Sue Booker, author of Beware of the God What inspired you to write this story? ‘Beware of the God’ grew from an idea that formed years before I wrote a draft. The jumping-off point was ‘It could never have worked. But that doesn’t excuse what I did.’ All I knew was that a stranger would hassle … Read More
interviews
Amanda Lohrey Selects series: Interview with Marjorie Lewis-Jones
Marjorie Lewis-Jones, author of Shooting Star What inspired you to write this story? “Shooting Star” was inspired by a word and a pact. The word was Hilo. Hawaiians in the past named each of the thirty nights of a lunar month. The first night was called Hilo — to twist — because the moon was like … Read More
Amanda Lohrey Selects: Interview with Joanna Atherfold Finn
Joanna Atherfold Finn, author of Jesus Sandals and Anchovette and Something for a Rainy Day What inspired you to write this story? Jesus Sandals and Anchovette The story has an autobiographical dimension so it was inspired to a degree by life events (yes, I was sent to a book parade dressed as a Gumble). It is also a … Read More
The Rattler & other stories Book Trailer
Spineless Wonders editor, Linda Godfrey asks Alec (A.S.) Patric about the promotional video (http://youtu.be/yfeayMsEr3E) made by Evelyn Araluen Corr for his first collection of short stories. LG: How well do you think the book trailer represents the collection, Alec? ASP: Film trailers offer a montage of already recorded voices, faces, locations, etc, but a book … Read More
Interview with Mark O’Flynn author of White Light
‘O’Flynn’s faultless ear for laconic Aussie parlance, his wry ability to turn a story in a moment from comedy to tragedy and back again, his exhilaratingly deft range…all this makes him one of a kind, in my opinion. A hugely enjoyable collection.’ CATE KENNEDY 1. Who are the short fiction authors you admire (Australian or otherwise, … Read More
Spineless Wonders asks Jane Skelton
1. Who are the short fiction authors you admire (Australian or otherwise, alive or dead)? Patrick White. He was a great short fiction writer, as well as novelist. Have read and re-read his stories, especially the collection, The Cockatoos. I still read them and discover new things. The novella, A Woman’s Hand contains some of … Read More
Spineless Wonders asks Louise D’Arcy
1. Who are the short fiction authors you admire (Australian or otherwise, alive or dead)? I admire Cate Kennedy for the quiet way she digs deep into a story and, almost without you noticing, takes you somewhere you weren’t expecting. I’ve just read Ryan O’Neill’s collection, The Weight of a human heart and thoroughly enjoyed … Read More
Spineless Wonders asks Mary Manning
1. Who are the short fiction authors you admire (Australian or otherwise, alive or dead)? There are so many: Colm Tóibín, Alice Munro, Jhumpa Lahiri, David Malouf, Banana Yamamoto, Amy Kempel, Keri Hulme. Haruki Murakami has had the most influence on my own writing in recent years. 2. What is the most memorable short story … Read More
Spineless Wonders asks Laurie Steed
1. What inspired you to write the prose poem/microfiction which is published in Small Wonder? There’s been much written about love being either romantic or dystopic, or first one and then the other. I wanted to explore the idea of love occurring at the end of a relationship; how trust, quite often, comes in letting … Read More
Spineless Wonders asks Keri Glastonbury
1. What inspired you to write the prose poem/microfiction which is published in Small Wonder? I was travelling in China and India in 2009. After many years of teaching creative writing and facilitating other students’ work I felt very unsure of myself as a poet, but could feel myself being stimulated again by cultural differences … Read More