Short Story Monday (on Tuesday) Everything's Eventual

OK. So I'm a day off! Yesterday was still all wet and yucky. I didn't have any desire to even get out of bed. But today is bright and sunny. A much better day!! So, it's time for another edition of Short Story Monday, even though it's Tuesday. Again, this week, stories are from Stephen King's Everything's Eventual - 14 Dark Tales.

All That You Love Will Be Carried Away is the story of Alfie Zimmer. Alfie is a traveling salesman. He has spent years on the road selling everything from UPC code readers to frozen gourmet dinners. And tonight is just like any other night in Alfie's life. He has stopped at a Motel 6 in Nebraska, just like he has thousands of other nights. Except tonight is the night that Alfie is going to kill himself. Too many lonely nights on the road has led him to believe that he just can't live this way any more. But the one thing that has always given him comfort is his notebook. It is his only hobby. In it, he has recorded various graffiti that he has read in bathroom walls all over the country. And for this lonely man, the graffiti has taken on a voice all it's own. A voice that has kept him from being so lonely.

The Death of Jack Hamilton is the story of just that. The Death of Jack Hamilton, one of the members of John Dillinger's gang. The story is told by Homer Van Meter, another member of the gang. After the shoot-out at the Little Bohemia Lodge, Jack Hamilton takes a bullet that lodges in his lungs. Homer and John get away and try to make Jack comfortable and happy in his dying days. They end hiding away near Chicago with members of Ma Barker's Gang, Rabbits and Volney Davis.

Neither story this week is one that I would consider a horror story. In fact, both are rather sad little tales. Alfie Zimmer thinks he can't live his life any longer, and yet he clings to it in the very end. Does he or doesn't he pull the trigger? Well....that dear readers is really up to you to decide. And the story of John Dillinger is actually based on the real life escapades of the real-life criminal himself. Much of it is historically accurate, although the details of the last days of Jack's life, according to King is "pure myth". What the story is though, is fine writing about a ruthless legend, and a real story of friendship and loss. I can't say these will be my favorite stories, but they were both interesting and definitely worth reading.

Till next week.......

Short Story Monday - Everything's Eventual by Stephen King

As I said before, it's not a RIP season without a little Stephen King!! And so, Short Story Monday begins with just that....a little Stephen King. I can't begin to expound on how much of a King Fan-Girl I am. My first encounter with Uncle Steve came in 7th grade....when I picked up the book Carrie. I immediately fell in love, and the affair has lasted all these years. True, there are books that I've been less than excited about. But all in all, it's been a pretty great run. And honestly, for a person like me that isn't all that fond of short stories, King's short stories always make me smile. For some reason though, Everything's Eventual never quite made into my pile of reading until now. I don't even think I realized I hadn't read it until the movie 1408 was released. So I decided to save it for this year's RIP challenge!

As I was reading the introduction, I realized what a great writer King really is. He has a knack for saying things in the simplest way, and yet conveying huge ideas. For example, he says, "The short story is also not a lost art, but i would argue it is a good deal closer than poetry to the lip of the drop into extinction's pit". And he is right. You rarely see short story anthologies anymore. King and Gaiman....and a small handful of others. "I've continued to write short stories over the years, partly because the ideas still come from time to time -- beautifully compressed ideas that cry out for three thousand words, maybe nine thousand, fifteen thousand at the very most -- and partly because it's the way I affirm, at least to myself, the fact that I haven't sold out, no matter what the more unkind critics may think". And to me, that's pretty cool. Writing something, not because you want to sell millions of copies (which with the King name it will probably do anyway), but because you need to say it. Because the story is there no matter what the commercial value.

But on to today's short stories:

Autopsy Room Four is the story of Howard Cottrell. Howard is a stock broker that likes to golf. He lives to golf, you might say. And yet, on this day, he wakes up in the dark and can't for the life of him figure out why. He remembers golfing....then nothing, but waking up in the dark. He can't move or speak. But he can think. And then he realizes something. He's in a body bag!! He's heading to Autopsy Room Four and a date with a Gigli saw and a pair of postmortem shears!!

The Man in the Black Suit is the story of Gary. Gary wants to leave behind a written account of something that happened to him when he was only 9 years old in the summer of 1914. He is afraid no one will believe him. That's why he never told a soul what happened to him. But now that he is sensing the end is near he wants to write it all down. When he was 9, he went fishing one afternoon at the banks of Castle Stream. And on that day, he met a man in a black suit. And with the certainty that only nine-year-olds can have, he was sure that that man was indeed the Devil.

If there was ever a man that could make a desperate situation like being autopsied alive humorous, it would be Stephen King. And try as I might not to laugh, I did! Written as an ode to an old Alfred Hitchcock Presents episode with Joseph Cottten, only King could find a rather "unique" way for Cottrell to show he was alive! Laughter aside, the story was written in such a way that it indeed make me want to scream...."What are you people doing?? Can't you tell he's not dead?" I could FEEL the man's pain, and it was almost suffocating. The same with the nine-year-old Gary. (King actually garnered publication in The New Yorker and an O'Henry Award for Best Short Story for this one). The terror he felt was palpable coming from the pages of this book. And to me, that's what makes Stephen King such a wonderful writer. He can easily put you in the mind of a paralyzed 44-year-old man, and just as easily into a nine-year-old boy on the next page. You can see the saw, and you can see the Devil, with his eyes of orange, burning through his skull. And it makes you scared. It also makes you want to leave on a light when you go to bed at night!

Random Thoughts and some Short Stories

Sheesh. It kind of feels like I dropped off the face of the earth!! Things have been rather crazy lately....starting with last week's earthquake. Who would have thought I would feel an earthquake? I mean, I live in Illinois! Of course, I did know there was a fault line 'down' there (West Salem is about 3 1/2 hours South of me). But never thought I would actually feel the earth move like that!! At 4:37 am, I was actually awake...and at work!! The tables started shaking, and things were rattling. Kind of creepy!!

On the downside of things, I have an appointment next week with an orthopedic surgeon. I think I might have torn my rotator cuff. Bummer. Being the incredible klutz that I am, I fell about a month and a half ago. I tried to catch myself. Bad move on my part. My shoulder has been KILLING me ever since. It's so bad some days, I can barely lift my arm. The deciding factor was when I tried pitching to the girlies. Softball practice has started, and I love to get out there and play with them. I hurt so bad by the time it was done, I had to lay down. So....I finally figured it was time to go see a doctor. Not sure what they can do about it....but in the meantime, I do have a wonderful prescription of pain killers!!

Busy, busy, busy with work....softball practices (for both girls) and Ana has soccer games now. At least the weather is looking up. High today is 78!!

Although I missed Short Story Monday (and even Tuesday!) I decided I would still post my thoughts on a few more of Joe Hill's 20th Century Ghosts stories. (Man...if you didn't know Joe Hill was Stephen King's son, all you have to do is look at this picture. He's the spitting image of Uncle Steve!)

You Will Hear the Locusts Sing is the story about an 18-year-old boy that wakes up and has turned into a bug!! And not just any bug, but a giant, scary, flying cockroach!! Although the story is reminiscent of Kafka's Metamorphosis, there is a lot more to it than that. Francis lives in Arizona, where testing of Atomic bombs have taken place. It's a good story about a boy that was alienated at school and picked on. And what he does when he gets the chance to fight back...as a bug. Kind of Kafka meets Columbine!!

Abraham's Boys is a wonderful story that does a bit of retelling of the old Dracula legend. But it doesn't focus on the vampire, but the vampire hunter: Van Helsing. Abraham Van Helsing is now living in America with his two sons, Maximilian and Rudolph. Their mother (Mina Harker) has passed away and they had to "run" to America because of a scandal created by Van Helsing's insistence of the vampire tales. He is not a kind man. Rather he is mean, over-bearing and set in his ways. He insists the boys be home before dark, and has a study that is under lock and key. When the boys stumble into the study one day, a picture is found that puts the vampire story into perspective. But what I really liked is the idea that maybe vampires DON'T exist.....maybe Van Helsing is just plain insane!!

Finally, Better Than Home is not a ghost story at all. It's about the coach of a Major League Baseball team from New England (hmmm..could we talking about the Red Sox here?) and his son, Homer. Homer is really young, but has a lot of issues. He is afraid of lots of different kinds of food, certain noises drive him batty, and he's a little on the OCD side. Nice father/son story though.

Although I didn't like these stories nearly as much as last week, I was still entertained. Hill definitely inherited some storytelling ability, and I think he will turn out to be a fine writer some day!!

Now....I'm off to get some sleep!!

Short Story Monday (on Tuesday...Again!) 20th Century Ghosts

Yes, I'm off by a day. Sorry. I worked a lot of hours this weekend, and spent a majority of my Monday sleeping! And frankly, I needed a little time to process what I read. For the Once Upon a Time II challenge, I choose Joe Hill's 20th Century Ghosts (336 pgs. William Morrow). I was trying to find a book that would fit in the "Folklore" subcategory and I figured ghost stories would fall here. And I've been really anxious to read this collection every since I found out who Joe Hill really is. As you all know, I'm a HUGE Stephen King fan.....and since Uncle Steve is Joe Hill's father (his real name is Joseph Hillstrom King), I wanted to see if any talent rubbed off. You know, the whole 'nature vs. nurture' theory. Whatever the reason, Joe Hill seems to be amazingly talented!!

The first story in this collection is called Best New Horror. It's the story of a man named Eddie Carrol. Eddie has spent close to 20 years editing the anthology, America's Best New Horror. After years of reading horror stories, it seems that Eddie has become a bit desensitized. Nothing is new anymore, and nothing is scary. Until the day he received a submission called Buttonboy. The story was sent by a professor from a small university. He had been the editor of the school's literary review when a part-time handyman had asked him to read a story. The story was incredibly good, although the subject matter was extremely disturbing. It was included in the review, but the backlash from the readers was intense. The professor no longer edited the publication, but felt that it should be included in Carrol's anthology. When Eddie started reading it, he couldn't put it down. And he knew he had to include it in his collection. That's where the trouble began: trying to track down the author. What he finds is much more disturbing than the story itself!

20th Century Ghosts is the tale of the Rosebud Theater and it's ghostly inhabitant. The Rosebud Theater is the last of a dying breed. It's an old-time movie house in the days of the multi-plexes, and it's having financial problems. Then there is also the little problem of it's "ghost". Imogene Gilchrist was a huge movie fan. She loved movies. During the opening of The Wizard of Oz in 1939, Imogene had a brain aneurysm and died at the Rosebud. But even death can't keep her away from the movies!

Pop Art has to be one of the strangest short stories I have ever read. And yet, it was utterly fantastic. It's about a boy and his best friend, Art. Art is an inflatable boy. (Yes, I do realize how weird that sounds) Art couldn't talk, but he kept a notepad around his neck. He would write with crayons whenever he wanted to communicate. He had to be really careful around sharp objects (obviously). It seems the life span of an inflatable person isn't all that long. In school, Art was teased endlessly and kicked around often. Until he met a friend. And the two of them became best friends.

This story is so unique and touching. I'm still not sure it's fits with the theme of ghosts, but I'm sincerely glad it was included. Art has a unique voice and is wise beyond his years. For example, they were discussing the number zero, and the fact that someone had to invent the idea of zero. Art said, "Because it isn't obvious -- that nothing can be something. That something which can't be measured or seen could still exist and have meaning. Same with the soul when you think about it." Who writes like that?? Beautiful. I wish I could do an ounce of justice to this story. But I can't. My best advice to you would be to read it!!

As for the other stories, they were great!! It seems that Joe Hill did indeed inherit some talent from Papa King. However, Joe has a voice all his own. And it's fabulous. Best New Horror is a cross between Deliverance and Hostel!! Really fun, unique Horror story. 20th Century Ghosts was a throwback to days of Twilight Zone episodes!! A little surreal, a little sad....and a lot sweet. What else can I say about Pop Art. It was wonderful. It was about bigotry and differences; love and hate; friendship and acceptance; and finally, death. And I honestly wish it was later in the book, because I can't see how Mr. Hill can top that one!!

Short Story Monday - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

See? You can actually LEARN something on Short Story Mondays! Like the fact that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote more than just Sherlock Holmes and Professor Challenger novels! Honestly, I thought that was it! But today's Short Story is called The Parasite by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It was originally published as a 'novelette' in 1894.

Austin Gilroy is a man of science. He studies physiology at the university and believes in only the things he can prove. His friend Professor Wilson studies the Occult and is always trying to "prove" it's existence to Austin. But nothing is ever legitimate and Gilroy writes them off as shams.

But one evening Austin and his fiance, Agatha, are invited over to Professor Wilson's to meet a friend of his wife. Miss Penclosa is a native of the West Indies, and according to Wilson, a bona fide phenomenon. When Gilroy is introduced to her, he is shocked. She is nothing like he assumed she would be. She is older, frailer, and even crippled in one leg. She claims she has the power to control another person. Gilroy refuses to believe her claims until she puts her power to the test by using Agatha as a subject. She mesmerized Agatha and told her to break off her engagement with Austin, which she does (although she has no recollection of even doing it). Austin is excited about the possibility of being able to "study" Miss Penclosa's powers and agrees to be the subject of her mesmerism.

But as the weeks progress, Austin starts to realize that Miss Penclosa is developing feelings for him, and is using her power to exploit those feelings. When Austin awakens from a trance, he is holding hands with Miss Penclosa and is about to profess his love....something that is FAR from actuality. He tries to break all ties with Miss Penclosa, but she has wormed her way into his brain....like a Parasite.

This story is written in the form of Austin Gilroy's journal entries. I love this form of writing because it seems to give the reader a closer look at a person's feelings than just reading dialogue. The story is well-written, and intriguing. The downward spiral that becomes Austin's life is actually kind of disturbing. What is the old adage.....Hell hath no Fury like a Woman Scorned?? It definitely is accurate in this story!!

And I loved it....until the very last sentence. I almost threw the book, I felt the ending was such a cop-out. I finished it this morning....and gave myself the day to think about it. And I don't quite hate the ending as much. I still think there would be better ways to end it. But I also think Doyle wanted to put a "happier" touch on the end. Personally, I think a dark ending for a dark story would be the way to go. Oh well.....Bygones.

Till next Monday!

Short Story Monday - Jerusalem's Lot by Stephen King

I haven't participated in Short Story Monday since I finished the last of Neil Gaiman's. So it seemed fitting, if I was going to continue, that I should fall back on an old favorite: Stephen King. Actually, I kind of fell into this one as well. I went to the library looking for collections of short stories. I just wasn't sure where to begin. I spent a while searching for something recent. My library isn't exactly the most up-to-date library there is. It's only a small branch of the Peoria Public Library. But they try. What the lack in actual books, they make up for in customer service!!

Anyhoo, what I did find was an older book of 13 Short Horror Novels, by authors such as Arthur Conan Doyle, HP Lovecraft, George R. R. Martin.....and yes, Stephen King. Jerusalem's Lot was originally published in 1978 for the collection Night Shift. I really don't think I ever read this before. I do know that I didn't read one of his earlier collections, and it must be this one, because this story was brand new to me. Now we all know the story of 'Salem's Lot. It was actually the first King I ever read. A town filled with vampires. But this story is actually quite different, and yet, equally frightening.

Jerusalem's Lot isn't so much as story as a collection of letters and journal entries from a man named Charles Boone in October of 1850. Mr. Boone inherited the old family estate in Maine from a cousin. Since he was the last of the bloodline, Chapelwaite was his. Mr. Boone and his friend (and servant) Calvin moved into the old mansion. Most of the people in the small village of Preacher's Corner felt the men were mad for moving into the place. Chapelwaite had a very bizarre and sinister history for the Boone family, and no one wanted to go near it. Things went bump in the night behind the walls and in the basement.....sounding like very large rats.

Then, one day, Calvin discovers some old papers and a map to the deserted town of Jerusalem's Lot. The two men set off for the town, only to find that no one has set foot there in many years. Everything is just abandoned....even by the animals of the area. At the center of this deserted village is a church, but unlike any church either man has ever entered. The cross in inverted and there is a sacrilegious picture of the Madonna and Child. On the pulpit is a book, written in Latin entitled De Vermis Mysteriis (The Mysteries of the Worm). When Charles touches the book, the entire church starts to shake, and it feel like something is moving in the ground beneath.

Reading a story by Stephen King is like coming home to an old friend. He is truly a talented storyteller. Is there really something going on? Is his family really cursed? Or is Charles Boone just mad?? The history of the Boone family is strange, disturbing, and a touch frightening. And as with all things Stephen King, the bump in the night is never truly vanquished. He always leaves you with that last little tidbit just to let you know it really isn't safe to be near Jerusalem's Lot!!

Hmmmm.....once I finish this collection, maybe it's time to dig out my old Stephen King books for another go!

Short Story Monday - Smoke and Mirrors The Final Chapter

It is a sad day in the Toland household. For today we must bid a fond farewell to Mr. Gaiman's Smoke and Mirrors. Oh, but it was a fun ride! And to me, it seems that Neil saved the very best for last!

Desert Wind is a poem. It's about a man that had been in the desert and had found an oasis. It was beautiful....and then it was gone. One day, he hoped to find it again.

Tastings is actually kind of an erotic story. It's about a man who makes his living having sex with women. And he makes a lot of money doing it. The reason he's so good at what he does, is he has a 6th sense of sorts. When he's with a woman, he "knows" what she likes. By touching someone, he can tell what her desires are. Until the day he is hired by a famous celebrity......

Babycakes is a short, 2-page story written to benefit PETA. According to the man himself, "it's the only thing I've ever written that has disturbed me". For the record, I know what he means. I was so chilled by the time I read the last sentence, I had to put the book down. So frightening were the words of this story, that I had to read it to my husband. (Mike then proceeded to ask me if this is the kind of thing I read all the time. No wonder I'm such a nut case!) There is nothing I can really say about it, except read it for yourself. And I dare you not to get chills.

Murder Mysteries is a wonderful story. A man is stuck in LA, trying to get back to England. His flights have been repeatedly canceled because of the weather in London. One night, in the strange city, this man was wondering around close to his hotel, having a cigarette, when a street man asked him if he could buy one off of him. He offered him a quarter for a smoke, thinking that was a fair price. The man told him to keep his money, but gave him the cigarette anyway. Since the street man couldn't take the cigarette for nothing, he offered him a story as payment. The story was a true story, the street man said. It was about angels, and the time before the world had been created. An angel had died, and this street man, who was really Raguel, the Vengeance of the Lord, was called by Lucifer to find out who had killed him.

And finally there is Snow, Glass, Apple. A vampire story. The story of a young witch who marries a king and becomes a step mother to his young daughter. A girl with white skin and black hair. A girl that is scary to be around. A girl that has a hunger. This story is a sort of weird, twisted take-off of Snow White....if Snow White were a vampire!!

In this final collection of stories, I found a couple of real gems. I love, love, loved both Murder Mysteries and Snow, Glass, Apples. Two of my favorites in the entire book!! Throughout the entire book, Gaiman has taken legends and folklore, and made them his own. I can't stress enough how much I love this man!! His writing is simple and beautiful. And creepy and weird. Fascinating and repelling. And I'm going to miss them!! I can't say I liked this book better than Fragile Things. I think they were both pretty evenly matched. But I can say, I now have a new appreciation for the short story. I will never doubt again that a short story can pack the punch of a novel.

With that....we bid adieu to this wonderful collection. Hopefully, you all enjoyed my reviews. If you haven't read this collection, please do. I'd love to hear all your thoughts about it!!

Short Story Monday - Smoke and Mirrors Part V

And yes....FOR THE RECORD....I do realize it is now Tuesday!! But with birthdays and work and speeding tickets, I just couldn't bring myself to post this last night!! So, as usual, I'm late. But don't they usually say, Better Late than Never?? So, here is the next to the last installment of Neil Gaiman's Smoke and Mirrors!!

Foreign Parts is a short story about venereal disease. OK. Hmmm. That sounded rather weird. And frankly, it's a rather weird story. According to the man himself, "it's mostly about loneliness and identity, and perhaps, it's about the joys of making your own way in the world." Still with me?? The story begins with Simon. A man who doesn't really have any friends in the world. No one. And he certainly isn't having sex. And yet, he comes down with a disease that is chalked up to venereal disease. How did he get it? And why does he feel like his body isn't his own anymore?? Read the story and find out!!

Vampire Sestina is just that. A sestina is a highly organized poem with 6 6-line stanzas. The same set of six words ends each of the stanzas, only in a different order. Now, I can't even write poetry that rhymes, let alone trying to write something this elaborate. But it is creepy...and it's cool!! And it's about my favorite subject....Vampires!!

Mouse is fashioned after a Raymond Chandler story....and it's about superstitions. It's a little story about a man and his wife living in New England, trying to catch a mouse in their house. But it is so much more than just that. It's about love and children and choices. This one really made me think.

The Sea Change is another poem that was once again inspired by Lisa Snellings. It's about a man that went out to sea. How the sea was a part of him. And how the sea destroyed him.

We Went to See the End of the World by Dawnie Morningside, age 11 1/4 is written in the fashion of a school report by this little girl. Her family went on a day trip to the End of the World. I'm not really sure the end of the world is a nice place to go. (and this story is amazing mostly because it really reads like something an 11-year-old would write.)

Out of all the stories I have read so far, these are probably not going to end up being my favorites. Still good. Strange, as always. But I was never really sure where they were going. And when they got there, I wasn't really sure where we were!! I'm quite sure that doesn't make any sense at all, but bear with me (I'm running on lack of sleep these days!) Regardless, they still add a lot of depth to this book. And it just proves what a great writer Neil Gaiman really is. He can take a few little words in a few short sentences and completely change the world as we know it. And that is good writing!!

Next week will be the last of Gaiman for awhile (is that a collective sigh of relief, I just heard??) My book will be finished and I will have to find some new writer to covet for a while. But I guarantee you this. I WILL come back to Gaiman again!!

Short Story Monday - Smoke and Mirrors Part IV

With Christmas and New Year's messing up my schedule, I skipped Short Story Monday the last few weeks. But I'm back today with another edition from Neil Gaiman's FABULOUS book, Smoke and Mirrors.

Only the End of the World Again was written for an anthology of stories set in H. P. Lovecraft's fictional town of Innsmouth. It's about a man named Larry Talbot, who just happens to be a werewolf. He moves around a lot, and just recently came to Innsmouth. Surprisingly enough, the townsfolk seem to know what he is because they are continually offering him ways to relieve himself of his condition. (I might add, there's an extremely unsettling image dealing with fingers that you are just going to have to read about yourself!) But what do the townsfolk really know and what do they want with Larry?

Bay Wolf is a story/poem that mixes a little bit of Beowulf with a little bit of Baywatch! Ok....that really sounds kind of cheesy, but somehow Gaiman makes it work!! And very well, I might add. Again, Larry Talbot joins us as he tries to find out what is killing people on Venice Beach.

We Can Get Them for You Wholesale is a story about a man who is looking for a little revenge. He finds out that his girlfriend/fiance is messing around with someone at work, so he starts to look for an assassin. And he finds what he is looking for in the yellow pages under "pest control". This is a story for all of you that really enjoy finding a bargain!!

One Life, Furnished in Early Moorcock is the story of a young boy that is completely enamoured with the stories of Elric of Melnibone. (OK...I had to look this one up. I have never heard of Michael Moorcock or Elric the albino "White Wolf" and his sword Stormbringer).

Cold Colors is another poem/story dealing with computers, technology and basically, the devil himself. Would you sell your soul for a ten-pack of floppies?

Finally, The Sweeper of Dreams is a short, 2-page narrative that was written about one of Lisa Snellings statues. This one is of a man who is a janitor and is leaning on his broom. He is the "Sweeper of Dreams" and it really is a fantastic read!!

This week's stories were all over the place in terms of genre: werewolves, hired killers, computers and the enigmatic Sweeper. I have to say, I didn't really "get" the Moorcock story. But maybe that's just me. I absolutely adored Bay Wolf and The Sweeper of Dreams. And I had to laugh at the man trying to find a bargain as well as trying to knock off the competition. Who thinks this stuff up anyway? Oh yeah. Neil Gaiman!! So far, this collection is proving to be just as good as Fragile Things. I really didn't think it could get any better, but he just keeps cranking out some fascinating characters!!

Till next week. Only 2 more posts for Smoke and Mirrors, then I'll have to find some other author to occupy my short story Monday slot!!

Short Story Monday - Smoke and Mirrors Part III

I know. You are waiting anxiously for this week's edition of Short Story Monday. It is week III of Smoke and Mirrors by Neil Gaiman. It's a wonder that I can actually put this book down each Monday morning, and not pick it up again until Sunday night. But that is the way of the short story, isn't it? Reading short stories isn't like reading a novel.....I don't have to keep reading till late in the night to find out what happens at the end. Because the end shows up much quicker. I can get the beginning, the middle, AND the end all taken care of in one sitting. Actually a few stories in one sitting. Maybe I will become a short story aficionado yet!!

Changes is a really strange little story. It's about a man named Rajit who invents a cure for cancer. Sounds like a wonderful thing, doesn't it?? But as with most "cures" these days, there always seem to be side effects. And Reboot certainly has side effects. So much so, that a black market is out there for people that want the side effect as much as the cure.

The Daughter of Owls is a tale? fable? legend? written in Olde English, as if by John Aubrey, a 17th-Century Historian and writer. It's about a baby girl that was left on the steps of the convent. In her hand was the pellet of a Hoot Owl. Or so the story goes....

Shoggoth's Old Peculiar is a rather comic tale of a young American boy taking a hiking tour of the British Coastline, all the while following a rather meaningless written guide. He happens upon a town called Innsmouth and finds a little pub called The Book of Dead Names. In this pub, he befriends a couple of locals (who look amazingly like frogs!) and learns the story of Great Cthulhu.

Virus is a poem about computer games....and how they get under your skin. And in your brain. And are all-consuming.

Looking for the Girl is one of the first short stories Gaiman ever wrote (for publication). A young man buys his first Penthouse magazine and falls in love with one of the models. She was nineteen at the time (the same as the boy) and her name was Charlotte. As the years went by, this boy never forgot about Charlotte. And then, he sees her picture again. In Penthouse. And she was still only nineteen.....

I know this is going to sound like a broken record, but I am just amazed at the way Gaiman writes!! Each story is different than the previous one. And I haven't read one yet that has failed to entertain me!! Some I like more than others (and this week I think it was Shoggoth's Old Peculiar), but I always enjoy them. It's like having a box of Belgium chocolates. Each one is different, but they are all meant to be savored!!

Until next week.......

Short Story Monday - Smoke and Mirrors Part II

Monday is here again. It seems so soon! Time for this week's edition of Short Story Monday.....Smoke and Mirrors by Neil Gaiman. The word for the day: Strange. Each story or poem that I read this week was strange.

Troll Bridge is the story of a little boy. Or at least it starts out that way. This little boy Jack, takes off one summer day, to go exploring. He heads on an old path, through fields and meadows, until he sees an old red bridge, left over from the days of the old railway lines. After he crossed over the bridge, he was met by a troll that wanted to "eat his life". But the little boy was only 7. He hadn't had much of a life, and made a bargain with the troll. He would come back when he had lived some more.

Don't Ask Jack is a very short short-story. Only 3 pages long. It is the tale of an old Jack-in-the-Box. One that was left to the children of the house. But they didn't like it. It was scary. And it called to them at night......

The Goldfish Pool and Other Stories is about an author. He has written a book about the children of Charles Manson. It was the story that just sort of "wrote itself". Not his usual fare. And it was purchased by a major Hollywood studio to be made into a movie. The author flies to America to write the screenplay for said movie. But, as it usually is with Hollywood, nothing is easy. Every person that is "attached" to the movie wants him to change things: parts of the plot, the characters, the outcome. Our frustrated author starts spending more time by the goldfish pool at his hotel and meets one of the groundkeepers, an elderly gentleman who has been working at the hotel for 70 years, and now he tends to the fish.

The White Road is a narrative poem that takes the story of Mr. Fox, which is apparently the "English Version of Bluebeard". (I hadn't heard about this one before). It's utterly creepy and extremely well-written!

And finally, The Queen of Knives is another narrative poem about a young boy that goes to see a Variety show while staying with his grandparents. His grandmother gets pulled up on stage by the conjurer and placed in a box. She is never seen again....

Although I wasn't as impressed with this set of stories as I was the last, I still really enjoyed them. I hate Jack-in-the-boxes anyway. They rank right up there with clowns and those creepy ventriloquist dummies for me!! And Gaiman is just such a good writer!! An example:

"I loved her gray eyes, and her fine light-brown hair, and her gawky way of walking (like a fawn just learning to walk which sounds really dumb, for which I apologize): I saw her chewing gum, when I was thirteen, and I fell for her like a suicide from a bridge."

I don't know what makes me love this line so much, but I do. It's not the most eloquent of prose, but it hits you right in the chest!! I completely understand how this boy feels. And I think that's it in a nutshell. When I read Gaiman, I feel very close to his characters. I understand them. And this just keep me coming back for more!!

Till next Monday.......

Short Story Monday - Smoke and Mirrors

I FINALLY got my hands on a copy of Neil Gaiman's Smoke and Mirrors, (339 pgs, Avon) through Inter Library Loan. It's amazing to me that a writer of this caliber isn't in every library in the world!! I had a hell of a time finding this one! But now that I did, it looks like Short Story Monday is back on!

The Wedding Present isn't really even part of the collection. It's actually in the introduction. Gaiman states that he was going to write a story and give to some friends that were getting married. But he didn't think they would appreciate the story.....it is a little dark. But I liked it so much, I'm adding it to my review. When Brenda and Gordon sat down to write their thank-you's for the wedding presents they received, they found one envelope that was unsigned. Inside was a hand-typed paper, describing perfectly their wedding. Since they couldn't figure out who sent it, the put in a box of their wedding keepsakes. A few years later, it was pulled out so they could reminisce. But it had changed. It no longer told of their wedding, but their marriage. And it didn't in any way reflect their actual marriage, but one that was not a good one. With an eerie twist like The Picture of Dorian Gray, this turned out to be a very special wedding present.

Chivalry is the story of Mrs. Whitaker, a pensioner who liked to browse through The Oxfam shop. It is a second-hand story that sells clothes, books and knick-knacks that have all been donated. Mrs. Whitaker found the Holy Grail; it was under a fur coat - as the opening line of the story reads. She buys it for 30p, and takes it home. She cleans it until it sparkles and places it on her mantle. Then one day, a knight named Galaad arrives on horseback searching for the Grail.

Nicholas Was.....is a one hundred word story that is a creepy twist on St. Nick. In fact, Gaiman used it for his Christmas Cards one year.

Finally, The Price is a story that Gaiman tells about his family, and they way they adopt the cats that come to their house. One day, a special cat, named only Black Cat arrives at their house. He is large and beautiful....and almost human, or so it would seem. He doesn't look like a stray; he is too well-taken-care-of. But he doesn't leave. Each morning, when the family gets up, Black Cat seems to have been in battle the night before. He has cuts and wounds. One day, he seemed so weak, that the family took him the house for four days just so he could recover. And those were the four worst days this family has seen in years.

The thing I've come to realize about Gaiman is he is an unending well of stories. Of the ones I've read, none are even close to being the same. I don't know from where inside his stories come, but I do hope they never stop!! I loved each of these stories!! Chivalry was a very happy, light-hearted story. The others were not. But each was fantastic in the way it was written. Gaiman's magic, his "smoke and mirrors", is his way of taking a few words and creating something lasting and impressionable. And personally, I don't think I will ever look at cats in the same way. I may even have to get one!!

Till next week.......