Anyone who has been reading our stories for any amount of time must be aware of Mr Sheehan who has over one hundred published pieces with us. His cupboard is huge. Leila had a rootle around – This is what she said:
The Unforgotten happens to be Mr. Sheehan’s 80th LS story (he has since blown past 100). That it happens to be a milestone is a coincidence, for I had decided to mark it before I knew that it had extra relevance. A vet himself, Mr.Sheehan often tells the tale of Korean war veterans. Korea is often referred to as “the forgotten war.” But I am damn certain that it hasn’t been forgotten by those who served and others whose lives were never the same thereafter. Sheehan writes with humanity about the war because he eschews the history of it and focuses on the people.
Q: Excluding your own stuff, what do you consider the best writing done about the Korean war?
Q: I imagine that you have strong emotional attachments to those who serve and have in the past. Your material on the topic manages to be on the side of the soldier, but you do it in a way that isn’t shrill or preachy. Is it difficult for you to develop certain passages without getting too hot and losing your objectivity, or does your experience help you avoid such a pitfall?
Leila Allison
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Dear Leila.
There are lots of good writing about the Korean War, but I haven’t read all of it with these bad eyes, and most likely won’t get to it in my time.
I’m always on the side of the warrior at my side; I can’t and won’t write about the other side because I do not know them, but that they were trying to kill me and my comrades.
I write to use words that carry my side of things and not guess at the other side’s reasons, though they were armed as we were.
I have no secrets and say what comes to mind, but spare hatred.
Yesterday I received a letter from an editor where is suddenly leaped into all capitals (IT WAS ALREADY ACCEPTED AND PRINTED IN A PAST ISSUE OF OUR MAGAZINE ) which I interpreted as hateful or too heavy for the moment. For me, a simple read.
Tom
literally stories 
Hi Leila,
Usual brilliant choice.
But to be fair, you could have picked any of Tom’s!
Tom – To think this was story number eighty and there are about another fifty more is astounding.
It is interesting what you say about writing from only your POV when writing this type. In a way, that is showing a mutual respect that only those who have seen conflict can share.
Hugh
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This one got by me yesterday. But here I am a day late to thank Mr. Sheehan for his answers and continuing good works.
LA
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