Short Stories for the Win
In such strange times, it’s easy to lose track of all kinds of things. And so I was surprised (but heartened) to find two recent successes with short story submissions from my second book, Nova.
Firstly, my story, ‘The Crazy and The Brave’ has been accepted for publication in the July 2020 Issue of Westerly, under the guidance of editors Kate Noske and Josephine Taylor, and fiction editor (and esteemed short story writer and novelist) Susan Midalia. ‘The Crazy and the Brave’ follows a family visiting Sculptures by The Sea at Cottesloe Beach in 2012, the same year in which a statue, Childhood Morning, was stolen from the exhibition. This story holds a special place in my heart, and so I’m doubly grateful that it’s found a home among three of the most supportive, most passionate advocates for literary fiction here in Western Australia.
Another story, ‘But What Have You Done Lately?’ received an honourable mention in the 49th New Millenium Writing Awards in the USA. ‘But What Have You Done Lately?’ follows a man a woman on the road trip from hell as they make-up and break-up along the coast of Queensland. It’s flash-fiction, and I still remember the time my sister read it, looked up at me, and said, ‘Whoa.’ From there, I guess it was just a matter of finding the right reader.
On a greater scale, It feels as if things are slowing starting to move again in the world. I’m grateful for this, not just in terms of my writing, but just as much because the world feels that little bit lighter. Here’s hoping we can soon return to normality, community, and connectivity.
