Reading Time: 3 minutes

I’d love to introduce you to newly published author: Lori Lipsky! I met her years ago and found her tobe the sweetest person you’ll ever want to meet.

When did you decide you would be an author? Was it something you fell into, felt called to…?

In 2009, I was an avid reader who dreamed of writing a book someday in the future. A good friend decided to form a writing group at that time and invited me to join. The group submits and
edits each other’s work each month. Twelve years later, our group is still going strong.

I’m thrilled to say that my first book—the book I once dreamed of writing—is now published.

What’s your pet peeve?

Most of my pet peeves happen to be driving related. Just the normal stuff. Like when a driver pulls up to a four-way intersection and doesn’t look left (there I am, on their left, just hoping
they’ll see me) before proceeding.

What was your most embarrassing moment as a writer?

Any writer who puts their work out in the world risks embarrassment. It lies in wait nearby.
Editors provide armor, guarding writers from all sorts of embarrassment. Our little writing group
edits many of my pieces before I submit anywhere, so the group provides a terrific wall of
protection. I hired a professional editor for my book, and prior to that our group edited each story
that found its way into the collection.

Even with terrific editors, mistakes happen. I’m a bit of a coward who is convinced that bravery
is a must-have for writers and creatives. I’m sure that as long as I keep writing and publishing,
embarrassment lurks around the next corner.

What has been your most difficult challenge as an author?

Balancing the demands of life. I’m a part-time writer, part-time piano instructor, part-time
childcare provider, wife, mother, and grandmother to one sweet little girl.

Over three years ago, a writing partner and I began to report our writing times to each other
every day. What a huge difference reporting has made! And now I have two daily writing
partners. I never put off writing or doing writing-related work anymore. Every single day, I
write. Before nodding off to sleep I text each partner a quick report of my writing-related
accomplishments of the day.

How do you process rejections and/or negative reviews?

Once I realized that the more a writer submits, the more rejections a writer receives, rejections
became a sort of badge of honor. One year when I was focused on submitting short stories to
journals and magazines, I decided to embrace the goal of collecting 100 rejections in a year. I
didn’t submit enough to reach my goal, but the challenge helped increase my submissions
number. Those types of mental games help me battle the sting of rejection.

What do you feel is the best success so far in your writing career?

It has to be the publication of my first book, Used Cookie Sheets: Very Short Stories.

What is your current work in process?

I’m working on another collection of very short fiction. The planned date for the book release is
January 2022.

Bio: Lori Lipsky lives in the Midwest with her husband and a tender-hearted blue heeler. Her
first book, Used Cookie Sheets: Very Short Stories, was published in June 2021. In addition, she
is a contributing author of the book Wit, Whimsy & Wisdom. Her short fiction stories and poems
have appeared in The Avalon Literary Review, Every Day Poems, Creative Wisconsin Magazine,
Mature Living Magazine, The Penwood Review, Poppy Road Review, and various other
publications.

Lori currently teaches a crop of piano students at the Arboretum Music School in Waunakee,
Wisconsin. She holds a degree in music from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. When she
isn’t writing or teaching, Lori loves to read. She is an enthusiastic audiobook fan, and she has
been a member of the same book club and writing group for more than a decade. When visiting her dad each week, they try to outperform one other as they compete at games like Five Crowns, Dominoes, and Pinochle.

Website: https://lorilipsky.com
Blog: https://lorilipsky.com/blog/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LoriSLipsky
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/lipsky0220/_saved/
Amazon Page: https://www.amazon.com/Lori-Lipsky/e/B08ZJKVVD7/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_book_1

Latest book release: Used Cookie Sheets: Very Short Stories released in June of 2021.