New fiction published by DarkWinter Literary Magazine, a story called ‘The Distance and the Damage’. It’s a short one. It’s a tough one.

In 2023, I was wondering around my hometown. Hadn’t really published much of anything at that point and had no idea if publishing was actually important to me. I happened to come upon a book fair at our local town square, and walked up to a booth run by Suzanne Craig-Whytock. We got to talking, and I expressed that I was a writer and relatively uncertain as to what I was doing. What struck me about that conversation is that she took the time to talk with me, and share her perspectives. She spent time with me. I don’t know if there’s anything more valuable than giving time.

I bought a couple of books by her, and went onwards. I saw her again later that year at the Eden Mills Writing Festival. I biked from Kitchener all the way to Eden Mills, a small but charming little village on a river. I arrived exhausted, and in bike shorts, but I’d brought a change of clothing. Took in many readings that day. It was enlivening being around people from the writing life, something to which I was not accustomed. That’s where I first heard Paola Ferrante speak, and was quite moved by her talk.

I saw Suzanne against at this festival, and spent more time with her. I think of her as the first person in this industry that I really ever spent any time with. I learned a lot from those discussions. Later that year, I submitted a story to DarkWinter Literary Magazine and Press, where Suzanne is editor-in-chief, and it was published. It’s a piece called ‘Toronto Rain’, and you can read it here if you’re of a mind. Sad story. Based on truth, unfortunately.

Earlier this year, I sent another piece to Suzanne, called ‘The Distance and the Damage’. It’s just been published today, the first day of 2026, and you can find it here. This is an older story that I’ve kept around for a time. I wrote it on an airplane, a two-hour trip that turned into a story in what was some pretty bumpy weather. I found the piece hard to write. I find it hard to read. It draws from no real world inspiration that I remember. It’s not something that happened to me or to anyone that I know, but I can imagine it, and that’s enough.

Greatly appreciative to Suzanne, and DarkWinter Literary Magazine. Please go check out her website. I can attest that she’s a good soul, and we need such people in the literary world.