Ben C. Davies and 'And So I Took Their Eye'

  Today I talk to Ben about  his newly published collection of short stories.  

 

 

We might describe And So I Took Their Eye as a collection of short stories. And yet it is more than that. Could you comment on the connection between the stories?
Absolutely. While each story can stand on its own, the collection is designed to echo and overlap in both subtle and more obvious ways. Characters reappear or are referenced indirectly, showing up in different forms and contexts. The first and last stories are told by the same narrator, but more than ten years pass between them, and a lot happens in the interim, involving a wide cast of characters spread across the globe.
 

It’s a web rather than a line, and my hope is that the connections build as you read, creating a deeper and more layered experience.

Can you tell us a little about what inspired you to put this collection together?
The inspiration came from real places and experiences, some of them mine and others that I witnessed. I didn’t set out to write a collection; it came together gradually as I realised the stories were speaking to each other. That’s when I began weaving them more deliberately.
 

Many of the stories are retellings of personal events, pushed in different directions. I often imagined how characters might react in situations I’d been in, and explored what would happen if those reactions were taken to extremes, for better or worse.

What would you say are the merits of the short story?
Short stories require precision. With limited space, every sentence has to earn its place.
 

They also allow for experimentation with structure, theme, and tone in a way novels sometimes don’t. You can take creative risks, which I really did with this collection. It was fun to explore and challenge myself. Sometimes those risks work, sometimes they don’t, but the short form gives you the freedom to try.

Are you a fan of the short story yourself, and do you have any favourite writers?
Absolutely. I usually read novels, but I love short fiction too. Jhumpa Lahiri’s Roman Stories and Jared Lemus’s Guatemalan Rhapsody are collections threaded together by place, culture and identity, which I really enjoyed. I also really like Shehan Karunatilaka, and Lucia Berlin.

What was the editing process like for you?
By the time the manuscript was complete, I felt many of the stories were in the best shape they could be, especially since nearly all of them had already been published. Then Bridge House took the book on, and I had the chance to work with Allison Symes. I was lucky. She brought a fresh perspective to every story and helped take them further than I could have on my own, not just on the sentence level, but in terms of the stories’ direction and depth. It changed a lot, and the book is so much stronger for it. I’m incredibly grateful for her insight and care.

Do you have any tips for anyone wanting to write short stories and get them published?
Start small and submit often. Literary magazines and journals are great places to share your work, and the submission process helps build discipline, persistence, and confidence.
 

It probably goes without saying, but read widely in the form. And if you can, find a writing community. Feedback and encouragement are invaluable.

And what about putting a collection together?
As I mentioned, I love when stories are connected, even if only loosely. While working on this collection, I thought a lot about how the stories fit together—through plot, theme, and tone.

Once I had about five solid stories in place, I started writing with an overarching narrative in mind. It became less like sequencing an album and more like creating a concept album, a la Sgt. Pepper’s, especially with the bookended stories. Each story adds something different, but the whole should still feel cohesive.

Are you working on any other projects at the moment?
Yes, two. I’m currently pitching a novel set in Guatemala that explores tourism, corruption, and foreign intervention in a rural village. It’s a story close to my heart, based on time I spent living there. I’ve also just started a new project that looks at the American Dream and its unravelling. It’s still early days, but I’m excited to see where it goes.

Do you have any book events planned?
I do. I’ll be speaking at the San Francisco Writers Grotto on July 18, the day after the book comes out. I also have an event planned in London on August 19. I’ll share more details soon on my website and Instagram. If you’re interested, please do come join.

 

 Some endorsements of the collection: 

 Find you copy here 

Two YA books about the paranormal on offer

 

 

Devils, demons, werewolves and other creatures of the night don’t have to be scary. In fact, at times they can be downright funny. They have their fair share of the type of problems we humans have – pesky monthly cycles, others out to get them, a lack of what they need and a surfeit of what they don’t want. They’re not immune to recessions either.

But we wouldn’t want to disappoint you. There are plenty of moments in this little collection that make you hold your breath, make you want to lock the door and turn the lights up and make you wish you hadn’t stayed home alone.

Laugh, cry and prepare to be scared… 

 

Tom crashes his car and he wakes up in an unfamiliar place. He is unable to reach Amanda. They argued just before the crash. He meets cheeky but friendly Marcus, who, though younger than Tom, has more experience in the areas that now matter. But Marcus has his own concerns and eventually has to leave Tom to deal with his problems on his own. How can Tom let Amanda know how much he loves her? Does she feel the same way? Will they ever be able to move forward?

£15.00 

 

 

Working with Editors

So, we get the publishing deal, all seems well and then we start working with an editor – and at times it’s as if we’re being asked to make a lot of changes. There are a couple of things to remember here though: - you book has already been accepted so this is about making it the best it can be, not about finding fault with it, and the editorial staff are on your side.

I guess I am writing this partly from the point of view of an editor but if I’d known these things when I first started having work accepted and then was put under scrutiny of an in-house editor I’d have felt a lot more comfortable.  

1.     Make sure the text is the best it can be

You’ll often be asked to send the very latest version of your text.  And you will be given a deadline, sometimes a quite generous one.  Take this opportunity to edit your text once again.  Chances are it’s a while since you last touched the text. You’ve grown as a writer since then and you might notice something you didn’t see earlier now that you have a little distance.

The better your text is in the first place, the better it will be once edited.

2.     Take notice of what the editor says

Very often an editor will notice something is out of kilter but what they suggest isn’t always the best solution. Respect their wisdom. They have some experience at this. But it’s now up to you to come up with something even better.

Even a lot of comments and tracked changes don’t mean they think the text is bad. Chances are that a lack of experience or imposter syndrome is talking.

Very occasionally you will disagree with an editor. You’ll stand more chance of being taken seriously if you have shown your trust and respect earlier in the process.

3.     Be disciplined

You’re likely to go through three stages of editing and then a proof read. Don’t muddy the waters by addressing at the second stage what should have happened in the first one. Be thorough in each edit.  Don’t attempt to add a new scene at proof read stage. And be disciplined about naming each edit so that you and your editor have full version control.    

Your in-house editor is your friend. They are on your side.  

Aftermath and I

 

Many of the contributors to Aftermath answered the following questions so I thought I would too. The pandemic is part of the past now and it is a significant piece of history that we have lived through. Aftermath is a creative response to the time as we emerged from the pandemic.    

So here is something about my stories in Aftermath - but without any spoilers! 

I have two stories in the anthology - The Rise of the Zenoton’ and ‘The New Normal’.

The Zenoton come from my science fiction ‘Peace Child’ series. They are not human but very like humans. They have one interesting physical feature: instead of hair they have medusa-like fleshy locks that change colour according to their mood. They have lived through a pandemic that was worse than an earlier one they had that was worse than Covid:

“It’s worse than we expected. We’ve never had anything like this on Zenoto before. It’s deadlier even than the Covid-19 disease on Terrestra in 2020, worse even than the Peace Child disease they had after the poison cloud lifted. It kills and it kills quickly and painfully. The death rate is doubling every two days and newer cases are tripling every day.”

It was the recovery from that pandemic that made them into a moneyless society. Moneyless, not just cashless. They are admired throughout the universe for this.

‘The New Normal’’ shows a rather grumpy old man adapting to lockdown and then finding a new normal as we come out of the pandemic. He is now quite proficient at using Zoom.      

 What inspired you to write this?

Both stories are an attempt to explore the effect of the pandemic and importantly how we may have even improved the way we live as we come out of it. They’re both cases of using fiction to explore real life.   

Why did you think it important to contribute to this collection?

As it was my concept in the first place of course I thought it was important. I see the whole book – and its predecessor Covid 19: an extraordinary time as a time capsule, a record of the time.  

 

     How did I cope with pandemic?

I remember being very scared at first.  We cut a holiday short and then the first time we needed groceries my husband went out at the usual time on a Friday, just after 8.00 a.m. I expected him to take hours and told myself I wouldn’t start worrying until tea time.  He was back just after 9.30. He used to go out earlier and be back later. We never lacked toilet paper, pasta or flour. And he still shops at the same time.  The pandemic helped him to find a sweet spot.  After the school rush (yes, he used to trip up over teenagers buying healthy food) but before it became busy and after the shelves had been restocked.  

Zoom became my friend and has remained so. I love face-to-face meetings now but the online gatherings offer a wider scope.   

I was labelled vulnerable so isolated effectively. In the end I quite enjoyed being at home.   However, now that everything is back to normal’ I appreciate ‘normal’ even more.

     Can you tell us about your other publications?

I II guess most of you reading this know me quite well but here’s the list: science fiction novels for young adults, historical feisty women for women, short stories and flash fiction for everyone and a lot material liklike this. See my Amazon author page .

FiFind your copy of Aftermath here  

News 3 June

 

There’s a lot going on at the moment. It’s alarming that we’re going to be building more weapons and that we’re putting money into the military. Some Heads of State are behaving very badly. We’re all concerned about climate change and the cost of living seems impossible for many. The number of homeless and of those seeking asylum is worrying. We seem to be making a U-turn on our acceptance of otherness.
One of the members of my creative writing group told us how she won’t watch the news. She can’t bear it because she feels useless.
True it’s not obvious what we might do. Yet there is space for kindness, the mindfulness of living each moment as it comes and we can use our writing to bring a message of hope or an analysis of what’s happening.   

Writing news

I’m continuing with my work on the seventh Schellberg book. The Great War is putting in an appearance and I’m thinking about taking a trip to Munich for a little research.     

I have several publications this month:

My story ‘White Christmas Dreams’ appears on Booksie

I have a review of the Whitefield Garrick’s Pygmalion on Talking About My Generation

My piece of creative non-fiction ‘Sleuthing’ appears on Lit-Break.This is a reflection of the time I used to travel to London regularly to take part in a SCBWI critique group.   

On My Blog

You can read my short story ‘Film Noir’ that appears in The Best of CafeLit 7.

I have also written two articles about my involvement with CaféLit 12 : and  CafeLit 13

There is an offer on the two hard back books that commemorate Covid 19 and the lockdowns. These are good souvenirs of a bit of history we’ve lived through. 

I have an interview with Rosemary Banfield and Sam Banfield-Keller about their lovely new picture book Are You an Alien?

I tell you about how the first book in my Peace Child series came about and how that fitted with my PhD:

My article about point of view discusses how to avoid head-hopping and the work of Monika Feth,

The Young Person’s Library

I’ve added three picture books this month:  

Splat  by Vanessa Horn and Georgia Przygocki

Coorie Doon by Jackie Kay and Jill Calder

Are You an Alien? By Sam Banfield-Keller and Rosemary Banfield

Recommended read

This month I choose Trustee from the Toolroom by Nevil Shute

It is my book group’s choice for our meeting on 16 June. It is a modern classic.  

The writing seems very smooth compared with many modern stories. The main character is so very well formed that we like him and we wish him well right to the very end.
Keith Stewart and his wife are very down-to-earth and though not poor they are certainly not as well off as Stewart’s sister and brother-in-law. His sister and brother-in-law are drowned as they cross the world in a small yacht and he becomes the guardian of his young niece Janice.

There are some very powerful descriptions of the sea voyage and though there are many technical details that go right over my head, I don’t feel as if the author is showing off.  These details are important to the two characters in the boat.

The same is true of the engineering detail that we are given as Keith discusses and thinks about his small scale model projects. Again I don’t understand those details but it’s clear they are important to Keith and to the men to whom he talks.

Keith goes on tricky journey to recover some items from the yacht and to make sure his relations have had a decent burial and this creates much of the tension in the story. We are kept guessing right until the last minute about whether it will all come good for the family.
Keith does get some help through the kindness of strangers, which is richly deserved, and that is a reassuring message.              

Find your copy here 

 

Note, this is an affiliate link and a small portion of what you pay, at no extra cost to you,  may go to Bridge House Publishing.   

Giveaway  

This month I’m giving away a copy of Clara’s Story
Clara will not be daunted. Her life will not end when her beloved husband dies too young.  She will become a second mother to the young children who live away from home in order to visit a rather special school. When life becomes desperate for a particular class of disabled children growing up in Nazi Germany she takes a few risks. Is her ultimate faith in the goodness of human beings a fatal flaw that leads to her tragedy, or is her story actually one of hope?
RRP £10.00
 
Sign up to our newsletter and download your copy. You’ll find an e-book file and a PDF plus a lot of other free materials here.
Please leave a review on Amazon, if you’re allowed to, on Good Reads and anywhere else you can.
 

The Schellberg Project

The posts may be helpful for teachers who are familiar with the Schellberg stories or who are teaching about the Holocaust.  They may also be interesting for other readers of historical fiction. 

 

I have written a review of One Child’s War by Audrey Curtain : This is an account of on young girl’s experience of being evacuated and of the London Blitz.

I offer a caution about over-romanticising World War II and the 1940s: The 1940s Trope

Some notes about my newsletters and blogs

They do overlap a little but here is a summary of what they all do.
 
Bridge House Authors For all those published by Bridge House, CaféLit, Chapeltown or The Red Telephone or interested in being published by us. General news about the imprints. News for writers. Links to book performance. Sign up here.
 
The Bridgetown  Café Bookshop where you can buy my books and books published by Bridge House Publishing, CafeLit, Chapeltown Books and The Red Telephone.  Visit us here.     
 
Gill’s News: News about my writing, The Schellberg Project, School Visits and Events. Book recommendations and giveaways. Find it here.   
 
Pushing Boundaries, Flying Higher News about conferences and workshops to do with the young adult novel. (infrequent postings) Sign up here.  
 
Red Telephone Books News about our books and our authors. Sign up here.
 
A Publisher’s Perspective Here I and some other editors blog as a publisher. Access this here.   
 
The Creative Café Project Listings and reviews of creative cafés. See them here.   
 
CaféLit Stories Find these here
 
Gill James Writer All about writing and about my books. View this here.
 
Gill’s Recommended Reads Find information here about books that have taken me out of my editor’s head and a reminder of the ones I’ve highlighted in this newsletter.    
 
Gill’s Sample Fiction Read some of my fiction here.
 
The House on Schellberg Street All about my Schellberg project. Read it here.
 
Writing Teacher All about teaching creative writing.  Some creative writing exercises. Access this here.  I also invite other writers to provide prompts and work for critique.     
 
Books Books Books Weekly offers on our books and news of new books. Find them here. 
 
The Young Person’s Library The children’s book catalogue. Access it here.
 
Fair Submissions  Find it here.   

Opportunities for writers are added several times a day. Roughly once a month I send it out to a list. If you would like to be on that list, sign up here.  

Happy reading and writing.
 
 

More about me and CafeLit

 

The Best of CaféLit 9 was one of those books where we asked those who had been in the previous volume to vote for this year’s  stories  They were to pick five and give five points to the best, four to the second best etc. We totted up all of the points and found a rank order.  We published the top 40,000 words. The stories were published in rank order in the book.

Okay, so my two stories ‘The Yellow Bus’ and ‘Three’s a Crowd’ were the last two to be included. Never mind. They got there.

‘The Yellow Bus’ is based on a true story. I always say, anyway, that bus journeys provide writers with tons of ideas.

‘Three’s a Crowd’ was based on a writing prompt.

I write short stories as a way of punctuating my involvement with my novel writing.  Every time I finish an edit I write a short story or something similar. I go to Fair Submissions and try to write something for whatever is on the landing page. I enjoy the discipline of writing to a brief.  However, that doesn’t mean that the story hasn’t come from something I met on one of my travels – perhaps on a yellow bus.

How did these two stories end up in CaféLit?

I submit something every day somewhere. I keep a spreadsheet of what has gone where and what is available to submit. CaféLit comes to the top of the list every now and then.

I never give up on a piece, but I do reedit before I send it out again.

Recently, I had a piece of flash creative non-fiction accepted that had been out eleven times before.

By the way, we use a different method each year for selecting which stories go into The Best of  books. 14 and 15 are chosen by different editors. 16 will be by yours truly.  Who knows what we’ll do for 17? 

Find your copy here             

My involvement with 'The Best of CafeLit 12'

 

I often interview other people about their contributions to our anthologies so this time I thought I’d talk about my stories in this collection. 

What inspired me to write my stories ‘’Doing the Right Thing’ and ‘Socrates’ Wink’?

We all try to ‘do the right thing’ but I worry that some ‘cures’ might be worse than the disease. Remember, we started using single use plastic bags to save paper. We’re asked to recycle but to wash out our recyclable items first. What does that cost in water and energy? Electric cars, sure, but what is the carbon cost of producing them? I’ve tried to crystallize these ideas into a piece of creative non-fiction.

As for Socrates – he’s fascinated me for a long time especially since I attended a couple of U3A philosophy groups particularly during lockdown where I think we all grabbed at straws.  Except that this seems to be a rather sturdy branch. In this story Father and son unwittingly use Socratic discourse techniques to find some common ground. Father is a fan of Socrates.       

What made me think of CaféLit? 

It was partly about creating a platform where some of my writing friends and the creative writing students I used to teach could send work. The stories we accept are diverse in subject matters, length (with the parameters of 50 – 3000 words) and style, so we need something to unify them. So, we look for tales that would go well with a brew, particularly at 4 pm. We’ve been going quite a while now – since 2010 in fact. We have over 3000 stories on the site. We ask writers to allow us to display the stories for a year but only take them down if they ask us to.  We’ve only ever been asked to take two down.      

 What’s special about short stories for me?

A short story or piece of flash fiction will stay for you a long time after you’ve read it. Of course the same is true of a novel but it takes you longer to read it in the first place. So, the effect of the short story or the piece of flash fiction is stronger. Here’s an example. The novel I wrote for my PhD was over 103,000 words. When Mary Hoffman put out a call for stories for the Lines in the Sand anthology I told the same story in 1000 words. All have their place: novels, novellas, short stories and flash fiction.   

 

Find your copy of The Best of  CafeLit 12  here