Bewildering Stories welcomes...

Clark Zlotchew

Clark is an emeritus professor of Spanish at SUNY Fredonia. He has traveled extensively as as member of the U.S. Naval Reserves and has published extensively in fiction and non-fiction.

“The Smell of Land” will receive a mixed reception from readers. Some may frown upon the antics of sailors on shore leave. Others may see the character of Ed Perdue as re-enacting the archetypal myth of Orpheus. In Ed’s version of the story, he goes to the “underworld” in search of an attachment “without complications.” He finds it or, rather, it finds him.

By cruel irony, Ed Perdue — his name means “lost” in French — carries his complications with him. Like Orpheus, he looks back and, as he sails away, realizes what his faithlessness has cost him. Ironically, Ed even has an oracle who, like that of Sophocles’ Œdipus, could say, “I told you so.”

Clark Zlotchew’s bio sketch can be found here.

Welcome to Bewildering Stories, Clark. We hope to hear from you again soon and often!