Short Story Published -- "A Forgotten Way"
A new short story of mine has been published by Piscataqua Press in Wayfaring, a literary anthology.“A Forgotten Way” is a story about Della, a mom who has suffered a devastating loss. Her grief and guilt are so great she is neglecting her nine-year-old daughter Julia.My childhood home inspired my fictional story “A Forgotten Way.” I grew up in a beautiful three-story brick Federal house that reportedly had been a stop on the Underground Railroad. Secret rooms had been discovered; one even contained a chair and a newspaper dated in the 1800s. Evidence of a secret staircase was shown by the outline of steep steps in between two walls, leading up to one of the secret rooms.This history lured my creative spirit into fantasizing different scenarios involving the old house, the barn, and the pond in the woods. I always wanted to know how the escaped slaves moved on from that sanctuary to their next destination.I couldn’t answer that question to my satisfaction until some characters started telling me their woes. Della has suffered a devastating loss and her grief and guilt are so great she is neglecting her nine-year-old daughter Julia.
Chatter from mother and daughter filled my head, but it lacked an anchor. I needed to set them down somewhere, in a definitive time and place, so that their story could unravel properly.Enter the brick house. It was the perfect setting for the lost, pained souls of Della and Julia. I modified details of the real property for dramatic purposes, but the beautiful and historical spirit remains untouched.I wrote a post on my blog about my childhood home and how it continues to inspire me today on my writing journey.You can find the literary anthology “Wayfaring” on Amazon and at one of the last-standing bookstores in the country, RiverRun Bookstore in Portsmouth, NH.I am offering a special bonus—if you purchase the book and review on Amazon, just tag me @katejauthor on FB or IG to let me know. I will give you a 30-minute story or creativity mindset coaching session or an editing service for free! (And yes, this is transferable! So if you have a friend who could use this bonus offer, just pass it along.)
*do a writer’s happy dance*
Public reviews are the best way writers can reach readers, which is why I’m running this offer. I want to give back to readers who take the time and effort to write up a review, which is invaluable to me.So that's my news! How are you doing this week? Anything exciting or boring happening? Let me know in the comments!Have a writerly day!