Episode 15: Gas Money

Episode 15: Gas Money. It's Steven J. McDermott coming to you from the Panic Room with the Winter of Different Directions podcast. This week's story is "Gas Money."



"Radcliffe sat at the picnic table stabbing the middle finger of his left hand at the portable typewriter—tatch tatch tick titch tatch brrring tatch titch tatch—imprinting words one letter at a time on the stock-white page, words which he hoped would create the illusion that he was still in business. He spat the husk of a sunflower seed towards the grass overrun with lawn daisies, buttercups, and dandelions. He flicked the carriage return, ratcheted the paper up a line, blew into the notch where the keys struck the page, and began again his one finger assault—tatch tatch tatch.. . . . "

Listen to the episode: download the mp3 (28:59 mins 20.0 mb)
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In addition to the podcast, I've posted commentary on the story over in the Storyglossia litblog. In a feature I'm calling "The Story Behind the Story" I give you some history on where the story came from, why I wrote it, how it changed in its various revisions, as well as discuss—in true Storyglossia fashion—some of the craft issues I was working on in the story. So check it out after you listen to "Gas Money."

Next up, in episode 16, I'll be reading "Winter of Different Directions."

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