My teenage years aren’t that far behind me. I read a lot of Australian writers when I was growing up. Joanne Horniman, Tim Winton, Gary Crew and John Marsden. As an older teen, I shifted to the grittier Americans like Bret Easton Ellis and Raymond Chandler. Influences from reading Horniman, Chandler and Easton Ellis are all pretty evident in my short fiction.
Pick one of your favourites among your fiction stories or a story which is an interesting example from your fiction. What makes this story one of your favourites or an interesting example of your fiction?
Earlier this year, I wrote my first crime fiction. I enjoy reading thrillers but had not tried to write my own. Friends Like These was published in the Dexian Racking anthology, The Swamp in September. While I have by no means mastered crime-fiction, this piece was breakthrough for me and I believe I will carry elements of this genre into my short fiction from now on.
Who is another author whose fiction writing you admire and why?
Emotional powerhouses Cormac McCarthy and Michael Cunningham are in my list of most respected writers. Their fiction combines staunch narrative with characters of such depth it is really their journey that drives the story. For short fiction, J.G. Ballard and Jhumpa Lahiri are among my favourites for their exquisite prose, their range and their deft ability to manipulate the form.
How would you summarise one of your short stories in one paragraph?
Farewell, the Sea was published in the Australian Literature Review in early November. This story is about mistakes not made.
How would you describe the appeal of this short story to readers?
The unusual premise in the opening of this story is a lure for the reader to continue reading. I believe there is a sense of sorrow and longing in the title that adds to the mood of the opening sentences. The appeal of the story overall is a chance for contemplation, and to experience a range of emotions on the journey with this unlikable character.
How would you summarise a scene or sub-section from this short story in one paragraph?
There’s a scene at a restaurant in this story where the protagonist sneaks off to the bathroom to touch up her lipstick. She has a shift in attitude in this moment, and returns to the table as though entering an alternate reality – a space for her to see what her life would have been like if she’d made different choices.
How would you describe the contribution this scene or sub-section makes to the short story?
The characters are very disconnected in this story due to their individual emotional struggles, but in this scene, they become aligned by their selfishness.
Do you aspire to primarily write novels in the future, or are you more interested in writing short stories, and why?
Due to the more commercial nature of novels, I do hope to write them in the future. They are recognisable successes and command attention from readers and critics alike. But the short story though underrated by many readers, is very precious to me. I find it succinct, subtle and a beautiful craft. It is a form I will continue to work in.
Do you read many short story anthologies, and why?
I love reading short stories. I read a lot of fiction anthologies and subscribe to literary journals, as well as seek out short works online. I often buy collections by single authors. Everything Ravaged, Everything Burned by Wells Tower, Einstein’s Monsters by Martin Amis and Jhumpa Lahiri’s Interpreter of Maladies are among my favourite collections.
What lengths of short stories do you usually write, and why?
For the Australian market, I write in the range of 2000 to 3000 words. Most competitions and journals accept work in this length and it is a range I have been able to work with successfully. I personally like short stories I can read in one sitting. Works of 5000 to 8000 words struggle to sustain my interest. I would rather the complexity of a full novel than be subjected to baggy short story.
Do you submit for many short story competitions, anthologies and magazines, and what are your main motivations for this?
I often write with specific markets in mind. I thrive on deadlines. Entry cut off dates or approaching calls for submissions are the perfect motivation to get me to finish a piece. I write to be read, but I am also traditional when it comes to publishing. I will give a piece the greatest chance of being published in a journal or anthology, or winning a competition before I’d consider self-publishing it or sacrificing it to the bottom drawer.
Author website: www.megansfictions.blogspot.com
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