A Good New York Story

Short Story selection validates Brooklyn authors choice to make writing her career.

(PRWEB) May 3, 2004 -- Even though Tonya Tobias Plummer started writing poetry at the age of 9 she found her creative path through music, graduating cum laude from Brooklyn College Music Conservatory with a BS degree in Music. After college she continued to perform both nationally and internationally in cabaret, musical theater and jazz music. Then in 1997, when she was confined to bed with a difficult pregnancy, she began to write again, this time fiction. Uplifted by her writing Plummer began taking classes with the Brooklyn Writers Workshop and The Women of Color Writing Workshop at Imani House in Park Slope, and found she was a new type of writer. She calls herself a compo-sician", a musician that composes words: Much of my writing is inspired by instrumental music and studying history. The writers who have inspired me are William Faulkner, Henry James, James Baldwin, Thomas Hardy, Henry Thoreau, Toni Morrison, Maya Angelou and most importantly Martha Graham."

While surfing the Internet Plummer found the call-for-entries notice for Subway Lit, a pamphlet series which distributes short storied to Brooklynites on their way to work. She thought it was a great idea and sent in a story that met the 1500 to 2000 word requirement. A month or so passed with no response from Subway Lit, but a spark had become a flame within Plummers mind. Plummer spoke with her family about her wishes to begin writing full time, she asked her husband for support, and all decided although a tough road, one has to follow their dreams. Then as if it were meant to be, during the second week of April Plummer learned she was going to be laid off from her day job. Plummer took the news hard, but saw it as a sign that she was heading in the right direction. Later that week Plummer heard from Jason Moriber, the Wiselephant.com partner who is managing the Subway Lit series, she was chosen for the April edition of the Subway Lit series. I was so thrilled, I couldnt believe it, it was the exact confirmation I needed at the exact moment I needed it, said Plummer, In knew it in my heart I should take the risks I needed to take, my story in the months Subway Lit confirms it for me."

Not only was Plummers story distributed to Brooklyn commuters over the course of two weeks at different subway stations, but Wiselephant is now expanding upon the success of Subway Lit by seeking national distribution via partnerships with bookstores. We feel that a good story deserves as much life as it can get," says Wiselephants Jason Moriber, getting the story into as many hands, and in front of as many eyes, is the best way we can help authors like Tonya. Look for the Subway Lit pamphlet at independent bookstores such as Bank Street Books and Book Court in New York City, NY, Twenty-Third Avenue Books in Portland, OR, Atomic Books in Baltimore, MD, and Talking Leaves...Books in Buffalo, NY with more stores signing up every day."

If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere and Tonya Tobias Plummer is definitely making it.