Geoff Brown - Author Interview: Short Story Writer

What kinds of fiction did you read as a child and teenager, and did you have some favourites?

I read everything from Enid Blyton, the Hardy Boys and Alfred Hitchcock and the Three Detectives to Alistair MacLean and Wilbur Smith. I devoured books. I could not get enough to read, ever.

Would you say your childhood and teenage reading has had a distinct influence on how you write fiction now, and why?

I started reading Stephen King and Dean Koontz when I was a teenager, and it certainly had a great influence on my writing and genre choice. I moved from writing straight-out horror to more realist horror when I studied Professional Writing and Editing at TAFE last year. Now, I find myself writing stories of addiction, desperation and obsession; the real horror of this world.

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?

Autumn as Metaphor is due for publication next year in Horror For Good, an American charity anthology featuring the likes of Jack Ketchum and Ramsey Campbell. This is a piece of flash fiction that looks at murder and love, hope and redemption. I first wrote it in class at TAFE, using the word ‘Autumn’ as a focus. I love how this short takes an extraordinary situation (the murder of a child) and puts it purely in the mind of the reader. Nothing is said of the murder, but it is obvious and overt exactly what has happened.

Who is another author whose fiction writing you admire and why?

I very much admire the work of American writer Jack Ketchum, for his ability to write stories of realist horror that are both poignantly redolent of the state of being human, yet are bone-chilling at the same time. He takes true-crime cases and makes a fictional horror more terrifying due to its basis in real life. He is a master of his craft.

How would you summarise one of your short stories in one paragraph?

Brand New Day is a longer piece that is shortlisted for the next edition of Midnight Echo, the magazine of the Australian Horror Writers Association. It is a tale of addiction and family, of two brothers and the cost of living in the modern world where we value things other than family. It hits home to me for two reason: firstly, I have no brothers or sisters, and second because I have suffered the pain of addiction myself, and I know the lengths addicts will go to for their next fix.

How would you describe the appeal of this short story to readers?

Brand New Day drives home the things we give up every day for the sake of consumerism and physical comfort. It was written to drive home the lack of judgement modern society has in regard to what is truly important in life.

How would you summarise a scene or sub-section from this short story in one paragraph?

Without giving too much away, Brand New Day tells of a heroin addict searching for a fix. He goes and scores after stealing from his sleeping brother, dealing with an Asian drug-dealer and a lost little girl shooting up behind a shed in Richmond, Melbourne.

How would you describe the contribution this scene or sub-section makes to the short story?

This scene places the protagonist squarely in the reality of his day-to-day existence, where nothing matters but the drug, not even family.

Do you aspire to primarily write novels in the future, or are you more interested in writing short stories, and why?

I am working on a realist novel right now. It deals with the criminal subculture as viewed through the eyes of a war-hero returning home to a gang-war involving his family in Melbourne. I feel that the art of writing novels is very different from short story creation. The story arc, the character development; everything is very different. It’s a challenge I want to face. I am also currently in the final edits of a memoir that is to be released early next year by a Melbourne publisher.

Do you read many short story anthologies, and why?

I read as many anthologies as I can. I do so to find new and exciting writers in the field (Nam Le is my latest love), as well as finding new ways to structure and write my own stuff.

What lengths of short stories do you usually write, and why?

I write everything from flash fiction to long shorts and novelettes and novellas. I find that each story has a specific length in itself, and to limit it either way is to lose some of the power of the tale within.

Do you submit for many short story competitions, anthologies and magazines, and what are your main motivations for this?

I submit as often as I have something I feel is ready to be sent out. My aim in writing is to have people read my work. I enjoy the creation, but I also love to have people read what I have written. I know many people who write purely for the sake of the writing, but I feel a need to get my own work out there for others to (hopefully) enjoy.

Author website: http://gnbraun.blogspot.com



Megan McGrath - Author Interview: Short Story Writer

What kinds of fiction did you read as a child and teenager, and did you have some favourites? Would you say your childhood and teenage reading has had a distinct influence on how you write fiction now, and why?

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



Anne Michaud - Author Interview: Short Story Writer

What kinds of fiction did you read as a teenager, and did you have some favourites?

I read everything I laid my hands on, from Sci-Fi to the Classics, fantasy, historical dramas and thrillers. Much like now, I couldn’t get enough. At 9, I wanted to be Jessica, the evil twin in Pascal’s Sweet Valley High; at 10, I dreamed of wearing a crown like Marguerite in Druon’s The Accursed Kings; at 11, I walked the line between good and evil with Christiane F; I became a vampire with Anne Rice’s Lestat; had a forbidden love affair with Winston Smith in the year 1984 and married Mr. Darcy, thanks to Jane Austen. I. Love. Books.

Would you say your childhood and teenage reading has had a distinct influence on how you write fiction now, and why?

I strongly think so. I’ve travelled to so many different worlds through books, I’ve loved so many stories and characters, no wonder I write just as many. For me, it’s all about how I look at things from a different perspective depending on the genre I’m willing to explore. I think of my premise, characters and plot and then toy with a dystopian development or a strong Sci-Fi vibe, sometimes a horror setting or even a lit approach. I like the challenge different genres bring just as much as the writing itself.

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?

Misery of Me, published by Cutting Block Press in the anthology Tattered Souls volume 2.

Misery of Me is my favourite simply because of the entire process behind it. I initially thought of writing it as a novel, then decided to shorten it to a novelette—and the writing just flew out of me in 3 days. I became nervous when it got picked up by Cutting Block Press, I knew the editor Frank Hutton wanted to change things a bit, but the moment we started working together, my fear dissipated. I just loved the whole experience.

Who is another author whose fiction writing you admire and why?

There are many but, for his proficiency and unique approach to storytelling, I have to nominate Neil Gaiman. I just love him, the way his stories lure me in without ever letting go, and I admire his artistic views on the craft of writing, too. Such a creative mind, I really hope he gets to live for a long time to tell us more stories.

How would you summarise one of your short stories in one paragraph?

In Misery of Me, a heroin addict vampire falls in love with her human blood bank, and through their nights of need and want, she becomes the monster she always was and he becomes the man he always dreamed of being.

How would you describe the appeal of this short story to readers?

Vampires are becoming household names at the moment, because of how writers humanised them, made them sexy and normal—not in my story. Misery of Me is for fans of horror, of finding the beast within, of being scared of what we can become, too.

How would you summarise a scene or sub-section from this short story in one paragraph?

In an abandoned library, the cold wind ruffles forgotten books as Liriel and her victims shoot up by the dim evening light. Her eyes light up at the prospect of riding horse, she finds the way the blood mixes with the drug in the syringe so beautiful, and she needs to drink blood as much as she wants to fly. But as soon as she drinks, something goes wrong, and through the thick veil of H, she sees police raiding the squat.

How would you describe the contribution this scene or sub-section makes to the short story?

From the get-go, we see her as who she is: a vampire disguised as a human girl, ready to do whatever she needs to get what she wants, not afraid to follow strangers into dark corners, and happy to bite any junkie’s neck.

Do you aspire to primarily write novels in the future, or are you more interested in writing short stories, and why?

Oh, I write in every shape and form: flash fiction, short stories, novelettes and novels. I never constrain myself into one genre, either—the beauty of art is to explore whatever you want and feel, to go wherever it leads you. My love of writing started with short stories, so I’d be the first one surprised if I ever stop writing them.

Do you read many short story anthologies, and why?

I do, and I just love to be surprised by the stories inside them. I prefer themed anthologies, to see the different perspectives and approaches different authors have to the same guidelines. I’m also a great fan of single-author collections, which also gives a good perspective of the writer’s world.

What lengths of short stories do you usually write, and why?

They range from a couple of sentences to 12-15k. At the moment, I’m working on soft horror novelettes, Girls & Monsters, a collection of five stories about, well, girls and monsters. So for now, my mind is focused on lengthier short stories, but every couple of weeks, I blog flash fiction, so I need to switch gears quite often.

Do you submit for many short story competitions, anthologies and magazines, and what are your main motivations for this?

I ignore competitions since I’ve been a judge for screenplay contests and know how they work: highly subjective depending on the mood of the day, personal taste and opinion. My goal is to get published, to get my stories out there, to be read. If it’s through a cool antho, a popular magazine or on my blog, it’s all good—as long as I write, I’m happy.

Author website: www.annecmichaud.wordpress.com



Jan Turner-Jones - Author Interview: Short Story Writer

What kinds of fiction did you read as a child and teenager, and did you have some favourites?

I went to boarding school very early and read everything available – mostly Enid Blyton, poetry anthologies, fairy stories and history written for children. I particularly remember “Seven Little Australians”, “The Magic Faraway Tree” and numerous books of black and white photos. I loved photographs of any description and explored every detail at length. When I was about 10, a friend lent me John Wyndham’s short novel, “The Chrysalids”, and I was hooked on science and speculative fiction for life.

Would you say your childhood and teenage reading has had a distinct influence on how you write fiction now, and why?

My writing is mainly character-driven with large slabs of dialogue, so not too many influences from SF, I think. I’ve always needed to find out what happened beyond the story – the before and after – so I made up the details for myself as a child. Ethel Turner probably had an enduring influence because of the tragic characters and in a different way,”Peyton Place” certainly added to my street smarts when I read it at 10 (although it took me years to work out why the breasts of a virgin were different from other breasts!)

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?

My favourite is probably “Frog Park”, 4000 words written overnight. It was a satisfying night because I started with a blank page, remembered a frightening storm and the words just flowed. When I read the story back, I changed only two words. Wish they were all that easy! “Frog Park” won the R Carson Gold Short Story Award, so that adds to the sentiment.

Who is another author whose fiction writing you admire and why?

I’ve already mentioned John Wyndham. There are many good SF writers I admire for the novelty and enigmatic situations. I enjoyed Robert Heinlein’s “Stranger in a Strange Land” as well as any novel, and I find most Australian women writers rewarding , both with novels and short story collections. Ray Lawler’s “Doll” trilogy had an influence, although it is drama. I love dialogue and enjoy characters who cause me to ruminate long after they’ve gone.

How would you summarise one of your short stories in one paragraph?

“Frog Park”: A disaffected teenage boy meets an ailing girl a couple of years older who is involved in insects and plants. His life changes, especially after a huge storm. (My stories are invariably better than the synopsis!)

How would you describe the appeal of this short story to readers?

People have told me it makes them feel for the characters, that they care what happens to them. In fact, a couple of men had tears on their cheeks during a reading I attended. One man simply told me: “I feel validated”.

How would you summarise a scene or sub-section from this short story in one paragraph?

The girl had promised Cully that frogs would appear in the dry local park after rain. He sloshed around under the Moreton Bay Figs feeling he had been cheated. All of a sudden there was noise, noise as intense as pain, and on every branch of the trees, frogs appeared, calling and calling until the park itself started to vibrate. It seemed impossible that only raindrops and frogs were the catalyst for this cacophony.

How would you describe the contribution this scene or sub-section makes to the short story?

In a way, it’s the climax. Everything changes at this point. It’s a metaphor for the characters’ lives.

Do you aspire to primarily write novels in the future, or are you more interested in writing short stories, and why?

I’m working on my second novel. Like the freedom of the form, but I’ve been drawn back to short stories this year. They’re harder to get right.

Do you read many short story anthologies, and why?

Not too many. Books are an investment of time, getting immersed in the characters, and I feel you’ve just settled in with a short story, and it’s all over. I prefer to meander with a longer work and live with the characters for a while.

What lengths of short stories do you usually write, and why?

I’ve written stories from 200 words to 6000. Usually it depends on the market or competition. However, if I’m working on something that’s too short to make the word count, I try not to pad it out just for the sake of entering at that venue. If something is going over the count, I let it. I don’t pre-plan, just go where an idea takes me. I always seem to start with a title and the final sentence. Don’t know why, it just works out that way.

Do you submit for many short story competitions, anthologies and magazines, and what are your main motivations for this?

I have sent quite a few stories off on their little journeys this year, especially to competitions which don’t cost a week’s groceries to enter and to anthologies that seem interesting. So far (it’s November) I’ve sent off about 20 stories, had 8 accepted, four rejected, and am waiting for December responses for the rest (what is it about December ?) I send things away because I like to think of someone else reading my words, I like seeing stories in print under my name as well. Financial gain is the last consideration – it’s a chancy venture. I just do it because I love to write, can’t help myself.

Author website: www.janturnerjones.wordpress.com