Contemporary writer Nancy Christie is back for a new interview! Today she’s chatting with me about her new short story collection, The Language of Love and Other Stories.
Check out Nancy’s book tour schedule with Wow! Women on Writing below and feel free to visit her other stops!
Bio:
Nancy Christie is the award-winning author of two Midlife Moxie novels, three short story collections, two books for writers and an essay collection. Her fourth collection, The Language of Love and Other Stories, and her third novel, Moving Maggie, will be out in 2025. She’s the host of the Living the Writing Life podcast, founder of the annual “Midlife Moxie” Day and “Celebrate Short Fiction” Day, and member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA), the Florida Writers Association (FWA) and the Women’s Fiction Writers Association (WFWA).
Welcome back, Nancy! Please tell us a bit about your new release.
The Language of Love and Other Stories is a diverse collection that delves into the many facets of love. From the tender bonds between parent and child (“Claire Juliana,” “The Ferris Wheel”) to the deep connections between adult children and their elderly relatives (“Mama,” “Listen to Me,” “Remember Mama”), the stories explore love in its many forms. Romantic love takes center stage in tales like “Charley and the Cupid Caper,” “With Any Luck,” “Bingo,” “Henry, Hortense and the Halloween Party,” “For the First Time—Again,” and “Love Dancing.” Some stories, such as “Doors and Windows,” “The Message is Understood,” “The Equation of Love,” and the title story, “The Language of Love,” examine the struggles love faces when tested by life’s challenges.
The collection also poignantly addresses love intertwined with grief and loss in stories like “Earth to Moon,” “Goodbyes,” “Seeing Jim,” “Thinking About Melanie,” and “Love Letters.” Across 20 stories, the collection captures every stage of love, from the exhilarating beginnings to the quiet, routine phases, the uncertain times, and the heartbreaking endings—whether anticipated or shockingly sudden. It’s a journey through whom we love, how we love, and how we cope when love is returned, unrequited, or lost.
What do you enjoy most about writing short stories?
Unlike my novels that can take a year or longer from idea to completion, my short stories can be written in a relatively short time, which gives me a faster sense of accomplishment! But even more importantly, I can explore serious topics, traumatic events, stories that have a touch of horror or fantasy to them—ideas that, quite frankly, would freak me out if I wrote 85,000 words on them but can handle in under 8,000.
Can you give us a little insight into a few of your short stories – perhaps some of your favorites?
You know how mothers are loathe to say which child is their favorite? Well, this question puts me in that same situation! But, to be totally honest, the story I am most proud of is from my first collection: “Annabelle.” It’s the oldest story among those in my collections. I worked on it in bits and pieces from the late 1980s until the late 1990s, and it appeared in Traveling Left of Center and Other Stories when it was released in 2014.
In each collection, there is probably one or two stories that I really love or am very proud of or that stretched me creatively. But I always come back to “Annabelle.”
What genre are you inspired to write in the most? Why?
Another tricky question! I really enjoy working on my contemporary Midlife Moxie novel series and developing story ideas that fit within that subject matter. But I suppose I am a short story writer at heart. My fantasy is to have enough time to write novels and short stories without worrying about my client projects (which are what pay the bills). Every now and then a short story will start in my head and the best I can do is make notes about it until I have the time to write the first draft.
What exciting story are you working on next?
While my third novel, Moving Maggie, is undergoing final edits, I’m working on my fourth one in that series: Transforming Tessa. And playing around with an idea for a fifth short story collection…
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I always wrote—from second grade on I was making up stories and typing them and then putting them away.
But I certainly never considered submitting any of them, which is why my first short story wasn’t published until I was 40! And when my first book came out, The Gifts of Change, I really had a bad attack of imposter syndrome! I never thought of myself as an author. But now, after eight books, I’m more comfortable with that title!
How do you research markets for your work, perhaps as some advice for writers?
When I was submitting my short stories, I kept a running list of possible markets in a spreadsheet, with details on word counts and any other specifics, along with what stories of mine I thought would be a good fit.
I also subscribed to a lot of newsletters to get the latest update on who wanted what. However, It’s been several years since I submitted any, since I have been more focused on writing stories for my collections and working on my novels so I have been out of the loop somewhat on literary magazines.
But my most important advice is to not let one or two or ten or twenty rejections deter you. If the story is as strong as you can make it, keep submitting it. I’ve had short pieces that were rejected multiple times (sometimes with somewhat snarky comments!) and then an editor would accept it and rave about it and the readers loved it. You never know…
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I don’t know if it’s a quirk, but I talk to myself. A lot. Out loud. Or I talk to my characters. Or I repeat aloud what the characters are saying in my head to hear how it sounds.
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A writer (not that I thought I could make a living at it) or failing that, an archeologist, although given my dislike of bugs especially spiders and scorpions, maybe not.
Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
If you have read something that you really like or that moved you or touched you deeply, please let the writer know and, if it’s a book, write a review. Sometimes that positive feedback can keep us from falling off the cliff into the pit of despair—or at least, keep us from eating every piece of chocolate in the house to ease our pain!
Links:
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Blog tour calendar:
January 13 @ The Muffin
Join WOW as we celebrate the launch of Nancy Christie’s blog tour of The Language of Love. Read an interview with the author and enter to win a copy of the bookhttps://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com
January 14 @ Rosh’s Reviews
Learn more about The Language of Love in today’s review. https://roshreviews.blogspot.com/
January 15 @ Frugal Freelancer
Join Sara’s blog for a spotlight of The Language of Love. https://saratrimble.wordpress.com/
January 20 @ The Book Mistress
Check out Nancy Christie’s interview at Tracey’s blog. https://www.traceylampley.com/
January 21 @ Words by Webb
Visit Jodi’s blog for a review of The Language of Love by Nancy Christie.https://www.jodiwebb.com/
January 22 @ Mari’s Journaling Power Blog
Find today’s spotlight of The Language of Love at Mari’s Journaling Power Blog. https://www.createwritenow.com/journal-writing-blog
January 23 @ What is That Book About
Learn more about The Language of Love in today’s spotlight at What is that Book About https://www.whatisthatbookabout.com/
January 28 @ Life According to Jamie
Visit Life According to Jamie for their review of The Language of Love.https://www.lifeaccordingtojamie.com
January 30 @ Beverly A Baird
Find out more about The Language of Love in today’s review at Beverly A Baird.https://beverleyabaird.wordpress.com/
February 1 @ A Wonderful World of Words
Read today’s spotlight of The Language of Love at A Wonderful World of Wordshttps://awonderfulworldofwordsa.blogspot.com/
February 3 HERE!
February 5 @ Just Katherine
Check out today’s review of The Language of Love at Just Katherine. https://justkatherineblog.wordpress.com/
February 6 @ Deirdra Eden
Find the latest spotlight of The Language of Love at Deirdra Eden.https://www.astorybookworld.com/
February 8 @ Boots Shoes and Fashion
Visit Boots Shoes and Fashion to read an interview with Nancy Christie, author of The Language of Love. https://bootsshoesandfashion.com
February 10 @ Just Katherine
Read an excerpt from The Language of Love at Just Katherine. https://justkatherineblog.wordpress.com/
February 15 @ Jill Sheets’ blog
Visit Jill’s blog for an interview with author Nancy Christie about her book The Language of Love. https://jillsheets.blogspot.com/
Thanks so much for having me here and for your terrific questions!