The new issue of Prick of the Spindle is up and I'm proud to be a part of it with my flash, Flood Plain. This was a difficult piece for me to write because my village was one of those affected by recent flooding. I subbed the piece and then withdrew it. I sat and looked at it, wondering what to do about it. I put it in a dump file, but I kept thinking about it, seeing the original image around which the whole piece was constructed. I knew it was subtle in terms of character and tension, that it would miss the mark with some readers for that reason. In the end I sent it back out, to a venue I've never appeared in before. And they liked it enough to publish it without requesting alterations. I'm glad. It speaks to a specific moment and a mood, and deserves to stand on that alone, at least I hope so. The artwork is from the same issue, by Aydasara Ortega.
Sunday, 22 March 2009
Prick of the Spindle
The new issue of Prick of the Spindle is up and I'm proud to be a part of it with my flash, Flood Plain. This was a difficult piece for me to write because my village was one of those affected by recent flooding. I subbed the piece and then withdrew it. I sat and looked at it, wondering what to do about it. I put it in a dump file, but I kept thinking about it, seeing the original image around which the whole piece was constructed. I knew it was subtle in terms of character and tension, that it would miss the mark with some readers for that reason. In the end I sent it back out, to a venue I've never appeared in before. And they liked it enough to publish it without requesting alterations. I'm glad. It speaks to a specific moment and a mood, and deserves to stand on that alone, at least I hope so. The artwork is from the same issue, by Aydasara Ortega.
A fabulous story, I am so glad you re-submitted it. I love "a phantom in the pool, not floating so much as holding the water around it, a collar of pearly white."
ReplyDeleteTania, thank you! How's your cellar shaping up? I'm green with envy that you have this space all of your own.
ReplyDeleteAw, it's so sad; I love lambs. And the story's beautifully evoked.
ReplyDeleteThanks, WRW. I love lambs too and spent a fair part of the weekend cooing over the newborn ones in the fields around here.
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