"Let It Go" by Suzanne Cottrell

 – the sneaky snake

A brave—sort of—couple cooperates—sort of—in expelling an unwelcome intruder.

Suzanne Cottrell, a member of Creative Voices, Taste Life Twice Writers, and NC Writers’ Network, lives with her husband in Granville County, NC. An outdoor enthusiast and retired teacher, she enjoys reading, writing, knitting, hiking, and Pilates. Her prose has appeared in numerous journals and anthologies, including the Personal Story Publishing Project, Inwood Indiana Press, Quail Bell Magazine, Parks and Points, and Nailpolish Stories. She’s the author of three poetry chapbooks: Gifts of the Seasons, Autumn and Winter; Gifts of the Seasons, Spring and Summer; and Scarred Resilience.

Author’s talk

Suzanne Cottrell

So much of my writing draws from personal experiences that often involve wildlife encounters. Living in a rural area affords opportunities to observe wildlife, preferably outdoors and from a safe distance. My husband and I have had more brushes with Eastern rat snakes than I care to recall. We value their rodent control, so we go our way and let them go theirs, hopefully in the opposite direction.

“Let It Go” was inspired by an encounter with a rat snake when we lived in an old farmhouse on the outskirts of Middlesex in Nash County.  A snake, probably in search of mice or water, slithered into the house. We’re not sure when or how the snake got into the house. It’s not every day that one finds a snake in the bathtub, and not an experience I care to have again. Rat snakes are not poisonous, but they still can bite. How does one remove an agitated snake from a porcelain tub without injuring it or us? That presented a new challenge. Fortunately, this wildlife story had a happy ending. To this day, I’m still cautious when climbing into a bathtub, but maybe one day I’ll let go of my fear.

Trouble is the fourth Personal Story Publishing Project anthology in which I have had a story published. I’m thankful for those opportunities. I enjoy the outdoors and the variety of activities it provides. Observing nature continues to inspire my writing of personal narratives, free verse poetry, and short fiction. Having had three poetry chapbooks published, my next major project is a full-length hybrid book of stories and poems focused on wildlife encounters. Yes, I’ll include more snake stories. I hope my writing instills both a public awareness of and an appreciation for nature. - Suzanne Cottrell