Sunday, May 15, 2011

Unless Soul Clap Its Hands and Sing, by Seana Graham

Here's another one of my stories that you can still find online. The Homestead Review picked it up. This was kind of a funny story. Another story of mine had gone out to various magazines, and by the time the editor of the Homestead Review asked for it, it had already been picked up elsewhere. She was gracious enough to ask for something else, and this is what she ultimately got and took. At a certain point in the process, it dawned on me that the name of the editor was sort of familiar, but it took a friend to connect the dots for me and lead me to realize that Jessica Brehany was actually the partner of our former used book buyer JIm Maughn, who is a poet in his own right. When I hesitatingly mentioned the fact to her by email--which was the only kind of correspondence we'd had--she replied that yes, she thought we knew each other, but hadn't wanted to say in case I thought she was taking the story only because of that.

This is one of the few stories I've written that has a specific local setting, so it seemed appropriate that it found a home at a fairly local college in Salinas. It's a story is about Alzheimers and the title is swiped from Yeats. Despite the topic, I don't really think of it as a gloomy tale. But you be the judge of that.

Unless Soul Clap Its Hands and Sing . 

6 comments:

  1. That was so good on so may levels. This would make a great episode for a tv show. As you mentioned, it was not gloomy. It had suspense, action, and at times was so moving, especially when Elizabeth apoligizes to him for what what is to come. I also have an Alzheimers story that I have been sitting on for a while and have been told I should submit it somewhere. Would you mind giving it read if I sent it to you? I value your opinion as well as getting some direction on where I might be able to send it. Great job Seana!

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  2. Thanks for taking the time to read it, Sean. With the proviso that I am by no means an Alzheimers expert, I would be happy to read your story and give my thoughts on it.

    Now, aren't you supposed to be working on a crime story about a horse?

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  3. Thanks Seana- I will send it to you. It is by no means a scientific type of story. Yeah, I have to get cracking, but I had been working on something for the Flash Fiction offensive, which based on the "Horse" theme, I have decided to expand and use for the Watery Grave contest.

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  4. I hope you will post a reminder on your blog when the stories are all out because I'm fascinated to see what everyone has come up with.

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  5. Will do. Also waiting to see the final version of Grimm Tales. Cool that we will both be in that! It was pretty neat having to sign an agreement.

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  6. Yes. Though you remind me that I haven't sent in the author bio and story intro yet. I'm looking forward to going through the stories again, because there were one or two I didn't catch.

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