Emily’s Grave (a story)

I made a thing, and it’s available in a few different formats.

Awhile back, I wrote a super short story, The Ride. I figured it would be the start of a flurry of stories, but it turns out I’m not as prolific a storyteller as I’d hoped, and I don’t seem to be willing to put the nose to the grindstone and make it happen.

But I did manage to write one more story. I hoped to shop it around, but it’s an odd length: too long for a short story (at least, one that publishers would read), and too short for a novella.

So: I present it to you here. If you’re interested, there are a few different ways to enjoy it.

Videobook

I commissioned my friend and former student — and now multi-award-winning artist/animator/filmmaker — John David Irvine to create an animation to accompany an audio version. It’s beautiful, so I hope you’ll check it out:

Audiobook

Since I needed audio for the videobook anyway, I went ahead and saved it as an mp3. You can listen to it here, if you like, or download it and listen on your own device. (To download, click on the three dots on the right.)

Unfortunately, mp3s don’t support chapters, so it’s just one long audio file. If you need to take a break — it’s not short! — you’ll want to keep track of the timestamp for when you return.

Text

If you prefer reading with your eyes, I’ve got two options for you:

• I posted it to the blog in twelve parts, so you can read it serially. You’ll want (obviously) to start with the first part.
• If you’d rather have it in one document, you can view or download the PDF copy.

The art

For those who choose not to partake of the video or serialized posts, here are some screenshots of John’s animation (click to enlarge):

About the artist

Multi award-winning artist/animator/filmmaker John David Irvine is known for his unique style of handcrafted animation and darkly surreal imagery. His cryptic work explores identity, queerness, and generational trauma, wading into the everyday horrors that undulate beneath the veneer of the mundane. His award-winning short film COMMON MONSTERS is currently being expanded into his feature film directorial debut.

Check him out at https://thejohnirvine.com.

Merch

If you find John’s cover art (the piece that appears at the top of this post) as beautiful as I do, you might want it on a shirt or coffee mug or suchlike. I set up a Redbubble store. (Redbubble’s not the most intuitive, but it works. And I love my coffee mug!)

Tip Jar

Pay what you like, if you like.

I hope you enjoy!