Writing brings both instant and deferred gratification. When you’ve finally finished a piece and are ready to let it be seen by en editor and possibly even the general public, there is a moment of satisfaction—that “I’m done” feeling. Then you forget about it (I do, anyway) and move on to the next piece. Then—if you’re lucky—days, weeks, months or maybe even years later, the piece debuts to the public, and there is that moment of panic: Was it any good? Did it need more editing? Are people going to recognize themselves in it and hate me forever? What have I done? Is it too late to withdraw it from publication? Why did I ever write this anyway? And before you know it, it’s out. And if you’re lucky, someone reads it. If you’re really lucky, they react to it. And you are grateful for having the opportunity to put this thing into the world. And you live. And you do it all over again.
A bunch of things I’ve written will be out in the world soon. The first is my short story “Possession,”which appears in Gargoyle Magazine #58, due out in early June. Gargoyle is a Washington DC-based lit mag that’s been kickin’ for a respectable 35 years; I’m happy to leave a piece of me behind in my hometown (since I’ve just re-relocated back to LA). I rarely do fiction, but here ya go!
