I suppose my question is, Was that something you set out to explore initially-the sisters in general, or perhaps more specifically, the way identities are assimilated in relationships, as their mother describes-or did it emerge through the editing process? I find the dynamic between sisters here fascinating. My sister and I are similar in more ways than it seems. There’s an interesting moment about midway through “My Sister Versus Tomatoes” where the narrator says: “My old therapist used to point out how much I tried to mirror my partners.” This coming immediately after learning the narrator’s sister has “come to understand relationships as… a squishing together of identities,” it reads like a confession of sorts. I love this about her, because she’s an incredibly funny and stubborn and sweet human, but it’s also frustrating to witness, so I wrote about it. It’s like she wanted to erase the version of herself that existed before her relationship. So, she decided that she would also not eat tomatoes or eggs and would adamantly deny that she had ever enjoyed either. When, my real sister, not the narrativized version of her here, started dating her boyfriend, she found out he didn’t like tomatoes or eggs. I’m also working on a non-fiction work about bees and memory and fertility that is told in flash vignettes. I’ve just finished putting together my first collection of linked flash stories. Yes, I mostly write flash, and even teach courses in it through Catapult and the continuing studies department at the University of Guelph. First, read this prize-winning piece, then come back and enjoy a conversation about tomatoes, relationships, and the writing process!Ĭongrats on placing in our flash fiction contest! This is one of my favorite contests we host-I’m a huge flash fan. Today, we’re pleased to share this interview with the writer about her story.
On Monday, we published “My Sister Versus Tomatoes,” the third-prize winning story in this year’s Flash Fiction Contest, written by Kate Barss and selected by Kim Chinquee.
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