Stepping up! Kate Hohl gets nominated for her first published short story!

 

HALLIE EPHRON: Okay, I admit it. I am Kate Hohl's #1 fan. She showed up in the summer workshop I gave a few years ago at Yale and her writing shone. She had talent, plain and simple. And she seemed to have the drive you need to start writing a story and pursue it long past the finish line and past the inevitable rejections that aspiring writers must endure.

What happened next wasn't as straightforward as I'm sure it would have been in any other year. She should have had publishers queued up, wanting to publish her...

But I'll let her tell it. It has a wonderfully happy ending and I trust more good news in the future.

Take it away, Kate...

KATE HOHL: Hi Reds and Readers! A big thank you to Hallie and all the Reds for extending the invitation to join you again today on the Jungle Reds blog.

I recently found out that my short story, “The Body in Cell Two” has been nominated for the Robert L. Fish Memorial Award for Best Debut Short Story, presented by the Mystery Writers of America at the annual Edgar Awards. I’m so grateful to Janet Hutchings and Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine for publishing my story about a young woman who attempts to escape her past by running to a small Maine town only to have trouble find her once again.

It was such a thrill to see my name in print for the first time and a huge honor to be nominated for my first published work. But it was far from the first thing I’d written.

A few years ago, I won a novel writing contest. Like many first-time authors, I was beyond excited. But then I read the fine print. The terms of the deal and the fact that it would only be available online made me feel uneasy, but what could I do? I couldn’t turn down the opportunity, right?

That summer I was accepted at Yale Writers’ Workshop where I met Hallie who was teaching the Mystery and Crime Fiction section. I confided in her that I had doubts about this path for my debut novel. On the other hand, if I turned down the offer, it would mean starting from scratch and writing another book.

Hallie smiled and gently reminded me that I was a writer. The goal should always be to write the next book. And then she gave me the best advice of all: to trust my gut and believe in my writing.

I decided to pass on the contest and wrote a second novel. I signed up to pitch it to agents at the Writer’s Digest Conference in New York. Picture the most frenetic speed dating session you can imagine – with most of the interest and intensity on the side of the writers.

I had a great conversation with one of the agents, Moses Cardona with John Hawkins and Associates, who agreed to represent me. We worked together to make cuts and additions. Finally, the book was ready to be sent out on submission. I couldn’t believe it. This was really it. Everything I’d worked so hard for was finally happening…

Then COVID hit.

The publishing world, like the rest of us, was left reeling during those awful months that followed March 2020. When we finally received responses, the comments from the editors were flattering and encouraging, but ultimately didn’t result in any offers.

For now, I’ve put that book aside.

Because the world had changed so much, I wanted my next book to reflect the questions I had about the past and where our society was headed.

My usual process before I begin a novel is to write a short story about the idea. During those lockdown months, I wrote two different stories. I decided to expand one of them into a novel that is currently out on submission. My agent submitted the other one to Ellery Queen. It was accepted for the May/June 2023 issue and it’s that story, “The Body in Cell Two”, that’s up for the Fish award.

I could never have predicted that a short story would be my path to publishing, but it’s turned out to be an amazing experience. Since the nomination, I’ve been invited to appear on a panel at Malice Domestic in April: Short Stories: Quickly Connecting Reader to Character. (If you’re going to Malice, please come to the panel and say hello!). 

I’ll be attending the Edgar Awards Ceremony on May 1st. It’s such an honor to be included with all the other incredible nominees.

All of this happened because I took Hallie Ephron’s very good advice. To believe in myself and my writing process and see where it takes me.

HALLIE: It thrills me right down to my tippy-toes to share Kate's success! And it's a tribute to the maxim: be persistent, stick with it, talent will out! Sometimes you have to walk away from the low-hanging fruit to have a shot at the harder-to-reach prize.

I am confident that the next time Kate visits with us on Jungle Red it'll be to celebrate her debut novel.

Kate Hohl, on her way up and train tripping back in time

 HALLIE EPHRON: Few things give me more pleasure than hearing that a writer with whom I've worked is getting published. REALLY published... because it's so hard and you have to be so good and so patient. 

Top of the list would be Kate Hohl. Her short story ("The Body in Cell Two) will be coming out in the May/June issue of ELLERY QUEEN Mystery Magazine. AND she has a literary agent who is shopping her two completed novels. And she's working on a new novel! 

She writes historical fiction and she's simply terrific.

I invited her today to talk about the story behind her story... welcome, Kate! 

KATE HOHL: Hi Reds! Many, many thanks to Hallie for offering me this guest spot on the blog. I had the good fortune to meet Hallie a few years ago when I took her amazing class at the Yale Writer’s Workshop. 

When I was thinking about what to write about today, it occurred to me that my short story, “The Body in Cell Two,” is bookended by two train trips. 

My main character, Evie, is a young, single woman who travels by train to a small Maine town in the early 1950’s. A few months later, the railroad provides her only means of escape. 

One of my favorite things about writing historical fiction is immersing myself in the time period by doing research. There have been so many times when I’m writing a story that I wished I could travel back in time to make sure I’m getting all the details right. So, when I had the opportunity to book a trip on a vintage railway car, I jumped at the chance.  

I’d read about how the United Railroad Historical Society of New Jersey had restored the Hickory Creek and Tavern-Lounge No. 43, two train cars from the legendary 20th Century Limited route. Built in 1948, the two cars would be hitched to the back of Amtrak’s Empire Service on a round trip to Albany out of New York’s Penn Station. 

The excursions tend to sell out quickly, but I was lucky enough to secure two tickets for my mother and me, our Mother’s Day gift to each other. We started our day on the balcony of the Metropolitan Lounge overlooking the sparkling new Moynihan Hall, sipping coffee and people watching. 

When it was time to board, we made our way down to the platform, where we walked an actual red carpet. The red carpet, a symbol of exclusivity and fame, was created in the 1930’s for the 20th Century Limited and its’ first class passengers. Hollywood later adopted it for movie premieres. 

On board, a docent shared some of the rich history of “the greatest train of all time.” Founded in 1906 by the New York Central Railroad, the 20th Century Limited train route originated from Grand Central station and traveled to Chicago. It catered to some of the most famous and influential people of the time: Marilyn Monroe, Walt Disney, Frank Sinatra. Lucille Ball took the 20th Century Limited when she left New York for Hollywood in 1926. Presidents and high-profile businessmen like Diamond Jim Brady were also regular passengers. 

Like those celebrities, my mother and I were treated to a first-class eating experience in the dining car. 

After lunch, with big band music playing softly in the background, we settled into the comfortable couches of the world-famous Lookout Lounge and were immediately immersed in a bygone time. Its oversized picture windows provided us with incredible views of the Hudson River and surrounding landscape. 

The most enjoyable part of the day? No Wi-Fi! We spent the entire trip talking with the other passengers. Before we arrived back at Penn Station, the docent shared one last historical fact. On December 2, 1967, a victim of the country’s increasing preference for car and airplane travel, the 20th Century Limited pulled out of Track 34 in Grand Central for its final journey. 

On the platform, we hugged our fellow passengers goodbye. 

I had learned so much about the 20th Century Limited, but the best part of the trip was spending time with my beautiful mom and meeting the other people on the train. Because we couldn’t rely on our cell phones, we all took the opportunity to learn a little bit more about each other. 

Meaningful conversations with strangers who, for a brief time, became friends. 

What a wonderful way to go back in time. 

HALLIE: Train travel sounds so divine. And of course, what mystery writer hasn't daydreamed about booking a trip on the Orient Express. I regularly take Amtrak from Boston to NY (another shoutout for the spectacular Moynihan train hall) but it's more *the lesser of evils* than a sinful treat. (The gourmet treat is a microwaved hamburger.) 

Any train travelers out there? 

And for a special treat, read an excerpt of Kate's story THE BODY IN CELL TWO on the Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine's "Department of First Stories" site.