🎙️ H. Marin

Read H.'s story, Basement Girls and Attic Gods, on Foofaraw now!

There’s a wonderful contrast between beautiful prose and a quite dark and ugly situation… was that deliberate or just natural from your writing style and interests?

I find this question to be incredibly satisfying because it’s a question I’ve gotten pretty much my whole life (looking at you, Mr. Turtola from high school Creative Writing), so I have to imagine that it’s an intrinsic part of my writing style. I personally love the juxtaposition between beautiful words and horrifying concepts.

Trauma seems to be a major theme in this story; do you sometimes view writing as a way to work through your own trauma and/or problems?

Oh, absolutely. Trauma informs pretty much all of my work. Some of my pieces have main characters who persevere despite seemingly insurmountable odds, but some are sucked into disastrous situations far beyond their understanding; darkness becomes a normalized part of life. Even in this way, though, I try to impart the understanding that living with darkness is normal. Beauty can be found even in the darkest places. Acceptance, in and of itself, is healing.

I know it’s a bit cliché to ask where a story comes from, but does this come from a more personal place or is it more a reflection of the monstrous times we seem to be living in?

At the heart of this story is Val’s desire to be a good parent despite all the wrongs she has suffered in her life and, as a result, she has inadvertently inflicted on her child. That being said, I absolutely think that I address an issue very personal to me. I know I’m not alone in the occasional thought that I am not doing right by my children, even if I’m doing the best I can with what I have. Val represents perseverance; the ability to keep going when we feel like we can’t bear the cards we’ve been dealt.

Do you view the ending as hopeful or do you think Valeria is likely to struggle getting her life on track?

I think Val turning down the endless possibility only a god can offer is absolutely a turning point for her. It’s my belief that as soon as she sees her daughter again, she’s going to have a reason to turn it all around, which is a purpose I think she was lacking when she met Iggy. This story is, unfortunately, based on grim realities—the girls who fall through the cracks and think they can do no better, the people who are queued up to take advantage. I want Val to act as a shining beacon of hope in an otherwise desolate landscape. It’s never too late.

Do you have any experience with house-sitting? Any strange or memorable moments?

Funnily enough I have never house-sat, although I am that person who is afraid of the dark and practically runs up basement stairs. I genuinely think a lot of this story came from my general distaste of basements and/or attics.

How many times has this story been rejected by other markets?

This piece had 14 rejections before it found its home. A lot of the time it truly is a matter of finding the right editor for a piece!

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

I’m currently working my way through Cosmic Horror Monthly’s Aseptic and Faintly Sadistic: An Anthology of Hysteria Fiction, and I really enjoyed Kelsea Yu’s “China Doll”. I think it also touches on a lot of similar themes from Basement Girls.

What book are you reading right now?

I am reading Oscar Wilde’s The Portrait of Dorian Gray.

Thanks to H. for digging into the struggle of storytelling with us—but I'll be staying out of the attic for a bit!