Nora Nadjarian’s Comments

I’m a poet, too—perhaps principally—and I think that carries into my prose, which is minimalist and lyrical and characterised by powerful, often dream-like, images. Some themes repeat themselves in my recent work. One is the liminal image found in “Doors.” These are doors that open or close, often with people moving into someone else’s space, invading and occupying it. Another motif is the pain and spiritual exhaustion of failed relationships or break-ups, which “In Case of Emergency, Break Glass” observes from a rather unusual perspective. Similarly, “The Music of the Spheres” offers three ironic glimpses of love and relationships, with an astronomical theme. I love irony and playful allusion. I had a lot of fun writing “Strawberry Jam,” because another story is concealed behind the main story, and it is this hidden story that carries the humour.

The brevity of flash fiction appeals to me—the challenge of writing a story that’s compressed but powerful. It’s not an easy task, but if you succeed there will be density and tension and an ending that resonates with the reader long after the short time it took to read it.

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