Pete says:
"If you notice that the stories are indeed shrinking in the latest edition of Fast Forward, well, they are. The first story in this award-nominated literary journal comes in at exactly 1000 words, while the final story ends with exhaustion and a kiss in a story consisting of just six words.
I thought about the short story genre after seeing a recent film called 'Everything Must Go,' a very good movie about a man having a very bad crisis. The film, starring Will Ferrell, is based upon a short story by Raymond Carver. 'Short Cuts,' another fine film, is also based on Carver's writing. It's interesting how short stories resonate so deeply within the psyche with content of say, just two or three pages.
Although the stories in this issue shrink before our eyes, it doesn't mean they don't pack a wallop. One favorite, 'Conviction,' concerns a woman who's done her time literally but finds that freedom and peace of mind are quite different. Another one is called 'Jerry's TV.' Jerry's ex-wife has stolen his tv right before the final 'Lost' episode; his neighbor comes to the rescue, or maybe not. Also of mention is a funny story about a
highly specialized brothel.
I could name at least 25 excellent stories in this issue that cover every possible emotion, and maybe four or five that I didn't understand at all. But that's the beauty of short stories. You may not get them at present, but maybe they'll creep into your thoughts as you stand idol, or maybe your dreams, some day..."
The Incredible Shrinking Story is not available on our website, but you can find it at every Tattered Cover newsstand, or email us (books@tatteredcover.com) to purchase a copy. We will be happy to ship it to you.
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