Former Flame Fridays - Josey Diaz

5/23/25

You were featured in volume 4, what has happened since?

Since volume 4, I’ve finished my creative writing degree and made my home in the southwest of England. I have been shortlisted for a flash fiction piece for Aesthetica and was a finalist for the Omnidawn broadside poetry contest. I am continuing to work on my longer writing projects between jobs at a cafe and as a seasonal worker at Waterstones. I’ve had a pretty packed schedule.

Take the Tempest With You 

The weatherman warns that a hurricane is rolling up the coast, gathering strength a mile at a time. Flooding and power outages predicted. 

I spend my morning watching the sky turn dark and stormy, a measured mix of cumulus and cumulonimbus. The air hangs heavy with the promise of rain. Wind whips fallen leaves down the road in a frenzied dance of small cyclones. 

The first few drops hit the hot pavement and I inhale: the smell of damp asphalt and petrichor swell inside me. A lightning strike cracks across the sky. One Mississippi, two Mississippi, three Mississippi and the thunder rolls across the rooftops. Moving further inland, the hurricane snaps up strong gusts of salty ocean air, sending sprays of rain through the streets. 

I sit behind a wall of sash windows and watch the sky above the treeline fade from blue to grey. I smell the storm through the glass. Warm and wet and electric. 

The clouds gather and home rumbles in my chest.

What/who inspired Take the Tempest With You? How does it fit into your style/body of work?

Take the Tempest With You was inspired by watching rainstorms with my dad on the porch of the house I grew up in. We would sit with a cup of tea and listen to the storm roll across the barrier island. When I moved to England, my flat had giant windows overlooking the green, and my housemates and I would sit in the dining area and listen to the rain. It was nice to feel that same feeling 3000 miles and an ocean away

Why Troublemaker Firestarter? What compels you to submit your work? Why be a writer at the end of the world?

I found your publication through the Chill Subs search for magazines open to submissions and I liked the vibe. I usually look through there for any publications and contests that I qualify for to get my work out in the world. I did a lot of my recent work during university, but I write because I can’t imagine not. I carry around a tiny notebook and jot down story ideas and overheard sentences I like, and then I am compelled to write about them. I don’t really have another choice.

Who are your current favorite writers?

I’ve been reading a lot of Eliza Clark right now. I met her at a book event for the release of Penance and I was hooked on her storytelling and writing style. She was also great to chat with and is very bright and funny despite writing such dark stories. I’m really looking forward to reading her new short story collection.

Are you a troublemaker, a firestarter, a heartbreaker, a lucky duck, a devil, a terror, or sad and horny?

Depends on the day, but I’m usually a horny troublemaker. If you ask my partner he’ll tell you I’m a firestarter, but he has no evidence, so a court would not convict.

Where can people find you 😈?

I exist on instagram mostly since twitter has become a screaming dumpster fire over the last few years. You can find me @mermaiddbitch on there. I also have a bluesky that I’m not super active on, but it’s still there. My handle is @goblinscratches. You can also try yelling for me and if I’m close enough I’ll hear you.

What would you want the lovely readers of Substack to do?

Give me a follow if you’d like, but read widely and write whenever you can. Be kind, show compassion, and do what makes you happy. x