Short story writer Jayna Locke is chatting with me about her new collection of literary shorts, Somewhere in Minnesota.
Bio:
Jayna Locke is a Minnesota writer who has had a lifelong love of fiction. Her short stories have appeared in a range of literary journals, including Great Lakes Review, Portage Magazine, and Bright Flash Literary Review, as well as several anthologies. Her collection of short stories, Somewhere in Minnesota, is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Kirk House Publishers. She is reachable through her contact form at bit.ly/ContactJayna or on X at www.x.com/@jaynatweets.
What do you enjoy most about writing short stories?
Writing short stories, for me, is a little bit like sculpting. I love the process of discovering what is going to emerge when I start to write. I might begin with just a short scene or a character description. And then the story begins to take shape and I discover what the story is all about.
Can you give us a little insight into a few of your short stories – perhaps some of your favorites?
My stories are all very different. Like children, I suppose, they are each special in their own way.
One of my favorites is called The Picnic. It is told from the perspective of a young man named Josh who is startled one day when his girlfriend circles a date on the calendar at the end of May and asks if that is a good day for a picnic. But at that moment in time, it is January — the dead of winter — and there’s snow everywhere. No one in their right mind is thinking about picnics. As the story unfolds, we come to understand why she has picked that date, that the relationship is at a crossroads, and that the stakes are higher than he thought. As I began writing this story, a sub-plot emerged that deepened the story and its impact. It is perhaps the one that could make a person cry.
Another favorite of mine is called Cast Off. First published last year in a literary magazine, this story finds a young woman standing on the shore of Lake Superior, in the town where she grew up. She hears people speaking to her, both the living and the dead. As she contemplates the reason she is there — to deal with the contents of her mother’s house after her passing — she sees a human-shaped form washed up on the beach. This launches the story and her quest.
What genre are you inspired to write in the most? Why?
I primarily write literary fiction. This might sound off-putting to some, but it simply means that the story is just as much about scenes, characters, and oddball moments as it is about plot. I love to capture human beings in situations, dealing with all the bizarre life circumstances we encounter, and doing and saying things that are both ridiculous and familiar, like that person could be your eccentric friend or relative.
What exciting story are you working on next?
I’m now working on a collection of short stories that take place in a fictional town in Minnesota. Unlike the first collection, these stories are more genre-based. I’m talking ghost stories, thrillers and magical realism. I’m having a lot of fun with it.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
That’s a very good question. I wrote my first short story in fourth grade but didn’t take writing seriously at that time. In college, I started out with a focus on art and then shifted over to creative writing when I realized it came much more naturally to me than anything I might fashion on an easel. Shortly after that, I earned an MFA in writing. And then I became a professional writer in high tech. So, one way or another I’ve been writing for quite a long time. However, it is only in the last five years or so that I began to write in earnest and started getting my stories published, and it wasn’t until I had published a few stories that I felt like I could legitimately claim the title.
How do you research markets for your work, perhaps as some advice for writers?
There are some great resources today for finding markets. One of the best is Submittable. They have a fantastic search engine where you can filter by genre and so on. If you don’t want to see any publications that charge for submissions, you can filter those out and only consider publications that do not require a submission fee. Duotrope is another similar service.
Another great resource for short story and flash fiction writers is a running list managed by a writer named D.L. Shirey. He has an enormous list of publications, what they are looking for, the word count limits and whether they are a paying market. His list is easy to find in a Google search.
In terms of advice, I would just suggest that writers really try to spend a little time learning about any publication they plan to submit to and ensure that the story is a good match for the publication.
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I’m what they call a “pantser.” Pantsers are the opposite of plotters. We let our stories plot themselves. (In other words, we “fly by the seat of our pants.”) We start writing, and the characters and whatever problems they are encountering start to take shape before our very eyes. It’s a little bit of magic. I’m not sure I’m capable of plotting a story in advance. If I start thinking about how to concoct a story, and I don’t start writing the actual words, my mind strays and I lose interest.
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I was enamored with creative pursuits of all kinds, from acting and singing to writing and the arts. I grew up in a theater family, and all of us acted in my father’s community theater and college theater from time to time. I wasn’t fond of being on stage, but my experience around theater people and the wonders of the stage compelled me to pursue creative initiatives. The very first career I remember daydreaming about was interior design, then eventually a writer and illustrator of children’s books, followed by a fiction writer.
Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
Literature and books are alive and well today, and it is because of the symbiotic relationship of writers and readers. You can’t have one without the other. As for myself, I am an avid reader, in addition to being a writer, and I read three or four novels each month. The lightbulb went on for me, once I had my own book out, that one of the most important things you can do if you read a book you like is to give it a good rating and a review on Amazon, Goodreads or Barnes & Noble. I have decided to start doing so immediately! We all should. It’s how readers find great books and know in advance that they will be worth reading. And it is immensely supportive of the hard work of authors as well.
I’m proud to be in an online writing group led by Jayna. She is a very inspiring writer. Her stories usually start with ordinary situations, and become totally unpredictable. This might be because she’s a panther.
Also, while she doesn’t romanticize Minnesota, she makes me want to visit to experience beautiful lake summers, and even the harshness of winters, in order to see the places that inspired her.
If you can, by a hard copy of Somewhere in Minnesota. The design of this book is beautiful .I like that the end of each story, seeing if and where it was published. That’s so much easier than thumbing around for that information. If she ever sells the cover of the book (with her own photo) as a wall poster, count me in.
I meant to say buy a copy of her book instead of by.