The Woman on the Sidewalk

I have an edgy, mildly graphic piece in the new issue of SUB-LIT (“publishing the best in literary dissidence”), a site that specializes in awesome pieces that should (and do) have the tagline, Sex, Literature, and Rock & Roll.

I actually wrote “The Woman on the Sidewalk” over two years ago only to let it burn an erotic hole in my hard drive until I ran across SUB-LIT, at which point I metaphorically dusted it off and sent it out. I owe a big thank you to head editor Laurah Raines for working with me on this to make it even more awesome. Go read what my workshop professor might have called “an excellent, energetic tale about the effects of our hypersexualized society.”

6 Comments

Roxane 08.02.09 Reply

I loved this story. The last paragraph is amazing.

Ben 08.02.09 Reply

Thanks Roxane!

I remember reading “what long legs mean” back in June and just reread it again because it floored me.

Louisa 08.09.09 Reply

As a new fan to Sub-Lit, your story was the perfect introduction. I admire your work greatly. Every sentence in the story was as savory as you made the woman out to be. I look forward to seeing more of your work.

Ben 08.09.09 Reply

Thank you Louisa—I very much appreciate your kind praise, and I hope some future stories will be as densely satisfying as you found these sentences to be.

Tracy Lucas 10.31.09 Reply

Thought I’d browse some older entries while I’m here; very glad to have found this one.

So far, this is my favorite piece from you. I also agree that the gold is in the last paragraph.

It was engaging enough, even to the last, to keep my eyes on the page despite the weird site color choices and lightweight font, which were literally hurting my eyes.

That’s mad skills, man. I usually wouldn’t have made it.

Again, nicely done.

Ben 11.02.09 Reply

Thanks Tracy, glad you made it through. I always had a soft spot for this one. It’s probably my favorite of my flashes as well.

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