This is apparently the year of short shorts for my writing. They are easy and fun to write, and I’m getting all of them published, which is, of course, fantastic! I received some nice comments on this one already, and there’s a chance that I will get paid for it. They select certain stories to be in their anthologies, which would be cool both for the token payment and to have a fourth print edition of something I wrote.
This is a rare story of mine that was not inspired by reality, but rather by my favorite movie, Barry Lyndon. It’s a three-hour long period drama from 1975, directed by Stanley Kubrick and based on an old novel. It has a plot – a very good one – but the plot really isn’t the point. The film is a visual feast. The costumes, the scenery, the emotions that are portrayed not through words but through gestures and looks between characters and slow movement. The music too, is carefully chosen to transmit specific sensations. It’s brilliant.
If you haven’t seen it and you enjoy artistic film, you must watch this. My story was inspired by the final scene of the film, which I won’t give away here (but you can watch on YouTube if you want). My main character’s circumstances are completely different from those of Lady Lyndon’s, with mine being the antagonist in a state of self-flagellation while Lady Lyndon was the victim of a rogue, but the inspiration will be clear.
Please enjoy my piece on 101 Words, and be sure to check out some of the other excellent writing too.
Jennifer A Swallow 