Fourth story published. Read it online now.
It’s difficult for me to talk about this extremely short story—another sub 1000 words piece—without giving away the twist ending, so if you like figuring things out, please read it first to avoid any spoilers in the coming paragraphs.
There are tonnes of science fiction stories about [INSERT SPOILER TOPIC], but that didn’t stop me from having a crack at writing my own. I’ve actually written several on the topic now, but this is the first to be accepted for publication. I’m not sure what that says about me, this mild obsession with [INSERT SPOILER TOPIC].
It either comes from a place of fear: What if I’m not the only person out there like me?
Or, from a place of wonder: Wouldn’t it be great if there was more people like me out there!
Have you figured it out yet?
That’s right, I’m talking about [INSERT SPOILER TOPIC]. This story, Stop Copying Me, is by far the most lighthearted of any I’ve written—or read—about [INSERT SPOILER TOPIC].
Ion at AntipodeanSF was even kind enough to include my own reading of the story on his radio show. It’s not out at the time of writing this, but if you prefer to listen to Australian science fiction rather than reading it, I encourage you to check out an episode or two.
Moving on…
Science fictionyness aside, the story is about divorce and how the actions of parents, however well intended, impact upon children. It doesn’t really need to be said, but it affects everyone differently. Personally, I don’t think I was self-aware enough, back then, to identify exactly what I was feeling when it happened to me. So, I mushed all the stories of people I’ve spoken with together with the things I can remember into one person and ended up with a female teenager as narrator who’s a little self centred—that part is definitely me.
Oh and Dad’s jeep makes an appearance, but Mum never actually called it the crisis-mobile.
You can read it online now, for free, here: Stop Copying Me
PS. For the undistractable and or impatient: [INSERT SPOILER TOPIC] = clones/cloning.
