Melody Chan Graves

My short story, "The Final Bow," has won the First Annual Southern California Review Fiction Prize! The story will appear in the Spring 2009 (Volume II, No. 1) issue of Southern California Review. The final selection was made by guest judge Chris Meeks.

The Southern California Review is the recently renamed Southern California Anthology, established in 1982, and has published authors such as James Tate, Alice Fulton, John Updike, and Joyce Carol Oates. It has been described as "a literary review that contains an eclectic collection of previously unpublished, quality contemporary fiction, poetry, and interviews with established literary people, published for adults of all professions, particularly those interested in serious contemporary literature." Click here to order your copy!

My short stories have received merits in national contests such as The Writer's Digest Annual Writing Competition, The New Millenium Writings Contest, the National Literary Awards at Salem College, and the Nimrod Literary Awards: Katherine Anne Porter Prize in Fiction.

Keep checking back for upcoming pub dates on individual stories and news about my story collection, The Deep.

THE FINAL BOW

appearing in Volume II, Number 1 of Southern California Review.

A story about a musician, a mentor, and the perilous nature of dual relationships.

Excerpt coming soon....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Looking Glass
from Coach's Midnight Diner

A gothic story involving a priest, an opera house, and a glass of absinthe. 

Read an excerpt by clicking here (requires Acrobat Reader to view).  

 

Behind the Story

I can say with confidence that this piece is a fluke in my writing process. It came out in one very intense creative "trance" one evening when I wasn't particularly planning to write a story. I heard the narrator's voice in my head, and the rhythm of her dialogue started tapping out a beat inside my head, like a heartbeat of the story I needed to tell. I wrote the story from beginning to end, with virtually no revision, in one sitting. This never happens. Most of my stories are nurtured for at least a year before they are ready for publication. Thanks again to the Southern California Review for giving it a home. I hope you enjoy it.

 

 

 

Behind the Story

This particular piece started out as an experiment in language. I had just finished reading a short, very dark novel by Joyce Carol Oates and wanted to see how well I could create atmosphere with language. The characters came out of one of my languishing novel projects, and, to my amazement, they took on new life within the context of a seamy Victorian landscape. Although it did gain some recognition in national contests, it took a while to find a home for it. I'm happy to see it finally in print.