Onto the main thrust of writing short stories. I was stationed in the Emerald Isle and life
there had taken a turn for the worse ... I was invited to write a short story or two and
naturally I obliged. I had already been published in the local West Belfast Newspaper
On the position of woman's place. It had been a great success from the feminist
point of view so I decided to press on.
This collection of short stories edited by Dave Thomas contains a number of lovely stories
that create the "most perfect form of literature". I have chosen selectively the following
stories to draw to your attention
Second TIme Around a story writer: GR Hanna about an interview of all things at Raphael College and how the candidates are there pushing paper back to the BossMan David. There were a few echoes of /should we
be here at this point in time/ all waiting for the boss to give us the acceptance letter in no small measure.
I must admit I loved the jaunty style and the flash back technique telling the reader the history of this
place Raphael College. The line ... I'm older than than I look ... she found herself flirting with him ... well, you've
guessed it . Dave is the man of the moment ... a lovely short story and certainly the best I have read in a long time.
SM Thompson's "Love Flows Real Fast" is a delightful tale about the KGB, life for a woman of 50 looking for a job after a testy divorce ... a catholic minority divorce in Northern Ireland ... and little insights into the magical rhythm
of short story writing. The lines "the cult of being nobody got her past the blues" offers a wonderfully poetic view of the proceedings ... and the purchase of the Irish Castle further emphasises the notion of the success of the
story telling..
Truly wonderfully produced by New Fiction .. with a lot more to read ... happy reading .... excellent stuff!