Personal Effect

By Matthew Farrington

In this poignant short-story by writer Matthew Farrington, a woman comes to terms with her mother's rejection and the subsequent estrangement from her family while attempting to clean out the family's summer home. Tasked with cleaning out the house, Sarah slowly reads the last letter her mother wrote to her while examining their relationship against the backdrop of childhood summers.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Matthew Farrington
• Release date: Jul 18, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301596171

Matthew Farrington

I never know what to write to someone by way of introduction. Which is odd because I'm so introverted I generally feel like handing out a bio when I go to a party so that way I could sit in a corner and not have to talk to anyone who didn't find me interesting on paper. I'm good on paper. In general I am a mild-mannered, would-be writer living in Cleveland, Ohio. Where it's cold. I guess I shouldn't say 'would-be' writer. I write. Sometimes in complete sentences. I write every day. Probably like a lot of you. I am at work now on a novel. That sounds so ominous. Or pompous. "What do you do?" "Oh, I'm working on a novel." It doesn't explain anything I guess because when I say it out loud to actual people they sometimes say, "Well, yeah, but what do you DO?" I have no idea. My process is simple. I could explain it this way: I wake early, turn the flame on under the kettle on my way to the keyboard. And I write. And write. And write. Or, if I'm honest, I stare, and then stare some more wondering why I can't channel Dostoyevsky or Edith Wharton. But I try to crank out 250 words between the time the tea goes cold and I have to go to work. Yes, like most writers I have a job that keeps me in tea and comfortable sweaters. My life is simple. I can't claim to be a minimalist but I believe whole-heartedly in simplicity and in intentional living. I make decisions based on real need and luckily I don't understand anything at all about technology so I never really want anything new. The result being that I own a MacBook Air and a second hand couch. I stopped looking for bigger places to spread out and opted for a small place to encourage interiority. It worked. I don't have a television. I sometimes watch movies or old sitcoms on Netflix but I'd rather read a book. I like silence. And I like solitude. I have friends but I'm happier alone. My mother thinks that's weird. I have a blog, where I sometimes write things. I think the blogosphere is a good idea in theory but requires a great deal of discipline in practice. Shameless self-promotion again: http://theheartofthematter.me/ Check me out if you want. Leave a comment. I like to chat. I think the most important thing a person who wants to write can do is read. A lot. And I do. I broke down this year and bought a Kindle. Yes, I like it. But no, I have not stopped going to the library or to the bookstore. I usually have two or three books going at any one time. I like dogs. I'm kind. What else do you want to know?

Book preview

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