Featured Story: The Trial

The Trial is an original fiction that takes place back in 1922. Here's margaery tyrell to tell more about this story!

Give us a brief summary of The Trial.

The Trial, in short, is about a lawyer who travels to New Orleans to defend a negro woman in a murder trial, only she has a different plan for him. She is not who he thinks she is.

What inspired you to write this story?

Well, there were multiple inspirations for the story. I wrote it after watching American Horror Story: Coven for the first time and I loved the character Marie Laveau. I wanted to write a story with a character like her, and with some research I found that there is a voodoo idol/deity/myth about a woman named Erzulie Dantor/D'en Tort, so I thought she was the perfect being to incorporate into my own story. New Orleans was just naturally the best setting, considering its voodoo and French roots align with those of Erzulie's.

How did you choose the title for this story?

The narrator, Calvin Morris, travels to New Orleans to defend in a trial. If you read the story, you'll see.

What is the most challenging thing about writing it?

The dialect was really hard. I had to research a lot for that. "Half-seas-over" is something I picked up from that, as well as some other things. There was a lot of research to do with the technology--telephones, even lighters. But I think the most challenging part was keeping the classic, 1920's narrative voice I was trying to go for (even if I missed the mark).

What's your favourite thing about The Trial?

The main character, Erzulie. I love her.

Have you experienced any writer's block while writing this story?

Surprisingly enough, I didn't experience any writer's block with this story! I wrote it after NaNoWriMo last year and I got about 75,000 words on that novel and was still going strong so I kinda used The Trial to burn off the leftover steam.

Do you follow an outline or just write what comes naturally?

I really just wrote what came naturally and researched when I needed to or between writing sessions.

Is there anything you would like to say to your readers?

I would just love to tell my readers thank you! I mean, it really means a lot that people like my story, and they think it's good. I'm sure they're disappointed by my other occasional stories, and for that, I am sorry.

Special thanks to losing control. and cleopatra. for editing!