Just One Thing with Sophie Hoss

Sophie Hoss’s flash “Darkness Rushes Out of Itself” dives into Death’s day-to-day business with a blend of graveside humor and tenderness Here she shares just one thing about the piece:

“I spent a lot of time thinking about the idea of Death having an apprentice. Although the narrator’s voice felt clear to me, I struggled to find the right access point into the story. I eventually figured out what the problem was: I kept trying to set the story in some vague past, but it wanted to be set in the present—Death’s apprentice wasn’t an apprentice, but an unpaid intern. The story really opened up from there, especially once I started trying to include corporate jargon and lean into the hustle culture aspect of it. I couldn’t be happier that it has found a home at Split Lip, and I’m so grateful to the wonderful editorial team who supported and guided me.”