The Stinging Fly Stories Anthology is a new collection of stories that were published in the Stinging Fly literary magazine over the last twenty years.
It’s not easy for a literary magazine to survive in these changing times.
But the Stinging Fly has not just survived but has thrived.
Their continued success is a huge credit to their dedication to the art of the short story.
I have had a few stories published by them over the years but it came as a complete surprise to have one of my earliest stories included in the anthology.
Becoming Invisible was published in their 1998 issue.
So long ago I can barely remember writing it.
I can’t even begin to count how many words I have written since I wrote Becoming Invisible and it was a strange feeling to reread a story written by my twenty years younger self.
BECOMING INVISIBLE
Reading the story brought back so many memories, especially of my late mother.
She always used to read my stories and check for typos for me before I sent them out.
She loved the story and back then she was around the same age as the main character.
I’m sad to say she died in 2008 but she would have loved to have known that the story has been included in such a wonderful anthology.
The main character in Becoming Invisible is a woman who feels that she has ‘disappeared’ since the death of her husband.
At the time of writing I was placing my imagination into the head of an older woman – now I am that older woman.
So many things have changed for me in those twenty years – I can’t say I have become invisible but it’s hard to judge.
The leg injuries and many surgeries I’ve had since 2007 made me less inclined to go out and I have spent much of my time based mainly in my home.
Now I am happy to say that I am once more fully mobile and getting out and about again.
Yesterday I did a public reading of Becoming Invisible at the Stinging Fly Stories Anthology book launch in Galway and although I was nervous at the start I found myself enjoying it.
The audience was warm and friendly and the other writers reading at the launch were Nicole Flattery, Lisa McInerney and Nuala O’Connor, three wonderful and highly successful writers so I was in great company and no, I didn’t feel invisible.
I thoroughly enjoyed the readings and the launch and if you are interested in Irish literature and short stories I heartily recommend the book. and not just because my story is in it.
THE STINGING FLY STORIES ANTHOLOGY.
Stinging Fly is edited by Declan Meade and Sarah Gilmartin.
The Anthology is distributed through Gill and is available from your local bookshop and Internet retailers.
The magazine is available here
You can buy the Stinging Fly Stories Anthology here.
Best wishes
Grace
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