Michael Swanwick's Blog, page 12

My Halloween Season Story, "Unquiet Graves," in CLARKESWORLD

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I am always happiest when a story of mine comes into print. Today, I have the joy of introducing you to "Unquiet Graves," a seasonal tale of graveyard misbehavior and betrayal. Oh, and there's nothing supernatural about it at all.

You can read the story here. But if you're like me, you'll just go to Clarkesworld, look over the table of contents, and decide which story you want to read first. Mine by preference, but follow your whim.

 

And for those who like trivia . . .

I came up with the handheld's app many long years ago and it took forever to come up with a story for it. You'll notice that it is left unnamed in the story. That's because its secret name was "The Graveyard Reader." Which is the title of a well-known story by Theodore Sturgeon.  While I was writing the story, I thought of it as "The New Graveyard Reader." But Sturgeon's story and mine go off in totally different directions, and giving mine (or even the app) a title suggesting there was some implicit connection between the two would only cause confusion.

The title I finally came up with was derived from "The Unquiet Grave" by that most prolific of all poets, Anonymous. If you look it up, I suggest you do so after reading my story. It gives away some of the plot.

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All Souls Night (Conclusion)

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FINIS

 

Above: Every Autumn, I write a Halloween story, write it out on leaves (one word per leaf), photograph the leaves, and then leave them where I found them. The story is then serialized, starting on October 1 and concluding on the 31st--All Souls Day.

 

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All Souls Night (Part 30 of 31)

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CONTINUED TOMORROW. (For those who came in late: The first sentence was posted here on October 1 and a new sentence was posted every day thereafter, to make a complete story.)

 

Above: Every Autumn, I write a Halloween story, write it out on leaves (one word per leaf), photograph the leaves, and then leave them where.I found them. The story is then serialized, starting on October 1 and concluding on the 31st--All Souls Day.

 

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All Souls Night (Part 29 of 31)

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CONTINUED TOMORROW. (For those who came in late: The first sentence was posted here on October 1 and a new sentence was posted every day thereafter.)

 

Above: Every Autumn, I write a Halloween story, write it out on leaves (one word per leaf), photograph the leaves, and then leave them where.I found them. The story is then serialized, starting on October 1 and concluding on the 31st--All Souls Day.

 

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All Souls Night (Part 28 of 31)

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CONTINUED TOMORROW. (For those who came in late: The first sentence was posted here on October 1 and a new sentence was posted every day thereafter.)

 

Above: Every Autumn, I write a Halloween story, write it out on leaves (one word per leaf), photograph the leaves, and then leave them where.I found them. The story is then serialized, starting on October 1 and concluding on the 31st--All Souls Day.

 

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All Souls Night (Part 27 of 31)

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CONTINUED TOMORROW. (For those who came in late: The first sentence was posted here on October 1 and a new sentence was posted every day thereafter.)

 

Above: Every Autumn, I write a Halloween story, write it out on leaves (one word per leaf), photograph the leaves, and then leave them where.I found them. The story is then serialized, starting on October 1 and concluding on the 31st--All Souls Day.

 

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All Souls Night (Part 26 of 31)

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CONTINUED TOMORROW. (For those who came in late: The first sentence was posted here on October 1 and a new sentence was posted every day thereafter.)

 

Above: Every Autumn, I write a Halloween story, write it out on leaves (one word per leaf), photograph the leaves, and then leave them where.I found them. The story is then serialized, starting on October 1 and concluding on the 31st--All Souls Day.

 

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All Souls Night (Part 25 of 31)

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CONTINUED TOMORROW. (For those who came in late: The first sentence was posted here on October 1 and a new sentence was posted every day thereafter.)

 

Above: Every Autumn, I write a Halloween story, write it out on leaves (one word per leaf), photograph the leaves, and then leave them where.I found them. The story is then serialized, starting on October 1 and concluding on the 31st--All Souls Day.

 

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All Souls Night (Part 24 of 31)

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CONTINUED TOMORROW. (For those who came in late: The first sentence was posted here on October 1 and a new sentence was posted every day thereafter.)

 

Above: Every Autumn, I write a Halloween story, write it out on leaves (one word per leaf), photograph the leaves, and then leave them where.I found them. The story is then serialized, starting on October 1 and concluding on the 31st--All Souls Day.

 

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All Souls Night (Part 23 of 31)

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CONTINUED TOMORROW. (For those who came in late: The first sentence was posted here on October 1 and a new sentence was posted every day thereafter.)

 

Above: Every Autumn, I write a Halloween story, write it out on leaves (one word per leaf), photograph the leaves, and then leave them where.I found them. The story is then serialized, starting on October 1 and concluding on the 31st--All Souls Day.

 

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