Linda Breneman

A few weeks ago, I was privileged to have lunch with a writer I greatly admire, Ted Chiang. He’s the guy who wrote the story behind the film “Arrival.” Yeah. Wow, huh?

The story, as you might expect, is even more wonderful than the movie. And his story collection, “Stories of My Life and Others” is an absolute gem. All of Ted’s stories are fascinating and beautifully written.

At lunch, he mentioned that he was just back from giving a speech. The speech, he said, was about the difference between magic and imaginary science.

That line intrigued me so much that it found its way into a story I was writing. The story is a flash fiction called “Forever Letter,” and it’s on Del Sol Review, and online magazine that’s full of wonderful flash fiction and essays.

“Forever Letter” is a tribute to the couples who manage to stay together for a lifetime, and it explores ideas about the nature of time, reality, and love.