Thanks for having me over today, Murees!
Open Windows is a peculiar story for me to talk about, because I don't really remember writing it. That's quite strange, isn't it? I do remember that the first thing I wrote was the part where Michael's ghost asks Jackie if she has a pencil, and she throws it into the empty room. For ages that small passage stayed in my notebook.
I wrote this story in 1994 - you might see me mention that year a couple more times during this tour because it was one of my most prolific years for short stories. I was unemployed at the time, and between applying for jobs and opening letters telling me I hadn't been successful (back when they used to let you know you were a failure rather than just let you forget you'd applied in the first place), I wrote a lot.
Open Windows originally won third prize in a competition called Little Acorns, held by a lovely man who would hand-write one or two sentence critiques. For that reason alone, I entered almost every single monthly competition he held, because just having someone take me seriously as a writer was a huge boost. On a couple of occasions these critiques came with a cheque attached - you can probably imagine my joy!
A couple of years later I entered the story into another competition, a local writer's circle comp, because Little Acorns didn't publish winning entries, so I could resubmit. This time it was published - yay!
About AnnalisaI live in Cornwall, with a good supply of beaches and moorland right on my doorstep. I live with my husband, two boys, a dog and a cat. Despite my location. I neither surf nor sail, and have never had any inclination to try. I much prefer walking along the beach and listening to the waves crashing over rocks. For this reason, I really love the beach in the winter!
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Yay! My first time on your blog. Thanks again :-)
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a very interesting collection of stories. Thanks for the interview.
ReplyDeleteI love reading about your writing journey, Annalisa. I feel inspired!
ReplyDeleteYou wrote that almost twenty years ago. I would've forgotten as well!
ReplyDeleteYou've been in this game for a very long time! I can imagine your wealth of writerly knowledge...
ReplyDeleteElizabeth - thanks for reading.
ReplyDeleteDana - I could get used to being an inspiration :-)
Alex - it's the only one I forgot the story behind - all the others were at the front of my mind.
Michelle - I can cope with 'knowledge' but 'very' cuts deep :-)
Another one of your stories that made me cry! Looking forward to having you on my blog on Tuesday! :-)
ReplyDeleteLinda - I'm still thrilled anything I write can provoke a reaction like that. Tears are a badge of honour :-)
ReplyDeleteAnnalisa - Thank you for sharing this experience with me. I hope that you had fun.
ReplyDeleteOpen Windows is one of my favourite stories in the collection!
ReplyDeleteHi Annalisa .. I must get to read your collection and thus Open Window - interesting you kept the snippet for so long.
ReplyDeleteGood to meet Murees .. and be in a South African blog!
Cheers to all - Hilary
Kyra - thank you!
ReplyDeleteHilary - I have a folder full of snippets that sometimes I just read through to see if they fit or inspire. I think Ian Rankin does something similar :-)