A Blank Canvas

No, I'm not talking about my brain, although some people would argue that I could be. I found out tonight that one of my short stories, "Regrets, I've Had a Few," has been selected to appear in the premiere issue of TREI Literary Magazine, a Webzine debuting on September 1!

This story tells the tale of a man who has lost just about everything that made his life worth living - job, family, self-respect - thanks to a terrible tragedy that occurred years ago. His only solace now comes from what he calls "Mining for miseries," a routine where he buys drinks for strangers he meets in a local tavern and compares tales of woe. Eventually, he meets a stranger who tells a story that may just change the course of his life...

I'm really partial to "Regrets, I've Had a Few," because it reminds us just how close we all are to the edge of darkness, no matter how successful we may be, or how successful we think we are. We can be going along just fine in our insulated little worlds, and all of a sudden everything we have is taken away and all that we think we know about the world, all of our notions about life and fate and fairness, are turned upside down.

I am excited about my inclusion in TREI because I have no idea what the magazine is going to be like, nor do I have any clue what the other short stories are going to be about. I expect some suspense/horror/dark themes; all the stuff, in other words, that makes life interesting and keeps us on our toes when we get a little too comfortable.

Anyway, many thanks to C.L. Freire, Editor-In-Chief of the new magazine, as well as Editor M.R. Green for considering my work. Here's to a long and successful run for TREI Literary!