Send More Tourists…the Last Ones Were Delicious by Tracey Waddleton
While some reviewers think that the humorous title befits this book, I think there is a darker side to many of the stories to which I was immediately attracted to.
short stories
Everything in This House Breaks (Stories) by Sandra Bunting
Burnt Church resident poet and author Sandra Bunting has released her second book of short stories, Everything in This House Breaks.
A Dark House and Other Stories by Ian Colford
I never had an opportunity to read Ian Colford’s previous book, Perfect World (2016, Freehand Books), but I had read many positive thoughts about it on social media and elsewhere. For example, Naomi MacKinnon (of Consumed by Ink) said of it in a guest review here: “By writing this book, Ian Colford has given us a chance to vicariously experience a life that is hard for many of us to imagine.” Anne Logan (of I’ve Read This) said of Perfect World in her review: “Colford doesn’t feel the need to show empathy for his protagonist, but his respect for the reader is evident in his succinct and unsentimental sentences.”
A Dark House and Other Stories* is a collection of eight stories covering about 180 pages, so the stories here are not too short, but are long enough for character development, particularly of each protagonist’s thoughts which is a standout characteristic of Mr.… Continue reading
The Forbidden Purple City by Philip Huynh
While Philip Huynh's The Forbidden Purple City is a collection of short stories, they reflect the experience of his generation's being born and growing up in Canada. As such, they are a refreshing perspective on their culture (past and present) that many of us are not familiar with, nor have we read much of the literature resulting from their life experiences.
Dig by Terry Doyle
Terry Doyle's collection of twelve short stories has been eagerly anticipated since he won the Percy Janes First Novel Award in 2017 for Union, an as-yet unpublished manuscript.
A Box of Memories by Allan Hudson
Are you like me and have boxes of memorabilia squirrelled away here and there all over your house? Some items may be trinkets while others may be more valuable, and not just for sentimental reasons. Then there are hundreds of irreplaceable photographs, digital or print. New Brunswick author Allan Hudson has a box of memories, many of which compels him to write stories.
Use Your Imagination! by Kris Bertin
Halifax-based writer Kris Bertin has won many awards for his previous short story collection, Bad Things Happen (2016, Biblioasis) and I'm sure that Use Your Imagination! (2019, Vagrant Press*) will garner its share. Composed of seven stories spread over 200 pages, these are the type of short stories you can really get into.
Three New 2018 Titles From Breakwater Books
These three new titles from Newfoundland’s Breakwater Books have something for everyone, from very young to a more mature audience.
The Secret of Bowring Park by Christine Gordon Manley (with illustrations by Laurel Keating) is a fairytale for all ages, not just children. It concerns two sisters, Natalie and her older sister Elizabeth. They are visiting Bowring Park in St. John’s where there is a statue of Peter Pan with other creatures embedded in the base.… Continue reading