Smart Bets: Nathan Alling Long

On a quantity level, it’s difficult to find more narrative prowess in a single volume of writing and by a single author than Nathan Alling Long’s The Origin of Doubt: Fifty Short Fictions. Initially conceived as a goal for Long to have 50 flash fictions published together by the time he turned 50 years old, early manuscripts of the work were sent out under the title Fifty/Fifty, suggesting that readers would perhaps enjoy half of the short-short stories. After eclipsing the half-century mark, the Philadelphia-based author and Stockton University creative writing professor decided on The Origin of Doubt, which is also a subsection of the book that centers on adolescence. The prolific writer and queer literature advocate will read from his newest collection at Malaprop’s on Thursday, Jan. 24, at 6 p.m. Free to attend. malaprops.com. Author photo by Gary Plouff

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

About Edwin Arnaudin
Edwin Arnaudin is a staff writer for Mountain Xpress. He also reviews films for ashevillemovies.com and is a member of the Southeastern Film Critics Association (SEFCA) and North Carolina Film Critics Association (NCFCA). Follow me @EdwinArnaudin

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.