Ernest Hemingway & Bridging the Gap in Publishing

Finding Ways in with Disability in fiction

Photo by JJ Waller.

Perhaps once a week I experience a strange phenomenon that is not unpleasant but can be a little frustrating: when a friendly stranger recognises me in some context for my writing and activism. This usually leads to a discussion about when they can buy my next book, and the somewhat misplaced belief that I've had hundreds published!

Okay, perhaps not an assumption of hundreds, but much more than the reality. This is one reason I'm always droning, yelling, whining about finding ways in with my fiction. Coaxing publishers not to be afraid of Penny Pepper, and to realise I’m reliable and professional – disability doesn’t discount that on auto – and I have a vast imagination that, while dark at times, is known for its sensitivity and wisdom.

I've worked hard on my craft and believe I'm a good writer – I know I'm a good storyteller! So how do I cross a bridge that has so many metaphorical steps upon it, into publishing? One of my proudest achievements is winning a place in the Hemingway Foundation’s 2021 anthology with my story Hat Man and Brian – a gentle, romantic piece set in New York that features a disabled woman – shock horror! – and which I hope, too, highlights harsher realities.

Tomorrow is Hemingway's birthday, so I wanted to share. The anthology, Hemingway Shorts 2021, is available through my author’s page and through my website. 

I aim to share the story here on my Substack when I move up to paid subscriptions. So many of you are generous enough to want to help, and I feel this is the way forward. Meanwhile, enjoy the read and do comment. You are all appreciated.

With summer blessings,

Penny x