Overview
Where the muddy river runs swift and the alligator hides under his cattle guard, the air hangs her troubles on the shoulders of Cimmone. Carrying only her tattered youth, she sighs as her father's fears unravel before her and death sweeps over - reviving itself as the gulf winds push darkness out of the way. Cimmone begs the alligator to love her and reveres the wild cat, Precious, who guards her little wood-framed house against her mother's wishes. WHEN I WAS ALIVE follows the frizzy haired little girl as she pieces together the purpose of everything that is living and everything that never had the chance to.
REVIEWS
Cimmone is one of the most exciting writers of recent years. Her writing hits you with a jolt of excitement, and it doesn't let go. Intelligent and incisive, this is writing to read at one sitting, to immerse yourself in – and then to re-read later, and to cherish. C. Cimmone is going to be a very big name indeed, sooner rather than later, I think. – Cathy Bryant, Editor of Best of Manchester Poets 1-3, Author and Blogger at Comps and Calls for Writers
Cimmone is an authentic voice in a wilderness of southern women writers. Her ear for dialogue is pitch perfect, and her descriptions transport the reader to a childhood that is crisply rendered from a familiar page. Cimmone is Eudora Welty in content, Laura van den Berg in style, but that doesn't quite describe the lyrical quality of her prose. Quite simply, she is a fresh voice that needs to keep singing. – Dr. Cherri Randall, Author, The Memory of Orchids
C.Cimmone writes dark humor that's speckled with playful moments of mischievous, grinning wit. Her stories never miss the mark on the human side--there's bound to be a tragedy between the laughs. – Peter Clarke, Managing Editor, Jokes Review
Cimmone has a really elegant fluidity to her writing that makes even worms, dirt, and unfortunate circumstances sound beautiful. "The Alligator" is a great mix of humor and tension, and is a very vivid, fun read. – Lynsey Morandin, Publisher, Hypertrophic Press
C.Cimmone's short story "Chip" was published by Heart & Mind Zine in June of 2016, where it received a Judge's Choice Award for being the most highly rated story out of dozens of others. Her writing is descriptive enough to transport you into the mind of her characters, and immerse you in their world, yet concise enough to tell a great story in just a few pages. - Tomovi Keoni, Editor-in-Chief, Heart & Mind Zine
