Interview with Haley Addison: 2024 Spring Flash Fiction Contest Runner Up

Haley’s Bio: Haley’s writing career started back in third grade when she used her classroom journal time to write about Greek myths and time travel adventures. Her first novel, White Picket Fence, was self-published in 2019 while she was working on her Applied Mathematics degree. Haley works in the data and consulting sphere, but her heart will always belong to storytelling. She lives wherever military service sends her husband, and currently resides in Albuquerque with their very fluffy cat. 

If you haven't done so already, check out Haley's award-winning story "Satellite" and then return here for a chat with the author. 

WOW: Congratulations on placing in the Spring 2024 Flash Fiction Contest! What excited you most about writing this story? 

Haley: The “lonely space” trope has always been a favorite of mine. I love the contrast between the infinity of space and the infinity of the human condition, the big and the small all wrapped up in each other. This idea of a global catastrophe wiping out all of humanity except for a few astronauts tucked away in the safety of space fascinated me. For a while, nothing would change for them because their space agencies sent them up with all the supplies they would need for the duration of their mission, but eventually those supplies would run out, and there would be no one left on Earth to help them. The tragedy of watching your home be destroyed without the ability to do anything about it, all under the ticking clock of your own demise – I couldn’t help but explore it! 

WOW: Your enthusiasm for it is palpable, and you’ve crafted an entertaining and thought-provoking story. What did you learn about yourself or your writing while crafting this piece? 

Haley: For once, I wrote this story without an ending in mind. I’m a big outliner, so this was definitely a new approach for me. The ending lines are probably some of the best I’ve ever written, but it surprised me when I wrote it. I think that freedom to let my mind fully explore an idea without locking myself into a rigid story structure really elevated my writing, especially for this short story format. 

WOW: That’s exciting that you were able to approach this piece in a new way and get such quality results. In what ways do you see your work in data and consulting intersecting with your love of storytelling? 

Haley: My job is very left-brained, techy work, but I’ve learned that data tells stories too. Most of my job is pulling out the stories from the data and communicating them to our clients in a way that matters to them. Even though I’m not a fulltime author (yet), in a way, I’m already a storyteller fulltime! 

WOW: That’s an excellent and useful connection to data-driven work and storytelling. What are you reading right now, and why did you choose to read it? 

Haley: Anxious People by Fredrik Backman. My mother-in-law is an avid reader and was very eager to share her latest find with me! 

WOW: If you could give your younger self one piece of writing advice, what would it be and why? 

Haley: As a young writer, I struggled with getting carried away with stories, so many of my early works went unfinished. I would want to tell myself that while it’s okay to abandon a story that’s not working, take it as a learning opportunity for next time. Evaluate what didn’t work and spend a little more time daydreaming about the middles and endings to your stories, not just the beginnings. 

WOW: Great advice, and relatable for many writers out there. Anything else you’d like to add? 

Haley: This was such a fun experience and a great break from the romantasy novel I’m working on right now. I look forward to entering again soon! 

WOW: We look forward to reading more of your work! Thank you for sharing your story and your inspiring responses with us. Happy writing! 

Interviewed by Anne Greenawalt, founder and editor-in-chief of Sport Stories Press, which publishes sports books by, for, and about sportswomen and amateur athletes and offers developmental editing and ghostwriting services to partially fund the press. Connect on Twitter @greenmachine459.