Literally Reruns – Madam Panagoulias and the Pithos by Adam West

Leila has rootled out a story from back in the early day and written by the founder of the site. Here is what she had to say about Adam’s story:

Adam West’s Madam Panagoulias and the Pithos is a fine piece of fiction.  Those persons determined to affix a label to everything would call it “speculative” fiction. I don’t discriminate. To me there’s only good and bad fiction, regardless of the label. I will read anything that is in earnest  and will always discard the cynical, slick money-making stuff and those painfully hackneyed pieces which only get printed because they stroke the political sensibilities of  the publications they appear in. Mr. West is in earnest; he has the ability to produce the slick money-making stuff, but he tastefully demurs from that rotten vocation.

Let’s see if the author is awake and receiving.

Q: Do you believe that The Great War could have been averted, or was it inevitable even if Franz and Sophie hadn’t been murdered?

Q: Through the simple exchange of dialogue at the beginning you were able to set the place without prolonged description. Some writers often cram as much as they can into their dialogue so they, in their minds, satisfy the old “Show” not “Tell” commandment. This often causes stilted dialogue. You avoided that by the use of short, naturalistic sentences. Describe the choices you made in effort to get the situation across while avoiding windy passages seldom present in reality?

Leila Allison

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Madam Panagoulias and the Pithos