What's in the Box?
New Flash Fiction + Book Recs
It’s been a minute since I’ve published…well, anything, really. But when Shotgun Honey announced they were doing a holiday “Crimes-mas” feature (and specified a very short deadline), I decided to spend an afternoon with my butt in the chair to write something.
The result is “What’s in the Box?,” a short but not-so-sweet satire of influencer culture—specifically, curly hair tutorials. I’d like to think the countless hours I’ve spent watching women comb various concoctions through their curls, scrunching, plopping, oiling, and spraying, all in a quest to achieve the perfect styling method, were worth something.
I had fun mimicking the pacing and style of some of my favorite curly hair influencers. And yes, for the record, I do have favorites. I also threw in a few Easter eggs for the nerdiest among us. There’s one in particular that I hope someone besides my husband gets, but unless you’re a middle-aged man who grew up in England, I have little hope.
In other news, I’ve been reading. Recent favorites:
Zero Days by Ruth Ware—Writers are often advised to put their characters through the wringer and let me tell you, Ruth Ware understood the assignment when she wrote this book.
Happiness Falls by Angie Kim—I cannot stop recommending this book. It’s such a complex, well-researched story and so heart-wrenching. I tell everyone I know to read it, and now, I’m telling you.
The County Line by Steve Weddle—To me, the best historical fiction is that which is completely immersive, and this book does just that, transporting me to 1930s Arkansas with a posse of endearing criminals (yes, I said endearing, dammit) and a big ol’ glass of moonshine.
Small Mercies by Dennis Lehane—Mary Pat Fennessey’s voice rings so true in this book that I’d swear she lived and breathed. Her desperate search for her missing daughter is heartbreaking, as is its unflinching portrayal of racism in America.
Everybody Knows by Jordan Harper—I lived in Los Angeles for most of my adult life (so far) and my experience was very different than the ones portrayed in this book. Knowing the terrain so well made reading this a lot of fun for me, but don’t worry, even if you’re not familiar with LA, you will love this book.
Play the Fool by Lina Chern—What can I say? Lina Chern had me at Tarot. It’s a well-crafted mystery introducing a series character I can’t wait to read more of. Good thing Chern’s second book, Trick of Fortune, is out in July, so I won’t have too long to wait.
The Invisible Life of Addie Larue by V.E. Schwab—This book is so different from what I usually read. I don’t gravitate toward paranormal or science fiction, but time travel is the exception and Schwab does this masterfully.
Good Looking Ugly by Rob D. Smith—If you’ve read Smith’s short fiction, you know that one of his strengths is thinking outside the box to create unique and memorable characters and situations. His debut novella is no exception. Heist stories are always fun, but the relationship between Daniel and Jayla, two cousins looking to rob a Kentucky cockfighting ring, makes this one even better.
Do you have a word for 2025? Mine is “organization.” My goal for the year is to clean up, clear out, and put systems in place to make my life go more smoothly. I figure so much is out of control in life; I might as well put some effort into things that I can control.
I’ve also been hearing a lot about “No-Buy-2025.” Since the election, I really haven’t wanted to spend any money, and apparently, I’m not alone. I already know that buying nothing for a full year is unrealistic for me, but what if I break it down a bit? No buying at all in January. Buying only second-hand for most of my purchases. Smaller actions have an impact, too—at least, I hope so. But even if the impact is only on my own well-being, that is worth the effort. I’ll likely write more about this in a future newsletter.
In the meantime, I wish you all the happiest of New Years. I am not at all sorry to say goodbye to 2024—I lost one of the dearest things in my life in October, and while I’ll never fully move on from that, I am eager to move into 2025. Is this you, too? Well then, LET’S GO.
Hollyxx