Sometimes I wonder how certain phrases become part of the culture--phrases like homey (which my niece introduced me to), dis (which I figured out my own self is an abbreviation for disrespect), and baby steps. All over the U.S., people are taking things slowly, and carefully, and calling it taking "baby steps." People were taking baby steps long before the buzzword came into vogue, and they will be taking baby steps long after the term has been forgotten.

Baby Steps is an appropriate name for this manuscript. It is a little nibble of a story. As it begins, we sit at Carol's breakfast table and eavesdrop on her son's strong hints that she get out and start dating again.

I can't say much more than this. The truth is that the work had several factors that make it very difficult to approach for three reasons.

One reason is that Baby Steps is so short that it is impossible to say anything without giving the entire thing away. The second is that I really like Terri Pray and it is always borderline dangerous to review work of someone you like, in case you find something in the work you don't like. The third--sadly--is that I really did take issue with Baby Steps.

See, it's not really a short story. A short story begins with a hook. It has plot, setting, characters, conflict, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution and sometimes an epiphany. If you leave out some of the elements, you might have an anecdote, a great scene, or great characterization, but you don't have an actual story.

I don't want to tear up Baby Steps because--as I said before--I really do like Terri Pray. I like her personally in the doings we've had together, and I like her writing style, even in this uneventful little set up. There's a nice introduction, followed by a very sweet moment. The characterization at the aforementioned breakfast table is quite good. Just as I was all prepped for the events of the story to unfold, it was over. I was still waiting for something to happen, for the conflict, for the drama, for the story.

I really hope that Terri isn't upset with me. I still believe she writes very well. I could even envision recommending this baby step baby byte to someone wanting to taste a niblet of Terri's writing to see if they like it, though it unfortunately completely bypasses Terri's significant plotting skills and acute sense of drama. To be honest, like many writers, I have fragments like this all over my hard drive, and if someone offered to publish them, I'd take them up on it in a heartbeat. But...in the meantime, I am still trusting in Terri's talent and waiting eagerly for her next full-length work.

Maîtresse
Copyright 2006