Author Name: Hillary Dodge
Name of Publication: “Black Ichor”
Where to find it: Cosmic Horror Monthly February 2024 #44
Describe your work in 10 words or less for people who are just learning about it.
“Black Ichor” is my response to when characters kiss at the end of an epic fluid-spattered battle of some kind—I mean, ewwww, you’ve got ectoplasm all over your face, why are you kissing?!! (And also, I’m obviously not following the rules.)
Can you talk a bit about your path to publication for this work?
As a subscriber, I’d been eyeing Cosmic Horror Monthly for a while and felt that my work would be a good fit. Last summer, I saw that a submission window would be opening up, so I developed a concept and drafted the story. When I was satisfied with the final edits, I submitted and crossed my fingers. About a month later, I heard from Charles Tyra, the editor, that my story had made it to the final round of considerations. And a month after that, Charles contacted me again to offer me a contract, and I think I danced around a bit. Not every submission pathway is this smooth but when it happens, it’s a delight.
Describe your writing process. Do you outline, plot and plan, or is your writing more organic?
When writing short stories, I usually develop a seven-point plot structure to work from, but I’ve also been known to pants every so often. I think it’s too easy to lose steam for a short story, so I try to complete a draft in two weeks or less. I’m very naughty about editing as I write. And I always read my work out loud. As a result, the first draft is usually in pretty good shape. Even so, after finishing, I’ll sit the story aside for a week or so and then revisit to make final edits before submitting.
Who was your favorite character in this work to write? Why?
Although the protagonists were really what the story was about, there were a handful of side characters that were fun to write. Because the story is set in a stereotypical small town, there’s the bumbling mayor, the fat former high school quarterback, the stay-at-home housewife, the conspiracy nut—each one written as a contrast to the protagonists and meant to add color and definition to the shape of the story.
Do you have a least favorite character? Anyone you ended up cutting from the story?
Why write a least favorite character? If you don’t like a character, I’m betting it will show and your readers won’t like them either. I try to make each character have some level of depth and interest. I don’t think there’s room in short fiction for boring characters unless, by being boring, they are accomplishing a purpose.
Do you identify with your main character, or did you create a character that is your opposite?
Ok, so here is where the story becomes experimental. I wrote the story from the first person plural—“we”—point of view. I purposely never identify the gender or names of the two main characters. Instead, I tried to write them in a way that a reader could identify with no matter their gender or partner preference. I wanted this to be anyone’s story—a weird little romp into a metastasizing community in the shoes of a couple who are trying to repair their estranged relationship.
What was your favorite (or most difficult) part to write in this work? Why do you think that was?
I think I dragged a bit writing the battle part. I really enjoy the building tension bits and the foreshadowing, but when the fast and hard action comes, it requires a bit of a mental shift. I think action scenes can be tricky because there’s a shift in pace that needs to happen and a further suspension in disbelief as what happens in the blink of an eye may still require a couple of sentences to explain.
What has been the toughest criticism you have received as an author? What has been the best compliment?
Although I’ve received criticism, I honestly can’t think of any that I’d classify as “tough.” It’s part of being a writer and part of learning and growing. I write and send stuff out into the world with a mindset that won’t let me see criticism as failure, but rather as opportunity. As for compliments, I always appreciate when editors share that my work was selected out of a pool of XXX submissions. That’s a nice ego boost.
What is your favorite line from your story?
“But fucking—that’s what you do when you survive, when you come crawling, half-dragging your sorry, exhausted ass out of the quaking gateway, trembling in the moments before its eventual collapse.”
Is there anything you would like people to take away from this work?
It would please me if readers enjoy it and remember it later. That’s a quality I most appreciate in the works I read—if something about a story resonates and stays with me.
Hillary Dodge is an author, librarian, food literacy consultant, and educator. Her short fiction has been published in magazines, anthologies, and podcasts including Pseudopod, Space Squid, and Hellbound books. She also writes nonfiction on a variety of topics, including technology, medical history, and food literacy.
In 2016, she and her husband quit their jobs and relocated their family of three to South America where they spent two years overlanding in Chile and Argentina while researching and writing about food, culture, and the ghosts of South America.
Connect with Hillary on Twitter (@hnraque) or Facebook (hillary.raquedodge). Her website is https://hillarydodge.com/. You can also find her on Goodreads (Hillary Dodge).
HWA Colorado 