Did you find it challenging to pull together so many images of Family in a concentrated piece like this one?
“Moonlighting,” relies on the narrator’s memories. They embrace him. Kick him. At times, I think we all feel overwhelmed by the passing of time, the mistakes we’ve made and our inability to move past them. The images of Family arrived from what I imagined to be his perspective on life that night.
What was your inspiration for this piece?
A photograph I was given by a friend that pictured a women running down a suburban street on a bright, spring day. Really.
What do you find challenging about writing?
I think I struggle the most in finding the dirty, honest truth of a story. Often, I imagine a story to take me one place and I end up somewhere else entirely. Or worse, I realize the story is flat and meaningless. It’s the process of letting go so that I can later return with a new found understanding that I find very challenging at times.
What appeals to you about writing flash fiction?
Everything.
What would your creative outlet be if you were not able to write?
Maybe acting.
In September 2022 SmokeLong launched a workshop environment/community christened SmokeLong Fitness. This community workshop is happening right now on our dedicated workshop site. If you choose to join us, you will work in a small group of around 15-20 participants to give and receive feedback on flash narratives—one new writing task each week.