A.C. Ahn's Blog, page 12
May 17, 2015
Shifting Tracks
The porch is stretched long, sticking out beyond the neighboring houses by three and a half yards, reaching for the edge of the sidewalk like an old man reaching for his toes. An extended roof shades most of the wooden floorboards from what the townsfolk refer to as the “Tears of God.” The rain pounds […]
May 12, 2015
Do You Believe in Magic?
The excerpt below is the beginning of one of the first shorts I’ve written many years ago. The short itself is over 6,000 words (yikes), so instead of posting the whole thing and embarrassing myself, I’ve decided to just post the section which started it all. The inspiration came to me right after reading a Korean […]
May 2, 2015
Write on a Dime
Time is Money. Who doesn’t know this old adage coined by Benjamin Franklin? Everyone, including you, has repeated this saying before, and those who have relied on it multiple times probably work too hard (or have a very high option of their own worth). But in any case, there’s no denying the validity of the phrase. […]
March 31, 2015
What’s Wrong with Dark and Depressing?
There are always critics out there who look negatively on stories that are dark and depressing, as if stories can only be filled with happiness and sunshine. They pay attention to nothing else but to the vibe and colors. “Oh no, the last movies of Harry Potter are too dark.” “Why is it always raining […]
March 27, 2015
Hydrangeas on Fire: The End
As our focus on Hydrangeas on Fire starts to fade and Chad and I become more invested in our new (and improved) writings, I wanted to take a moment to leave with you my last thoughts and thank our supporters. I think it’s important to note that HoF was the very first thing we wrote—ever. […]
March 17, 2015
Play For Me
The city lights of Seoul keep me alert, beckoning me to the streets of urban stench enhanced by savory street foods. Nothing has changed since the last time I’ve walked on the same path to my mother’s apartment building. Businesses stay open late, drawing in customers with hot meals on their minds. The winter cold […]
March 8, 2015
I’ll Cry For You (Completed Warm Up)
“Get in.” She reaches over and opens the passenger side door. But James continues walking as if pretending to not hear or see her. “I said, get in.” This time she’s sure he’s heard her. Without slowing or stopping, James glances at her from the corners of his eyes and starts to sprint along the side of the barren road. […]
February 22, 2015
The Conundrum
“If you wrote something for which someone sent you a check, if you cashed the check and it didn’t bounce, and if you then paid the light bill with the money, I consider you talented.” The problem with society’s view on trying to become a writer is that everyone’s a critic. Even if you’ve written […]
February 14, 2015
Chimae
As the elevator doors slide open, I feel the rush of hot air brushing past my exposed ears. My eyes take a brief moment to adjust to the bright white lights positioned all about the hallways in fancy lamps. I remove my shoes and enter the first room on the left, hiding my face behind […]
February 3, 2015
God’s Quote on Possibilities
“So vast, so limitless in capacity is man’s imagination to disperse and burn away the rubble-dross of fact and probability, leaving only truth and dream.” ― William Faulkner This is the quote we chose as the epigraph for our book, Hydrangeas on Fire. It’s taken from Faulkner’s 1950 book, Requiem for a Nun, which I have […]
