This work of flash fiction highlights the author's experience finding an adaptive pen which assists her with writing, even when her hands are dystonic. "Writing" was written in honor of Disability Pride Month.
Image Description: A young woman with rosy cheeks and brown hair styled in a half up-do sits at a table. She writes in a book with one hand while holding a reference book in the other. She wears a collared white shirt with denim overalls.
Credit: AI generated in a watercolor style by Laura Browne-Lambert using NightCafe
I hold the pen with an unsteady grip. The pen isn't shaped like the pens I'm used to, but the pens I'm used to don't work for me anymore. The wings of this pen wrap around my index finger to balance it in place. It feels strange in my hand, but, still, words stream across the page. They are messy, stilted, but legible.
A story forms, clearer and truer than stories have in a long time. It's such a small aid, this pen, but it allows me to sketch out the stories in my head. It feels good to see them on the page.
About the Author:
Laura Browne-Lambert is a queer, neurodivergent, and chronically ill writer whose writing emphasizes the characters, identities, and experiences she missed out on in her youth. She lives in Boston, MA and enjoys gardening, painting, and finding new science fiction or fantasy stories to enjoy. She is also the creator of the Underground Bookshelf. This project provides free short stories and literary resources with the intention of making diverse stories more accessible to everyone. Visit Underground Bookshelf at https://www.underground-bookshelf.com/.
Image Description: Laura Browne-Lambert, a disabled, White woman sits in front of a concrete wall on a sandy beach. She is wearing a blue, plaid shirt, black leather jacket, and black dress pants. Her hair is windswept. Her black cane leans against the concrete wall.
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