This morning of December 23 seems like a wonderful time to have a guest post on the blog of Irish author Laurence O’Bryan.  In it I try to explain how it took 18 years for my collection of stories based on discarded buttons to evolve into the novel, The Button Collector.

Why is this a wonderful time to be on O’Bryan’s blog?  This time of year I always think of James Joyce’s wonderful novella The Dead.  It’s one of those pieces that have stayed with me over the years, and I also love the film version with Anjelica Huston.  It’s just perfect.

I think it’s pretty cool that The Dead is part of a collection of linked short fiction . . . . hmmm….. I may have to do a Frame Tale Spotlight on it soon!

In the meantime, here’s a picture of our driveway a few years ago that reminds me of Joyce’s words near the end of The Dead:  “A few light taps upon the pane made him turn to the window.  It had begun to snow again.  He watched sleepily the flakes, silver and dark, falling obliquely against the lamplight.  The time had come for him to set out on his journey westward.”

I hope all my readers have a wonderful holiday!