Sydney Avey
Dynamic Woman — Changing Times
365 Short Stories in One Year–Week 1
A year to read 365 short stories; if that happens, I will take myself to Paris for dinner to celebrate. There’s a lot of bang for buck in this plan. I can become acquainted with the many excellent online literary journals, dust off my collection of anthologies, discover new writers and study the craft. I’ll post my list weekly. If you have a favorite short story, please don’t keep it to yourself!
- “Guilty”, by Shannon Skelton Ruminate, Issue 26, Winter 2012-13
I subscribe to Ruminate. I like the arc of this story. Sin is revealed at a party; confession and absolution at another party. The story moves between public and private moments—an emotional roller coaster.
- “Brothers and Sisters”, by Ursula K. Le Guin The Unreal and the Real, Selected Stories, Volume One, 2012
This book was a Christmas gift. Described as nominally realistic or fantastic, it’s not a genre I read, so I’m stretching myself. Le Guin says that “reality is often best represented slantwise, backwards, or as if it were an imaginary country”. Many lovely sentences here, such as this one:
The blue air rejoined without a flaw where she had stood.
- “Marantha”, by T. Craghessan Boyle Narrative Magazine.com
Novel excerpts now qualify as short stories. It’s a good way to sample a famous writer you haven’t read yet before you invest in the novel.
In this story I noticed how Boyle reveals back story in the beats. Beats are bits of action interspersed through a scene. The view of San Francisco Bay from her parlor tells me Marantha is well-to-do.
When the carriage came down the street from the livery, you could hear the footfalls of the horse three blocks away.
This tells me the story is set in a previous era.
So, a man decides it’s a good idea to relocate his ailing wife and his angst-filled teenage daughter to a remote island with only a gruff hired man, a young Irish sheep tender and a lively house maid for company. Do you see trouble afoot? The book is San Miguel (Viking, September 2012).
- “Growing Old”, by Guy de Maupassant Short Stories of De Maupassant, Book League of America, 1941
Two men idle at café discussing their aging process in the frank and timeless way of the French. The final “Adieu” might be the equivalent of our modern “Whatever.” Classics invite the reader to slow down and savor, rather than speed through and feel the adrenalin rush. I will read more De Maupassant.
- “The Soul Keeps the Body Up”, by Amity Gaige One Story, Issue Number 173
Short stories are great writing prompts. The tenuous relationship between the dad and the father-in-law rings true and inspires me to look for shadowy relationships to build stories around.
- “Home Repair”, by Amy Purcell 2012 Short-Story Contest Winner, The Writer, February 2013
Setting drives the action. This story has lots of “fill in the blanks.” What are we really trying to fix when we feel compelled to fix something?
You should read as many short stories by V,S, Prichett as
you can. He only wrote a couple of novels but many more
than 100 short stories. I have the two volume set somewhere in my office-and by the way- I don’t write short stories.I wrote screenplays for ten years and I am now finishing my third novel,but the first that will see the light of day (and not the light of a bonfire !)
Thanks Eric. On my list now. I am trying my hand at short stories so I can learn to be a better writer and (hopefully) to build author credits. Also, as a discipline to read more! Congratulations on your third novel.