Dream & Memory

That's right - the March issue of Halfway Down the Stairs is out! I don't know about the people who read it, but every time we release an issue I think we get better and better. This time it looks great, thanks to Francesca Leung, our resident computer whiz, and we have more material published than ever before, with lots of guest writers.

For those of you who haven't heard of HDtS before, "Dream and Memory" is the latest issue of our writing e-zine. "Our" includes me, Stacy, and several other writers who get together to publish and edit it biannually. We accept outside submissions - September's theme is "Bon Appétit" - so if you are a promising writer, send us something! We're very nice.

This time around I've written a short story for it, called "Rain", born of the nine looooooooong and sleepless hours I spent in Singapore in Changi Airport last year between flights. I am glad that something creative could come out of that experience!

Stacy has interviewed John Elder Robison for the issue, as I assume she will tell you on her blog, and the other writers on the staff have written both poetry and short fiction. We also have ten guest poets, five guest short story writers, and four guest nonfiction writers. So, there has to be something you will enjoy!

cliche or truth?

I have over the last two months seen one movie about three times because I loved it so much - it was one of the funniest movies I've ever seen. I won't say what it was because if I do I'm about to spoil a really special moment in it for anyone that hasn't seen it.

Actually, what I write here isn't going to sound all that original or "special". It's a bit of a cliche, in fact.

In this film, someone's father has always given them the advice that success isn't all life's about. Instead, what matters is to have tried.

Despite this being a really sweet moment, the first times I watched the film it just washed over me, to be honest. Yeah yeah, that's what everyone says, heard THAT before. Third time through, I stopped to think. The one thing I want to be successful at (- writing -) is the thing I'm most scared to attempt. My major reason for not hunkering down and writing The Novel, instead of just sitting round excusing myself and waiting for The Idea, is that rejection is a little too frightening. More frightening is making the attempt and then finding out that I'm a crap writer and I can't actually do it unless I want to sell my soul and do Mills and Boon. This has always made perfect sense to me even if I don't admit it.

(Of course, an element of my inaction is just pure laziness.)

But then I thought, suppose some day I die, which is more than likely. Will I really be lying on my deathbed surrounded by adoring hordes of descendants, or with my life flashing before my eyes in the midst of some tragic accident, thinking, "well, at least I never got rejected by a publishing company"?

I've got to get on with it. Just do it. Bite the bullet.

There are probably about ten cliches in this one blog post, not least that "trying is the most important thing". Maybe this particular cliche hasn't used up all its truth, though.

And at least if I write the novel and die without seeing success, I can delude myself into believing it will be published posthumously, make my grandchildren rich, and ensure for myself a well-kept tombstone.