In May's Web Exclusive, "The Blind Oracle of Mactan," author Nathan Go takes us to an island in the Philippines, to a fantastical man who just, as it turns out, wants what any of us wants. The prose is light and funny, winding lithely around something that reveals itself to be as profound and enduring a problem as human beings have ever known. Even a human who has lived many, many lifetimes over. We talked with Nathan about how this strange and wonderful story came about. Erin McReynolds: The … [Read more...] about Web Exclusive Interview: Nathan Go
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Web Exclusive Interview: Hal Walling
Our March Web Exclusive, "You Haven't Won Anything Yet," is a taut, complex, and slightly odd story about a missing child and an adult with a missing childhood. It's a terrific example of using negative space, and nearly every sentence is a surprise. We (finally) spoke with author Hal Walling about his approach, and, yes, indulged ourselves with a couple of Canada questions. Erin McReynolds: In "You Haven't Won Anything Yet," the police are trying to see if the narrator is this still-missing … [Read more...] about Web Exclusive Interview: Hal Walling
Web Exclusive Interview: Kate Reed Petty
In February's Web Exclusive flash fiction, "Fish Jokes," a woman is challenged with articulating exactly what her former boss did to her that was inappropriate. In order to convey Annie's struggle to recollect what happened, name it, and support her own reaction to it, author Kate Reed Petty created an ingenious modern trope that everyone can understand: the hunt for an elusive email buried in an endless inbox. Erin McReynolds: There is a genius to the many levels of want in "Fish Jokes": … [Read more...] about Web Exclusive Interview: Kate Reed Petty
Web Exclusive Interview: Peter Grimes
Yes, we're suckers for any writing that incorporates food, but it was the apt depiction of a marriage beginning to stagnate—and the surprising amount of tension it generates—that made us choose "Menu" as our January Web Exclusive flash fiction. We spoke with author Peter Grimes about writing and pursuing the tenure track . . . and, of course, about food. Obviously. Erin McReynolds: The strains of marriage is such a familiar trope, but with "Menu," you found a way in that was subtle and … [Read more...] about Web Exclusive Interview: Peter Grimes
Web Exclusive Interview: Richard Mirabella
Our November Web Exclusive story "The Sister" has a magical, fairy-tale feeling but a very real and timeless sense of the heartbreak and bewilderment of loss. We talked with author Richard Mirabella about the story's roots, queer fiction, and the pains and pleasures of writing with a full-time, non-writing job. Erin McReynolds: "The Sister" is one of the most accurate depictions of loss I've read. You managed to nail how maddening and senseless it is; how the pain casts about looking for … [Read more...] about Web Exclusive Interview: Richard Mirabella
Web Exclusive Interview: Anton DiSclafani
In our December Web Exclusive story, "Flight," author Anton DiSclafani freezes a moment in the life of an aged John J. Audubon. It's a moment that allows us a bird's-eye view of the famed ornithologist/artist's exotic origins, his loss and his passion, and his rivalry with Alexander Wilson. It's elegiac without being mawkish, and you walk away feeling as though you've just been up close with a rare and brilliant specimen. Erin McReynolds: What drew you to Audubon, as a character? Anton … [Read more...] about Web Exclusive Interview: Anton DiSclafani