ANN HILLESLAND
  • Home
  • Publications
  • Blog
  • Media
  • The Hat Project
  • Contact

Writing Blog

Play on Words San Jose Presents "Your Superpower"

7/9/2018

0 Comments

 
In April, I had the good fortune to have Play on Words San Jose present my story "Your Superpower." The actress Ivette Deltoro read it with energy and charm.  When I originally blogged about the experience, the video was unavailable, but PoW recently posted a recording.  

I've embedded the video here, but you should check out their website for more of the fabulous stories read that night.


0 Comments

Story Wins Prime Number Magazine April Flash Fiction Prize

7/2/2018

0 Comments

 
I am thrilled that my story "Lost Hills" won the Prime Number Magazine Flash Fiction contest for April.

It's another of my stories inspired by places, such as “I Used To,” (set at a shell shop in Morro Bay), and “Secret San Francisco,” (set at the San Francisco wave organ).

As part of the publication, they asked me to talk about how I came to write it, and I contributed the following: 

Last year, my husband and I were traveling from an event in the North Coast of California down to see his parents in Southern California for Thanksgiving, driving almost the length of the state. We decided to stop partway, in Lost Hills. The drive to the town was nightmarish: we took a scenic route that wasn’t very scenic and added more time than we expected, we hit traffic, and I was getting over a cold. We arrived late and exhausted.  We checked into the highest-rated hotel in Lost Hills, a Motel 6, and with only fast food to choose from, ate at Taco Bell.  By bedtime, my husband wasn’t feeling well, and in the morning he woke up sick, having caught my cold. Because he was miserable, instead of continuing, we drove home, where I cobbled together a lonely and untraditional Thanksgiving dinner. I’m often inspired to write by setting. I’m sure my experience colored my perceptions of Lost Hills, but in my memory, the town reeked of diesel, disappointment, and desperation. I wrote a story that fit that mood.

I don't have any pictures of Lost Hills to add to this listing, so instead I'll post a picture of the Thanksgiving dinner we had instead: black bean and sweet potato casserole, kale, cranberry corn muffins. 


Picture
0 Comments

    Author

    Ann Hillesland writes fiction and essays. Her work has appeared in many literary journals, including Fourth Genre, Bayou, The Laurel Review, and Sou’wester.

      Subscribe to My Blog

    Subscribe

    Categories

    All
    Musings On Life
    Writing Inspiration
    Year In Review

    Archives

    October 2022
    September 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    January 2022
    November 2021
    October 2021
    March 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015

    RSS Feed

    © Ann Hillesland 2015-2017. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Ann Hillesland   with  specific direction to the original content.
Copyright © Ann Hillesland 2015-2022
  • Home
  • Publications
  • Blog
  • Media
  • The Hat Project
  • Contact