New Work Out: Three Doors

“Three Doors” is a small piece, 1,321 words, included in an anthology put out by The Writers’ Journal.

I saw a call for submissions in Duotrope, an online platform that allows users to access lists of publishers and agents and offers a handy submission grid to help you keep track of submissions. I pay a subscription fee of about $100 a year for the service. I found the call under themed deadlines and the topic was doors 

Ages ago I wrote a novel. I think like most of us, we all have a shelved novel, a manuscript in the drawer. Not to say it’s unloved or terrible or the work of a novice, but something that might make an appearance later. We haven’t given up on it. That’s the story with “Three Doors.” It is an excerpt from a novel I shopped around and even had an agent for—to no avail. It’s the piece that got me into Breadloaf—again, ages ago.

What goes around comes around—meaning, I don’t know, I had a thing in there about doors. Doors to my character, to Tally’s heart. After the sudden, violent death of her friend, Tally tries to process the reality and recalls a sermon from her pastor: Open the door to your heart. The door metaphor is prevalent throughout the New Testament—Christ at the door knocking. Instead, Tally ponders the doors blocking her as a young woman in a divided society. The doors that keep her out, closed doors. Even her own fears have stopped her from moving forward. She chooses to wall herself off, hoping to avoid pain and disappointment.

I know, a lot in a little piece. Perhaps, I had been too ambitious as a young writer. There are doors to my heart, too.

Anyway, I reworked the piece to fit the specs of the submission call and sent it in.

Finally, acceptance—on a small scale—but, redemption.