Fletcher woman writes book in form not widely known - drabbles

Fletcher resident Arlene Duane Hemingway recently published her first book made up of 100 drabbles, a micro-fiction writing form many may not be familiar with.

A drabble is a 100-word short story. The drabbles in Hemingway’s “A Twist of Lemon: 100 Curious Stories in Exactly 100 Words” were formed from her life experiences and memories.

“Most of the time there is some kind of twist,” Hemingway said. “You start off thinking it’s going to be one way and you end up by either having an aha moment or like, ‘What?’ People sometimes take them different ways.”

She called drabbles an art form and said they’re suitable for people who want something quick to read at bedtime, for book club and English class discussions, to test speech and as notes to write a memoir.

“It’s a good way to get in touch with yourself,” Hemingway said. “It’s a good way to spur yourself on and give yourself encouragement.”

After graduating from the Julliard School of Music with a master’s degree in music, Hemingway was a music director, teacher and recitalist. She performed with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and helped launch a composer’s new work at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.  

Hemingway’s assistant, Angela Evans, said she embodies Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I have a dream” speech.

“She is 80 years old and graduated Julliard at a time when African Americans were not typically attending college,” Evans said. “Can you imagine the racism that existed at that time? But she continued on and inspired young minds with music. She had a dream and she made it come true through her love of music; love not hate. … She is the epitome of everything he embodies. I have a lot of respect for her and all that she has accomplished.”

Hemingway has always had a love for writing and often used it as a stress reliever by journaling after 18-hour workdays when she was a musician. A friend encouraged her to write a book.

The book is available on Amazon and at Barnes & Noble and local bookstores.