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I came to write “Credentials” when I wanted to expand on a secondary character I had created for an earlier story, because I was trying to write a book (Luminous Mysteries).  The character had the name Belly Man.  I had given myself that name one morning when, looking in the mirror, I was surprised to see that my physique had changed.  That led to my feeling some affinity with the big guys.  Belly Man in the earlier story was an ex-con, an entrepreneur without the big resources and status that usually come with that title, and of course heavy.   But he had a mystery about him for his criminal past and his sense of entitlement.   “Credentials” allowed me to go a little deeper into who Belly Man is, explore his power and his vulnerability.  I grew up noticing men who had grand senses of style and confidence.  Their style I understood, but their confidence I didn’t.    When I started playing with the nicknames in the story, “Credentials” let me ask questions about identity, such as who do people think they are?  Why?

Line Breaks is a regular feature in which accomplished authors introduce and share their first published stories with the Fictionaut community. Line Breaks is edited by Gary Percesepe. You can read “Credentials” on Fictionaut.