This short story about 1970s San Francisco was long-listed for the 2018 Fish Prize, an annual literary competition out of western Ireland. It’s about a city and time that hardly exist anymore–except powerfully in memory. It begins:
When Michael L got out of Mattewan in 1968, he decided that would be his last “teardrop”—his last year in jail. Mattewan is a prison for the criminally insane in upstate New York, and it had scared him. He was 24 years old. He wasn’t crazy, only rootless and hungry, and too smart by half. So he moved to San Francisco to work out a life for himself.
It wasn’t that he tried to bury his past. He still had his crooked teeth and his essential loneliness. And it wasn’t that he never crossed the law again—far from it. But he ceased being a punk. He must have been one once. There was a way he looked around, sometimes, at the inside of a house. But he was way past all that by the time I caught with him in 1974 in the City by the Bay.
That’s the start. The story has never been published but it’s one of my best, IMHO. The Fish listing was very sweet news. To read the story, you’ll need to contact me.
Incredible. Carol M. mentioned u, so i took a look. Boy (girl), can u write.
Im writing a memoir.
A belated thank you! Somehow I missed your comment, which I see is from December. Best of luck with your memoir. It’s such a great thing to do.
I would love a copy! How can I get my mitts on one?
I’m going to send it to you.
HI Maisie, Knowing what a terrific writer you are, I would love to read this! I would also be happy to buy one of your other pieces from Amazon but I don’t have a kindle : (
Lyn
PS great author site!
Yes, afraid Kindle is required, cuz Amazon is always looking out for itself. I can send you a PDF of Myra’s Orbit.
Hi Maisie, I missed this one. Can you get me a copy of “Michael L…”?
Thanks !!
Is he a real person you based the story on?
I’m emailing you a copy. Thanks!
The illustration looks remarkably like someone we both knew . . . well. My unpublished story or short story probably not good enough to publish titled Earth Alert Sky Invert includes London/Lawrence in a cameo appearance based on a real event on Mullen. TM was a comment often heard by women who were disgusted with macho behavior as in “Those men …” with head shakes and askance looks.
I think Sharon just solved the mystery of Tai. Really glad to hear from you and who says your story isn’t good enough to publish, PW. I would love to read it if you care to share.