28 | How I wrote my first short story in four years

Deadmedia shares monthly peeks behind the scenes, writing updates, and creativity thoughts from SF/F author Samantha Garner. Learn more here.

Hi everyone,

I’m happy to announce that I’ve finished the short story exclusively for my newsletter subscribers! Stone Grown is set in the greater world of my latest novel Seeker of the Lost Song and its sequel-in-progress. It’s historically-inspired, character-driven, and draws on Finnish and Filipino folklore and customs.

As I promised in my June newsletter, you get it first! [Ed. note from Samantha-in-the-Future: Subscribe to Deadmedia to get the short story]

My process for writing Stone Grown was unlike anything I’ve ever done before and I thought it’d be fun to share. There are no spoilers coming up, but if you’d prefer to just get straight to the story, please feel free. Otherwise, let me tell you about From Song to Story.

Writing a short story based on a song

My friend Katie Li is a super-prolific, multifaceted, generous writer. She’s one of my inspirations, always considering ways to deepen her relationship to writing and creativity, and coming up with thought-provoking and unique ideas to do just that. You might remember that she interviewed me about The Quiet is Loud. Even though we did it via email, I felt her insight, her thoughtfulness, as vibrantly as if we’d been face-to-face.

So when it was time to write Stone Grown, I knew that Katie’s self-guided short story writing course would be perfect. From Song to Story helps writers create a short story inspired by a song, from idea generation to completed work. You form an intimate understanding of all components of the song to build an intricate foundation for a story. It’s honestly like no other writing course I’ve ever done. Its 45 exercises delve deep. My resulting story is in conversation with my chosen song, but its characters and theme carry the thread in their own unique way.

As I gushed to Katie, “I’ve honestly never had so much fun working on a short story in YEARS. I feel so connected to this part of my artistic practice in a way I didn’t think was possible. I think this will make me love writing short stories again!”

So what song did I choose, you might be wondering? Some of you may not be surprised to learn that I turned to someone I find a different sort of creative connection with.

“Cuckoo Cocoon” by Genesis

Yes that’s right, I’m back on my Peter Gabriel bullshit. I wanted to choose something from Genesis’ last Gabriel album, “The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway,” specifically because he wrote all its lyrics. I’ll share the lyrics of Cuckoo Cocoon here, but if you’re like me and skip the songs in The Lord of the Rings, don’t worry - this one’s short (and if you want to listen, you can do so here).

I also wanted to use this song because it’s from a concept album with a somewhat linear story. This came in handy as I was able to draw on the song that comes after this, as well as the stage of life Gabriel was in during its writing. He left Genesis after this album’s release, and even during its recording the cracks were showing in the band. He said in 2007 of the album’s tour: “The hotel was part of rock’n’roll culture and I realised, ‘I’m part of this machinery and I don’t feel this is where I should be or who I am’. I could feel the pressure mounting and I had to punch my way through it.”

I can’t overstate how perfectly this sentiment showed up in the song and in Stone Grown. It’s on the surface as Kivikas wakes up under an enchantment that feels wrong but also comfortable. It’s woven throughout the themes, the characters, in more conceptual ways.

And, look, you’ll have to excuse what is possibly the most fangirl behaviour I’ve ever exhibited but: writing this story based on the song also helped me feel more connected to Peter Gabriel. At least, in the creative sense. The song is full of imagery that speaks directly to the exact internal conflict he was going through about his own artistic needs. But it’s also just a fucking cool song even divorced from that context. These facts helped me get even deeper into the story, giving myself permission to explore what’s driving my own life at the moment.

Falling in love with short stories again

From Song to Story’s balance of creativity and practicality had a powerful effect on me. In my message to Katie I referenced having fallen out of love with writing short stories. My last one was published in The Quarantine Review in 2020, and though I liked writing it, I haven’t written one since. Much of that is logical—I’ve been focused on novels—but all the same, I wanted to return to the format that I’d been devoted to for so much of my life.

In the course I brainstormed and researched, but I was also guided in something I’ve literally never done: outlining a short story. It had honestly never crossed my mind before this course. I outline novels but with stories I suppose I used to just go off vibes? Maybe that’s why I fell out of love with the format a bit. Maybe I needed a bit of structure to feel connected with it again. In any case, I’m happy to say that outlining stories will be my new thing in the future.

To know that the short story door has been cracked open again is really fucking validating. It feels life-affirming to have something created and out there in the world within a few months. In a way it reminds me of my old zine days. Back to my roots in that way too, I suppose!

History & folklore inspirations

And now, because this is already long, let’s have a very quick rundown of some of Stone Grown’s historical & folklore inspirations:

• Turku Castle* in the medieval period, under Swedish rule. Specifically:

  • The labyrinth carved into the wall in the Ladies’ Parlour to trap evil spirits

  • The Scriptorium

• Tuonela, the Finnish land of the dead, and its associated characters

• Pre-colonial Filipino death rituals

I hope you enjoy the story - I’d love to know what you think!

 [Ed. note from Samantha-in-the-Future: Subscribe to Deadmedia to get the short story]

*I visited Turku Castle in 2015 - read about it here!

PS, new interview:

I was recently interviewed by fellow fantasy author EA Whyte in her “Interview with an Author” series. Check it out here, and have a look at the rest of her site. It’s a must-read for authors!

Talk soon,
-Sg.

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