In 2018, I released a compilation of my short stories. I named the collection “The Human Experience” after the story that I thought best captured the overall mood of the book.
Some of my writer friends told me I was foolish to self-publish, as it meant I was giving away first publication rights and thus most magazines would never later accept these stories. That is certainly something to consider, but at the time I wanted to share my stories with friends and family, and I have no regrets.
The good news is that some magazines are willing to accept reprints. Case in point: After Dinner Conversations, led by the editor Kolby Granville.
After Dinner Conversations has taken the literary world by storm by creating not just a publication but a concept. Each story is meant to provoke philosophical conversation, and Kolby prepares five probing questions to accompany each story.
I thought he did a great job at elucidating the moral dilemmas in my story. Is it right to genetically alter an unborn child? It’s hard to say. The story brings up many questions of morality and After Dinner Conversations was the perfect avenue to highlight them.
The Human Experience is currently behind a paywall, but I strongly suggest you purchase the February edition of After Dinner Conversations to read my story and the works of other talented authors. The lead story in the issue questions what the world would be like if humans no longer required sleep. It’s really quite fascinating. One of the best stories I’ve read in ages.
Jared Cappel 