short stories – Surprised By Joy

“Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.” – Benjamin Franklin

Back when my brother had his pilot’s license, I would occasionally fly with him when he needed to get time in practicing take-offs and landings. We’d go on days where the weather was nice and spend an hour or two flying to nearby airports to land and take-off again to meet the minimum requirement for flight hours necessary to maintain his license.

Taking off and landing is the hardest part of flying. And I think that’s the same with writing, isn’t it? It’s why I’m so impressed by short story writers. That’s a lot of take-offs and landings, so to speak.

So I loved this How to Share podcast conversation that award-winning playwright Jack Canfora and I had with author Maxine Rosaler. We delve into her recently released book, The Missing Kidney, a collection of short stories that explore the complexities of human relationships set against the backdrop of New York City in the 1970s and 80s. There are 14 short stories in this collection – and Maxine is an expert at take-offs and landings.

Maxine shares her journey as a writer, discussing her preference for short stories, the therapeutic nature of writing, and the importance of character development. We touch on the evolution of New York City, the themes of truth and denial in her work, and the challenges of navigating personal relationships in fiction. Throughout the conversation, Maxine emphasizes the significance of finding one’s voice and the role of encouragement in a writer’s journey.

Takeaways

Maxine’s stories are character-based and often autobiographical.
She prefers writing short stories over novels for their conciseness.
Writing can be therapeutic, helping to process emotions and experiences.
The city of New York serves as a character in her stories.
Maxine believes in the goodness of people and explores themes of denial.
She emphasizes the importance of finding one’s angle in writing.
The evolution of New York City influences her writing and themes.
The unconscious mind plays a crucial role in the creative process.

Here’s a short of Maxine’s introducing one of her stories and some of the themes she likes to explore:

Here are some ways you can watch this engaging episode with the “best short story writer you’ve never heard of” per Kirkus Reviews. Until now, of course…

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Click this link to watch in a browser: How to Share Short Stories with Maxine Rosaler
Subscribe to How To Share on Spotify, Amazon Music, or Apple Podcasts
Subscribing to the YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@howtosharepodcast
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The Life of Try: Alex Honnold Case Study – The Life of Try

This episode features host Wynne Leon with a brand-new segment that “reverse engineers” what world-class trying really looks like. Our case study: professional climber Alex Honnold, whose headline-making feats—from free soloing El Capitan in Yosemite to scaling Taipei 101 this January—offer a masterclass in what it takes to attempt the extraordinary.We’ll break down the real ingredients behind self-improvement, personal growth and big outcomes: preparation, learning from others, and staying steady through setbacks—and how those same principles apply to the goals of re-invention we’re chasing every day. Whether you’re gearing up to speak in public, throw a pitch, or learn a new song, you can borrow these lessons and put them to work in your own try-cycle.This is The Life of Try—the podcast where innovation, reinvention, personal growth, and discovery begin with one simple choice: to try. Even when it’s uncomfortable. Even when you’d rather not. Even when life makes the decision for you.Links for this episode:Wynne's blog: https://wynneleon.comFree Solo: A National Geographic documentaryAlex Honnold Free Solo Climbs Tapei 101 Skyscraper