“Your stories aren’t deep dark,” Michelle observed the other day, “they’re fun dark.”
I immediately flashed back to my childhood, when, around this time of year, I’d unveil my Halloween costume for the year, and someone would say, “How cute!” It’s not supposed to be cute, it’s supposed to be scary! I want my stories to entertain, certainly, so “fun” is quite a compliment. But wouldn’t “unsettling,” “eerie,” or perhaps even “terrifying” have been better?
People are deciding between deep dark and scary dark already, as the e-book version of my story collection, Shy Ghosts Dancing: Dark Tales from Southeast Alaska downloads across the country. Very soon now, the print version will be available as well. Yesterday afternoon, Michelle and Aly hiked to town for Michelle’s yoga class, and Aly’s meetings and museum work. Michelle called and told me the good news: the proof copy had finally arrived in the mail! She opened it and looked it over, reporting favorably on its appearance.
“It’s a book!” she said, “a real book!” Then she added, “It’s cute!”
That word again. I tried not to deflate; the excitement felt too good.
I played it cool, though. She offered to drive the proof out to Mud Bay. I could hike over the ridge, cross the bay and meet her, and still get back before the tide rose too high. But, I declined. I was in the middle of a large stack of dishes, with quickly cooling wash water. I had other chores I needed to attend to. I’d see the new book when they hiked home after the tide dropped, sometime around 7:00 that evening.
I did fish a bottle of good wine out from under the stairs, though. A celebration seemed in order. Not only is the proof here, and publication that much closer, but Aly got her SAT scores the same day. I’m not supposed to blog about it, but she did quite well!