Oh, my, Sal. This is mesmerizing. The rhythm held me in sway. I love the simultaneity of time here -- how the past is present and vice versa.
Some of my favorite lines in the first one: "I held in a punishable sigh." "Her girl gang broke into people’s houses for the pleasure of breaking and the pleasure of into."
And jolts of recognition! ". . . in the case of the mother, nothing needed to make her that way."
I was thinking as I read the second one, this is like a dream, and then it became self-aware! ha!
I like these very much. Even beloved mothers loom in a way I have found uncanny at times! The matter-of-fact surreality reminded me a little of Lucia Berlin's 'My Jockey.'
This was an absolutely beautiful read. Thank you for writing it. Fiction has provided me a mental escape this year and I cannot tell you how vital those little snippets of escape was to my health.
Loved both of these so much for so many reasons. (I had a 'the mother" who kept on giving in the realm of literature... it's something! It's not nothing!) Anyway, I was particularly delighted by the idea of the dial tone summoning so much of the particular past we've lived through. The sheer weight of that appliance! And by the learned behaviors that kept the mother at bay. And by couch not her couch and the goldrush armpit and more. More!
Rachel! How lovely to find you here, find each other here. Ghost stories for Halloween! The mother-call is coming from inside the house. Thank you for giving this your wonderful eye.
I just love these. It seems delicious and new, and somehow takes a (sometimes frightening) topic and abstracts (or refracts) it in a way that makes me genuinely curious, and wanting more. This was the opposite of laborious reading. It was effortless.
Brilliant! In and out of fiction, back and forth in time and space...thank you! you inspire me to continue with my exploring with my imaginal non-fiction. Ah, then the mother...
Thrilling. Absolutely brilliant. I just loved reading these. Thank you. You keep going as far as I think one can go in achievement and then you go further.
You had me from “The mother was impatient, even though she was dead.” Really lovely being led by you to so many unexpected places!
Oh, my, Sal. This is mesmerizing. The rhythm held me in sway. I love the simultaneity of time here -- how the past is present and vice versa.
Some of my favorite lines in the first one: "I held in a punishable sigh." "Her girl gang broke into people’s houses for the pleasure of breaking and the pleasure of into."
And jolts of recognition! ". . . in the case of the mother, nothing needed to make her that way."
I was thinking as I read the second one, this is like a dream, and then it became self-aware! ha!
"Every hair on the fox is beautiful."
Gorgeous, Sal. Every hair.
Oh, wow, thank you, Julie!
PS This makes me eager to get back into my fiction writing! Thanks!
Yes! Yay!!
A true pleasure to read. Lovely prose. Each sentence moved with grace. Bravo.
I like these very much. Even beloved mothers loom in a way I have found uncanny at times! The matter-of-fact surreality reminded me a little of Lucia Berlin's 'My Jockey.'
Thanks for that recommendation — ran off immediately to find ‘My Jockey’ & loved it.
I loved these stories! So happy to have discovered your writing in TIF#15 :)
Thank you, Rostislava! I’m glad yoi founfmd your way here!
Mesmerizing!
This was an absolutely beautiful read. Thank you for writing it. Fiction has provided me a mental escape this year and I cannot tell you how vital those little snippets of escape was to my health.
Thank you so much!
Loved both of these so much for so many reasons. (I had a 'the mother" who kept on giving in the realm of literature... it's something! It's not nothing!) Anyway, I was particularly delighted by the idea of the dial tone summoning so much of the particular past we've lived through. The sheer weight of that appliance! And by the learned behaviors that kept the mother at bay. And by couch not her couch and the goldrush armpit and more. More!
Rachel! How lovely to find you here, find each other here. Ghost stories for Halloween! The mother-call is coming from inside the house. Thank you for giving this your wonderful eye.
I just love these. It seems delicious and new, and somehow takes a (sometimes frightening) topic and abstracts (or refracts) it in a way that makes me genuinely curious, and wanting more. This was the opposite of laborious reading. It was effortless.
Indeed, the topic terrifies me, as you know! Thanks for having the dog-walking conversation with me that caused this all to leap into existence!
Brilliant! In and out of fiction, back and forth in time and space...thank you! you inspire me to continue with my exploring with my imaginal non-fiction. Ah, then the mother...
Yes, more of the imaginal space, fiction or nonfiction!
Thrilling. Absolutely brilliant. I just loved reading these. Thank you. You keep going as far as I think one can go in achievement and then you go further.
Bonnie, thank you! You are the most wonderful reader.