Michelle M. Welch is a Phoenix area writer who has written several novels. (Details can be found on her website, follow the link.) A few months ago she announced a music-themed audio anthology to be called “Theme and Variation.” Last week I signed a contract for my story “Black Orchid” to appear in the anthology.
I have to say, coming up with this story was rather painful. Writing to an assigned theme can often be difficult, even with a subject as broad as music. I think I started and aborted 5 different stories before I settled on the one I finished. Some of those abortions didn’t have enough plot wrapped around the cool idea, and others didn’t have enough to hold my own interest.
I finally finished writing “Black Orchid” and sent it off to Michelle a few weeks ago. It’s one of my rare fantasy pieces, which are usually only marginally fantastical. In this case, the fantastic element is allegorical.
Michelle is planning to release the audio anthology on CD at this years World Fantasy convention in San Jose, California. I still need to record the story and any related bed music, but that should be a one-afternoon project and will probably take place after school starts.
