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About the author and blogger ...

Anne Goodwin’s drive to understand what makes people tick led to a career in clinical psychology. That same curiosity now powers her fiction.
A prize-winning short-story writer, she has published three novels and a short story collection with small independent press, Inspired Quill. Her debut novel, Sugar and Snails, was shortlisted for the 2016 Polari First Book Prize.
Away from her desk, Anne guides book-loving walkers through the Derbyshire landscape that inspired Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre.
Subscribers to her newsletter can download a free e-book of award-winning short stories.

TELL ME MORE

What kind of light do you shine?

21/12/2015

13 Comments

 
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These dark mornings, Mr A often finds me pottering about the house in the dark. “Why don’t you turn on the light?” he says. I shrug, but of course he can’t see me. “I like the dark.” In the safety and familiarity of my home, I prefer to wait for the natural light to seep in gradually through the windows, rather than with a sudden burst of artificial light. Of course, it’s never completely dark in a town with a streetlight at the end of the garden and, if I’m at the computer, it emits light of its own. But, within these wishy-washy constraints, I cling on to what passes for darkness as long as I can.
I like dark in my fiction also – or perhaps it’s more that I’m averse to artificial light. I read and write to shine a torch into the corners where cobwebs linger amongst the grime. But I’m not shining my light to cancel out the dark, but to reveal what lurks beyond the glow of the scented candles, what, until you beam the light in its direction, goes unseen.

When my darkness finds a readership, a light is turned on in my heart. If I can get you to examine the murk while resisting the urge to clean it, I’ve done what I set out to do. So it’s been a fabulous year for me, with the publication of my debut novel and of the lovely Twitter feedback at #SugarandSnails and reviews reflecting that connection back to me. For many readers, Sugar and Snails isn’t actually a dark novel, but one of hope, and that’s fine with me. (There’s even a fair bit of humour to be found within it if you gel with my style.) But I wrote it from my personal darkness, and I’ve enjoyed illuminating discussions this past couple of weeks with the visitors to Sherri Matthews’ Summerhouse exploring what that might mean.

With the excitement of publishing my novel, my short fiction – apart from the weekly flash fiction challenge – has taken a backseat, so it’s time to put that right. Today is National Short Story Day and how fitting to choose the shortest day of the year (in the northern hemisphere) to celebrate the pleasures of storytelling. As of last Friday, I have 64 published short stories (excluding the 99-word flashes) on 44 different platforms (some, sadly, now defunct). I’ve arranged them into themed virtual annethologies, which actually includes seven classed as uplifting and upbeat.

In the spirit of end-of-year reflection, however, I want to flag the eight published this year and to thank the various editors for showing confidence in my words. One is available only in print, but you can read about “The Witch’s Funeral” on the Open Pen website. (This is probably the most optimistic of all these stories and, yes, it’s about a funeral – you have been warned!)
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January saw the publication of "And the Winner Is …" by Flash Fiction magazine and May "All the Way to Zokandu" by Honest Ulsterman, where I was pleased to find myself in the company of blogging friend, supporter of Sugar and Snails and eminently deserving Bath Short Story Award Winner, Safia Moore. In a similar way, I was delighted to have my story “A Man is Swinging” selected for the Journal of the Nottingham Writers’ Studio (where I had the first of my book launches) and go along to the journal launch in September to hear everyone read an extract from their story or poem. November saw the publication of "Tattoos and Rubber Gloves", my fifth with the fabulous ezine, Amarillo Bay. And finally, Newcastle-based Alliterati, where I’d never submitted before, took three of my stories: “How Can They Do That” (p10), “Rebekah’s Foreskin” (p16), “After Icarus” (p30). All this in the month that Nottingham, my nearest city, is awarded UNESCO City of Literature status, one of only nineteen in the whole world.

Better move on, before I get too upbeat (although, as my bio states, I do relish the freedom to contradict myself), to the latest Carrot Ranch challenge to write a 99-word story on spreading the light. And, of course, mine is in honour of National Short Story Day; if the light is too blinding, pop back on Christmas Eve for a couple of ghostly reviews!

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Locked in, was how they described her. “The lights out and no-one home.”
And so it seemed. She was unmoved by massage, music or aromatherapy, indifferent to extremes of heat and cold.
The storyteller hunkered down beside her. “Once upon a time, in a faraway land …”
She continued to sit, statuesque, her eyes glazed, like a doll’s.
“… a cruel king kept his daughter in a gilded cage.”
They all heard it. A sigh from the depths of her being. They all witnessed the light flicker in her eyes. “Go on,” they said. “What happened to the girl?”


Thanks for reading. I'd love to know what you think. If you've enjoyed this post, you might like to sign up via the sidebar for regular email updates and/or my quarterly Newsletter.
13 Comments
Geoff link
22/12/2015 01:19:35 am

All round splendid year, Anne and such a range too. Of course you're upbeat, you just don't want to admit it. Pretend to be a miserablist all you like but you can't hide your twinkle! Interestingly your opening description mirrors mine. I love the sense of being in a small pool of light with the dark around, waiting to be explored. And your continued successes with publications encourages me to think about having some of mine published. I've just never tried to submit. Maybe that should be a non resolution for next year.

Reply
Annecdotist
23/12/2015 11:31:36 am

Ha, you’re probably right, Geoff, and life’s pretty bright for me nowadays. It’s just that I spent too long having my darkness denied that I’m so committed to acknowledging what’s there.
I thought you had won some prizes for short stories? Maybe if they are on blogs or something you’re not counting them? Anyway, I’d urge you to submit. The administrative effort is less than it used to be with most accepting electronic submissions, and it’s always rewarding having your words accepted. A New Year resolution, perhaps?

Reply
Derbhile Graham link
22/12/2015 07:57:22 am

Here's to another year of shining a light in the darkness. Merry Christmas and a happy New Year to you.

Reply
Annecdotist
23/12/2015 11:32:12 am

Thank you, Derbhile. Wishing you the same.

Reply
Norah Colvin link
27/12/2015 05:38:57 am

What a fabulous year for you, Anne. Congratulations! I don't remember mention of your short story successes throughout the year but, I admit, there are often gaps in my ability to keep up with reading. I was tempted to follow the links and read them now, but since this is, I think, the fourth time I have read this post, I thought I'd better leave a comment or next Christmas will be here before I've done so! I will have to mark the stories on my list "to read" as I do enjoy your short stories. I hope your success increases next year and, of course, I'm looking forward to the publication of your second novel in 2017.
The power of storytelling to spread light is portrayed well in your flash. Sounds like a great opening to a longer story. I'm wondering how analogous the story may be to the girl locked away. We often use the saying, "The lights are on but no one's home" to mean someone is not very bright. Your twist on this phrase "The lights out but no-one's home" creates an even darker picture of her situation. I think this, together with the sigh and the flicker of light at the mention of the gilded cage make for a very strong and emotive description. Well done.

Reply
Annecdotist
27/12/2015 12:12:30 pm

Thanks for your support, Norah. It has indeed been a fabulous year, and I doubt I mentioned the stories with so much else going on for me.
Glad you liked the flash. It was indeed my intention to show the woman’s experience through the story and thereby forge a connection, and possibly healing. I think we do this and awful lot in our reading – however, with someone is locked in as she is described as being, I’m not sure words would be enough, so might be better but it wouldn’t have fit so well with the prompt. As for the colloquial expression, well, I must confess that I’d misremembered it rather than having cleverly subverted it, though it’s quite satisfying to see how that worked out!

Reply
Norah Colvin link
2/1/2016 01:10:28 pm

How effective was that memory lapse. There was purpose in the misremembering. The powerful subconscious seeks ways of finding the light of day.

Irene Waters link
29/12/2015 09:25:31 pm

Congratulations on all your achievements in 2015. Glad to hear your book is going well and that you have had all these short stories published. You should be sailing into the New Year to a very upbeat tune. Your flash has demonstrated the power of story well. This flash could easily turn into a short story or even a longer one. Hope the New Year is good for you, wishing you a Happy one.

Reply
Annecdotist
30/12/2015 03:22:21 pm

Thanks, Irene, I never considered this piece as having potential for a longer story, but now I think about it it connects quite well with my WIP, although in this case the storyteller isn't a skilled as the one in my flash.
Thanks for our blogging interactions over the year and wishing you the best for next.

Reply
Charli Mills
30/12/2015 05:26:35 am

Like it or not, you're a shining light over at Carrot Ranch! You take us into those dark corners to face what is there and that is the edge and grace of your writing. You've had an outstanding year and I hope it continues to grow for you from shorts to longies, I'd say you are making your mark on the pages of literature. Cheers (and sunshine) to the New Year and the Dark Places you will take us!

Shuddering good flash! She could react to anything physical, but her mind was still there and needed a spark of a story-teller.

Reply
Annecdotist
30/12/2015 03:25:30 pm

Thanks to see my light, Charli, and for sharing a torch along the way.
I do think the events in the flash are slightly idealised (can we slightly idealise things?) as I think my character might be too withdrawn to connect with the story. But I do think overall we need stories that shine a light into our darkest places.

Reply
Roger link
31/12/2015 04:16:24 pm

Sometimes a story can open many new doors! Well done!

Reply
Annecdotist
1/1/2016 07:44:21 am

Thanks, Roger, and Happy New Year!

Reply



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