Up and Coming: There Is a Light That Never Goes Out

Have you ever had the realisation that some songs seem to perfectly illustrate aspects of your life? That a few lyrical lines can portray the very feelings and emotions swirling around your head more eloquently than you could ever put into words? For the narrator of There Is a Light That Never Goes Out, this realisation becomes reality when news of a tragic accident leads to a night-time walk with a musical background. Sugarskulldaze has a real way with words, and you’ll find yourself reading through the 1,800 words currently published with a sense of wonder and intrigue. I caught up with the person behind the username to learn a little more about this exciting new story!

Tell us a little bit about There Is a Light That Never Goes Out.

There Is a Light That Never Goes Out is a work in progress. I began writing it for a portfolio piece for my creative writing class about a month ago. I'm hoping to expand upon it, because it begins in media res and there's just so much more that I want to do with it. I purposely made the characters nameless and tried to be as ambiguous with who they are, mostly because I thought it would be an interesting and unique thing to do. I hate not being able to imagine characters the way I would like to, so I really enjoyed writing this way. I've only been working on this piece for a month, but spent 5,666 minutes on it (according to Microsoft Word).

What was the inspiration behind There Is a Light That Never Goes Out?

Well, I had a male best friend back when I was in high school, but after graduation he eventually stopped talking to me without any sort of explanation at all. The sense of confusion and longing for a reason why is woven within my work, but his absence wasn't the only inspiration that I had. The aspect of the truck and driving around came from something that I love. I enjoy riding in the car with people and just talking for hours, so I incorporated that as well. And of course, there's The Smiths. I have been a fan of The Smiths since I was nine years old and still get the same incredible feeling when I listen to my story's namesake. I originally set out to make this into a story of two people coming together after years apart, but preferred the solitary approach over one that seems slightly cliché.

Do you have any other stories that you think people might enjoy?

I used to write fanfiction on this site when I was younger. Now, I would rather spotlight my talent for writing in original pieces with original characters on this site. Writing fanfiction back in the day was somewhat stressful and I often worried about making someone who read my work angry, and I don't think they really reflect my true potential.

What is your favourite thing about Mibba?

My favorite thing about Mibba is that there's a lot of talent on here and everyone has something unique to offer readers, which I think is pretty cool. I don't currently have any stories that I have read on here, but that's mostly because of my status as a Senior at the University of Texas of the Permian Basin, as well as my employment on an NEH endowed grant as the student assistant.

What would you like to say to anybody who reads your stories?

To anyone who reads my stories, I would like to say thank you. Thank you for actually taking the time to give my work a shot. I'm still working on my writing and I know it's not perfect, but I appreciate that someone would give it a read. The reason I write is because it's cathartic and I am able to pour a bit of myself into my work. I love writing and I hope to maybe one day have a book that is published. I care about artistic expression and don't know what I would do if I wasn't able to write anymore.

And finally, if you were forced to listen to only one song on repeat for the rest of your life, what song would you choose and why?

This is the hardest question that anyone has ever asked me, as I am also a music junky/audiophile, but it would probably end up being "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out" by The Smiths. I can listen to it on repeat for hours and not get sick of it. It's just a song that makes me feel really good- whenever I listen to it, I get a bright sense of optimism that I didn't have before. I also think it's beautifully written and one of Morrissey's best lyrical works. It's a song to get lost to while spending time by yourself or somebody you love. I remember exactly how I felt the first time I listened to the song and I even detailed that in There Is a Light That Never Goes Out: “I remember the first time I ever listened to it. It made me feel nostalgic, as it does now. It was a strange, uncanny sort of nostalgia. The nostalgia before it was nostalgia. There was something familiar about it, even though I had never heard it before that night.”

Special thanks to isak valtersen and losing control. for editing!

Latest articles