Age: One of the “Nine Ages of Man” in the poem by F. Emerson Andrews.
Location: Chicago
Education: B.A. English Composition, DePauw University
The Writer
Do you see writing as a career?
A career or a calling or a commitment — lots of Cs here, but it’s what I do. I can’t imagine not writing.
Do you write full-time?
Yes.
What do you consider to be your greatest accomplishment as a writer?
So far? Winning the Fish International Short Story Prize in Ireland
The Work
Tell us about your work in Crack the Spine.
“Little Mister” – Mr. Fisher swears to tell the truth about his mis-adventures in hiring his mother’s secondhand dachshund, Little Mister, out for stud.
Anything else you’d like to share about your work in Crack the Spine?
I always second-guess myself when writing dialect because many of my professors were adamantly opposed to it. Consequently it took me a long time to be confident in Mr. Fisher’s voice. It all boils down to how I hear him in my head and how he sounds when I read the story aloud. Visiting my paternal grandmother as a child, I would read to her by the fireplace in the evenings, choosing stories and poems from the old McGuffey’s readers or tales of Southern adventures from my grandfather’s collection. I fell in love with the characters and their speech patterns, and once in a while I create a character who would be right at home at my grandmother’s hearth.
Tell us about another project you are working on.
“Until There’s Not” is a short story about a consulting business analyst in information technology working with a group of brilliant young people half his age.
What inspired this work?
“Until There’s Not” was conceived as I was riding the Metra train into Downtown Chicago and a man boarded with a cup of coffee and a falling-off adhesive bandage on his finger. I began describing his mannerisms in the notebook I carry most everywhere. Remarkably those notes transferred nearly intact into the final story.
Where/When can we find this work?
My short story, “Until There’s Not,” will be published in Crannog, an Irish magazine, on October 30.
The Methods
How many drafts do you generally go through before you consider a piece to be complete?
I revise as I go along. Each time I return to working on a story I read it from the beginning, making corrections or changes as they occur to me. Finishing a story is the hardest part for me. I may write most of a story then get stalled out. Sometimes it’s because I want the characters to do something they won’t. Other times it is just that the story has to percolate some more. When I first started writing short stories I tried to force an ending, thinking I could write my way thorough a block. Now I know better. It is not unusual for me to write a nearly complete story and not write the ending until months or even years later. When the ending works, I know it.
What are your thoughts on writing at a computer vs. writing longhand?
Computer. When things are working right, I can’t write longhand fast enough to keep up.
What is your usual starting point for a piece?
My work is character driven, many times inspired by an overheard phrase or an observation in a public place.
How do you react when one of your submissions is accepted for publication?
Like Snuffles, the dog on Quick Draw McGraw.
The Madness
What is your favorite book?
J.D. Salinger’s Nine Stories. My copy is yellow and falling apart and still I reread it, albeit carefully.
Who is your favorite author?
Short stories? Annie Proulx, Ron Rash, Stephen King. Novels: John Irving, Margaret Atwood, Robert Ludlum. (Not counting personal friends. I don’t want to choose between them.)
What is your favorite word?
Yes.
Who would play you in the film of your life?
Catherine Keener. She’s built her reputation on quirky roles.
What’s in that cup on your desk?
Coffee with half and half for morning composing. Editing takes something stronger – an early evening glass of red wine.
Cats or Dogs?
Bird dogs, definitely.
Beer or Wine?
Red wine
Additional Reading on Linda
Personal website/blog: www.lindaheuring.com
Facebook profile or page: facebook.com/lindaheuring