A few days after I read “Nineteen Things Only People Who Will Not Survive The Hour Will Understand,” at the Vermin on the Mount reading series this summer, fellow vermin Karen Stefano contacted me, said she liked my work, and asked if she could feature me in an upcoming issue of Connotation Press. And I was like, oh did you just compliment my writing, sure I’ll do everything you want me to do.
However, being (at-the-time) knee-deep in polishing up a novel and finding an agent, I had very little unpublished original short fiction to offer her, so I whipped up a few things at the very last minute of the generous period of time she gave me to send her some work. Fortunately, she did like one of the pieces. It’s called “He’ll Write Your Name on The Bedroom Wall,” and it’s set in my hometown in northern England and I hope you enjoy it.
“You could get in so much trouble,” I said, taking it from him. I took a drag and tried to act like it wasn’t the first time I’d done it.
“Nobody is coming out anytime soon. I was just inside and overheard the teachers all being fucking insane. There’s been another.”
He took the cigarette out of my hand and I thought of my own spit on the edge, mixing with his.
“Another murder?” I said. “Shit.”
–from “He’ll Write Your Name on The Bedroom Wall” (direct link to full-screen story)
And! Karen also interviewed me. About the inspiration for that story and my writing in general, and what my writing life looks like. I spent nearly the entire time indulgently babbling a makeshift love letter to my writing friends. Which to be honest, they totally deserve.
JULIA DIXON EVANS 