"Dark Water" by Barbara Houston
– she grabbed me, pulled me under
In the dreams I relived the terror; I would wake up screaming.
Barbara Houston lives in Charlotte, North Carolina. A member of Scribblers, a memoir writing group, she writes stories about her life. In her varied career she taught school, coordinated volunteers for non-profits, conducted training classes for non-profits, and served as a Director of Human Resources. Now retired, she enjoys writing, reading fiction, singing with The Charlotte Singers, spending time with family and friends, and traveling with her husband, Jerry. Barbara’s first two published stories “In Bear Country” and “Music Box Memories” appeared in the PSPP anthologies Trouble and Curious Stuff.
Author’s Talk
Barbara Houston
After retiring, I joined several groups, searching for new challenges. One of the most rewarding activities led me to writing. A friend gave me a pamphlet that intrigued me, so I enrolled in a class on memoir writing. After my parents died, I had many questions about their early lives. That six-week course inspired me to write life stories for my family to answer questions they might have. When the class ended, a few class participants formed Scribblers to encourage writing, and to offer support and constructive feedback. Through this group, I have formed new friendships and improved my writing skills.
My original goal was to leave a legacy for my family. I never considered publishing until a friend in Scribblers suggested that I submit a story to the Personal Story Publishing Project. I was surprised and happy when “In Bear Country,” my first attempt at publication, was included in the anthology Trouble, followed by “Music Box Memories” in the anthology “Curious Things.”
“Dark Water,” a story that evolved, is my third published story. I wrote it first for a college English class and titled it “Dark Terror.” I revised it in 2019 for my writing class. The third revision was published in the anthology Twists and Turns. The editor suggested changing the title to “Dark Water,” to “let the terror be discovered by the reader.”
After I decide on a topic, I jot down information that I want to include in the story. Other details evolve as I type at the computer. One day I may focus on a particular memory, and another day I might work on two or three essays, often massaging the memoir as I write. I let the piece sit a while before I begin to edit; I make changes while reading the story aloud several times. After submitting it to my writing group for critiquing, I may do additional edits. When it is ready, I email it to the editor. After we agree on any alterations, the editor sends the final proof for my approval, and off the story goes to be published. One might think that after this long process of writing and revising, I would be pleased with my work. However, when I read the printed version, I inevitably say, “Why didn’t I change that word or that sentence?” My writing requires constant revisions. Will I ever be satisfied?—Barbara Houston
