KMWR: What was it like writing the first draft of "Objects of Interest"? How much change did you see from first to final draft?
CM: The first draft was really short. I originally had Flash Fiction Magazine in mind. They later published one of my other stories, "And that was that," but passed on this one. After that rejection I decided to let the story free, so to speak. To keep writing and see where it went. But the original had the core idea of two beleaguered travelers coming upon a technological relic in a desert. Then I kept writing and they looked over and saw the bar. Every bar needs a bartender, so that's where that character came from. And then the details of their weird adventure emerged.
KMWR: I loved how "Objects of Interest" develops its setting in just the first few paragraphs. The description of the run-down bar—"a shack being out there, with a metal sign above the door that had DRINK painted on it in pinkish craquelure. The sign implied not a suggestion but a demand"—fit exactly the small Nevada towns' "cafes" I sped past on Highway 50. Was there a town in mind when you wrote this story? Did the setting come before the characters?
CM: Thank you. Anyone who has ever tried to write a story knows how hard it can be to hook a reader, so I really appreciate that. It's an interesting question because no, I didn't have a specific place in mind. And I've only been to Nevada once and that was a long time ago. The desert was more of a movie set to me. Meaning that it's where it felt like the story needed to take place, rather than a place dictated by personal experience. The setting and the characters definitely coalesced as one. The relic, the travelers, the desert, they all sort of happened in my mind at the same time.
KMWR: This story makes interesting use of humor, dread, and nostalgia: Chartreuse and Marcus bat back and forth about life before the reversions. "You yourself just expressed nostalgia for, I don’t know how to phrase it," Chartreuse says, "splendor within reach?" They discuss hot yoga, Costco, and market manipulation. Can you talk more about this clash of "splendor within reach" in this future?
CM: I think those lines brought up the type of nostalgia that a lot of people have, and also I think they're sort of funny. I always appreciate writing that has humor and maybe a little bit of humility, of not taking things too seriously even if the situation is serious, like a society in decline. But I like the idea of exploring things from the past that make us smile in their presence. I think people in a declining society would have nostalgia for things many people consider mundane, like going to Costco. Also, isn't it a miracle that Costco exists? All those great products in one place? I'm being facetious, and not. The divine in the mundane. But, mainly, I just thought it was funny.
KMWR: What is your ideal writing session, and what do you like to have nearby as you write?
CM: My ideal writing session is the one that happens. Five minutes, an hour, two hours. It's rare but sometimes I can carve out an hour or two at night for dedicated writing. I end up writing on my phone a lot. I wrote and edited most of this story on my phone. I don't have time to get too precious about the process. Most people don't. I just write when it strikes me and I use the instruments at my disposal. I'd very much like to be independently wealthy and be able to spend normal waking hours writing. That's not the case, but so what? Like anyone else who is interested in sharing their ideas with the world, I do what I can where I can and I don't do anything I can't.
KMWR: How do you balance your career as an investigative journalist with your career as a creative writer? How do you manage all of the deadlines?
CM: I try to focus on what I'm doing, whatever that is. It's not compartmentalization, it's just doing my best to focus on the task at hand. Mornings are time to spend with my family and get the kids on their way to school or activities. Then it's work time. And when work time is done it's family time, and then time with my wife. And then maybe writing or reading time. The time for different things bleed into each other, there's no way to avoid it. But there's plenty of time in the day for everything, and also not enough time. Also, I have no deadlines for fiction writing. I used to be pretty hard on myself if I hadn't written anything in a few days or a week. But that's not really helpful to your psyche to put that kind of pressure on yourself. I manage by focusing and setting priorities. Fiction is often last on the list, but that's OK. I'm grateful for what I have and if I have some success in fiction writing it's gravy.
KMWR: Can you talk more about what you're working on now?
CM: I wrote a bunch of short stories last year so I'm trying to go back and edit them and put them into a collection. It's slow going and even when I'm done I have no idea how to sell a short story collection or if there is a market for these stories. Some have been published and some are still under review. My favorite story is called "North Shore" and it's fairly long but I hope it finds a home. Other than that I'm on a bit of a hiatus. I think I'd like to write a novel, but I'm not quite at the starting line.
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Clark Merrefield is a writer and editor from New York City, where he lives with his family. His short fiction has appeared in Palooka, So It Goes, Hemingway Shorts, Flash Fiction Magazine, as well as several defunct outlets. He's working on a novella in 2026.