My most recent story “The Living Room Express” is available to read for free on the Metaworker. Please check it out.
Fair warning: This is a dark story. Perhaps the darkest I’ve written yet. It contains themes of alcoholism and parental abuse.
While I typically write fiction, I most often read non-fiction. I’m particularly drawn to memoirs about people who have lived through difficult life experiences such as abuse and addiction. I tried my best to channel the voice of those brave writers in this piece.
Another interesting thing about this story is that much of it is written in the 2nd person (“you” pronouns). This is a literary technique that seems to have become more popular in the recent years and one I was eager to try.
This story seemed to catch the eye of many editors, including of some top end magazines, who held the story for quite some time before ultimately passing. My guess is that a story featuring such rampant child abuse was a tough sell for fiction. Fair enough.
Fortunately, the team at the Metaworker was willing to take a chance on such a dark story. Their bio explained they are millennials and so they are willing to take chances on pieces that might horrify others as long as there is a purpose to the darkness. I’m glad they found the glimmers of purpose in such a depressing world.
Jared Cappel 