firehorse: twenty-six short stories

Firehorse... The following is a collection of writings, which in large part can be described as 'short-stories.' But let the reader be forewarned: literary critics may argue with that definition, and indeed cry foul at the use of the term in connection with a number of these short pieces. My own thinking is that short stories have the main feature of being 'short', but not only short, also experimental--a place where the writer can explore ideas and use literary devices in new and unique ways, while at the same time presenting stories for the entertainment and edification of the reader. The reader has the opportunity to take in a short story without the investment of time necessary for a novel or longer piece of non-fiction. While those familiar with the author might argue that some of these stories are autobiographical, I must strongly protest the charge!...or at least mildly protest it. We can never know the inner workings of another mind, though in some cases authors have, at least seemingly, come very close to achieving this holy grail of literary creation. However none of the following stories have achieved true autobiographical stature, nor have I consciously attempted to reach this lofty goal-not that many of the stories herein aren't essentially narratives of my own interpretation of 'actual' events. Nevertheless, this in no way assures them of autobiographical stature, which would require a recounting of all the subtleties of mental formations associated with the events-and in any case would be skewed by changes overtime in the authors perspective, and by the interpretation of the reader themselves. Ultimately every story is a different story, depending on the reader's interpretation (if you question this logic, simply read a cross-section of critical reviews-did they all read the same story??). If this collection of stories has a goal it is 'purgative.' That is to say, the story has sat at the boundary between experience and the constant urge--at least in most writers--to share those experiences with an audience. Ultimately, most of us are storytellers; we still have an urge to sit, stand, dance...or whatever...around a campfire and share our human stories in this tenuous, ephemeral, and ultimately contradictory experience called life. In this case, you're invited to take your place around a virtual campfire, with the borrowed name from the illustrator, which she called--Firehorse! J.L.Dildine January 2015