We’re excited that Nancy Stohlman has released an audio book of her acclaimed craft guide book, Going Short, an invitation to Flash Fiction. Our small press, Ad Hoc Fiction published it in Autumn 2020 and it has won several awards. You can buy the print from ahocfiction.com bookshop or from Amazon, where you can add in the audio version for a small extra price.
Nancy has narrated the guide book herself, and we are really looking forward to listening to her. She is a wonderful presenter. We thougt it would be interesting to see what sort of impact the audio version made on writers from around the world, listening in different situations and in very different locations. We all know what a difference reading your own work out loud makes. For example, you discover the rhythm, you discover where you need to pause and breathe, you listen to the sound of words, whether the last sentence is the right one, whether the beginning has immediacy.
I (Jude) have asked several writers to see how listening to Nancy read the book might have a different impact on their work. They will report back in a couple of weeks to tell us. But any of you can join in. Just contact me on Jude (at) adhocfiction (dot) com if you are interested. You may be an experienced or beginner flash fiction writer. Currently if you are not subscribed to Audible, it’s possible acquire the book for a free thirty day trial. https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Going-Short-Audiobook/B09MFYX9YK
Writers taking part in the experiment so far are:
Finnian Burnett from Canada, who say they are going to listen while walking on a treadmill.
Cheryl Markosky from Nevis,the Carribean, who is going to find out, she says, if being in the tropics makes the experience of listening more vibrant and colourful as she lives in a permanent soundscape.
April Bradley from the US, who may be going on a long car journey while listening to the book;
Slawka G Scarso, from Milan, Italy. I am not sure where she will be while listening. It could be out in the city, perhaps.
Me (Jude Higgins) who, while listening, is likely to be wandering down muddy country lanes near Bath UK, stopping to inspect primroses, celandines and other early spring flowers.
