Year III
March 1 to March 31
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Karen Quinn
Donegal
Knowing I could rely on the advise of Alice Walsh when I decided I wished to post on the works of Irish writers just getting started with their writing careers I asked her if she could perhaps let me know of a few representative stories from The Bohemyth - Literary Journal.
"After Anna" is an amazing beautiful story about a terrible family tragedy. It is also about how children react to additions to the family and how they do perceive the ebbs and flows in the relationship of their parents. (There is a link where you can read it at the bottom of this post.)
The story begins on what is described as a rare day in Ireland, the sun is making it so hot two young brothers wonder if they can fry an egg on their father's car. I laughed when they took an egg from the refrigerator and said they were going to fry it on Morris. Any man that calls his car by the brand it is can be safely said to be very into his car. The mother is in the advanced stages of pregnancy and the father has told the boys not to laugh about big she has gotten. She goes into labor right after the boys try to fry an egg on the car and the father will latter say it was the shock of seeing them do this that caused her to go into labor. I love these lines so much for the sense of the family dynamics that I hope the author will not mind if I quote them a bit. It shows a very loving family in an emotionally constrained atmosphere.
The ending is terribly sad, heartbreaking because Quinn has done such a wonderful job of making us believe in the family, in their happiness, in the fundamental goodness of the mother and the father.
You can read this story here.
This story is protected under international copyright laws and cannot be published or posted online without
permission of the owner.
Author Data
Karen Quinn is a playwright and prose writer. She completed her masters in Creative Writing at Queen’s University and is currently writing her first novel. Her play, “The Bull” toured from Belfast to Donegal after favourable reviews. She lives in Donegal (by the beach) with her dogs
I hope to read more or her stories and would be honored top one day post on her first novel.
Karen Quinn
Donegal
Please consider joining us for the event. All you need to do is complete a post on any Irish Short Story, maybe on a story that means a lot to you or a writer you admire, or any related matter and let me know about it. I will publicize your post and keep a master list. Email me if you have any questions or suggestions.
One of my favorite online Journals is The Bohemyth - Literary Journal. In addition to short stories and poems, they also publishes simply stunning photographs and art work. It is edited by Alice Walsh whose great short story, "Shahain" I posted on last year during Irish Short Story Month Year Two. In December I posted on another one of her stories, "Downaround". (Later on this month I will be posting on a brilliant story by Walsh, "Cut You Down Like an Old Oak Tree") Michael Naghen Shanks is the assistant editor. I read recently his story, ""How To Make An Omelette After You Have Eaten Everything" in the collection of Irish short stories, 30 Under 30. I found it totally fascinating. It was one of the most interesting works of Flash Fiction I have ever read. Both Alice and Micheal, and Karen Quinn, have kindly agreed to do Q and A sessions for Irish Short Story Month-Year III.
Knowing I could rely on the advise of Alice Walsh when I decided I wished to post on the works of Irish writers just getting started with their writing careers I asked her if she could perhaps let me know of a few representative stories from The Bohemyth - Literary Journal. "After Anna" is an amazing beautiful story about a terrible family tragedy. It is also about how children react to additions to the family and how they do perceive the ebbs and flows in the relationship of their parents. (There is a link where you can read it at the bottom of this post.)
The story begins on what is described as a rare day in Ireland, the sun is making it so hot two young brothers wonder if they can fry an egg on their father's car. I laughed when they took an egg from the refrigerator and said they were going to fry it on Morris. Any man that calls his car by the brand it is can be safely said to be very into his car. The mother is in the advanced stages of pregnancy and the father has told the boys not to laugh about big she has gotten. She goes into labor right after the boys try to fry an egg on the car and the father will latter say it was the shock of seeing them do this that caused her to go into labor. I love these lines so much for the sense of the family dynamics that I hope the author will not mind if I quote them a bit. It shows a very loving family in an emotionally constrained atmosphere.
"According to Daddy, it was the shock of seeing an eggy Morris that caused Mammy to go into labour. With both our parents heading to hospital, me and my brother were told to ‘sit and pray to God that everything would work out alright’. The door slammed shut, keys were shuffled and Morris tooted and hummed lightly as he drove away. We were left alone to reflect. This was our prayer:‘Dear God, look after Mammy and please let it be a boy. Also, could you please make sure that Daddy doesn’t have us for messing up Morris’ green paint with an egg? Thank you.’The story is brilliant and with amazing empathy told in the person of the older brother, we do not have his age but I see him as at most ten. He tells us that his younger brother is at first mad because Anna was a girl. His mother is so smart and loving that she tells him he will be the one to decide what dinner will be tonight. The chicken curry made me hungry. I simply love the way Quinn lets us see the family evening through the eyes of one of the brothers. It is he perfect picture of family happiness.
One half of our prayer came true. Baby Anna saved us from the slap that night. According to Daddy she was a big girl who weighed in at about three bags of sugar."
"That night was the best night of my life. Mammy made a tasty chicken curry and Daddy even brought us back a cone of sweets from the market. Anna was quiet, so Daddy turned the radio down low. Together he and Mammy danced in their bare feet on the tiles. We then watched Danger Mouse before going to bed, later than usual. Anna stirred once or twice in the night, I heard her whimper, but she was quiet otherwise. She was a very quiet baby."I simply have to stop talking about the story now. The ending is amazing powerful, with the power amplified by the narrative mode. Telling a story through the narrative of a child is far from easy in that it is very hard to enter into the consciousness of a person very young without patronizing them or causing them to lose their uniqueness. Quinn has totally master this challenge.
The ending is terribly sad, heartbreaking because Quinn has done such a wonderful job of making us believe in the family, in their happiness, in the fundamental goodness of the mother and the father.
You can read this story here.
This story is protected under international copyright laws and cannot be published or posted online without
permission of the owner.
Author Data
Karen Quinn is a playwright and prose writer. She completed her masters in Creative Writing at Queen’s University and is currently writing her first novel. Her play, “The Bull” toured from Belfast to Donegal after favourable reviews. She lives in Donegal (by the beach) with her dogs
I hope to read more or her stories and would be honored top one day post on her first novel.
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