AH! the distinct pleasure of not only learning about a new-to-me author but also getting to read their work immediately, LOVING IT, and then rereading your words after to close the loop. a 10/10 morning where I tucked my feet under me, clutched my coffee, and read this story from the glow of my laptop. I will be reading again! I will likely be purchasing the collection. can't wait for the next one. :)
also, god is it rare to find a narrator who can so accurately describe AND embody a mind getting lost to itself, a mind full of flickering thoughts and feelings, a mind that is desperately looking for the "smallest patch of stable ground" (as Greenwell says) and is trying trying trying but missing missing missing. I felt so seen in that pacing and that tracking.
ok sorry, I'm back. just read sparks again, pen and notebook in hand, and oh my god. there are 13 instances where a single moment, word, or object links our narrator's present to a past with Duer. the first time is after noticing Nita's gold chain; "Duer wears a chain," and they continue on, from looking at art to listening to the actor's plot explanation to missed conversational beats, and each time Lil is confronted with a relational history she can only relive in her mind. but in that reliving we learn so much! we learn about her fragility and her depth, we learn what comforts her even if for a moment, we learn about the scope of her and Duer's relationship. we SEE why it's so hard for her to unlink her memories. because who could after a relationship of any magnitude?
the links end, however, after the in-person memories end, after she "simply does not see him again." the torch that is Lil and Duer's relationship, which has guided our entire evening, is suddenly snuffed; and in that snuffing the story, our evening, our own relationship with their relationship, comes to a close. the previously lit path darkens until finally, at the very end, she is met with "all these arms" "cupping a tiny flame" and "all I had to do...was lean forward into their light, my cheeks ablaze, and take my pick." I MEAN COME ON it's so beautiful, the layers of love and grief and comparison that characterize so many of our most vulnerable moments, our most treasured relationships. tender tender tender. that's what I feel after reading this. in the best way.
Alyssa! Your morning coffee-and-story combo sounds ideal. So pleased you liked "Sparks," and lucky you because there is SO much incredible work by Susan Minot to read! (I love her novel Monkeys!)
For several years I’ve kept track of the books I read, just a simple list in my Notes app with a binary rating. A book gets a star or it doesn’t, that’s it. I’ve never kept track of short stories but this is making me think I should! In 2025 so far the list is just Sparks. I loved the specificity of all the images, like you was reminded of my twenties and my twenties-era brain.
I was struck by this quick passage early on: “Lex had on a faded green shirt he'd been wearing since high school and around Nita's throat hung her usual gold chain with the charm and the dangling fist. Duer wears a chain, a plain one." Impressive how a single throwaway sentence about an ex can so accurately capture a whole headspace.
I love that passage too, the rhythm and concision!! I have a secret Goodreads I use for remembering books read (and when) but wanted a system to keep better track of stories -- hence this project. I think I'm just temperamentally inclined to keep/enjoy lists (Capricorn rising); it gives me this feeling of satisfaction, and also something to refer back to. Often my introduction to a writer is through a single story, and having the list reminds me to seek out their other work. Thank you for being here!
Love this concept and the PDF on hand was perfect! I dipped back into reading short stories at the end of last year when I was too tired to read novels before bed (mostly best of collections and a few of a full author’s collection) but the idea of a story and poem every day is dreamy. I want to start keeping track of my favorites and am excited to read the next dispatch!
Story specifics—this author is new to me but I’m excited to read her novel and full collection. This is my first time reading a story that captures the « spark » (pun intended) and the hope of a chance meeting at a party. It’s impossible to separate our past from our present self but in these moments of first impressions it’s like we’re acutely aware of our idiosyncrasies. I wished Lil could embrace the excitement of meeting the actor but recognized the tug of getting over an ex.
Thank you so much for sharing the “Sparks” pdf! I’ve always kept track of the books (and collections) I’m reading—but for some reason it hasn’t crossed my mind to keep a list of the individual short stories I read, despite being an avid fan of quite a few online & print publications, short story writers, etc. Feeling very inspired to take on the habit in the new year—excited to have found your newsletter & thank you for sharing!
Thank you for being here, Regan! I hope you do keep a list (and share it with us!), even if it's just whenever you remember! Honestly, my motivation for starting this newsletter is largely selfish: I want everyone to tell me their favorite stories...
I'm late to the party (pun sort of intended), but I can't thank you enough for sharing + making the pdf accessible - I've read it 4 or 5 times now and find something new to savor each time. On a granular level, it's incredible how vividly drawn each character is, and in so few words ("Things on Stacey usually matched," Jenny "matter-of-factly" "banging a chicken with a wooden club"). As the night wears on, you can feel the narrator, and her reliability, unraveling. We only learn that she's standing dangerously close to the edge of the roof only because Stacey says, "That's not funny." By the end, I felt so absorbed in the POV that it was almost easy to gloss over how meticulously the story is constructed. I guess dissociating during a dinner party is both a timeless and universal experience; I can't tell if that's comforting, eerie, or both.
AH! the distinct pleasure of not only learning about a new-to-me author but also getting to read their work immediately, LOVING IT, and then rereading your words after to close the loop. a 10/10 morning where I tucked my feet under me, clutched my coffee, and read this story from the glow of my laptop. I will be reading again! I will likely be purchasing the collection. can't wait for the next one. :)
also, god is it rare to find a narrator who can so accurately describe AND embody a mind getting lost to itself, a mind full of flickering thoughts and feelings, a mind that is desperately looking for the "smallest patch of stable ground" (as Greenwell says) and is trying trying trying but missing missing missing. I felt so seen in that pacing and that tracking.
ok sorry, I'm back. just read sparks again, pen and notebook in hand, and oh my god. there are 13 instances where a single moment, word, or object links our narrator's present to a past with Duer. the first time is after noticing Nita's gold chain; "Duer wears a chain," and they continue on, from looking at art to listening to the actor's plot explanation to missed conversational beats, and each time Lil is confronted with a relational history she can only relive in her mind. but in that reliving we learn so much! we learn about her fragility and her depth, we learn what comforts her even if for a moment, we learn about the scope of her and Duer's relationship. we SEE why it's so hard for her to unlink her memories. because who could after a relationship of any magnitude?
the links end, however, after the in-person memories end, after she "simply does not see him again." the torch that is Lil and Duer's relationship, which has guided our entire evening, is suddenly snuffed; and in that snuffing the story, our evening, our own relationship with their relationship, comes to a close. the previously lit path darkens until finally, at the very end, she is met with "all these arms" "cupping a tiny flame" and "all I had to do...was lean forward into their light, my cheeks ablaze, and take my pick." I MEAN COME ON it's so beautiful, the layers of love and grief and comparison that characterize so many of our most vulnerable moments, our most treasured relationships. tender tender tender. that's what I feel after reading this. in the best way.
Alyssa! Your morning coffee-and-story combo sounds ideal. So pleased you liked "Sparks," and lucky you because there is SO much incredible work by Susan Minot to read! (I love her novel Monkeys!)
For several years I’ve kept track of the books I read, just a simple list in my Notes app with a binary rating. A book gets a star or it doesn’t, that’s it. I’ve never kept track of short stories but this is making me think I should! In 2025 so far the list is just Sparks. I loved the specificity of all the images, like you was reminded of my twenties and my twenties-era brain.
I was struck by this quick passage early on: “Lex had on a faded green shirt he'd been wearing since high school and around Nita's throat hung her usual gold chain with the charm and the dangling fist. Duer wears a chain, a plain one." Impressive how a single throwaway sentence about an ex can so accurately capture a whole headspace.
Anyway, thanks for sharing!
I love that passage too, the rhythm and concision!! I have a secret Goodreads I use for remembering books read (and when) but wanted a system to keep better track of stories -- hence this project. I think I'm just temperamentally inclined to keep/enjoy lists (Capricorn rising); it gives me this feeling of satisfaction, and also something to refer back to. Often my introduction to a writer is through a single story, and having the list reminds me to seek out their other work. Thank you for being here!
Love this concept and the PDF on hand was perfect! I dipped back into reading short stories at the end of last year when I was too tired to read novels before bed (mostly best of collections and a few of a full author’s collection) but the idea of a story and poem every day is dreamy. I want to start keeping track of my favorites and am excited to read the next dispatch!
Story specifics—this author is new to me but I’m excited to read her novel and full collection. This is my first time reading a story that captures the « spark » (pun intended) and the hope of a chance meeting at a party. It’s impossible to separate our past from our present self but in these moments of first impressions it’s like we’re acutely aware of our idiosyncrasies. I wished Lil could embrace the excitement of meeting the actor but recognized the tug of getting over an ex.
Thank you so much for sharing the “Sparks” pdf! I’ve always kept track of the books (and collections) I’m reading—but for some reason it hasn’t crossed my mind to keep a list of the individual short stories I read, despite being an avid fan of quite a few online & print publications, short story writers, etc. Feeling very inspired to take on the habit in the new year—excited to have found your newsletter & thank you for sharing!
Thank you for being here, Regan! I hope you do keep a list (and share it with us!), even if it's just whenever you remember! Honestly, my motivation for starting this newsletter is largely selfish: I want everyone to tell me their favorite stories...
I'm late to the party (pun sort of intended), but I can't thank you enough for sharing + making the pdf accessible - I've read it 4 or 5 times now and find something new to savor each time. On a granular level, it's incredible how vividly drawn each character is, and in so few words ("Things on Stacey usually matched," Jenny "matter-of-factly" "banging a chicken with a wooden club"). As the night wears on, you can feel the narrator, and her reliability, unraveling. We only learn that she's standing dangerously close to the edge of the roof only because Stacey says, "That's not funny." By the end, I felt so absorbed in the POV that it was almost easy to gloss over how meticulously the story is constructed. I guess dissociating during a dinner party is both a timeless and universal experience; I can't tell if that's comforting, eerie, or both.