CandySlice
This is a Dark ride
In an elective I took "Hesse and Kafka" we read short stories and longer works from each author. The only two requirements were class attendance and to write a short story reflecting the voice of one of these writers.
I chose Kafka, wrote a SS based on a surfer with themes loosely taken from "The Trail" and "The Castle". Fortunately I took the course C/NC since it was not in my major and I had already completed all requirements for my undergraduate degree.
I knew I was in trouble when the prof played an LP and instructed us to read silently from page x to page y in "the Glass Bead Game" (Magister Ludi). A few minutes later he asked the class for their impressions. Most thought the music and words went together, lyrics with music, After some discussion the instructor told us the music was the Magic Flute (some knew, I didn't) and that Hesse's must have been listening to the "Magic Flute" when he composed the words we had read.
Maybe Hesse had left notes explaining he listened to the music of Mozart while writing this novel, if he did not I have often wondered who discovered such a thing.
When I received my short story back from the instructor the only note was "Credit, consider how much work these authors put into their work".
I've thought about writing short stories but his words haunt me. Hard work? Na, I'm retired. I was successful writing grants, all four I wrote were funded, three by the DOJ and one by the CA Justice Dept. That too was work, but I was being paid to do it.
You got grants funded by the DOJ and the CJD? There's a story in there somewhere.