(Image from Neon Magazine issue 23)
When Matt died I somewhat inevitably found myself writing about grief. Not as straightforward reportage, rather I wrote tiny, odd flashes of misery and loss. Three pieces in particular seem to belong together despite their differences. I call them Grief Triptych and am pleased to have found a good home for them at Neon Magazine ( a place that states it looks for "...the new, the experimental and the strange.")
My second story at Neon is called "Inside VS. Out" and ostensibly has nothing to do with Matt at all. However, it was using his words "evenings of ordinary sand" and "moon worms" as prompts that was my inspiration. He wanted us to collaborate and write together and I hope that he's cool with what I did.
Matt was very supportive of my writing and had an especial fondness for my concise flashes. Anyone who knew him knows from his music, artworks and humour that the weird, surreal and grotesque appealed to him. I hope he would approve of these fictions. I think he would.
The main thing I would like to say if any of his friends or family read them is that I wrote and published them in memory of Matt, but they are not about Matt. Rather, they are about me.
6 comments:
Emotive and thought-provoking pieces, Sara. The precision of the language is impressive. The last two lines of Unnamed, Unknown have a power that belies the simplicity of them and the imagery in Inside vs Out is compelling. Great work. I think your friend would have been proud of them and you.
Wow. Brilliant! Loved them - affecting and thought provoking and I love how much care you've taken over each word. Ace!
Very powerful work - I love the poeticism in Inside Vs Out. Brava.
Thank you so much for taking the time to comment I have been more hesitant in sharing these stories than I usually would be and because they are "for Matt" they mean a lot to me.
Dan, your comment is so thoughtful, I truly appreciate you taking the time.
Nik - thank you!
Nuala - wow, it means a lot to hear you speak of poeticism. Thank you.
Congratulations, Sara, NEON is a tough market to crack.
"Inside vs. Out" is powerful--imaginative and so many great images, details, and strong lines. Well done.
Ethel, you are very kind, thank you.
And yes, I am delighted to be in Neon, it's a great magazine.
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