Location: United States
Member Since: Oct. 25, 2010

5 readers have added this author as a 'Favorite Author'.

Sign in to subscribe to email alerts for Florence Witkop

Florence Witkop

Biography

FLORENCE WITKOP, STORYTELLER

Florence’s stories begin as simple tales of contemporary life, often in small towns or the wilderness she knows so well. Where they go from there is what makes them special. There is always the strong sense of place that brands them as eco-fiction. Sometimes they cross genres and contain paranormal, sci/fi, or fantasy elements. There is usually a romance and characters her readers like and would enjoy having as friends.

Most of all, there is a story because what Florence does best is tell stories. Well plotted stories that carry the characters towards a logical conclusion that always includes a happy ending. Stories that shine light on the human condition while they celebrate the world we live in. Stories that her readers relate to and remember long after the reading is over.

She writes about people who are as normal as apple pie (most of them, anyway) who unexpectedly find themselves in the middle of situations ranging from the heartwarming through the difficult and all the way to the horrendous. But Florence’s characters choose to act instead of running away. In the process, they survive, thrive, overcome whatever obstacles large or small are thrown in front of them, and while they are at it, they find time to fall in love.

Florence was born in the city and has lived in the suburbs, small towns, the country and the wilderness, where she still lives with her husband and a cowardly cat named Smoke.

At various times in her career she’s been a confession writer, a copywriter, a ghost writer and an editor. She writes short stories, novellas and novels. Her work has been categorized as romance, science-fiction, fantasy, mainstream and eco-fiction, to name a few genres that it fits beautifully into.

Smashwords Interview

Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?
I was born in the city but we moved to the country after my mother's heart attack. She was expected to die and wanted to do so in peaceful surroundings. She didn't die ... she's 103 years old now and doing just fine ... but those years of quiet and solitude in the country while she recovered and we didn't bother her shaped my imagination. Sitting in a tree watching clouds. Walking with my dog all over the countryside. Reading from my parents' extensive library. When I'd devoured the kids' books, I transitioned to Shakespeare and still love him. As she recovered and began to once again play the piano, music became a background to my life and my writing is still evocative of the measured rhythm of Bach and Beethoven.
When did you first start writing?
I always wrote, figuring that one day I'd become a writer but it didn't actually happen until I was living in the wilderness and driving sixty miles round trip to my job teaching first graders. As I wondered if I'd get through the snowdrifts or would end up in one myself I decided there must be a better way to make a living. Something I could do from the comfort of my home while bread baked and dinner simmered on the stove. There was a way. Writing! So I quit my job with the blessing of my husband who said he'd work extra to fill in the gap in our income. And I've never looked back.
Read more of this interview.

Where to find Florence Witkop online

Website: http://florencewitkop.wordpress.com
Blog: http://florencewitkop.wordpress.com

Books

The Tree Thing by
Price: Free! Words: 1,980. Language: English. Published: April 21, 2014. Categories: Fiction » Science fiction » General, Fiction » Romance » Short stories
(3.50 from 2 reviews)
A descendant of Ceres, goddess of the harvest, was dumped a year ago by her fiance. Bad idea, be careful around a goddess! Now he wants to reconcile but nothing is simple where goddesses are concerned. Or is it?
Write Fiction Like A Pro by
Price: $4.95 USD. Words: 20,650. Language: English. Published: August 20, 2013. Categories: Nonfiction » Education & Study Guides » Reference
Fifty plus tips and tricks of writing fiction that were learned over the years through trial and error and from other writers, workshops, books and classes. This book allows you to skip the years it normally takes to learn this yourself. Then put it on your closest shelf because you will refer to it time and time again.
The River Boy by
Price: Free! Words: 3,080. Language: English. Published: August 19, 2013. Categories: Fiction » Young adult or teen » Fantasy, Fiction » Fantasy » Contemporary
(4.00 from 1 review)
Short YA fantasy romance about a girl who falls in love with the prince of a river.
The Goldfish Pond by
Price: Free! Words: 2,300. Language: English. Published: July 30, 2013. Categories: Fiction » Fantasy » Short stories
(4.00 from 1 review)
Short fantasy story about a boy who disappears while sailing across a goldfish pond on an old barn door.
Down From the Mountain by
Price: Free! Words: 2,630. Language: English. Published: July 22, 2013. Categories: Fiction » Science fiction » Utopias & dystopias
(3.50 from 2 reviews)
Free short sci-fi dystopian story first published in The Talking Stick about a group of people about to executed because, though they've done nothing wrong, they are carriers of a fatal flu.
Why Birds Fly by
Price: Free! Words: 720. Language: English. Published: July 19, 2013. Categories: Fiction » Children’s books » Fairy tales & fables
(4.67 from 3 reviews)
One page Creation-type short story telling how birds learned to fly that's written in a style similar to Native American storytelling.
Wanted: Sharpshooter by
Price: Free! Words: 31,800. Language: English. Published: February 18, 2013. Categories: Fiction » Romance » Contemporary, Fiction » Romance » Gothic
A rogue puma threatens a high-end wilderness horse training facility and the only person capable of ending the threat is the new hire, a former Army Ranger sharpshooter. And the only way he can save both horses and people is by putting the entire place in lockdown. If you like eco-fiction with a strong sense of place and a lot of realistic action, this is the book for you.
When Dreams Do Come True by
Price: Free! Words: 14,570. Language: English. Published: July 2, 2012. Categories: Fiction » Women's fiction » General, Fiction » Romance » Fantasy
What if you had a dream so real you couldn't ignore it? A dream of a lost child you alone could save? And what if everyone around you would laugh if you acknowledged your dream? What would you do? What should you do? This novelette by veteran romance writer Florence Witkop tells what happens when one woman has that dream and makes a choice that changes her entire life.
The Eye of The Universe by
Price: Free! Words: 6,600. Language: English. Published: March 15, 2012. Categories: Fiction » Romance » Gothic, Fiction » Science fiction » Short stories
(4.00 from 1 review)
The world will end unless two lovers agree to be separated for eternity. This quick read of a little less than 7,000 words by veteran romance writer Florence Witkop deals with what happens when one of those lovers learns the terms... and refuses to abide by them.

Florence Witkop's tag cloud

a guide to writing fiction    alpha hero    ceation fable    ceres    contemporary fantasy romance    contemporary romance    contemporary teen romance    creating good fiction    dreams    dystopian    earth goddess    fantasy    fantasy romance    free short romance    free short story    horseback riding romance    horses    how to make good fiction better    how to write fiction    how to write paranormal romance    how to write romance    how to write scifi    lost child    make your fiction better    new fable    novel writing    psychic romance    romance    romance gothic romance scifi romance fantasy romance short story scifi 2012 prophesies end of the world 2012 apocolypse mayan endoftheworld predictions    romantic short story    science fiction romance    scifi fantasy    scific    sexy father    sharpshooting    short contemporary romance    short fiction    short story    small town romance    spirit    storytelling    the craft of writing fiction    water god    why birds fly    wilderness romance    womens fiction    write fiction like a pro    write stories and novels    writing novels    young adult