Hi everyone!
This is my first newsletter. And it’s about short stories! Who doesn’t love short stories right? It’s a great form to tell a story. I love writing short stories as well. Today morning, I received the good news that my story ‘The Letters’ will be published in the forthcoming issue of Bengaluru Review! Yay!
The last time a short story went viral, it was 2017, The Cat Person broke the internet. Why don’t you read it and let me know what you think of it? I thought it wasn’t extraordinary and couldn’t see why it went viral. I read a lot of short stories and I didn’t think this was outstanding but I was happy that a ‘literary’ short story had gone viral. Did it mean that literary stories had a chance at satisfying a wider audience? Was it only an exception?
It is 2021 and how many of you are reading stories? Literary magazines are the best places to discover short stories. I came across some really good stories and decided to share them with you. I always encourage others to read non-white writers and this was purely a co-incidence that I happened these stories by non-white writers.
1) Cracked by Lucy Zhang - 997 words
I haven’t been able to write publish worthy flash fiction so far, it is quite difficult to tell a story within 1000 words but some manage to pull it off so well. This is one such story. After I read this, I sat still in my seat as if Zhang, the author had asked me to freeze. The story is heavy and the plot is revealed to you in layers.
The opening line is one of the most effective opening lines I’ve read. This is how it begins-
Everything I touch ends up dead: the succulent that required only a bit of water dried up by the window sill…
Hooked already right?
(The opening line reminded me of the poem ‘Ode To Your Plants’ by Jon Lemay.
I had every intention of keeping your plants alive.
I remember how much you laughed when I said,
I can barely take care of myself, for God’s sake,
let alone another living thing—because you knew
it was true. I realized a month after you died
that your father had taken them back to New York
along with everything else of yours. In their absence, I noticed
how much sunlight streams through our kitchen window.
I wish I had left a note to your father.
Feel free to leave the plants here, I should have written.
I can keep them alive. I’ll learn.)
Zhang’s story uses the first person narration to make the reader understand the narrator’s obsessive thoughts. I liked the choice of narration, it felt like the narrator is confiding in me, the reader. Also, a ‘watermelon’ plays an important role in the story here.
(The use of the watermelon in the story reminded me of Plath’s poem ‘Metaphors’.
I’m a riddle in nine syllables,
An elephant, a ponderous house,
A melon strolling on two tendrils.
O red fruit, ivory, fine timbers!
This loaf’s big with its yeasty rising.
Money’s new-minted in this fat purse.
I’m a means, a stage, a cow in calf.
I’ve eaten a bag of green apples,
Boarded the train there’s no getting off.)
I have been following Jellyfish Review since long. It is one of those places where you will find a story that resonates with you in some way or another. The editor’s selection of flash fiction is brilliant. Do let me know what you think of the story and what the elements of the story reminded you of 😊
2) Teresa’s Man by Damodar Mauzo-2771 words
Mauzo is a famous Konkani writer. I sought out his work because I’m a Mangalorean and though Goan and Mangaloreans have their differences, we are quite similar. His works have been translated into English. If you are looking for a story set in Goa, with local characters, then you must read this. Goa has become a tourist destination, since the pandemic but if you want to read stories about the locals, then this story will give you an insight into their lives. This is the title story from his collection ‘Teresa’s Man and other stories’.
A few lines from the story-
‘P-e-d-r-u!’ yells Teresa.
Other wives fondly anglicize their husbands’ names—Antonio, for example, is called Tony; and Vitorino becomes Victor. But this woman insists on calling poor Peter ‘Pedru’. Peter resents it acutely! But is she bothered?
3) The Food Photographer by William Pei Shih- 3430 words
This story a first person narration like Zhang’s story. Shih’s language is simple and direct. It’s almost like reading a reflective piece, a personal essay. I enjoyed discovering the ‘profile’ of the narrator, Emma Mai. She is ambitious and lonely. The story is contemporary in a way that is relatable to anyone who is looking to stand out from the crowd that wants to go ‘viral’. See these lines from the piece-
Everyone has their cameras out. I can’t help but cringe. I see un-proportioned selfies. Photos that lack composition, a sense of symmetry. Even focus. All they seem to want is something Instagram-worthy, perhaps something that might go viral. It sounds all too much like a disease without a cure.
As a creator, myself, I could relate to the narrator in many ways. I highly recommend this story to anyone who’s looking for an immersive story about ambition, craftsmanship and companionship.
I was checking out the latest issue of Wildness magazine when the title of this story stood out to me. Wildness magazine is run by Platypus Press, UK. I have admired the work of this small reputed press. They are known for the prestigious Broken River Prize for Poetry.
4)) Nothing For Something by Hilal Isler- 5472 words
Another story from the latest Wildness issue. A gripping story about a Turkish immigrant trying to make it in Brooklyn. I have always been fond of stories about immigrants and their plight. Jhumpa Lahiri’s The Namesake was my first introduction to this world.
The narrator in Isler’s story, sets out on her own, to test her potential. She gets sucked into a world of drugs. We keep reading to find out what will happen next, will she find her way out? The narrator idolizes Yasmeen Gauri and how she made it in the cut throat world of modeling. Read the story to find out more about the narrator’s journey.
A few lines from the story-
At first, I waitressed at the Turkish restaurant on Starr Street, near my apartment. The manager hired me on the spot. I was young with a flexible schedule. I could pronounce the names of the dishes correctly: imam bayıldı, sütlaç, the Beyti kebab platter. They gave me an employee meal discount which I used exclusively on the grilled chicken skewers and a side of Shepherd’s salad. Everything else was too heavy, too much, not something an aspiring model should be eating.
5) The Human Chair by Edogawa Rampo- 5700 words
This story will make you leap out of your seat. If you like dark stories, then look no further. This story reads like metafiction, a story within a story. This is one of those stories that could be called ‘twisted’, and it might not appeal to everyone but if you enjoy psychological thrillers and horror, then you should read this. Fans of Edgar Allan Poe, Kaka, might enjoy this. A friend had recommended this story to me about 6 months back! I’m glad I finally read it.
A line from the story-
As soon as a chair was completed, it was my usual custom to sit on it to see how it felt, and despite the dismal life of one of my humble profession, at such moments I experienced an indescribable thrill.
_____
Things I enjoyed recently:
-TV shows
Arrested Development
This is an old show but I decided to watch it after having heard a lot about it. This kind of humour might not be everyone’s cup of tea. I like stories about families. This story isn’t about a very ‘normal’ family and that’s what makes it funny.
-Online Class
Sentence After Sentence-Fiction Writing Class by Tanuj Solanki
I attended Tanuj Solanki’s fiction class recently. One of his prompts gave me an idea for a story and I hope to get working on that story soon. I’m pretty sure it will be another second person narration 😊 If you have been following my work, you will know that I enjoy writing in second person. I will share my thoughts on second person narration soon :)
Things that upset me recently:
-Songs
New version of ‘Let The Music Play’ starring Janhvi Kapoor
There are many songs from the 90s that Bollywood has ruined now. ‘Let The Music Play’ by Shamur is an all time favourite. The new version is appalling to say the least. Another song which Bollywood recently ruined was ‘Husn Hai Suhana’. The original starred Govinda and Karisma Kapoor and it was way better than the new version. I think Bollywood is set out to ruin our childhood memories.
I would love to hear from you. What have you been upto? Please let me know what you’ve been watching, reading or writing. I will be sharing my newsletter every weekend. My next newsletter will be about translated books. There are brilliant books being written in other languages apart from English. I have read a few translations and I would like to share them with you :)
Thank you for this
In awe. Enjoy your newsletters. Keep writing