Editor’s Note
We’re almost two years into this Story|Houston caper, which began as a conversation between two enthusiastic dilettantes in an art museum and has since evolved into a modest yet thriving literary concern. This Fall Issue continues our trend of publishing first-timers alongside rising stars and some pretty big names.
But I’d be lying if I said it was easy. Neil DeGrasse Tyson will be the first to tell you that making something out of nothing isn’t just hard—it’s impossible—and we are deeply indebted not only to our staff, but to the dedicated writers without whom we’d be nothing. They are part of the family.
That’s how I think of us. The Story|H staff, our contributors, and our readership—we form a sort of extensive, semi-dysfunctional family. Which is, incidentally, the theme of our Fall 2014 Issue.
First up is Karen Kasaba’s “Continental Divides.” We were drawn to Ms. Kasaba’s casting of generational misunderstanding against a New Age backdrop. The use of a mystical vocabulary, one that is neither sarcastic nor patronizing, is a rarity in today’s literary landscape. Ms. Kasaba, a professional screenwriter, seems to have a gift for prose narrative. Take a look.
No one’s ever accused us of being at the forefront of the social media boom, which is part of the reason Alison Wisdom’s tale of extramarital intrigue in the digital age was so attractive to us. We think our readers will find the excitement and partial anonymity of the liaisons in “Someone Else” at once exotic and familiar, like the phantasmal caress of an electronic lover.
Gloria Clemente’s deeply personal “Termites” is the most Gothic of our offerings this issue, with its juxtaposition of structural decay and the slow withering of the connection between parent and child. “Continental Divides” and “Someone Else” hint at gulfs between persons that may never be bridged, but “Termites” watches with pained eyes as past bridges crumble. Keep your eye on Ms. Clemente.
And lastly, we have “Fishing Spirit Lake,” a meditation on father-son relationships and the title story of a new collection of memoirs by Ted Estess, Founding Dean of the University of Houston Honors College and author of The Cream Pitcher, Be Well, and a literary biography of Elie Wiesel. “Spirit Lake” is the only piece this issue that takes the perspective of the parent, and readers may find it a comfort after our previous stories, as it comes from a place of joyful sacrifice.
Thank you for reading and enjoy the illustrations of Matt Boelsche, Elena Lacey and newcomer Chelsea Keeton. And to those of you who agree that we’re a family, feel free to donate below.
David Monroe
Co-Founder and Editor
Story|Houston