The Last Novelist (or A Dead Lizard in the Yard) A Tor.com Original
"The Last Novelist (or A Dead Lizard in the Yard)" by Matthew Kressel is a science fiction story about a dying writer who is trying to finish one final novel on the distant planet he settles on for his demise. His encounter with a young girl triggers a last burst of creativity. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Reviews
Maggie Gordon@maggieg
I was wary of this story when it was described as a man taking inspiration from a young girl. Except in this case it wasn't a terrible, icky "love" story. It was an older man inspired by the exuberance and curiosity of a child. There's not much to the plot other than an older man preparing to die, finishing up his last novel, possibly the last to be written on paper, and teaching a fellow artist at the opposite end of her life. It's vividly written, with beautiful tropical imagery backing a bittersweet core. Well worth a read for the strength of its emotive center.