I did it. I sent three stories, “First Time,” “Packing,” and “Daylight.”
First Time
Winkie and Tommy have come to the hillside overlook to lose their virginity. But a derecho sweeps the mountain and derails their plans.
Favorite part:
Tommy took a deep breath. When he shoved himself inside of her she gasped.
Something broke. A loud crack, the splintering of something, a giving-in to the wind, then a branch ripped out of the giant tree behind them.
Submitted to Passages North, the literary magazine of Northern Michigan University.
Packing
Dominique and Roman are filling her suitcase with freshly laundered shirts, wrinkle-free pants, and unsaid things. She’s leaving for a year and they’re beyond the debate stage. Now the sadness sets in.
Favorite part:
“It’s just a year,” he said again.
She looked at him. He was looking at her hand: pulling it toward him, turning it over, palm up. He laid his cheek in her palm. She closed it around the curve of his face, tilted her head.
“They’re lucky to have you,” he murmured, kissing her hand.
“It’s Liberia. They’re not lucky at all.”
Submitted to Salt Hill Journal, the literary magazine of Syracuse University.
Daylight
The last night before they leave for school and Sophie has her ex-boyfriend’s brother in her room. Can she (should she?) get him in her bed or will she let daylight come and steal the chance away?
Favorite line:
A touch on my back and I didn’t have to turn, I knew it was him. He handed me another beer and stood a little too close for a little too long. There was a choice to be made regarding the tension we’d found earlier, upstairs. I could feel a throb deep within me and I decided to let it happen. I turned my head, lifted my face, my cheek grazed his. Neither of us pulled away.
Submitted to Lumina, the literary journal of Sarah Lawrence College.
So, week 1 is over. I feel brave. I feel a little nauseated. Oh well. Off into the literary universe my work must go!
Have you submitted anything yet? How did you feel the morning after?
Unapologetically X 