![]() ![]() But the more virtual reality becomes a part of our daily lives, the more it will be used for mundane activities. And in cyberpunk type stories, virtual reality is a land of hacking, viruses, and virtual battles to the death. All the stories stand alone, but for the one or two people reading this who are interested in the Lincoln Michel Expanded Short Story Universe, the character Amanda is the main character in my Granta story “ The Smart House of Mrs O” and the briefly mentioned Felix is the narrator of my Paris Review story “ A Feeling Artist.”Īnother inspiration was simply thinking about the banal uses of virtual reality. ![]() At some point, the idea of a virtual reality writing residency came to me. ![]() So I’ve been thinking a lot about the claustrophobia of city living, the weirdness of having roommates well into adulthood, rotten landlords, etc. PR: Where did you get the idea for this story? LM: For a while, I’ve been working on a series of stories about struggling millennial types in NYC-the stories are, I hope, a lot more interesting than that summary sounds!-which are largely set in dingy apartments. Lincoln Michel has 2.0’d that notion, and the result is a very funny story that’s also a little bit scary. One of my favorite Emerson quotes, from “Self-Reliance,” is, “My giant goes with me wherever I go.” Emerson was talking about travel-the idea of traveling to get away from the circumstances of one’s life and soul, and finding that to be impossible. One Story readers can now reap the benefits of that approach in “From the Comfort of Your Own Home.” And that complaint forms our new issue.Īnyone familiar with the work of Lincoln Michel knows that he’s more interested in exploring the far-out possibilities of the short story form than he is in following a set of traditional writing rules. In fact, things go so wrong for Stella that she decides to lodge a complaint with the company. One possible solution? How about a virtual reality artists’ residency? The idea of such a residency sounds promising, in theory, but the reality of it (yes, the reality of the virtual reality) is far from ideal. She also lacks privacy and a decent place to write in. Stella is a writer without much time to write. You can find him online at and Patrick Ryan on “From the Comfort of Your Own Home” His fiction appears in The Paris Review, Granta, NOON, Lightspeed, the Pushcart Prize anthology, and elsewhere. He is also the author of the story collection Upright Beasts (Coffee House Press) and the co-editor of the anthologies Tiny Crimes (Catapult) and Tiny Nightmares (Catapult). Lincoln Michel’s debut novel The Body Scout (Orbit) was named one of the ten best science fiction and fantasy books of 2021 by The New York Times. So, you’ll understand why a virtual reality writing residency appealed to me. The walls are cardboard and there’s a roach nest hidden somewhere behind the fridge. I live with two strangers I split utilities with, Jared and Amanda, and an elevated subway line rattles right past our kitchen window. I am now novel-less and behind on student loan payments.ĭetails of Issue with Service (please be as thorough as possible so we may adequately assist you): Compose in text box below or else attach a. Summary of Issue (max 400 characters): I’m requesting a refund for your “virtual reality writing retreat.” While I was impressed by the tech (goggles were ergonomic, gloves comfortable, haptics responsive) and mechanics (setting was realistic, flora well-rendered), I was harassed, haunted, and had my work destroyed inside your virtual cabin. Subject (select one): *Problem with Service*Īpplications Used (select as many as apply): MindFood Username or Email Address: Stella.O.Writer ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |