Full confession: I’ve never been a short story reader. I think that stems from the fact that the only time we ever read them was in English class from one of those glossy textbooks where everything ran together. But in undergrad, I took a class on Poe with Dr. G. R. Thompson, who at the time was the foremost Poe scholar in the US, and he told us something that had me reconsidering. He said that Poe believed short stories were superior to novels because you could sit down and read them in a single sitting. I hadn’t ever considered that before.
Another confession: I’m a task oriented person and prefer to finish one thing before starting another. I will binge an audiobook until I finish it—sneaking to try to listen to it at dinner, when I’m getting my kids ready for bed, and while trying to grade and do other tasks that really need my full attention. I have realized then, that the short story form really is my jam. I have also realized that short story collections and anthologies can pack a lot of diverse experiences and perspectives into a single punch, and I’m always here for that too. Luckily, there have been an amazing number of short story collections coming out that feature rural perspectives, and I’m excited to be able to recommend them here.
Be sure to listen to the Read Appalachia podcast episode, and here’s more on this month’s theme from Kendra.
THIS MONTH’S THEME: SHORT STORIES
Short stories are perfect little gems, a polished treasure the author presents to us. At least, that’s how I think of them. I fell in love with short stories in college. I had never realized that an author could make me care so much in just a few pages. It felt like magic.
Several years ago, I started reading a short story a day as my advent calendar. As I counted down the days until Christmas, I read story after story, discovering new-to-me authors and marveling at their skillful storytelling. This year, I’m doing the same. With November’s theme of short stories, I wanted to introduce readers to more short stories and encourage readers to pick up more of these first-rate collections.
BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS
For this month, I (Chea) have selected short story anthologies to recommend. Which means that there are no picture book recommendations this month. These anthologies also lean more toward the YA side of the publishing spectrum but could be enjoyed by some middle grade readers.
Rural Voices: 15 Authors Challenge Assumptions About Small-Town America edited by Nora Shalaway Carpenter
In this Whippoorwill Award winning collection, there are 16 pieces: 2 poems; 3 graphic short stories; 1 essay; and 10 short stories. The states represented include: South Carolina, New York, Texas, Idaho, West Virginia, Virginia, Utah, Georgia, Michigan, Indiana, Alaska, and New Mexico. Most of the stories are realistic fiction but there are a few with speculative elements to them. The pieces gathered here tackle everything from issues of social class, ableism/disability, mental health, family, religion, LGBTQIA+ identity building and acceptance, and just being a human being with all the beauty and challenges that come with it. Just like Carpenter says in the intro, in every story, I found something that felt familiar – felt like home, and I also learned a bunch from the things that didn’t. There’s such a wealth of rural perspectives here. You can check out more about Rural Voices on the Reading Rural YAL podcast and listen to my interview with Nora here.
The Gathering Dark: An Anthology of Folk Horror edited by Tori Bovalino
The book jacket summary is too good not to share: These are the stories that haunt us. A cemetery full of restless dead. A town so wicked it has already burned down twice, with the breath of the third fire looming. A rural, isolated ridge with a terrifying monster waiting for the completion of its summoning ritual. A lake that allows the drowned to return, though they have been changed by the claws of death. These are the shadowed, liminal spaces where curses and monsters lurk, refusing to be forgotten. The stories in this Whippoorwill Award winning anthology explore and work to illustrate how the monstrous and scary can teach us about who we are and the world around us. The stories take place in New Zealand, in the Caribbean, in Appalachia, in the Pacific Northwest, in Texas. The cultures and languages and identities of the characters in the story are as diverse as the folklore they draw from and illustrate. They are all spooky and all brilliant. Check out the Reading Rural YAL book talk and interview with some of the authors to learn more.
Ab(solutely) Normal: Short Stories that Smash Mental Health Stereotypes edited by Nora Shalaway Carpenter and Rocky Callen
Sixteen authors channel their own experiences with mental health to disrupt stereotypes in this short story collection where:
A teen activist wrestles with anxiety and PTSD.
A socially anxious vampire learns he must work with others to save his town.
A girl writes letters to an ex-boyfriend, revealing that her angry outbursts are related to PMDD.
A boy finds that his relentless tears enable another’s healing.
In this bold and inspiring collection, the authors draw on their own lived experiences with mental health to create stories that will uplift and empower readers, breaking their hearts to glue them back together, knowing that things are stronger where they’re broken. Whether prose, verse, or graphic in style, the narratives and characters in this anthology disrupt and defy stereotypes, reminding readers that living with a mental health condition doesn’t mean a person must be defined by it. Each story includes a note from its author to the reader and numerous resources are included in the backmatter of the collection.
Check out the latest Read Appalachia Podcast. and learn more about Read Appalachia at https://www.readappalachia.com/
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Dr. Parton's Literacy In Place 