The life of an influencer is such a heartbreaking hall of mirrors. Ben, you help us imagine how it feels to be Kelsey. I think those of us who grew up with relatively few pictures of ourselves were given a gift. Not a total disinterest--but a tendency, to see a person's appearance as one of the least interesting things about them. I'm not sure how to even explain it, but I almost never notice someone's clothing, or hair, or shoes, etc. And I can usually remember, verbatim, something they said or how I felt being in their presence. It will be so interesting to see your characters start to overlap and interact.
It is such a bizarre way to live. It’s really something that’s grown completely out of the technology and wouldn’t exist without it. I can’t help but wonder how AI will bend and shape this next generation. Thanks for reading. 🙏
I agree with Kimberly Ben, this is important and clever in the way you switched the roles, the influencer stopping to reflect on her actions, a rare moment I think... I hope in these dark days we, who are old enough, can remember how it was without influencers and selfies and this almost debilitating need to feel noticed. I hope we who do can teach our children the bright and beautiful possibilities out in this glorious planet without being plugged in. I hope we have that chance...
Thank you, Susie. Me too. These are such dark days, it’s hard to know what will be on the other side of them. I’m glad we’re connected here, all of us writing and keeping watch across the world.
Damn! So good Ben. Like, totally. 😉 (Love how your voice even changed with this one…have you done this with the others and I didn’t notice?)
You wrote, “The only way I see us making it through this is if we can all begin to encounter each other in the real world where consequences can’t be deep-faked” and then you illustrate this so perfectly—the young woman’s own vacancy leaning toward the doesn’t-give-two-f*#%s humans in front of her.
I do hope she follows them and then eventually leans in more for a good old fashioned chat.
Thank you, Kimberly. I might have indulged and leaned in a little too close to the inner voice of this character, but is a technique I'm always trying to perfect in my fiction. I love when a writer can leverage the third-person POV but be so close to the character you feel like it's first-person.
your message and the sketch are both firmly implanted markers of your empathy and imagination and talent i have your novel and for months have been torn all kinds of ways after starting it and knowing it demands more concentration......look forward to that
I try to stay positive on a personal level, but it's getting harder and harder every day. Even enjoying your short story, I am left wondering how long before trans women like your character find that the joy of walking openly as themselves is taken from them, or what safety they risk. I know we both have family members affected by this, and of course, global conflict would affect us all. Trying to keep the faith in humanity over here and believe that it can't come to that before someone stops it - or perhaps not faith, but blind hope.
It's true. We are moving into a very dark time and it feels like clouds are gathering more with every passing day. I have to believe we're building toward some great tipping point. Thanks for reading and commenting, Rhiannon-- and thanks for being such a bright light in the darkness.
The life of an influencer is such a heartbreaking hall of mirrors. Ben, you help us imagine how it feels to be Kelsey. I think those of us who grew up with relatively few pictures of ourselves were given a gift. Not a total disinterest--but a tendency, to see a person's appearance as one of the least interesting things about them. I'm not sure how to even explain it, but I almost never notice someone's clothing, or hair, or shoes, etc. And I can usually remember, verbatim, something they said or how I felt being in their presence. It will be so interesting to see your characters start to overlap and interact.
It is such a bizarre way to live. It’s really something that’s grown completely out of the technology and wouldn’t exist without it. I can’t help but wonder how AI will bend and shape this next generation. Thanks for reading. 🙏
On point, Ben. I feel like you really got inside this character's head. The prose is spot on, the feel, the vibes.
Also, I really dig the artstyle and profile of the character are.
As Kate says, your art, and art in general, is an antidote to the world's issues.
Thank you, Nathan. I’m glad it worked for you.
I think (your) art is some kind of antidote; if many of us create it, then it fights the big problems slowly slowly slowly...
Also, a poignant sketch! Very engaging to read.
Thank you, Kate. I like to think art is the antidote, or it’s at least a meaningful diversion from staring into the void.
I agree with Kimberly Ben, this is important and clever in the way you switched the roles, the influencer stopping to reflect on her actions, a rare moment I think... I hope in these dark days we, who are old enough, can remember how it was without influencers and selfies and this almost debilitating need to feel noticed. I hope we who do can teach our children the bright and beautiful possibilities out in this glorious planet without being plugged in. I hope we have that chance...
Thank you, Susie. Me too. These are such dark days, it’s hard to know what will be on the other side of them. I’m glad we’re connected here, all of us writing and keeping watch across the world.
Damn! So good Ben. Like, totally. 😉 (Love how your voice even changed with this one…have you done this with the others and I didn’t notice?)
You wrote, “The only way I see us making it through this is if we can all begin to encounter each other in the real world where consequences can’t be deep-faked” and then you illustrate this so perfectly—the young woman’s own vacancy leaning toward the doesn’t-give-two-f*#%s humans in front of her.
I do hope she follows them and then eventually leans in more for a good old fashioned chat.
Thank you, Kimberly. I might have indulged and leaned in a little too close to the inner voice of this character, but is a technique I'm always trying to perfect in my fiction. I love when a writer can leverage the third-person POV but be so close to the character you feel like it's first-person.
your message and the sketch are both firmly implanted markers of your empathy and imagination and talent i have your novel and for months have been torn all kinds of ways after starting it and knowing it demands more concentration......look forward to that
Thank you, Appleton. I appreciate your kind words and I hope the novel will prove to be worthy of your attention.
Thank you Ben, both for your kindness in the preface, and also in the story.
Not everyone wants to be seen the way that others do….truth.
💞
I try to stay positive on a personal level, but it's getting harder and harder every day. Even enjoying your short story, I am left wondering how long before trans women like your character find that the joy of walking openly as themselves is taken from them, or what safety they risk. I know we both have family members affected by this, and of course, global conflict would affect us all. Trying to keep the faith in humanity over here and believe that it can't come to that before someone stops it - or perhaps not faith, but blind hope.
It's true. We are moving into a very dark time and it feels like clouds are gathering more with every passing day. I have to believe we're building toward some great tipping point. Thanks for reading and commenting, Rhiannon-- and thanks for being such a bright light in the darkness.