Letter From The Founder
Issue 13 so the topic, naturally, is superstition. And when the deadline passed last night there were 13 submissions for this months Symposium. Spooky, no?
Well, although they say that the number 13 is unlucky for some, today at least it is certainly not unlucky for you dear readers. At least based on the quality of the work on display here. As is getting to be a regular occurrence in these monthly dispatches there is enough great fiction here to fill a slim volume as well as a handful of witty and insightful essays AND a short film to cap it all off.
Perhaps with this offering we have finally killed off all negative and unlucky associations around the number 13 once and for all. Now we just need to tackle ladders, black cats, broken mirrors and hats-on-beds as future topics and perhaps we can put the entire idea of bad luck behind us. Maybe this is wishful thinking.
So just in case it might still be a good idea to keep hold of a lucky rabbits foot just in case. I mean, you never know.
So enjoy this months offering and subscribe to all of our wonderful contributors. Hopefully we’ll see you back here next month. Touch wood.
Enjoy.
Essays
Da Vinci to Dishes - The Sequence by Jeanne
The Golden Ration, The Fibonacci sequence as applied to the noble art of doing the dishes. Where else are you going to find writing like this? In fact I’m a little envious of this one and wish I would have beaten Jeanne to the punch with this idea. Although I don’t think I could’ve executed it as well.
Superstitious Synchronicities by Clint
This is an important piece which I believe all artists (in every medium) will find both relatable and useful. Most online discourse on creativity is about the dry nuts and bolts of mere productivity whereas real practitioners know it is a mystical activity dictated by serendipity, coincidence, Muses and being an antennae for celestial transmissions. Clint gets it.
Superstition by Terry
I’m a big fan of the way that Terry is able to both teach by example and use wit and humour so that his lessons stick. His Substack is called Eclecticism for a reason, and I can’t think of a more fitting name. This piece acts as an excellent introduction to Terry and his work and hopefully it will prove to be the tip of the iceberg for your on exploration into his prolific output.
Can't stop not believing by Lyle Mckeany
Lyle has a gift for mixing the personal, the provocative and the profound into essays that are immediately recognisable as his. There is an element of true simplicity in his work (as opposed to merely being simplistic) which from my own experience I know to be a very difficult thing to pull off. Impressive as always.
Fiction
Fluffislav The Fearsome by Vanya
Once again Vanya wins the prize for fastest submission to a Symposium. He is also currently top of this Substacks leaderboard with 4 separate submissions/co-submissions since we launched back in February. What else can you say? Oh yes- Fluffislav Fluffinsky might be one of the greatest and silliest character names in contemporary literature. If I came up with a name like that I would’ve immediately given myself the rest of the day off.
On Heron Pond by Adam Kozak
I reckon this is better than The Old Man and The Sea you know. Bold statement, but after reading Adam’s story I can’t shake this initial impression.
Bergtagen by Minna
Prehistory, folk lore and a story within a story. What more can you possible ask for? This is an wonderfully executed tale.
We Are the Repeating Progenitors of Our Own Pain by Trilety
It’s a very tough field but this one might well win Best Essay/Story Title of The Month, which is a contest that is becoming increasingly heated with each new Symposium. You come up with a title that good and there is every chance that the meat of the story doesn’t live up to that promise. But there’s no need to fear, this is Trilety we are talking about here.
The Life of Zoe by Clint (again)
A second entry from Clint, using Vanya’s Gambit to double dip by submitting two works in two different mediums. And I’m glad he did, because this is a perfect counterpoint to his essay above, proving all of his discussions about creativity, serendipity and Muses is not just talk. Great stuff here.
Destructive Effects of Irrational Beliefs on a Mother’s Spine by Victor D. Sandiego
At times, when old memories, sharp and serrated, slice his serenity, Enrique Roberto Lopez Sandia recalls when he was a child on his way with his parents to the old country and how he wondered why one country should be old and another not so old and how his parents had little tolerance for his nascent peculiarities and so threw from their mouths repelling spears of words like: because I said so. And: one day you’ll understand.
This, friends, is how you write the opening to a story. Outstanding.
A Forgotten Circle of Hades by Edward
Edward continues to create universes and write in a timeframe of eons. No one else out here is doing (or could do) what he is doing with his vast literary project. The embedded music selections for each section are a nice touch too.
Listen to the Real Bird Sing by Greg
The debut appearance by new(ish) STSC member Greg. He’s featured among some pretty heavy hitters this month and the fact that he is able to hold his own within such stellar company is testament to his skills. Looking forward to seeing more of what Greg can do in the coming months.
Video
A Numbers Game by D.B.
He did not know how many steps he had left. He counted every step he took and logged them in a journal at night. He did not rely on devices but kept the numbers in his head, whispering them as he walked if he had to. The progression of numbers was the daily music of his life.
Wow. D.B. has managed to pack so much- visually, conceptually, artistically- into under 3 minutes of run time. This is one of the most evocative depictions of obsession that I have ever witnessed. A must see.
So that was the STSC symposium on Superstition. We hope you enjoyed reading it as much as we enjoyed creating it.
Thank you for your support with these projects we share, thank you for reading them and thanks for all of your comments, feedback and notes. Thank you for taking the time to share them and pass on the word.
And of course above all thanks to all of the contributors and those who help keep the STSC going via their kind support, especially those who keep a low profile, I hope we will be able to coax more of you into taking the plunge and participating in future issues.
Cheers.
Thanks for another great collection, Tom, which I'm looking forward to reading. Thanks too for the nice comment :-)
13 brings me good luck! (I must be a witch!)