fwriction

Josh Weil is one of those writers who’s going to be around for a long time, setting literary tone and showing young writers how to do it right. His book, The New Valley, a collection of novellas, is some of the strongest writing from a young author I’ve seen in a long time. (Check out his new novella, “Solarium,” in the Winter issue of American Short Fiction.)

In this story of the day, Guernica has published an excerpt from one novella, “Sarverville Remains.” I know you’ll enjoy it.

If you is wondering why I’m writing to you it’s just to explain so you’ll know how it happened and won’t hate her or hurt her when you get out. Which once I’m done showing you, you’ll understand the fault ain’t on her. It’s on me. Sometimes I lie on my mattress in my hall and listen to Jackie and the baby scream at each other on the house end, and on the glass end the big coon scratching to get in at Roy’s Bahamas. Scratching and talking, scratching and talking. The rest of the street all quiet. I think about what you must think about. You and me, if Roy was here he’d say, You guys are like a pair of tits. Which is just the kind of mouth he’s got and not my way of talking. But he’s right. After all, you knowed her as your wife. I knowed her as your wife. It was only who was doing the knowing what made the difference. After all, it’s because of her what you is there and I am here and everything.

(Bonus! Here’s a great interview with Josh Weil, from Tottenville Review.)