Anna Mahoney - Writer on Reedsy Prompts

3 Stories

76 karma pts

An Insincerity of Sausage Rolls

Submitted to Contest #166

“Don’t forget to bring a plate tomorrow. Wouldn’t want Suzanne to feel unappreciated.” I saw the telltale glint in Chrissy’s lying eye. This was all her doing. It would have been mortifying except I was immune. Twenty years of corporate life gives you superpowers. “Ladies a plate” is a uniquely Kiwi institution hailing from the time of colonisation. A plateful of finger food is a woman’s entry fee to community events. Stuffed eggs and asparagus rolls are generally over-subscribed. My friend Ping once described her experience with...

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Lepidoptera

Anna Mahoney

Submitted to Contest #118

Today’s the day I change. On how many mornings have I promised myself that, only to begin the following day with the same tired pledge? I’m like that movie character, doomed to my hamster-wheel life, longing to be freed by an act of courage I have no hope of pulling off. I’m just waiting for the right moment, I tell myself. The one when the pain of inaction tips the scales in favour of the agony of metamorphosis. The day begins, as it too often does, with a shrill call from my friend Marcia, or Marcy when I like her, which isn’...

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Hell's Back Alley

Anna Mahoney

Submitted to Contest #112

They’d said to expect rain, but this is next level. Why didn’t I change those wiper blades before leaving? Why did I take the short cut? What if the road washes out? It’s almost Christmas and I’m heading up to my best friend’s new place on the East Cape. It's my first visit and I hadn’t appreciated just how remote she was living. No tar seal this far from the city and the road’s already churning. It’s teeming now, so bad the wipers have clapped out altogether. Might have to pull over and wait it out. As if it could hear me, the eng...

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Author bio

After writing my first short story about an adventurous silver coin at nine years old, and winning a prize, I determined to be a writer. People-watching is my obsession and turning these observations into characters on a page my passion. Apart from a memoir in third draft I have an eclectic portfolio of short stories and several novels in various states of disarray. I especially enjoy using dialogue to add character in my writing.

In 2020 she moved from Ōtaki to Upper Hutt, to finalise subdivision of a piece of land and build a new house. Writing preserved her sanity as Covid and other acts of God extended the timeline beyond tolerance. Two tiny dogs needing lots of cuddles provided another welcome respite.

Now settled in, she divides her time between writing, developing a garden from scratch and walking the valley’s river and hills.