Watch for these stories in the anthology Winds of Change: Short Stories about our Climate, coming this fall (2015).
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What a great story. Frightening. And so possible. The storyline engages you fully, captivates, and feelings pour forth for that old man and young boy, and their horrible world, hopefully humankind can avoid. Great story. Thanks.
John Life — Thanks for your comment. I replied in more detail the other day, but I screwed up — it appears below.
John
Beautifully written. And like a punch in the gut. You build very convincing characters is just a few words, and a world that is all too believable. I hope a lot of people read this.
Rachel:
Thanks. I loved “The Audit.” Goodwin Brown is a character for the ages … He leaps off the page. You managed to inform and entertain, and that’s really hard!
John
Thank you, John. It’s always hard to balance a “message” or theme with quality of story. I tried to put climate front and center, and I think I might have overdone it a bit, here. Still, every work of fiction is like a child — you end up loving it bumps, warts, and all. Thanks again for your comments and thank you, Mary for hosting this. I’ve read most of the stories by now and I am in awe of the talent demonstrated here. Robert’s story is a true gem.
I read a a number of the stories and applaud all of them– great work! I am impressed with the quality and creativity. John Atcheson’s story was especially compelling with a strong central theme of climate change. The story is believable and uncomfortable. It makes me ask myself what I could do now to prevent that sad outcome. We need more people to read it, more people to be moved by its message, and then a stronger, more galvanized call for action.
What a remarkable story — thank you, John, for sharing it with us. There are tender moments that bring into stark relief the world that Will is inheriting. Several lines brought pause (e.g., “What they’d missed was how thin a veneer civilization was”), while others added a freshness to the work (“Now, no one even knew what corking was”). Well done!
Rob:
Thanks. One of the things I admire in good writing is subtlety — what Hemingway called the bottom of the ice berg … when a story is done well, the part that’s left out is still present. Your story is a beautiful example of that. It’s a piece I’ll study for technique and for the pure joy of reading good writing.
John
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