Where did you get the inspiration for this piece?
I think most women have an underlying fear of breast cancer, at least as they grow older. This piece rose from that fear. I started with a character to embody the emotion. Like all fiction, the story incorporates things I’ve read, things I’ve observed, things I’ve heard, things I’ve thought about, things I’ve experienced, and things I imagine.
When you write, do you typically use pen and paper or keyboard? Notice any differences in your writing between the two?
I use both, although I tend to work at the keyboard. The difference is readability. Words (even those full of typos) are easier to decipher on the screen than from my messy handwriting on the page, especially if I’m writing fast. I type single space and trick myself into believing I’m writing someone an e-mail. It takes the pressure off producing a perfect story the first time out.
Tell us a little about what you think of Flash as compared to other literary forms.
I love Flash. I’m a compulsive editor. Flash allows me to obsess over each word and still produce a polished story within a reasonable period of time.
I’ve been writing short stories for years. I am drawn to the compactness of the form. I had never written anything shorter than 2500 words, and most my stories were 3500 words or longer. But a few years ago, when I was teaching a college course in creative writing, I used to assign my students a short-short for their first piece of fiction. I decided I should write what I assigned. The result was a 1000 word short story, and they’ve been getting shorter ever since.
How old were you when you first knew you wanted to write? What brought that out in you?
I’m not sure I can remember that far back.
And finally, what are some of your favorite books? Favorite authors?
The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro, and The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje, are two of my all-time favorite books because of their narrative voices, the almost magical way that they pull you in as a reader and hold you captive to the telling. Too many favorite authors to list, but they tend to be literary writers for the most part.
The core workshop of SmokeLong Fitness is all in writing, so you can take part from anywhere at anytime. We are excited about creating a supportive, consistent and structured environment for flash writers to work on their craft in a community. We are thrilled and proud to say that our workshop participants have won, placed, or been listed in every major flash competition. Community works.