🎙️ Ashlee Lhamon

Read Ashlee’s story, Moon Drama, on Foofaraw now!

Do you “bring your whole self to work”? Should people?

Well, now that I’m writing full-time, definitely yes–I think writing is easiest when you’ve got some real-life experience to base it on. Back when I worked in an office? God no. Honestly, it seems like a weird idea to me. I don’t know any of these people! Knowing more about them just makes me like them less! Maybe if you were working at a cool startup where you’d just hired all of your college friends, but how many of us get to do that?

Also, it’s totally a fake intimacy ploy to try and get you to work longer hours for less money. Just saying. 

Why the vendetta against HR?

With some rare exceptions, Human Resources exists to protect the company from getting sued. They will totally screw you over if it’s in the company’s best interests. 

Our protagonist seems a tad bit self-absorbed; are they based on someone you know or dare I ask, is there a little bit of yourself in them?

So, this story is more of a satire on the trope that follows a very traditionally lit, navel-gazey character with traditionally lit interpersonal problems through a science fiction and fantasy plot or setting. Like, “My husband and I were getting a divorce, but now he’s turned into a werewolf and his flesh-hungry tearing through the local school board is complicating my feelings about our relationship” or “This alien invasion is really highlighting my dissatisfaction with my associate creative writing professorship at this small liberal arts college.” In my personal internal TV Tropes I call them Moon Dramas, which is where the tongue-in-cheek title of this story comes from. 

But also, you definitely have to be self-absorbed to write satire, so yes, probably this character is me. 

Are these early moon settlers or is there an established society up there?

Ooh, great question! I would probably say early settlers because it feels like they would have already awoken the horrible moon creatures with a large civilization. On the other hand, they have brought HR up, which feels like big civilization stuff... hmm... I would love to say I know every aspect of every story I write but uh... 

Given the protagonist’s aloofness, do you think they end up having the same fate as their co-workers, or do they survive and live to see another workday or even make it back down to Earth?

Oh they definitely get eaten. Their final thoughts are that this is also a metaphor. 

How many times has this story been rejected from other mags?

Foofaraw is actually the first place I sent it! It’s been hanging out on my laptop for a while, waiting for the perfect market, and Foofaraw seemed like home. 

What’s a great short story you’ve read recently?

I’ve been reading the newest Radon Journal and while it’s hard to pick a favorite, I think “Killing Yourself” by Evan Simon-Leack is my favorite so far! I love pulp, and it’s such a great pulpy noir with a real emotional punch. (Also, clones. I’m really into clones right now). 

Do you have anything else you’d like to share?

Shameless self-promotion time: I’m in the latest issue of Apex Magazine with my flash piece, Shrinkage! and my clifi solarpunk story Sandbag Squidward is going to be featured with Grist’s Imagine 2200.

But otherwise, check out Dream Theory Media! Friends and fellow writers M.M. Schrier and Jacob Baugher are sharing an issue there, and they are simply amazing!

Thanks to Ashlee for digging into HR and moonbases with us—try not to get eaten out there!