Monday, Monday

 

Monday, Monday

 

Monday, Monday

 

Ed Gorman's "THE FACE" which is truly amazing. Hope he got the credit for writing it it deserves.

 https://archive.org/details/Fantasy_Science_Fiction_v084n04_1993-04_Lenny_Silv3r-dtsg0318-SLiV/page/n2/mode/1up

Thanks to Jerry House for finding it. 

FFB: RAZZMATAZZ, Jack Early (Sandra Scoppetone)

 

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Sandra Scoppettone

Razzamatazz (A Crime Novel) 

by Sandra Scoppettone (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

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The last thing veteran reporter Colin McGuire , fleeing his job on a big-city newspaper in the wake numbing personal tragedy, expects to find in sleepy little Seaville on Long Island’s North Fork is murder. In a few short weeks Seaville has brought him friends, some comfort and perhaps more in the person of Annie Winters, who is also trying to build a new life. But as the murders multiply, so, too, do the questions and the doubts. Friends suspect friends, lovers suspect lovers and sooner or later a lot of people begin to suspect Colin.

This is one of those down-to-the-wire stories, very well written, guaranteed to keep you flipping the pages.

Haven't heard from Sandra in many years. She was a terrific writer. Hope she is still around. 

Why I read short stories

 https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/mar/06/the-world-at-an-angle-reasons-to-love-short-stories

A very nice piece on the art of the short story if you have a bit of time. She makes some good points-especially how nice it is that you can carry the entirety of a short story in your head. 

I read and write short stories for the love of words, for enlightenment and insight into a character or situation, because I can finish reading it in one sitting and thus mull it over when it is fresh in my mind. I don't read them to be entertained really. I am happy when that occurs but I don't really expect it. I don't think many crime short stories work well because the plot is so important in a crime story. My favorite crime short is, of course, "A Good Man is Hard to Find" by Flannery O'Connor. 

Although ones about a crime's affect on a victim or villain can be powerful.

Why do you read short stories?  Can you choose a favorite?

 

Short Story Wednesday: "Tiny, Smiling, Daddy" Mary Gaitskill

 

"Tiny, Smiling, Daddy" Mary Gaitskill 

(from the archives) 

 "Tiny, Smiling, Daddy" is in the collection Because They Wanted To. Gaitskill is an extremely dark writer and pleasure (for me) is derived from recognizing truths in her stories and in the quality of her writing. I like a story that makes me examine issues I have known or been made aware of in myself and others and this one does. Who doesn't know a father (or mother) who lacks what they need to connect with their child.

In this story a father has shunned his daughter since her teenage announcement that she is a lesbian.  His feelings toward her had already been affected by things like nose piercings and her failure to set the table correctly. As a small child, Kitty was close to her parents but that changes as she changes. This announcement leads to Stew (and his wife) telling Kitty she's free to leave and make her own way in the world. 

The story begins with a phone call from a friend telling Stew that Kitty has published a story about their relationship in a magazine titled "Self." Stew gets a copy of the magazine and although there is really nothing surprising in her article, it sort of sums up what their relationship has been, which is sad and shocking for Stew. He then thinks back on his relationship with his father, which was distant, harsh and short. 

The success of this story for me is that although Stew behaves badly in this story, by the end you feel some sympathy for him because he is so clueless about nearly everything in his life. You know he won't change.

George Kelley 

Jerry House 

Kevin Tipple 

TracyK 

Todd Mason

Monday, Monday

 

A really difficult week both politically and weather-wise. And this week looks like our coldest yet. 

Really liked LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON renting on Amazon for $3. I have seen several movies by this director (Hirokazu Koreeda), all featuring children and liked them all. Also watched THE PIANO TEACHER (Haneke), which was a bit too erotic for me. Huppert is always good though.

Watching the ARE MURDERS on Netflix. (Set in Sweden)It's not as good as I had hoped from the review. I guess I have seen too many of these murders in a small, snowy Scandinavian town series.

Starting my next book club book, MARTYR by Kaveh Aktar.  Still making my way through the Hollinghurst book too. I am alternately interested and not so much in it.

I am going to post an empty post for the next three weeks so I can hear what you are doing and you can communicate with each other. 

How about this week?