My new short story: “Come Sing It Plain”

February 20, 2023

When I’m writing, I find inspiration in a wide range of sources. Sometimes I draw on my own experience, as in “Algorithms and Lies,” in which a writer receives a devastating critique from an AI bot / editor.

However, today’s world has no monopoly on cruelty and danger. My new story, “Come Sing It Plain,” just published by Close To The Bone, is based on a British “murder ballad” dating to 1656. The original song was titled “The Famous Flower of Serving Men.” Like my story, it tells of a mother’s terrible crime and a daughter’s revenge and redemption.

You can learn more about “The Famous Flower” here, including a performance by the great singer and folklorist Martin Carthy. Please check out the other writing on Close To The Bone, and all the stories on my author page.