BCC Shines A Light on: Cecilia Kennedy
BCC Shines a Light On:
Cecilia Kennedy
Name of the piece published by BCC:
When/where was it originally published:
Evoke Literary Magazine, issue 1, March 1, 2022
What is the background of the piece? What led you to write it? What’s your process?
It’s fiction about loss/grieving, though I’ve never lost a child in the way that the narrator loses hers. My son just grew up and finished high school and was going on to college, which are all great things, but that passage of time still rested heavily on my heart, so I got everything out on paper.
Also, putting my own child on a rollercoaster, when he was about 10 or 12 years old—and he really, really wanted to go—scared the living daylights out of me, but I knew I had to let him. He still loves rollercoasters. I won’t ride them too often now, but when we go to an amusement park, I’m actually excited to see him get on his favorite rides.
In terms of process, in this case, I wanted a kind of triptych of three panels where the first and last carried one image, and the central one was the story. Typically, I don’t structure my stories in this way. I just work from a kernel idea. I write down what the story is in one sentence, and then I flesh it out from there. Beginnings/opening lines are my favorites. Conclusions are the hardest for me.
How did you feel when it was first published and how have your thoughts or feelings on the piece changed from then to now?
This is one of my favorite pieces I’ve ever written, and I’m thrilled that places like Bulb Culture Collective accept previously published works—to keep the light on. Thank you!
Is there a specific message you'd like readers to take away from reading this piece?
Even if our “losses” aren’t really big ones, it still feels right to give voice to those small changes we grieve—and celebrate at the same time.
Where can readers find more of your work? (Website/social media, etc)
I’m on Twitter, for now still: @ckennedyhola, also Instagram: ceciliakennedy2349. I have a DIY humor blog as well: https://fixinleaksnleeksdiy.blog/
