Short Story Connect discussion

Post any short story, collection of short stories, or novellas that you would like to nominate for the May Read of the Month.

Whether they are stories that you have previously read and want to start some further discussion, or stories that you have been meaning to read, we'd love to hear from you!

Hello! Let me introduce my first collection of non-fiction short stories, RAVING VIOLET, to this group. I now have 3, but let's start at the very beginning! My focus is on metaphysics and personal growth, but with a healthy dose of irreverence and humor. Thanks for your consideration!

http://www.amazon.com/Raving-Violet-V...

I am able to offer free audio book copies of my collection of short stories, RAVING VIOLET to the group. If there are any audio book fans in the group, I've recorded quite a few for other authors and can offer codes for many of the titles I've recorded. Just contact me if interested!

C.J. Heck


Bits and Pieces: Short Stories from a Writer's Soul

Read a Preview:
http://www.goodreads.com/story/show/3...

About the Book:
A collection of twenty short and flash fiction stories, many with nostalgic themes; others with a special blend of humor and sensitivity.

The stories cover subjects like internet dating; a 'woman of the evening' alone in a bar on Christmas Eve; the horror of finding a headless body near a sewer drain in the city, and a grandfather and grandson teaching each other about life and love while feeding pigeons in a park.

Included in the book is one of the author’s personal favorites. It has a surprise ending you won't expect, or forget.

Reviews:
"...I believe this novel is somewhat like a pearl. How something so wondrous can emerge from an oyster’s way of protecting itself is a lovely surprise of nature. I listened to my inner voice, and I was surprised how delightful this novel by C.J. Heck was. I hope you take the opportunity to read it too."
~Jeannie Walker (Award-Winning Author)

"CJ writes from deep within her heart and soul and paints with all the colors of feeling.

Each story, each word, strikes a cord deep within, stirring the mind and imagination into memories common to us all. She not only breathes life into us through her work, she nourishes the heart and soul of everyone who knows her.

Innocence and beauty that radiates from the heart and soul are rare in an adult. She has guarded her most precious gifts and secrets and joyfully shares them with us." ~Robert S. Cosmar (Author & Astrologer)

"I have only recently become aware of this author and her work and I always love reading short stories. These seem to be the ones that take the most talent to create and express one's thoughts efficiently and with brevity.

The writings exhibit diversity and the author expresses parts of herself and her life in many of these stories.

I have read "Bits and Pieces" now and assure all that her writings are from her soul, heart, and portions of her personal life.

CJ Heck is a fine author and a magnificent lady and can be emotional as well as steadfast. I highly recommend this book with its compilation of diverse short stories." ~Tom C. (Vietnam veteran)

"You will enjoy the eclectic stories in Bits and Pieces displaying CJ Heck's vivid and wide ranging imagination. Writers like CJ should be allowed to live one hundred and fifty years -- how else could they reveal all they have to offer?" ~Russell Daily (Writer, Poet)

I'll nominate The Queen Spade by Alexander pushkin

ETA: the actual title is The Queen of Spades

A personal favorite:
For Esme-with Love and Squalor

This was part of the NINE STORIES collection by J.D. Salinger.

I am a new member of the group. Seeing that other members introduce their own work, I hope that I may introduce my recently (self-)published collection of short stories called "The Holy Dusters: Fragments." However, if I have selected the wrong place for introducing my book I apologize and I hope that someone would correct me.

This is how the book was originally presented in Goodreads:

In seven fragments, Judith WermuthAtkinson looks at the stories of old people from different societies and cultures of our time – from England to New England, Germany, India, and post World War II Bulgaria. This is an appeal for attention to our attitudes toward the elderly. The author
stresses that although "old age seems to be an inconvenience for many families, for society, and most certainly for the economics of any state" we should remember that "the old people of our time are also the creators of this time" and that "what the present represents for us was their project, their work not just ours."

Link: www.goodreads.com/book/show/25315690-...

Can I also suggest my own book of short stories?
It's called Nothing Is Strange and you can read one of them for free here: http://strangebooks.com/strange-story/

The book contains 20 equally strange stories!
http://www.amazon.com/Nothing-Strange...

www.amazon.com/Rednecks-Hardcases-Sto...

When including a link to a book, please include the Goodreads link. Thank you. (Links are not required, but they do help.)


I will be putting the poll up later tonight/very early tomorrow morning, so get your nominations in now! (I would do it now, but I'm running Pokemon League.)