My story “You Should See My Scars” was published today by Underland Arcana in their new issue, Issue 3. When I was submitting this story, I attached a content warning, identifying sexual violence (consensual), self harm, and suicidal ideation. If that doesn’t dissuade you, you can read the story online, or buy the e-book or print editions.

I wrote the first draft of this story at the Clarion West writers workshop when I attended in 2016. (This is the third of my seven Clarion West stories to be published.) I’d always wanted to write a “talking sword” story, and in the weeks leading up to my writing this, several classmates wrote stories involving buried knives. I wanted in on that, and enfolded it into my obsessions, including opaque AI and the Internet of Things.

As far as I can recall, the only round of critiques the story received were from my Clarion West classmates. Many thanks to Team Arsenic for your compassionate and thoughtful reads that did not let me off the hook too easily.