Just learned today that Phantasmacore is going to publish a somewhat satirical, post-apocalyptic flash piece of mine called “In the Bunker, the Last Day.”
It’s a weird little story with a very unusual, somewhat experimental structure. As the mother of this precocious little one, I’ve always had a soft spot for it. Particularly when I haven’t read it in a while, the last line makes me laugh. I probably shouldn’t admit that my own work makes me laugh or cry, but there you have it. I’m delighted it has found a home.
I don’t yet know exactly when it will appear, but don’t worry. I’ll post here when I know.
I had something of a lull in my novel-reading extravaganza while in Scotland. One would think that being on vacation would mean more reading rather than less, but I suppose it can only be a good thing that we were so busy having new experiences during the day that I had no reading time, and I was too exhausted to do anything but fall into bed when we got back to the hotel at night. I did read a bit on the plane. Also did some reading last weekend on the plane to and from Boston (we went to a family wedding).
Since my last novel-reading report, I have finished works by Le Guin, Haldeman, Heinlein, Herbert (a Dune sequel I’d never read before), Farland, H.G. Wells, Anne McCaffrey, Shirley Jackson (I’d never read The Haunting of Hill House, somehow), and Keyes (ditto Flowers for Algernon). I’m now reading Bujold (the third Vorkosigan).
I also finally read Mark Helprin’s collection of short stories, Ellis Island, and Karin Tidbeck’s collection, Jagganath, both of which I loved and are high up on the “I want to write stories like this” list. Tidbeck’s stories are, for the most part, of the same variety I associate with many “interstitial” writers I admire. Except for a couple of stories, like the title story, her worlds are pretty much realistic except for one or two things that aren’t. It’s those things that give a wonderfully uncanny mood, which is something I’d love to be able to capture in my own work. As for Helprin, I’ve loved his work since I read Winter’s Tale back in the day. As I read his collection, I kept wondering how it was I’d never gotten around to it before. Some of the stories in Ellis Island are more realistic than others, but I admire most his magical pieces, which are simply transporting. His voice sometimes feels out of time, like from the 19th century, but without archaic language. I really love that effect and would love to try to channel his voice in something of my own.
Now that I’ve sold another flash piece, I really need to polish up the two I have in the works and start them circulating.
Soon.
J.J. Roth 