Behind the Story: Andrés Torres-Scott, Canada

The most amazing thing about PenTales stories is the people who share them. With “Behind the Story”, we introduce you to some of the personalities, voices, and stories behind the stories.

1. What inspired the story you submitted to PenTales’s “Revolt” contest?

It was a news story published on several media about the street fruit seller Mohamed Bouazizi who immolated himself in the town of Sidi Bouzid, Tunisia in December 2010; and hence initiated the current revolts in the Middle East. Just after reading the news on-line I read the PenTales call on the Revolt contest.

2. What ingredients make a good story?

PenTales’s contests should be named shot stories and not short stories. In less than 500 words you should start with immediate action and rising conflict. On a broader view, I believe that description of feelings as images is a great tool for creating vivid fiction.

3. Describe to us your favorite character from a story, a movie, a TV show, a painting, etc. Why do you relate to this character?

My favourite character is of course James Bond, do I have to describe him? Any other mention from a male writer is a lie. Why? Ask any of your readers why a man in his thirties would like to be Bond, James. If that’s not enough and as writers ar

e good liars, I would get serious and say that my favourite character is Miguel de Cervantes’s Don Quixote. Simply because he’s got the guts to take an armour, ride his scraggy horse, and go seeking a life of adventure above his fifties. Just as Bond, didn’t he?