Kathy Fish

Kathy Fish is the author of “Laughter, Applause, Laughter, Music, Applause,” a collection of short-shorts forthcoming from Rose Metal Press. Her work
has appeared or is forthcoming in numerous publications, including Spork, Whistling Shade, Denver Quarterly, Quick Fiction, Night Train, NOÖ Journal, FRiGG, Smokelong Quarterly, Per Contra and juked. Among her many awards are three Pushcart Prize nominations. Kathy lives in Colorado with her husband and four children. She is currently tackling a novel.


“Laughter, Applause, Laughter, Music, Applause,” your collection
of short-shorts, was a finalist in the Rose Metal Press chapbook competition judged by Ron Carlson. Can you give us a preview of what we can look forward to?

I have a ton of short shorts and it was difficult to figure out which ones to pull together, that worked well together. My writing is all over the place, I think, in terms of style and content. I just try everything. Anyway, this collection is funny, weird, sad stuff. In almost every story some decision’s been made. The characters are just on the edge of nothing will ever be the same again. I like those jumping off places.

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I was lucky enough to get a sneak peek of the chapbook, and I have to tell you, I’m envious of your talent! You have a knack for knowing exactly when to pull out of a piece to make the most impact, and every one of your stories left me breathless. I am, however, partial to “The Hollow,” which is in the current issue of Denver Quarterly, and “The Next Stanley Kubrick,” originally published in Monkeybicycle and reprinted in “Words Words Words.

Can you give us a brief “note” on each—the process of writing the story, where the characters or ideas came from, and/or anything else you may want readers to know?

I am pleased to hear those two are your favorites, as I open with the Kubrick story and close with “The Hollow” obviously because I felt those two were very strong as well.

I wrote “The Next Stanley Kubrick” four years ago. I only remember that my initial idea for the story was to have this strife-ridden family where the children get a hold of the Super 8 camera and start filming their parents’ fights unbeknownst to the mom and dad. Writing this out now, I still like that idea, I don’t know why I abandoned it.

I probably didn’t abandon it so much as the writing took the story in another direction, probably led by the voice of this narrator I created. She lives in her older brother’s shadow and is actually given the task of filming her brother’s high school athletic career. She’s hugely deluded, but ambitious and a little dorky. I love her. This old story is one of my favorites and I had the sense it might be a good way to open the collection.

In writing “The Hollow” I was working with a prompt to use the words hollow, cinnamon, buckle, and sweat. As I looked at the words, I started to see a chaotic little world involving two sisters and their troubled father and their mother up to her elbows in flour. This is one of those happy instances where the story came quickly and easily. It’s in the current issue of Denver Quarterly with almost no changes to the original draft.

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Do you have a personal favorite from the collection?

I think my personal favorite of the collection is “What Kind of Person Gives Secrets to the Sky?” which was published in Night Train. I’m especially grateful to Jeff Landon, who was an editor there at the time, for really helping me to find a better ending to the story and for his encouragement and help with my writing in general.

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You have an impressive list of publication credits, and are an incredibly prolific writer. Where do you find your inspiration?

I don’t feel incredibly prolific, but I guess it adds up. I’m inspired by just living on this earth and reading excellent fiction. And I have this drive to get better all the time. I’m always eager to try again.


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When did you start writing? Do you remember the first story you wrote? Your first publication? First check?

Oh I’ve written for as far back as I can remember. My real start as a writer came when I wrote plays in grade school. I’d write these tragic melodramas and my best friend cast and produced them. We’d persuade the nuns to let us put on our shows in class. It was a great way to get out of long division!

My first publications were two flashes that the fine writer, Joseph Faria, solicited for his (then) new ezine, Painted Moon Review. I just flipped out when he wrote and asked for my work. I will never forget that.

I think I got twenty dollars for a story, early on, but I can’t remember now where it came from. I felt like quite the author cashing that check.

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You recently returned from The Association of Writers and Writing Programs (AWP) conference in Atlanta. During this trip, you also gave your first reading. Tell us about both experiences.

The AWP conference was a terrific experience. A little overwhelming and exhausting. First I was dealing with the emotion of meeting good online friends that have meant so much to me over the years, for the first time. That in itself would have been enough. But then add to that, giving my first public reading, my first time speaking on a panel. That day was nerve wracking, but I learned a lot and I’ll do better the next time. I hope. The other speakers on the panel, my friends Kim Chinquee, Jeff Landon, Darlin’ Neal, Claudia Smith, Girija Tropp and Liesl Jobson all did a fantastic job. I was so proud to be among them. I think it’s a great experience for any writer to meet editors and publishers and see what’s out there in the lit world. I also heard wonderful writers read their work. I came away from the experience inspired and determined to work harder, to write better stories.

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As a former staff member of the flash fiction e-zine Smokelong Quarterly (where they named a fellowship in your honor) you were introduced to the editorial side of the genre. What qualities did you, as an editor, look for in a flash? What made one piece stand out from another?

For me, it was always something elevated or unusual in the language or the concept or in the emotional impact of the piece, something that would take my breath away. Confidence of voice. Skill. Originality. Risk taking. All the things that make you sit up straight in your chair then lean forward. The kinds of stories that you read all the way through to the end, having forgotten that you are reading submissions at all.

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What does Kathy Fish do when she’s not writing?

I run around with my kids. I read. I take long walks. I stare at the sky.

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You were born in Iowa and have lived many places. What drew you to Colorado?

Those mountains. Colorado is a drop dead gorgeous place. I even love the snow. I lived in Australia for a lot of years, but this is my favorite place of all. Now, if I could bring everyone I love to this place, well, then it would be perfect.

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What is your favorite word?

Sorrow. I don’t think I’ve ever used it in a story, but yeah.

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Contact Kathy

Read:

What Kind of Person Gives Secrets to the Sky
published by Night Train
nominated for a Pushcart Prize

Eyes
published by NOO Journal
nominated for a Pushcart Prize

Wild Yellow Dog, Giant Red Fox

Coffee, Laundry, Dry Cleaners: A Conversation with a Child

A Monkey’s Wedding

Bread
published by FRiGG

Florida
published by Smokelong Quarterly

Daffodil
published by Smokelong Quarterly

Smooth
published by juked

Hypergraphia
published by Per Contra

Passenger
published by elimae


Filed Under: The Writer Profile Project |