I was trolling through the stories I have had published in various anthologies and magazines over the years and they are starting to amount to an untidy pile. More importantly, what do I make of them? After publication, and after an initial reading, they lie forgotten in boxes and bookshelves in readers’ houses, perhaps never to be retrieved – one•trick ponies. Can these stories have a second life? Be re•distributed to new sets of eyes? That’s when I started thinking of Wattpad.
My stories fall into three recurring themes: losing home, wandering abroad, and finding home, always beginning from scratch. This is consistent with my life which has followed a similar path. Overall, there is a silver lining to these stories that can sometimes be a bit sad, a bit funny or a bit mystifying. Therefore, I have decided to go through my pile of published stories, pick my favourites and re•publish them for the world, free of charge. Why not? Give them the second life they probably deserve, unless my readers tell me otherwise. And I am open to feedback – good, bad or indifferent.
Starting in November, I will be adding one story a week from these once•told tales to my profile on Wattpad (www.wattpad.com) and I will be inviting my readers to take a read and let me know what they think. The title of this collection enjoying a second life will be Lest They Be Forgotten – twice•told tales.
I hope you will join me in the journey, and spread the word.
