Elizabeth Sims

Elizabeth Sims
Born	(1957-09-30) September 30, 1957 Wyandotte, Michigan
Occupation	Writer and editor
Nationality	American
Education	English and composition
Alma mater	Michigan State University, Wayne State University
Genre	Nonfiction, fiction
Subject	Mystery, crime
Notable awards	Lambda Literary Award Tompkins Award for Graduate Fiction
Website
www.elizabethsims.com
Literature portal

Elizabeth Sims (born September 30, 1957) is an American writer, journalist, and contributing editor at Writer's Digest magazine. She is a correspondent for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune and author of two series of crime novels, including her Rita Farmer Mystery series, published by St. Martin's Press Minotaur and Lillian Byrd Crime Story series, published by Alyson Books. Her nonfiction works include articles, short stories, poems, and essays for magazines and books. She also serves as a coach and mentor for new and aspiring writers and offers keynote speeches and presents workshops at writer's conferences around North America.

Early life

Elizabeth Sims was born on September 30, 1957, in Wyandotte, Michigan. She was raised in Detroit and attended Michigan State University and Wayne State University, graduating with degrees in English and composition. She is a member of the Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and American Mensa.^[1][2]

Professional background

In 1992, Sims began serving a two-year term on the editorial board of Moving Out literary journal, in which she also submitted the short story "Beautiful" in 1987, and "Cleva" in 1989. In 2006, she began writing features for Writer's Digest magazine.^[1] She became a contributing editor in 2009, specializing in the art and craft of fiction.^[3] She became a correspondent for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune in 2011.^[4]

Rita Farmer Mystery series

In June 2008, she launched the Rita Farmer Mystery series with The Actress. The main character, Rita Farmer, is a single mother and struggling Hollywood actress who is recruited to secretly coach the unsympathetic defendant in a high-profile murder trial.

The Extra, second in the Rita Farmer Mystery series was published by St. Martin's Press Minotaur in June 2009. Rita, dressed in a police uniform as an extra on a movie shoot is pulled into a real crime scene. When Rita and boyfriend, George Rowe, try to help Amaryllis B. Cubitt, the director of an urban mission, they move deeper into mystery and danger.

Sims moves the action from Los Angeles to Washington's Olympic Peninsula in On Location, published by Minotaur in August 2010. Rita's sister Gina, working as a film location scout in the forests of the Pacific Northwest, goes missing, and Rita has no choice but to follow. Foul weather meets foul play as Rita and her stalwart friends risk their lives for the sake of truth—and love.^[3]

Lillian Byrd Crime Stories

The Lillian Byrd Crime Stories is a four-novel series, originally published by Alyson Books (New York), beginning with Holy Hell in 2002. The series focuses on lesbian culture, mystery, and love. The second book in the series, Damn Straight, won a 2003 Lambda Literary Award.^[2] Lucky Stiff and Easy Street followed in 2004 and 2005. The main character, Lillian Byrd, is a reporter turned sleuth whose quest for true love takes her into dangerous places. The series, set mostly in the Detroit, Michigan area, is noted for its off-kilter characters and wry humor.

Public speaking

In addition to her writing, Sims serves as a keynote speaker and presents workshops at writer's conferences and retreats around North America.^[3]

Published works

Fiction

Rita Farmer Mysteries

• Sims, Elizabeth (2008). The Actress, St. Martin's Minotaur, 336 pages. ISBN 978-0312377281
• Sims, Elizabeth (2009). The Extra, St. Martin's Minotaur, 400 pages. ISBN 978-1429987134
• Sims, Elizabeth (2010). On Location, St. Martin's Minotaur, 384 pages. ISBN 978-1429951272

Lillian Byrd Crime Stories

• Sims, Elizabeth (2002). Holy Hell, Alyson Books, 270 pages. ISBN 978-1555836535
• Sims, Elizabeth (2003). Damn Straight, Alyson Books, 272 pages. ISBN 978-1555837860
• Sims, Elizabeth (2004). Lucky Stiff, Alyson Books, 243 pages. ISBN 978-1555838584
• Sims, Elizabeth (2005). Easy Street, Alyson Books, 229 pages. ISBN 978-1555839260

Nonfiction

• Sims, Elizabeth; and Ned Thomas (2007). Port Angeles Symphony Orchestra: Seventy-Five Years of Music on the Strait, Port Angeles Symphony Orchestra^[5]
• Sims, Elizabeth (contributor, 2010); and Editors of Writer's Digest. The Complete Handbook Of Novel Writing: Everything You Need to Know About Creating & Selling Your Work, Writer's Digest Books, 528 pages. ISBN 978-1582979588
• Sims, Elizabeth (contributor, 2012); and Editors of Writer's Digest. Crafting Novels & Short Stories: The Complete Guide to Writing Great Fiction, Writer's Digest Books, 368 pages. ISBN 978-1599635712
• Sims, Elizabeth (contributor); and Chuck Sambuchino, (editor, 2012). 2013 Guide to Literary Agents, Writer's Digest Books, 364 pages. ISBN 978-1599635972
• Sims, Elizabeth (2013). You've Got a Book in You: A Stress-Free Guide to Writing the Book of Your Dreams, F+W Media, 282 pages. ISBN 978-1599635545

Poetry

• The Smudge literary journal – Spring 1978, Summer 1978, Winter 1978–79

Short stories

• Sims, Elizabeth (1987). "Beautiful", Moving Out, vol. 13
• Sims, Elizabeth (1989). "Cleva", Moving Out, vol. 14
• Sims, Elizabeth; and Valerie Reed (editor, 2003). "For Faye", A Woman's Touch, Alyson Books
• Sims, Elizabeth; and Angela Brown (editor, 2004). "Play Money", Best Lesbian Love Stories 2004, Alyson Books
• Sims, Elizabeth; Lake, Lori L. and Tara Young (editors, 2006). "I am Calico Jones", Romance for Life, Intaglio Publications

Articles

• "Store Wars", LOGOS: Journal of the World Book Community, vol. 13, issue 2, 2002^[2]
• "Start Me Up!", Writer's Digest, December 2006
• "A Hollywood Hunt for Deep Background", Writer's Digest, December 2007
• "Face-to-Face with an Agent", Writer's Digest, August 2008^[6]
• "Rough It Up", Writer's Digest, February 2009^[7]
• "What Not to Expect When You're Expecting", Writer's Digest, July 2009^[8]
• "A Notebook, a PT Cruiser, and a Week In L.A.", Mystery Readers Journal: Los Angeles Mysteries I, Summer 2009^[9]
• "How Even a Bad Conference Can Make You a Better Writer", Writer's Digest, October 2009
• "How to Make Your Novel a Page Turner", Writer's Digest, January 2010^[10]
• "Handsell Your Book: 10 Simple Steps", Writer's Digest, March/April 2010^[11]
• "Write This, Not That", Writer's Digest, May/June 2010^[12]
• "10-Minute Fixes to 10 Common Plot Problems", Writer's Digest, the BIG 10 issue, September 2010
• "On the Loose in LA", Crimespree Magazine, #38 September/October 2010
• "8 Ways to Write a 5-Star Chapter One", Writer's Digest, January 2011^[13]
• "It's All Relative", Writer's Digest, February 2011^[14]
• "The Long and Short of It", Writer's Digest, March/April 2011^[15]
• "How to Gain Perspective on Your Work", Writer's Digest, July/August 2011
• "10 Things for Every Writer's Bucket List", Writer's Digest, September 2011
• "Fan Out!", Writer's Digest, October 2011
• "Spin Subplots Like a Master Weaver", Writer's Digest, November/December 2011
• "Namedropping: Craft Perfect Names for Your Characters", Writer's Digest, January 2012^[16]
• "7 Simple Ways to Make a Good Story Great", Writer's Digest, March/April 2012^[17]
• "The Reluctant Risk-Taker's Guide to Filling the Creative Well", Writer's Digest, July/August 2012^[18]
• "10 Fast Hacks for Fiction Writers", Writer's Digest, September 2012^[19]
• "How to Develop Any Idea Into a Great Story", Writer's Digest, December 2012^[20]
• "Master Description Through Sensory Detail", Writer's Digest, January 2013
• "True Story", Writer's Digest, March/April 2013
• "Breaking Bad", Writer's Digest, May/June 2013
• "Going Public", Writer's Digest, September 2013

Honors and awards

• Tompkins Award for graduate fiction – Wayne State University^[2]
• Writer's Digest – Short story fiction (1986)
• Lambda Literary Award – Damn Straight 2003^[2]

References

External links

• Elizabeth Sims at Writer's Digest