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The story of this story....It was written when I just got separated and started the misery of being single again. The protaganist is based on me with a spice of previous alcoholism. The child was written in because I take real pride in being a father and the juggles it takes. There is great irony in the fact that the kid wakes up and there is someone he's never seen before, but waffles is the fix. I've never really brought children into my stories but in this case it provided the only realism, the only realistic touching humor and a point of contention between the man and the bully.

The part of the bully is played by Ray Liotta. I was thinking of some of his pure evil characters, the sarcasm, the intimidation, the ruling voice of the pizza. He is the Liotta from "Something Wild"

Finally you get good relationships, bad relationships, they rarely work out. You can always fall back on ...family! In reality I don't see my family much. I do have a sister in California. The lure of other activities (not the type in this fiction) would be what it takes to get me there in real life.

This story is available in thier print anthology, Fish Drink Like Us.

It can be hit or miss. I don't go into the story thinking character specifics. I do have an image of them in my head and a role I'd like them to play. The develope as characters as the story developes. "Show don't tell" is key whether that is through dialog or through actions. To have a well tuned character the reader must draw their own conclusions on them based on the clues or backgrounds you give them.

For example a character that is finicky about his appearance you could easily say, Herby was finicky about his appearance. Better to describe Herby getting ready for work, pressing his pants, spraying Fabreez on his sweater and throwing it in the dryer. When he spills a small spot of coffee on his shirt, have him have a Tide Stick handy in his pants pocket.

I'm sure you all know how to do this, I apologize if I'm talking down to anyone.

I guess you write what you know. Modernists that write positive....interesting question? Off the top of my head many bestselling books or novels which are positive are also viewed upon as being "superficial".

"Chick Lit" is popular but not on the fast lane to historic notoriety. Tom Perrotta or Steve Almond tend to not write about skid room protaganists.

Almost all the lists of best fiction ever have less than savory characters or story lines, so what you mention is not a recent trend.