I’ve had my first flash fiction story accepted for publication! This story was written for the Globe Soup historical fiction competition in 2022, and it was reworked and finessed for submission.
On May 23, 2023, my story was posted here on Spillwords.com. It concerns the Great Kanto Earthquake in Japan which occurred on September 1, 1923. Here are some fast facts about the earthquake for reference:
- Magnitude 7.9
- Included substantial fires and a fire whirl (terrifying)
- Set off the massacre of Korean residents in the Kanto region
- Death toll approximately 142,800 (confirmed 105,385 – the rest missing and presumed dead)
- 33 foot tsunami
Generally, when I write stories, the endings are not the most pleasant. After reading this one, my mom said, “Wow, that’s cheerful for you.” I thought this was funny, and everyone needs to know.
Photo credit: Nippon.com