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