Monday, January 16, 2012

Four Short Stories

I personally find it difficult to review short stories. As per my norm I'll
do reviews on any book, on request. I prefer dark and twisted but I do
not limit my life, nor my reading experience, to my preference. Thus far my
biggest challenge lay in reviewing children's books!  Even if I love it I
have no idea if a certain age group would. In reviewing short stories I have
found a much more challenging culture than that of children's book. So bear
with me as we explore the following short stories together:

   The first story in our exploration is Unintended Outcomes by MJ McCann. This
story is 14 pages long and deals with a homicide case in a supermarket. The
policing procedure is explained in enough details to ensure that the authors
love and knowledge of firearms becomes apparent. Character
involvement is done ingeniously through personal taste preferences for
certain vehicles and dress codes etc.
   The murder itself is where in the core of the story according to me is tied
in. The murder is so senseless and so bruta,l and perpetrated by such an
unlikely offender, that the last sentence of the story, as well as the book
title, serves to tie the story together. I found it a disturbing read and for
that reason alone I would recommend it. I can't say I liked the story. It is
really not a feel good story. It is however one of those truly unique
stories that your mind keeps turning over and over again.  I'll give this
short story a 4 out of 5 star rating. Its recommended but will not fall in
everybody's taste!

   The second story is A Christmas Crossing by Lynn Hubbard. In this story you
will find real character growth of the main character Sarah. I found this
remarkable in a 29 page short story and highly commendable as to the talent
of the author. This is, however, not a typical feel good Christmas story. It is 
a story of hope and life as lived by real people during the American
revolutionary war!

   I will recommend this story to any history buff. It will stick with you, that
I can guarantee. Again I give this story a 4 out of 5 star review. It is a
good read although it will not fall into everybody's taste.

   The next short story for review is The Premonition, written by a good friend
of mine, Kelvin O'Ralph. 
   This is a six page read!  Jason falls asleep, has a dream and wakes up. Only
to have his day start in the exact same manner as it did in his very
shocking dream. This story has no grounding, no history and no character
development. This should serve to make it a forgetful read but instead it
serves to add to the general feeling of existentialism embedded throughout
the story.
I give this story a 4 out of five star rating. The title is the main focus
line of this story and most readers will walk away from the story wondering
whether it was a premonition. This will most definately not serve as an easy read but
instead as a "the story keeps lingering in my mind" read.

The last of my short story reviews for today is A Christmas Miracle by Willow Cross
This 12 page story is semi - predictable. It is filled with hope and dreams and
lives up to its name. It is a story in which dreams come true. I loved it
for its predictability and that "feel good" feeling I had once I finished
it. As per usual Willow Cross's writing style is easy and fast. Character
development is lacking but it is not about building a character. It is about
showing the true nature of human kind and the strenght of character they
already possess!  I give it a 5 out of 5 star rating. I am hard pressed to
think of anybody who would not walk away from the story feeling all warm and
fuzzy inside.
 
 
Thrust into a war she did not choose, Sarah Fanum yearns for simpler times. Times when all she had to worry about were bad crops or bad weather.
Unfortunately, fate had other plans. Set in 1776, my short story, A Christmas Crossing describes the night that changed the course of the Revolutionary War. It is not your typical Christmas story, but one that has affected every fabric of our lives as an American.

I was inspired to write A Christmas Crossing after visiting Yorktown, VA. I have always been enamored by the Revolutionary War and wanted to share my love for history with my love for Christmas. I hope you enjoy it
 
The truth shall set you free, or so they say, but what happens when the it does the complete opposite?
Jason Pendrill is orphaned after his mother's death, and like most orphans, he's lost and confused. His mourning is interrupted by a mysterious girl.
What news does she have for young Jason? Also, she's only a teenager, what news could she possible have?
 
A short inspirational story about a single mother and a very special Christmas.

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