Sven and the Fireball Djinni

Summary

Sven, grappling with the loss of his mother, finds new purpose and faces an unexpected conflict with fate involving a Fireball Djinni, as explored in a short fiction piece.

Abstract

The narrative revolves around Sven, who is mourning the loss of his mother and finds solace in the company of a Fireball Djinni. This story is part of Microcosm's August "Rings of Conflict" challenge, where the author, Karen Traub, embraced the constraints of a fifty-word count and a prompt to incorporate a conflict with fate. Traub, a recent graduate of the Newport MFA, acknowledges the fun she had with the challenge and the guidance she received from Paul Mansfield and Zane Dickens. The story's conclusion left the author and, presumably, the readers, with a sense of surprise and the potential for further adventures of Sven and his mystical companion.

Opinions

Karen Traub expresses gratitude for the creative direction provided by the Microcosm challenge and the support from Paul Mansfield and Zane Dickens.
The author values the discipline of writing within a word limit and using prompts, which helped shape the story.
Traub was inspired by the suggestion to end the story with a question that invites further exploration, indicating a possible continuation of Sven's tale.
The author reflects on the enjoyment of crafting fiction and the satisfaction derived from the story's reception, hinting at a positive response from readers.
Traub's background as a top writer in Reading on Medium and her academic credentials are subtly highlighted, suggesting a level of expertise and established presence in the literary community.

Is it the end or just the beginning? Fate will decide.

Sven wakes to his mother’s hand, now cool in his.

He brushes the Doritos crumbs off his lap and reaches for the nip of Fireball whisky in his pocket. He stops himself, remembering the Djinni.

The Sven that was born while his mother died is a man with a purpose.

Writing fiction is new to me and I appreciate the guidance of prompts and word counts. Thanks to Paul Mansfield for quick response to submissions, friendly encouragement and a keen eye for missing commas.

I had no idea how I was going to wrap up the story and incorporate a conflict with fate in just fifty words. I appreciated the suggestion by Zane Dickens to “end with a question that begs for an answer.”

The ending surprised me and I hope it satisfied the reader. However, it is very possible I have more to write about the adventures of Sven and the Fireball Djinni.

Thanks for reading!

A recent graduate of the Newport MFA and natural-born troublemaker, I’m a top writer in Reading on Medium. My poetry and prose have appeared in Brevity, Multiplicity and Voices of the Valley Anthology.

MICROCOSM AUGUST CHALLENGE

Sven and the Fireball Djinni

Is it the end or just the beginning? Fate will decide.

Karen Traub - Medium

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