Writer Spotlight: Annika Barranti Klein
Welcome to the second installment of Writer Spotlight. This week’s focus is Annika Barranti Klein! I’ve reviewed 14 of Klein’s pieces on Inkfoundry’s “Get WYSR” feed. (In case you didn’t know, Inkfoundry is a wonderful and free resource that aggregates short fiction and poetry pieces!)
Recurring Themes:
Werewolves
Lesbianism
Loss of Self
Minimalist Style/Poetic Prose/Subtext
Hopeful Outcomes for Queer Characters (Not Always)
Unique Story Structures
Day One - Jan 8
The town’s tree removal specialist has a variety of skills. Oh, and she’s also a werewolf.
Erzsébet doesn’t like to think about the fact that when her father leaves the house, the wolves surround it.
Both of these stories had an easy theme to draw correlations to: werewolves. FEMALE WEREWOLF main characters, might I add, which is something that we all need more of in our lives. But beyond that obvious similarity lies the technique. So far Klein has showcased remarkable subtext and a complex inner voice for both characters. This was highlighted by her use of the first person as well. I’m interested to see more of her work and find out how prevalent this technique is for her.
Day Two - Jan 9
A zoo tour guide discovers a hidden secret about the animals.
Jane finds her dream house, but when she gets laid off, she experiences something unexpected next.
These two stories didn’t have as much in common, except for lesbian main characters (another recurring theme I’ve noticed, YESSS). The first was similar to the first two stories I’ve read in that they have a darker tone and foreshadow a twist or reveal at the end. The second story was a wonderful slice of life that felt very soothing to read. I think I mentioned in my Bluesky post on this that it felt like Klein was gently taking my chin in her hands and whispering, “Oh, but Darling, what if everything works out?”
Day Three - Jan 10
The narrator relates a story about how they once dated the moon.
6. “Anaphora (Ten Ways to Greet a Time Traveler)”
Time travelers keep coming back to Plato no matter how many times he goes with them.
Both of these stories are brief, but packed to the brim with subtext. I’m noticing an artful style that uses not just the words, but the space on the page, especially with “Anaphora.” Repetition is another tool that Klein uses well, notably in “Phosphor’s Circle” and “Anaphora.”
Day Four - Jan 11
A couple going through a breakup sifts through their shared home library.
The wind is ever-present in Nebraska’s landscape, and the narrator cannot seem to escape it or her loveless marriage.
Romance plays a role in this pairing of stories. Many of Klein’s works feature heartbreak or betrayal and/or a discovery of lesbian love. I find that, when I read Klein’s works, if not otherwise stated, I assume the couple is homosexual. Klein has accomplished something quite incredible with this, as it’s very difficult to de-program default heterosexuality.
A very quiet horror runs through “Prairie Fever” that anyone who has experienced the Midwest can relate to. As someone who’s lived in Nebraska her whole life, I feel that Klein nails that that uncanny haunting sensation of the endless blue horizon. Both of these stories as well could be classified as non-speculative, with nothing on the surface that denotes fantasy/sci-fi/horror.
Another thing I’m seeing is the use of interesting/unique structures in both “How to Divide a Library” and “Anaphora.”
Day Five - Jan 12
Maris has to find out for herself if the surface is as bad as the other sea maids say.
A ghost follows a woman but doesn’t really know why.
Immediately, I see parallels in unique points of view - a sea maid or sea lion - and a ghost. Both of these are also shorter and perhaps the shortest of the stories I’ve read, but the earlier techniques I’ve seen Klein use shine through: poetic use of both the words and the space on the page.
Day Six - Jan 13
11. “Every Taco Bell in America”
This story will give you nostalgia for the 90’s-2010’s Taco Bell menu and hit you in the feels.
12. “Heartbeats”
She loves her house, and her house loves her.
Both these stories have themes running through them of loss and grief, for different reasons. This is another thing I'm seeing with Klein’s work, notably in “How to Be a Ghost” and “How to Divide a Library” (both of which are “how-to” stories, interestingly enough!)
Day Seven - Jan 14
13. “AITA for throwing away my wife’s haunted dolls?”
The dolls are moving. The children could be the ones doing it. Or her wife. Or maybe not.
14. “Mother’s Milk”
A dissatisfied wife and mother begins to experience bodily changes. But her family doesn’t seem to notice at all.
Important Note!
I’m sad to say that I initially read the thirteenth story with comphet assumptions, and I’ve been corrected that the narrator is a woman! This does change my initial review of the AITA story. I’d made a note that it was refreshing to see a husband use respectful phrases. It’s interesting that I praised the man for this, while I may not have highlighted that characteristic knowing she was a woman.
Because we live in a sexist world, sexism lives in us all. There’s no shame if we admit when it surfaces, and the best thing we can do is own up to it and point it out rather than defend it. We just have to keep trying to be better!
Climbs down from soapbox. WHY is it called a SOAPbox wouldn’t that be slippery??
(after a quick Internet search I have learned it’s because people used to stand on boxes of soap. This phrase still seems ill-considered to me).
Anyway. Back to the review.
Once again, I see lots of recurring themes and structures in Klein’s work! In this pairing, they are both horror based, one more fun where the dolls are Totally Not Bad! and the other exploring darker issues such as the invisible labor of mothers and wives and body dysmorphia.
I also want to note that the AITA story joins the ranks of “Anaphora” and “How to Divide a Library” for unique structures, and also the growing list of lesbian main characters in previous stories mentioned. As for “Mother’s Milk” I see her touch on loss of self as a driving factor specifically because of spousal neglect, as previously showcased in “Prairie Fever.” Notably, “Little Sea-Maid” escapes this fate.
Another thing I thought was interesting was that some titles had similar vibes: “Mother’s Milk,” “Milk Teeth” for example!
Overall: if I were to summarize Klein’s body of work in one sentence, I’d say that she excels in portraying lesbian and queer relationships in meaningful and complex ways while showcasing a poetic style, the artful use of subtext, and often non-traditional structures to convey a deeper meaning in fewer words.
Interview Questions
What are the themes you tend to return to the most in your work overall? Why do think that is?
Klein: Hmm, I’d say queerness, grief, and happy endings. because, well, I’m a sad queer who got a happy ending, which is maybe a glib way of saying i fell in love and we got married and have a family—but beyond my own experience, I simply want everything to be okay sometimes, and in fiction I can do that (though sometimes I don’t). Maybe I should say nostalgia rather than grief, but I think they are two sides of the same coin. We long for the people and feelings we can no longer access.
2. What is one of the characters in your short stories/flash pieces that you relate to the most, and why?
Klein: I put a lot of myself in all of my characters but I’d have to say August from Mother’s Milk probably holds a lot of my fears.
3. What short fiction author do you look up to? Why?
Klein: My all-time favorite is Shirley Jackson, whose work taught me the value of being spare in my wording and letting the reader fill in the gaps. But I also love lush writing, even if I myself am not very good at it. Alix E. Harrow and Lyndsie Manusos are my auto-read authors, and I am lucky enough to be friends with both of them.
Anything else you’d like to say about your work?
Klein: I haven’t written a short story in a year or so, as I am currently thinking in novels, and it’s been really lovely and gratifying to look at my published short fiction as a body of work. Thank you so much for your generous reads of these stories!