The Centifictionist

Omar Hussain’s 96 word microfiction, “That Demon Sings Again”, will appear in the fourth issue of The Centifictionist (Vol. 2, Issue 2, Fall/Winter 2021). Omar graciously answered a few brief questions for us. Read the interview below.

1. What inspired the story “That Demon Sings Again”?

I’ve always been interested in the intersection of addiction and the subconscious. In “That Demon Sings Again,” we see that intersection animated in a very real way.

2. What inspires you and your writing?

I’m motivated by my dreams and ruled by my fears. And for whatever reason, writing shapes them both.

3. What keeps you going when experiencing times of misery and despair?

A coping mechanism that downplays just about anything. The misery and the ecstasy. There are pros and cons to this approach.

4. What advice do you have for microfiction writers?

Let the initial vision or energy you have for a piece dictate its length. You’ll never pay service to that vision by trying to force expansion or overly compress. This way, micro just happens naturally.

5. Is there anything else that you would like people to know about you and/or your writing?

I’ll keep writing if you keep reading.

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Omar Hussain is a writer from the San Francisco Bay Area, transplanted to Ann Arbor, Michigan. His work has appeared or is forthcoming in Jellyfish Review, X-R-A-Y Magazine, Tiny Molecules, The Cabinet of Heed, Ellipsis Zine, Spelk, Lunate, and Dream Noir, among others. Twitter: @ORyanHussain. Linktree: https://linktr.ee/orh.