I'm presenting a short series about the authors who have contribute to Evergreen. First up, Chris Simpson
How did you hear about our competition?
I believe it was the newsletter.
What inspired you about the theme?
It was specific, but you could hit it from any angle. As there were several ways I could approach this story, I tried several ways. The first draft, and subsequent five, came from the point-of-view of Sandra. The more I drilled down into the story, it seemed that Tom's perspective was more interesting as he couldn't see that he had to change. There was opposition and in that I felt he was a good, natural, enemy to the theme.
How did you get to write short stories?
Failure. I started in misanthropic mid-90s suburbia as a teenager writing screenplays when I had no good reason to be doing so other than escaping my environment. This was after I gave up a dream of being a priest, which is handy seeing I'm now an atheist and a husband. After failing to making films, I started doing stand-up comedy in my very early twenties which was both hilarious and awful. I came late to reading literary fiction late and when I did, like all good love affairs I fell hard. I've been failing and falling ever since.
In no more than three sentences can you summarise what made you become a writer?
Throughout wanting to serve, make films, tell jokes, the only thing I've ever done which has felt like me being me - is writing. My favourite quote on writing is this by Thomas Williams: "I write so I don't die before I'm dead." That's how I feel about it.
What else are you working on?
I'm on the second draft of a domestic noir. I write both literary and crime fiction so while editing that, I'm constantly submitting work around and have work ready for print. Rarely on social media, you can find me at: www.writerchrissimpson.com
Read Chris's story 'All her Tomorrows' in Evergreen.
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