#Blogtour From Far Around They Saw Us Burn by Alice Jolly

‘The highly anticipated first short story collection from the author of the Folio Prize-shortlisted Mary Ann Sate, Imbecile.’

It’s a pleasure to take part in the Blogtour From Far Around They Saw Us Burn by Alice Jolly.

About the Author

Alice Jolly is a novelist and playwright. She won the 2014 V. S. Pritchett Memorial Prize with one of her short stories, ‘Ray the Rottweiler’, and her memoir Dead Babies and Seaside Towns won the 2016 PEN Ackerley Prize. She has published two novels with Simon & Schuster – What the Eye Doesn’t See and If Only You Knew – and four of her plays have been produced by the professional company of the Everyman Theatre in Cheltenham. 

Her novel Mary Ann Sate, Imbecile, published by Unbound in 2018, was longlisted for the RSL Ondaatje Prize and shortlisted for the Rathbones Folio Prize. Her latest novel, Between the Regions of Kindness, was published by Unbound in 2019. In 2021, Jolly was awarded an O. Henry Prize for her short story ‘From Far Around They Saw Us Burn’. She lives in Stroud, Gloucestershire. Follow @jollyalice on Twitter

About the book

This collection contains works such as ‘Ray the Rottweiler’, which won the 2014 V. S. Pritchett Memorial Prize, and ‘From Far Around They Saw Us Burn’, which in 2021 received an O. Henry Prize, the US’s most prestigious short story award. 

From Far Around They Saw Us Burn is the eagerly awaited first short story collection from Alice Jolly, one of the most exciting and accomplished voices in British fiction today. The extraordinary range of work gathered here is united by a fascination with how everyday interactions can transform our lives in unpredictable ways. These are stories of lonely people, outcasts and misfits, and the ghosts that inhabit our intimate spaces. The result is a compelling, arresting and, at times, devastating collection – not least in the title story, which was inspired by the tragic true events of the 1943 Cavan orphanage fire. 

Written with an exemplary eye for detail and an intimate understanding of the complexities of human nature, Jolly’s collection builds up towards the ultimate question: what is revealed of us when we peel away the surfaces, and is it enough?

Review

This is a novella length book of short stories, fifteen stories. Multiple variations on situations where humans are disappointing and flawed, simultaneously brow beaten into submission by societal norms.

I think it’s the clarity the author offers the reader, especially when presented with a certain perspective or rather the preferred perspective. Chipping away at the frivolous, and perhaps often misleading facts to hide the guilt. Although in the last story there is probably not an inch of guilt by hands who feel they are the voice of morality. The story even more tragic and scathing as it’s told from the viewpoint of the victims.

It’s an intriguing combination of short stories, which are like small microcosms of kodak moments in time. They pull you in in such a visceral way that it is hard to believe they are but brief moments to experience. I would definitely buy longer works by this author.

Buy From Far Around They Saw Us Burn at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Published in Hardback by Unbound on 30th March, 2023 for £18.99 and eBook for £9.99. Buy at Amazon com.

#Blogtour Watching the Wheels by Stephen Anthony Brotherton

 It’s a pleasure to take part in the Blogtour Watching the Wheels by Stephen Anthony Brotherton.

About the Author

Stephen Anthony Brotherton now lives in Shropshire but grew up in the West Midlands. A social worker for nearly thirty years, he currently works for the NHS and is a member of the Bridgnorth Writers’ Group and the Shrewsbury Writers’ Lab. His first book, Fractures, Dreams and Second Chances, was released by the Book Guild in 2021. Watching the Wheels is his first collection of short stories.

About the book

A collection of short stories – a killer created from abuse, a teenager in search of answers from his older brother who committed suicide ten years earlier, a woman trapped in a persistent vegetative state, a ghost hunter afraid of ghosts, a bullied police officer, a man in a care home wanting a great adventure, and other fractured human beings looking for answers, trying to survive. What would you do in their place?

Review

This is novella length with a variety of short stories to tempt all kinds of readers.

The stories are gritty, sometimes crude, but designed to capture the moments in life that remain hidden or are overlooked. The short interactions, the briefest of moments that stay with us because they are poignant – they can mean the difference between one or the other taken.

Tales of guilt, questioning choices made, accepting lives lived and coming to terms with the invisibility of age. Each story will evoke a different reaction depending on the reader. I think the first one is a perfect example of that – I can imagine small joys sought will be seen as something slightly salacious.

The stories that speak directly to the vulnerability of age and the lack of support and understanding people in care homes tend to receive, especially when it comes to friends and family who suddenly act as if they can’t make a connection between the person they knew and the person in front of them now.

It’s a read that will give food for thought.

Buy Watching the Wheels at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher‏: ‎The Book Guild pub date 23 Feb. 2023. Buy at Amazon com

#Blogtour The Complete Fairy Stories of Oscar Wilde illustrated by Philippe Jullian

It’s a pleasure to take part in the Blogtour The Complete Fairy Stories of Oscar Wilde illustrated by Philippe Jullian.

‘The complete collection, first published in 1952 with exquisite illustrations by the celebrated artist Philippe Jullian, republished in a beautiful giftable edition.’  

About the Author

Born in Dublin in 1854, Oscar Wilde was an Irish wit, playwright and poet best remembered for his only novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray (1891), and his social comedies including The Importance of Being Earnest (1895). He published two volumes of beloved fairy tales. He was educated at Trinity College, Dublin and Magdalen College, Oxford. In 1884 he married Constance Lloyd, and his two sons were born in 1885 and 1886. Wilde died in Paris in 1900.

About the book

For nearly 150 years, the classic fairy stories of Oscar Wilde have been cherished by readers of all ages. Rediscover all nine of the stories first published in The Happy Prince and other stories (1888) and A House of Pomegranates (1891) in this beautiful new edition of Duckworth’s exquisite 1952 complete collection, featuring intricate illustrations by the celebrated twentieth-century artist and aesthete Phillippe Jullian, and an afterword by Wilde’s son Vyvyan Holland.

Review

I’ve read Wilde’s fairy stories before, quite often actually. Personally, I think they are exquisite, although Dorian Gray tends to get more attention overall, these are such memorable and often emotional stories. They are drawn from the ingrained folklore and stories Oscar grew up with. This is the 1952 edition republished, it contains beautiful illustrations by Philippe Jullian.

There is an afterword – a critical note – written by Wilde’s son Vyvyan Holland, which gives insight into the inspiration behind these fairy stories. It might have made more sense to put it in the front, however this way you experience the story and draw your own conclusions. Either way it’s a fascinating insight.

It’s evident in these stories how deeply Wilde was able to connect with the emotions of his fellow humans, especially with those they like to keep hidden away from the world. He lays bare the vulnerability, the harsh truth and just how disconnected we can all be from each other, ergo capable of hurting each other and creating wounds that never quite heal.

It’s gorgeous edition, one I wouldn’t hesitate to buy for others. Side note – I just love The Happy Prince.

Buy The Complete Fairy Stories of Oscar Wilde at Amazon Uk or Buy via Duckworth Books.

#Blogtour The No-Hopers Christmas Club by Geraldine Ryan

 It’s my turn on the Blogtour The No-Hopers Christmas Club by Geraldine Ryan.

About the Author

Geraldine Ryan is a proud Northerner who has spent most of her life in Cambridge – the one with the punts. She holds a degree in Scandinavian Studies, but these days only puts it to use when identifying which language is being spoken among the characters of whatever Scandi drama is currently showing on TV. 

For many years, she worked as a teacher of English and of English as a second or foreign language, in combination with rearing her four children, all of whom are now grown-up, responsible citizens. Her first published story appeared in My Weekly in 1993. Since then, her stories have appeared in Take a Break, Fiction Feast and Woman’s Weekly, as well as in women’s magazines abroad. 

She has also written two young adult novels – Model Behaviour (published by Scholastic) and The Lies and Loves of Finn (Channel 4 Books.) She plans for Riding Pillion with George Clooney to be the first of several short story anthologies. 

Keep up to date with Geraldine’s news, be the first to hear about her new releases and read exclusive content by signing up to her monthly newsletter Turning the Page. By adding your details, you’ll also receive a free short story. Use this link to subscribe: Turningthepage. Follow @GeraldineRyan on Twitter, or Facebook geraldineryanwriter

About the book

As warming as a mince pie and a glass of sherry, these eighteen festive-themed shorts are just waiting to be unwrapped.

• A lonely dog shelter volunteer battles to find new homes for her long-time canine residents while realising her own future is just as uncertain. As the new year approaches, can a fellow animal lover give her the fresh start she so wants for her dogs.

• A widowed grandmother prepares to reunite with her forbidden first love, only to discover the grand country pile from where he’s sent her a Christmas card isn’t quite what it seems.

• A single woman finally meets a man to couple up with over the festive season, but will the eccentric mistress of her late father destroy her plans?

• An ambitious 20-something attends a lavish Christmas party with only one aim – to bag a rich husband. But her plans are derailed when a troubling connection with the aristocrat she’s set her sights on is revealed.

Geraldine Ryan is a prolific short-story writer whose work has appeared in Woman’s Weekly and Take a Break’s Fiction Feast magazines. This yuletide collection follows hot on the heels of her first published anthology Riding Pillion with George Clooney. While Christmas comes but once a year, these moving and humorous tales will stay with you for a lifetime.

Review

If you take as a theme – It’s a Wonderful Life, where the balance between hope, dismay, carrying on or giving up is often just a moment of clarity or reflection. For me this was at the core of these short stories. Perspective is everything. Allowing yourself to take a different turn in the road. 

This is a collection of what appears to be cosy stories, but if you look close enough you can see the glimpses of human nature – good, bad, ugly and even the slightly messy. You can see the moments where the roads collide, and decisions must be made, which is quintessentially the way the majority of us live our lives.

I’d recommend this to readers who want a read that wanders through a variety of emotional depth. Short glimpses of situations and lives centred around the festive season. A story for everyone, and perhaps even some that will jolt memories, make you smile or vanish into the short interludes.

Buy The No-Hopers Christmas Club at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.  Publisher: ‎Wrate’s Publishing, pub date 14 Nov 2022. Buy at Amazon com.

#Blogtour Unaccustomed to Grace by Lesley Bannatyne

 It’s a pleasure to take part in the BlogTour Unaccustomed to Grace by Lesley Bannatyne.

About the Author

Lesley Bannatyne is an American author who writes extensively on Halloween, especially its history, literature, and contemporary celebration. As a freelance journalist, she’s covered stories ranging from druids in Somerville, Massachusetts to relief workers in Bolivia. Bannatyne’s fiction is collected in her debut collection Unaccustomed to Grace, out from Kallisto Gaia Press in March, 2022.

Follow @BannatyneLesley on Twitter, Visit lesleybannatyne.com

About the book

The stories in Unaccustomed to Grace are often set in a slant version of reality where the extraordinary can exist side-by-side with the ordinary. In “Waiting for Ivy” a woman grieving the loss of her infant daughter discovers a listserv of parents whose dead children have been returned, as if the tragedy were a clerical error. 

In “Corpse Walks Into a Bar” an indigent loner agrees to bury a reanimated corpse, not realizing what it takes to find a resting place when the dead are as self-serving as the living. Characters throughout the collection act on impulses, quixotic to ferocious: a suburban dad leads a violent riot against his neighbour; an eleven-year-old boy puts himself at the nexus of a manhunt for the Boston Marathon bomber. Ultimately, the book plumbs the messiness we bring on ourselves with the best of intentions, and how we find connection and work to build a world we can survive.

Review

Short stories are islands unto themselves – they differ in execution, possible expansion and style. Some short interludes that exist without the need to be anything than what they purport to be, then there are stories I would place in the category of ideas the author could grow. The ones that have the potential to be a novel. I think it’s fair to say this author has a few growers in this compilation of shorts.

I found quite a few of them have certain elements of connection in regard to reactions to the plight of a fellow human. Do I cross my own boundaries, face my own fears and ignore ingrained societal responses and do what my gut says is the right thing to do? Also what impact do these actions, gestures have on the person themselves, not just the person they have decided to engage with or help.

Written at times with a tongue in cheek nod to certain ironies and contradictive behaviour, they are also stories with depth. If you position yourself just slightly differently, if indeed you are willing to do so, then you might be surprised to find the world, the people around you, and your idea of what constitutes a problem to be solved – it might just look completely different.

I’d love to see some of the these short stories evolve into something longer, the Corpse Walks into a Bar is an excellent example of that – I have so many unanswered questions. Either way I would certainly enjoy reading more by this particular author.

Buy Unaccustomed to Grace at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher ‏: ‎Kallisto Gaia Press pub date 8 Feb. 2022. Buy at Amazon com. Buy at Kallisto Gaia Press.

#BlogTour Add Cyanide to Taste by Karmen Špiljak

 It’s my turn on the BlogTour Add Cyanide to Taste by Karmen Špiljak. Illustrations by Luka Rejec.  

About the Author

Karmen Špiljak is a Slovenian-Belgian writer with a taste for dark and twisty tales. Her short fiction has been awarded and anthologised. Her as yet unpublished thriller was shortlisted and received an honourable mention on ‘The Black Spring Crime Fiction Prize 2020’. She writes across different genres, from suspense to horror and science fiction.

She currently lives in Brazil with her husband and two cats. Find out more on karmens.net,  Follow karm3ns33ta on Twitter,  facebook.com/karmenspiljak or instagram.com/karmenseeta

About the book

A sinister cook, a cursed cake, and a casual dinner between neighbours that goes murderously wrong. This debut collection of dark tales and recipes by Karmen Špiljak ascends the jagged culinary heights you’ve hungered to explore but could never find on a map. As the characters swoon over every unforgettable mouthful, and sometimes bite off more than they can chew, you’ll find yourself asking: What would I be willing to pay for the meal of a lifetime?

If feasting on culinary noir leaves you hungry, extend your pleasure by preparing the dishes featured in the stories. All recipes provided are cyanide-free.

Review

In a collection like this it is hard to pick favourites and leave others by the wayside. Each story is indeed its own self-devouring snake of mystery, revenge, darkness and evil. Ending with the inevitable and never in quite the same way.

The only downside to culinary noir, crime or stories in general is the jiggling of the synapses that will eventually convince you to eat or snack. It’s a talent in itself being able combine the delight of taste and smell with the depravity of death.

A special nod for Three Roses – I loved the combination of magical realism, mystery, folklore and the fallacy of human nature. 

Špiljak has a knack for the short story – not everyone has – and for creating sharp bursts of darkness. There is often a misconception about how easy it is to write short stories. Imagine having to fit an entire plot, characters and tentative worldbuilding into the smallest space possible, and still be able to engage the reader.

Not only does the author do that, but also successfully. I sincerely hope she decides to engage readers with a greater and longer noirish encounter or perhaps just a venture into the world of crime, because it’s clearly her forte.

And – depending on the cookie, I will always eat the last one.

Buy Add Cyanide to Taste at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogTour It Will Be Quick by Karl Drinkwater

Today it’s an absolute pleasure to take part in the BlogTour It Will Be Quick by Karl Drinkwater.

About the Author

Karl Drinkwater writes thrilling SF, suspenseful horror, and contemporary literary fiction. Whichever you pick you’ll find interesting and authentic characters, clever and compelling plots, and believable worlds.

Karl has lived in many places but now calls Scotland his home. He’s an ex-librarian with degrees in English, Classics, and Information Science. He also studied astrophysics for a year at university, surprising himself by winning a prize for “Outstanding Performance”. Karl is an active member of the British Science Fiction Association (BSFA), the Horror Writers Association (HWA), and the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi).

When he isn’t writing he loves guitars, exercise, computer and board games, nature, and vegan cake. Not necessarily in that order.

Follow @karldrinkwater on Twitter, on Goodreads, on Amazon, on Facebook, on Instagram, Visit karldrinkwater.uk, Buy It Will Be Quick

About the book

A single decision can save – or ruin – a life.

An opportunistic baby theft by a young woman in pain. Two strangers shipwrecked on a lifeless rock, unable to speak the same language. An isolated cycling holiday descends into terror. One woman seeks the courage to destroy her life. A miracle unites a community, and teenagers take a stand against hypocrisy.

Karl Drinkwater presents characters to root for – and characters to dread – in sixteen tales of humanity, endurance, and spirit.

Review 

This is a collection of sixteen contemporary short stories. Each story wanders into a different landscape of emotional confusion, distress and the pain of not being heard. Simultaneously there are also stories that shine a light on the manipulation and control by big tech, the fraught political scenery we are trying to navigate and often simply just the story of life in general.  

Obviously talking about each story would be a lot and leave nothing for potential readers to discover, however I will mention two of them.

Fire in the Hole – A tragic tale of desperation, mental health issues and how too many are falling through the cracks of the system. How perception is everything and misconceptions frame the way we view certain individuals.

SenSor OS is an incredibly clever tongue-in-cheek swipe at the stronghold technology has on us. We have literally become slaves to the variety of devices and screens we interact with each day. Certain software companies have made it impossible to make independent choices. Others manipulate politics and the law to steal and profit from the public domain. I loved this one by the way. 

Short stories aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, perhaps because it isn’t as easy as it sounds to create something small with enough pull, drive and content to captivate like a full novel.

Whilst the ventures into Speculative Dystopian Sc-Fi by Drinkwater are intriguing reads, this book of short stories is much more indicative of the creative and versatile talent he harbours. Each story is a potential novel in the making, each character has a story worth telling. Each brief moment fulfills the satisfying expectation of a longer tale.

Buy It Will Be Quick at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Organic Apocalypse pub date 1 Nov. 2020. Buy at Amazon com. Hive. Bookshop org. Waterstones.

#BlogTour The Summer of Madness by Alexander Raphael

Today it’s my turn on the BlogTour The Summer of Madness by Alexander Raphael.

About the Author

Half-Welsh, half-Mexican and growing up in London, Alex Raphael was surrounded by different influences and interests. But it was always books that spoke to him most and had the greatest impact.

He started writing when at college, where his love of reading evolved into a desire to write, in particular focusing on poetry and short stories. 

Studying English and American Literature at university meant he took a break from writing, as well as giving him the chance to see more of Mexico on his travels. He concentrated on his journalistic career while working on different writing projects, but his favourite genre of literature has always been short stories as they are what first inspired him to write.

That’s why his first book was The Summer of Madness, a romantic short story that tells of a guy who goes out to try to win his ex-girlfriend back. Will you be rooting for Kurt and his big public gesture or is it more complicated than that and you don’t want her to date him again? Either way you’ll get to know a memorable set of characters along for the ride.

His second book Illusions, Delusions reflects Raphael’s love of alternative short stories from the writers of his childhood and challenges the idea of the narrative. Will your favourite be the story in the form of a questionnaire, a poem or a set of jokes, among the seven very different styles?

Alex Raphael is currently working on his third collection of short stories, which will provide a wide blend of genres and an assortment of very original premises and distinctive character, with his trademark imagination, humour and memorable dialogue.

Follow on Amazon, on Goodreads, Buy The Summer of Madness  Visit alexanderraphaelwriter.com and alexraphael.wordpress.com, 

About the book

In the summer of love, or rather of madness, a whole set of stories are emerging. But there is one that has got everyone talking. When Kurt Vannes decides to win back his ex-girlfriend with the help of a literary classic, he sets off a string of events that will build to a dramatic finale.

Review

It’s a short read, perhaps speculative if literary fiction can be considered that. Also disjointed and sometimes seeming like a story with no connection or ability to reach out to the audience – it reminded me of flash fiction. But let’s get down to the nitty-gritty.

Raphael draws an interesting comparison between Wuthering Heights and Kurt and his love story and the attempt to regain his lost love. Presented as the boyfriend who wants to win back his girlfriend no matter what – he stages something akin to a romantic ploy to get her back.

Now there is twofold here. Raphael has picked a classic novel, and her favourite book, which is predominantly known for being a romance and tragedy like none other. On the flip-side the author knows many interpret that same story as one of manipulation, of a dysfunctional love, a destructive relationship painted in such unicorn colours that many are willing to forget the darkness and the pain.

Said girlfriend doesn’t want to return to him though and views his attempts as manipulative, embarrassing and perhaps even a little scary. The smaller group of individuals who view his attempts as supportive of this Mr Darcyesque public outcry of thwarted love, but when it all becomes known to the wider world the word stalker slips into the vocabulary.

It’s intriguing how Raphael presents four views of the same relationship. You have Kurt, the girlfriend, the more intimate gathering and then the wider public. Each has a slightly different view on the matter and his actions, which of course is exactly what happens in real life. The girlfriend and her feelings become secondary to his needs, his wants and his convictions. She is silenced and there is no consent.

The smaller group is convinced by his charm and enthusiasm, whereas the larger group sees a bigger picture or is it more about the greater unknown finding something to critique?

I’d like to see the author bring more order into both his ideas, the dialogue and the writing. There can’t be any expectation that the audience will see what is inside your head and what you believe is on the pages – reading will always remain a subjective experience.

Buy The Summer of Madness at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogTour Tale of the What the F*ck by D.A. Watson

It’s my turn on the BlogTour Tale of the What the F*ck by D.A. Watson.About the Author

D.A. Watson was halfway through a music and media degree at the University of Glasgow and planning on being a teacher when he discovered he was actually a better writer than musician. He unleashed his debut novel In the Devil’s Name on an unsuspecting public in the summer of 2012, and plans of a stable career in education left firmly in the dust, later gained his masters in Creative Writing from the University of Stirling.

He has since published two more novels; The Wolves of Langabhat and Cuttin’ Heads, a collection of short fiction and poetry, Tales of the What the F*ck, and several acclaimed articles, poems and stories, including Durty Diana, which was nominated for a Pushcart Prize in the US in 2016, and the Burns parody Tam O’ Shatner, prizewinner at the Falkirk Storytelling Festival and Dunedin Burns Poetry Competition, and nominated for the People’s Book Prize in 2018.

Watson’s writing has appeared in several anthologies and collections including 404 Ink, Dark Eclipse, Speculative Books, Haunted Voices and The Flexible Persona, and he is also a regular spoken word performer, with past gigs at Bloody Scotland, Tamfest, Sonnet Youth, Express Yourself, Clusterf*ck Circus, and the Burnsfest festival in 2018, where he appeared on the main stage as the warm up act for the one and only Chesney Hawkes, a personal milestone and career highlight.

His fourth novel Adonias Low will be released by Stirling Pubishing in 2021. He lives with his family in a witch infested village on the west coast of Scotland, and continues to write some seriously weird sh*t.

Follow @davewatsonbooks on Twitter, on Facebook, on Amazon, on Goodreads, Buy Tales of the What the F*ck

About the book

Billionaire terminal cancer patient John Longmire’s going to die today, and he’s going out in style in the classiest euthanasia clinic in the world. But the strange nurse with the clipboard and the look of a goddess is spoiling the mood, with all her irksome questions about how he’s lived his life.

Recent retiree Gerald loves his wife Barbara and he loves his garden, but Barbara hates the garden. Because the garden’s taking Gerald over, and Barbara says he has to stop before he has another ‘incident’.

Bullied, ridiculed and unloved, moustachioed schoolgirl “Hairy” Mhairi Barry has never had any friends but the ones she finds on the shelves of the library where she’s spent most of her lonely childhood. But tonight, she’s going to a party with all the cool kids, to show them what she’s learned in all those books.

A suspicious smelling smorgasbord of lovelorn psychopaths, vengeful mugging victims, pawn shop philosophers and rhyming Glaswegian alien abduction, Tales of the What the Fuck is a dark, touching, horrific and hilarious collection of short stories, flash fiction and epic poetry from People’s Book Prize nominated author D.A. Watson. Things are about to get weird.

Review

This is a collection of short stories, flash fiction and poetry. What they all have in common is murder, mayhem, revenge and fear – not necessarily in that order of course.

Included in the book: Durty Diana, Coming Home, Mhairi, Wasted, Succubus, Catharsis, The Wee man, John, Coasters Music, Tales of a Scorched earth: Afterburn, The Cravin, Sex Tape, Lisa and Me, The Night Afore Xmas, Deep red, Tech Support, The Ones You Love, John Longmire’s Last Day, Tam O’Shatner, Rusalka, Love and Cabbage and AaaHHH! Zombies.

I’m just going to pick out two to talk about in my review:

The Wee Man – I enjoyed this one in particular, perhaps because the roots are buried in fairytales and childhood. The essence of original fairytales wasn’t to calm or make the reader happy. Instead the tales were grounded in myth and folklore, known as harbingers of threats and death. The adult in this story becomes the child again, as his own childhood fears rise up and threaten to swallow him whole.

Tales of a Scorched Earth: Afterburn – The general assumption, especially when it comes to those who believe in divine intervention and that sinners will eventually get their just desserts, is that true evil will be punished by an eternity in hell. What if that eternity were merely a continuation of their pleasure?

It’s a collection of murder, vengeance and hidden desires in the form of short stories, flash fiction and poetry. Watson spins a good tale no matter in which form.

Expect no comfortable tale to embrace you or cotton candy, unicorns and happy endings. Well, then again they might be considered happy endings if you enjoy your stories gory, scary and slightly horrific or score highly on the psychopathic traits test.

Buy Tales of the What the F*ck at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Wild Wolf Publishing; pub date 7 Oct. 2019. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogBlitz The Lynmouth Stories by L.V. Hay

Today I am taking part in the BlogBlitz The Lynmouth Stories by L.V. Hay. It’s contemporary fiction with a noirish feel to it.About the Author

Lucy V Hay is a script editor for film and an author of fiction and non-fiction. Publishing as LV Hay, Lucy’s debut crime novel, The Other Twin, is out now and has been featured in The Sun and Sunday Express Newspaper, plus Heatworld and Closer Magazine. Her second crime novel, Do No Harm, is an ebook bestseller. Her next title is Never Have I Ever for Hodder Books.

Follow @LucyVHayAuthor  on Twitter, on Facebook, on Instagram, Visit lucyvhayauthor.com

Buy The Lynmouth Stories

About the book

Beautiful places hide dark secrets …

Devon’s very own crime writer L.V Hay (The Other Twin, Do No Harm) brings forth three new short stories from her dark mind and poison pen:

– For kidnapped Meg and her young son Danny, In Plain Sight, the remote headland above Lynmouth is not a haven, but hell.

– A summer of fun for Catherine in Killing Me Softly becomes a winter of discontent … and death.

– In Hell And High Water, a last minute holiday for Naomi and baby Tommy  becomes a survival situation … But that’s before the village floods.

All taking place out of season when the majority of tourists have gone home, L.V Hay uses her local knowledge to bring forth dark and claustrophic noir she has come to be known for.

Did You Know …?

Known as England’s ‘Little Switzerland’, the Devon village of Lynmouth is famous for its Victorian cliff railway, fish n’ chips and of course, RD Blackmore’s Lorna Doone.

Located on the doorstep of the dramatic Valley of The Rocks and the South West Cliff Path, the twin villages of Lynton and Lynmouth have inspired many writers, including 19th Century romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, who honeymooned there in 1812.

Review

This is a novella length book with three stories based around the Devon village of Lynmouth.

I particularly enjoyed the story of Catherine, Killing Me Softly. It’s dark, morbid and has a noirish quality to it. Death is a friend, a foe, a voice and a constant companion. An entity who forces conversation, thoughts and actions. A constant reminder of the lull of a distant peace, silence and an end.

In Plain Sight is a tale of patience and perseverance, despite all the odds being stacked against a woman and her child. About a person who builds the trap and sits quietly until it snaps shut.

Hell and High Water is a story of karma. It’s unfortunate that this kind of karma doesn’t roll around more often for certain people. For Naomi and her young child it becomes the light at the end of a very dark and long tunnel.

What all three stories have in common is women. Strong women, scared women and damaged women. Living nightmares that are all too normal nowadays. Domestic violence still isn’t dealt with in a satisfactory way. There are too many women, children and men afraid to leave an abusive partner, because the support system is inadequate and the legal system doesn’t punish the perpetrators sufficiently.

The topic of depression is dealt with quite cleverly. In an abstract kind of way, which suggests it lives within the sufferers like a constant nagging voice urging a certain narrative.

It’s an intriguing set of short stories. It gives the reader an idea of Hay’s writing style and where her imagination takes her. It’s contemporary fiction with a noirish feel to it.

Buy The Lynmouth Stories at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Buy at Amazon com.

Read my review of Do No Harm by Lucy V. Hay. Read my review of The Other Twin by L. V. Hay.