Paul Curran was born in England, grew up in Australia, and lives in Japan. His novel, Left Hand, is available from Civil Coping Mechanisms.
An excerpt from his novel, Left Hand, appeared in Issue Fifty-Eight of The Collagist.
Here, he answers questions "in the form of excerpts"—with further excerpts from Left Hand. Enjoy!
What is writing like?
6.5.
a) Close your eyes and then hack into your left arm.
b) Close your eyes and then hack into your left arm.
c) Close your eyes and then hack into your left arm.
d) Close your eyes and then hack into your left arm.
e) Close your eyes and then hack into your left arm.
What isn’t writing like?
I go to this novel’s funeral, sit on a hard chair, and observe the casket entering flames.
When you do it, why?
20.4.
a) Lean against a wall and squat down to the floor.
b) Notice that all of the dead bodies have been amputated.
c) Look at a tower of arms and legs twisted together.
d) Realize all of the bodies have had their genitals mutilated.
e) Search the blank expressions in a row of severed heads.
When you don’t, why?
The axe blade struck Paul’s head. He dropped to the floor. Another blow chopped through his arms. The last one cracked his face into a frozen mess of shock and relief.