’s not CBA. They wrote back and said, yep, you’re right. You ever write for the CBA, let us know.

Well, that sample also got me invited to the Napa Writers Conference. On my return, Reza hired me to write his book, which took a chunk out of my life. A Western woman working with a Middle Eastern alpha male? He was always right. I was always wrong. If I hadn’t believed in the story, I’d have waved good-bye after the first three chapters. But I stuck it out, then hired an editor–male–who seconded my advice. That time Reza listened.

With Survivor off my computer and into Reza’s hands, I began crafting the story of a woman who can’t cope with overwhelming guilt.

SAILING OUT OF DARKNESS, BECALMED, HEAVY WEATHER, ON A NIGHT LIKE THIS, and..…
Sailing out of Darkness is the story of one woman’s plunge into guilt and her crawl–or rather, sail–out of it. Oh, Sam doesn’t literally sail out. But it’s on board her small skipjack, the Alice II, that Sam drops her guard and commits an act that will trigger bloodshed and revenge–against her and against her boat. And it’s on board a battered Alice that Sam finally confronts the elements and makes peace with herself and with God.

Set in Beaufort, NC, Becalmed is also full of sailing and fun folk. It won the 2011 Catherine from Toronto’s RWA, and is under contract with Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas for release soon.  Heavy Weather won the 2011 Marlene from Washington, DC.  On a Night Like This, lingers in the background. I began it as I faced my first storm on board Sea Venture — alone. Of course, none of the adventures that have my characters in a tizzy happened to us. But they could have.

Here’s a link to a piece I wrote for fellow writer Linda Apple on her blog A Southern Gal’s View of the World, called “Contrasts.” Hope you enjoy it.

A story about my aunt, Sara Meadows, who lived with me for nine years until her death at age 90, brought my writing to the attention of an editor at a sailing magazine who has asked for more. I’ll pursue that when I find the time away from blogging and novel writing. See link under Scribblings:  A Sailing Odyssey.  Are you at all curious about miracles and such? If so, Samuel’s Story may interest you.

If you would like to get in touch with me to chat about writing, sailing, or anything else on your mind, drop me a line at normandiefischer at gmail dot com, putting the symbols in where they’re needed. Spam has invaded too much of our lives, hasn’t it? You can also leave a comment on this blog.

I’ve also taken on the job of acquisitions editor for Wayside Press, the general market imprint of Written World Communications, and I’m trying to juggle writing and editing time.