Above is the epigraph for my most recent story ‘Let the Die Be Cast.’ It’s my first attempt at alternate history AND my first epistolary fic! I’ve been reading a lot of primary sources on Palestinian history, especially the late Ottoman period, and during the British Mandate. When our instructor gave us the week one prompt to write about a ‘pivot’ this letter exchange sprang into my mind.
I’m weirdly proud that it’s the shortest story entered in the weekly draw for an instructor critique…
In it, I take the historical exchange of letters between Theodor Herzl (founder of modern Zionism) and Yusuf Diya al-Din Pasha al-Khalidi (a native member of the Jerusalem elite) and imagine that there is a curious postscript, as well as a different consequence for the exchange. It was also inspired by Ted Chiang’s ‘The Merchant and the Alchemist’s Gate.‘ Read: “it has time travel in it!”
I sent it in as my first ever submission to Lightspeed Magazine. Lightspeed is a dream market for me; I was first inspired to write short speculative fiction by listening to their podcast. It hasn’t been on sub for long, and I always agonize over submission periods. I don’t mind rejections, though. I should talk a bit about submissions and such later…
Above is the first paragraph of my WIP for week two of the writing workshop. I started it early, but the prompt really works well for where I was taking it: rituals and traditions!
Ok, I am procrastinating at this point. Bye for now, friends!
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