At the Back of His Mind (Short Story)
Author: T. Marcus Christian
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Synopsis: Clark is an aspiring writer that is
constantly in search of a great story. But when his seemingly oppressive
relationship with his girlfriend, Lex, prompts him to take drastic action,
Clark realizes that he has the opportunity to make a great story.
Miles away from civilization, under the cover of a stormy night, he sets out to right the wrongs in his life with a shovel, a tarp and gritty determination.
What could possibly go wrong?
Miles away from civilization, under the cover of a stormy night, he sets out to right the wrongs in his life with a shovel, a tarp and gritty determination.
What could possibly go wrong?
Brought to you by TeamNerd Reviewer
Annabell Cadiz
Review: When I finished reading At
the Back of His Mind, it took me a moment to figure out just how exactly I
felt about it, considering the ending was not the one expected as a reader
which led me to decide that the author is very clever.
The story opens
with a man digging a shovel into the ground, hidden away in the forest, rain
pouring, prompting an eerie feeling for the reader from the get-go. Clark is
fiercely concentrated on the task at hand, a task the reader is not privy to
until the end, determined to hide his secrets for good. He’s a struggling
author who has had enough of his mean spirited girlfriend who clearly does not
understand the dark emotional road every author must bear in order to be great
at the craft.
I liked the
subtle glimpses the author gives as to the unhappy relationship Clark has with
his girlfriend, Lex while Clark is digging into the ground and rolling some
large tarp into the massive hole he’s dug. I loved the way the author build up
the story and used the setting to help build the illusion of the truth for the
reader. The story did become a bit heavy with far too much detail of a story
that held very little action. The narration was pulled down by the description
of every small detail, some of which didn’t really matter and disrupted the
fluidity of the story a few times.
I would have
liked to have read more about what happened between Clark and Lex that would
lead to his decision in the story but overall, I enjoyed the story and couldn’t
help but laugh at the end. The author was such a sneak and I liked the metaphor
the ending represented.
About the Author:
T. Marcus
Christian is a writer of suspense and thrillers. At the Back of His Mind was
part of a collection of stories titled Hold Your Breath, written as a
part of his MFA thesis project. Marcus holds an MA and MFA in Writing Popular
Fiction from Seton Hill University. He is also a professor and student of
writing.
Christian
discovered writing at an early age and got in trouble in class more than once
for passing around a collection of comics he wrote and illustrated. Taking a
cue from the meager success of the comic strip, he decided he would be a failed
comic strip artist and, indeed, succeeded in failing. Someday there may be a
collection of Christian's papers in some archives and, if he has anything to do
with it, these comics will be hidden among the even less interesting elementary
school drawings.
Christian
also had a short film in the Cornerstone Film Festival in 2009 titled
"Salvation" about a college professor who takes a break from reality
after his life spirals out of control. When he is not working, he spends his
time with his wife Sarah and their two children. They live in Central Virginia.
Where to Find the Author
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