and a novella, each about one-of-a kind characters solving serious problems in challenging settings. The stories are crafted by William H. Coles with artistic intensity for engagement and entertainment. Each short story is illustrated by one of six artists commissioned for the story. ...
Mansfield’s stories tend tofollow a regular pattern with the ‘positive’ theme dominant until the climax (the Battle). Then it comes into decisive conflict and issuperseded by the negative theme. In other words, the story often takes a turn for the depressing at this point. However, “Car...
When the title of a short story is an abstract noun (“Abbreviation”) and a concrete example of this comes up in the story (a missing finger) that’s our cue to look for a broader example of something “cut off” — something which works at the thematic level — the “big issue” ...
InSafety Tips for Living Alone, Jim Shepard tells the story of four families whose lives are upended when the men go to work on a dangerous and isolated surveillance platform off the coast of Long Island. When a powerful storm approaches the platform, the four men, their families, and ever...
Last year they ran a competition, judged by well-known funnyman Kevin Gildea; I didn’t win (boo) but did make the cut for inclusion in this resultant book (woohoo). My story – replete with the sensationally good title, Diary of an Expedition to Leave My Bed and Venture Downstairs to...
I am often filled with wonder when I see some men demanding the time of others and those from whom they ask it most indulgent. Both of them fix their eyes on the object of the request for time, neither of them on the time itself; just as if what is asked were nothing, what is gi...
She thought and then said, “I’d like to get Chinese food.” We headed upstairs. On the way she told me about when she was a teenager. She remembers taking pictures for the yearbook with her best friend. She was in the band and played basketball. She got good grades and was a go...
Life is short. Live it now. And live it with all your strength and passion now. Don’t keep it in reserve against a day you might not have. While the ember is still lit, fan it to flame. Be bold about it, even if your circumstances mean all you have is to love boldly and laug...
Sucker— a confessional story of cruelty between an older boy and a younger boy in the same family. Compare and contrast with “The Scarlet Ibis”. “Jockey“ ROBIN BLACK A Country Where You Once Lived— a man returns to England where he lived for a while with his American family. He ...