My story “Infinity Grandma” (or ∞Grandma∞) was published today in Nightmare Fuel Magazine. It’s super short, coming in under the limit of 666 words. To avoid spoilers, if you’d like to, you can go and read it before reading my thoughts on the story. Just click on the picture below.
I really enjoyed the inspiration offered by the magazine: “Love Has Teeth.” It sure does. I immediately imagined the character, Piria, leaping along giant rocky teeth at the top of a very high cliff; which is a very physical and somewhat simple springboard, but invites in layers of mystery and history. Why is she up there? Where did the teeth come from? How is she feeling and what will happen to her?
Making all that shit up was serious fun.
While it’s not autobiographical, the story is certainly personal, playing with thoughts I have when contemplating ‘risky’ recreational activities. Ah, risk. It is everywhere, in everything. Is playing outside riskier than lying on the lounge watching TV? Who knows. And are the risks worth it? Again, who knows. It certainly feels worth it, so long as there’s a happy ending.
The story explores the call to adventure, explore and play, as well as intergenerational and family relationships; sacrifice and questions of what we owe each other. It is horror, but it’s also kinda fun.
“Infinity Grandma” is certainly my fastest written-to-published story, as I began writing it on 1st February and it was published today, on the 10th.
Thanks for reading. If you love the story, please share it and consider supporting Nightmare Fuel Magazine, because venues like these provide writers like me a place for our stories to live.
HK Stubbs 