Writing directly, even minimally, is very in vogue these days. There are lots of clear writers, including my favorite writer of all time, Flannery O’Connor, but I am not so sold on the philosophy. I have a fondness for complication and sophistocation. While I have avoided it in recent years (because it is very unpopular), I still frequently dip in during those moments where it might still be considered appropriate: a reverie, a moment of madness, a climax, or as a trick when shifting point of view.
So I recognized that people would want this and I wrote The Red Agenda before leaving for the Creative Writing program. Armed with this and The Best Way to Travel, I was sure I had my bases covered, but in the end I had to write Clear as Day as a sort of extra insurance.
