Miracle at Joshua Tree
In December of last year I received an unexpected email from my editor in Germany, informing me that they were planning to publish a beautiful upscale Literary Christmas anthology this year, featuring their most renowned authors, and they wanted me to be part of the project. The anthology would consist of twenty-four stories patterned after the Christmas advent calendar, those beautifully decorated cardboards with 24 little doors which you open every day from December 1st to 24th, to find a picture or a little gift inside. The idea of the anthology was to present 24 wintry stories, each involving one specific number.
I was invited to write about the number four, which is St. Barbara's day in the church calendar. My publisher felt that I would have fun with that. I was offered to write the story any way I wished, be it romantic, funny, fantastic or suspenseful – just as long as it was a Christmassy story revolving around the number four. The only restriction was that I had to limit the length to under fifteen pages.
While I was flattered to be invited to take part in this special project, I was a bit daunted by the challenge! As I frequently tell people, writing a short story is not at all like writing a novel. It certainly is not easier. The shorter the piece, the more disciplined the writing must be. I believe it was Mark Twain who, writing to a friend, said, “Sorry this letter is so long. I didn’t have time to write a shorter one.”
I had to do some quick thinking as the deadline was only a couple of weeks away. What on earth would I write about? How do I write something Christmassy that involves St. Barbara and the number four? I embarked on long walks, carrying my micro-cassette recorder and dictating whatever came into my head. I talked to myself out loud, even in public places. I argued with myself and criticized my various ideas. I even discussed the project with my cat, Pumpkin, who for some strange reason didn’t get excited about it. When the main idea finally came to me, and I began writing, I knew at once that this was going to test my skills, as I had to remain within the specified number of pages. A novel allows the writer to go on and on until she makes her point. Not so in a short story!
I am happy to say my short story idea was indeed fun to write, and I was able to execute it in the required span of time and pages, and send it off to Germany. My editor was pleased with the result, and it now appears in the newly published book, Erst 1, Dann 2, Dann 3, Dann 4 …(you can’t miss it, Santa Claus is on the cover!)
I would be keen to know what German readers think of my magnificent opus, Miracle At Joshua Tree.
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