Short Story – Nonfiction and Nonsense

The Wish Giver by Bill Brittain

This was a very short story that I read during my lunch break one day. I am going to say it is a children’s book because it was a very easy read and it took a very short amount of time to finish it. It takes place in a small town in the country during an annual festival. An unusual man shows up, sets up his tent, and waits for those curious enough to see what he is all about. He says he grants wishes, any wish you want, so of course the majority of people don’t believe him. But four people do end up in his tent, and he promises that he will grant each of them one wish in exchange for a very low one time payment. They are all extremely skeptical, but when these characters all find themselves frustrated, they make their wish. None of them believe their wishes will happen, but they most certainly do, just not exactly in the ways they had hoped.

If you aren’t a big reader and want something simple to ease your way into it, this is something I might suggest. Or if you enjoy children’s stories, I would say this is right up your alley. And if you read this story and enjoy it I believe that the author has many more stories like it. I did originally buy this as part of my banned books collection, in an effort to protect stories that certain groups of people want to disappear. I am glad to have bought something that is forbidden in certain circles, but I was finding it really difficult to figure out why this short children’s story was even on some lists.

I ended up having to do a quick online search to find out why this was a banned book because I really couldn’t see any obvious reason. The reason ended up having to do with what is written on the first two pages, the mention of witches, witchcraft, magic, and ‘creatures of the darkness’. Although magic is a big theme in this story, witches, witchcraft, and mystical creatures are never mentioned again. This very short book is basically a collection of stories that teach a lesson we have all heard before, be careful what you wish for. But apparently just those words, witch, witchcraft, and magic, are enough for some people to find offense. The story as a whole doesn’t have any witches performing witchcraft or magic. I find it silly that just the printed word alone can make certain groups want to keep this book out of schools or even public libraries.

The Cybernetic Tea Shop by Meredith Katz

Fiction, Short Story

I have had a rough few weeks. My schedule is all over the place, I feel overwhelmed a majority of the time, and I can’t seem to get into a healthy routine. On top of that, I was sick this past week, sick enough that I had to stay out of the office and stay in bed. As dreamy as mandatory rest time in bed sounds, it didn’t leave me much time to read. When I wasn’t sleeping, or trying to sleep, I was trying to perform basic human functions, like brushing my teeth and making myself food. So all I managed to read this week from my giant TBR pile was a short story.

I don’t remember where I heard about this book, but when I got it in the mail I remember being shocked at how thin it was. And I was even more shocked to see how large the text was within. Due to this, I was able to read the book very quickly. I estimate that many seasoned readers could finish this over their lunch break.

Sal is a robot that looks like a human and functions almost exactly like one. She lacks the ability to smell and taste, but she learned enough from the tea shop owner who purchased her to be able to cook soups, baked goods, and create tea blends. Clara is a wandering repairwoman who finds herself in awe of Sal, the first robot she has ever met, since they became illegal before she was even born. The two are both set in their ways, having no one in either of their lives influential enough to make them consider change.

I can’t say much more without spoiling the story, short as it is. But if you’re in the mood for a quick read this is definitely a good choice. I would have enjoyed something a bit longer, I think it would have made the story more exciting and meaningful. But it was good just the same.

Her Seduction by Felix Alexander

Fiction, Short Story

This is closer to the length of a novella or a short story than a book, it took me about ninety minutes to read the entire thing, hence posting this review for Short Story Saturday. Much like the review from last Saturday, I also found this Voracious download to be a disappointment. You can find the author on Amazon if you are interested, and you can get his stories on Kindle. I, however, would not be tempted to make the purchase of any of his stories after having read this one.

After I finished this story and started doing my research for the blog, I found out that this novella is book three in a four part collection. I do not believe any of the stories have anything to do with each other, so you can start with any one and go from there if you so choose. Moving away from that, my first problem with this novella was that the story was kind of spoiled in the first few pages. It started off with the female and male characters reminiscing on where they were before they met each other, and then went to the present in which they state what happened after they began their affair. So the introduction skips over the entire bulk of the plot in which they meet each other, seduce and get seduced, and pursue a casual but intense relationship, while shoving the end of the tale right into your face. It’s like, what is the point of even reading the story if the author is giving you the end at the very beginning.

Secondly, I had a real problem with the tense in this story, it was kind of all over the place. Some parts were written in present tense, some in past tense, and it didn’t flow well. I think I am remembering this correctly from way back in my elementary and middle school days, but when you are writing a story it is very important to keep everything in the correct tense. Others may not notice it, but I absolutely did. I am not sure if this is because I read a lot or because I am just a stickler for the rules or writing, but it was glaringly obvious to me that the tenses were not what they should be. I am not saying that my writing is perfect, although I do try to keep everything I compose in the correct tense and have a nice flow, but I am saying that I expect more from a professional writer regardless of whether or not they have professional editors assisting them. There are plenty of programs out there that can help a writer with these sorts of things and they should be implemented.

So those two things really bothered me. It took away from my ability to try and enjoy the story. It was ok as far as spice goes, there were some decent scenes. I wouldn’t read it again, but I can see it as something moms with exhausting children and a disappointing husband mighty enjoy. That is probably one of the most brutal things I have ever written here but I am not going to feel sorry about it. I am actually holding back my laughter as I write this. It feels good to be a little evil sometimes.

To read this story for free, sign up here to have a chance at getting a downloadable copy:

voraciousreadersonly.com

A Rose in Winter by Willow Callaway and Penny Kate

Short Story

I’ve been reading a lot lately, a lot more than I usually do. It’s considerably a lot more than I imagine I should be reading when I consider how full my days are with work, taking care of a pet, trying to put time in at the gym, and all the other responsibilities in my life. And since my computer is full of a backlog of book reviews, I have decided to add a new themed post to my blog. On top of occasional Bonus Post Fridays, I will now occasionally have Short Story Saturdays. Why the addition? Well, with the very little free time I have, I thought it would be a great idea to join a site in which I could read novels and short stories by aspiring and small authors for free. At voraciousreadersonly.com I did just that, by putting in my personal information and then ticking the boxes regarding my reading preferences within the various genres. Soon after I was bombarded with emails, and I say this with the most positive emphasis. Each email I got came with cover art and a brief description of the book, along with a few one line reviews and novels that have a similar feel. When you see a book that looks interesting to you, just click the link in the email in order to be put on a list to receive a pdf. The wait for me, so far, has never been very long. I have been receiving emails with the downloadable pdfs within hours of clicking the link.

The first book I decided to read from the already substantial list I had created for myself was titled A Rose in Winter by Willow Callaway and Penny Kate. It is the first book in a two book series of fairy tale reimaginings in which the female main characters find their love interest through arranged marriages, at least that is what I make out of the ‘mail order mountain bride’ series description. The pdf I read was one hundred seventy two pages, generously spaced and with a large font, which took me less than two hours to read. Which is why I am considering it a short story rather than a book. The kindle version is listed as being one hundred twenty five pages, and if you want to support a small writer you can buy it for less than three dollars. But, if you don’t have a kindle, or if you just prefer physical books, the paperback can run you anywhere from eight to thirty six dollars on Amazon. Myself being a person who prefers physical books and does not own a digital reading device, I will say to you that the paperback is not worth that much! If you really want to read this, and after my review you may not, then I highly suggest that you sign up to be a Voracious reader and get a free copy.

I think I would have genuinely enjoyed this book when I was in middle school. It is written in a very innocent, not yet tainted by the world, or puberty, kind of way. The female lead, Rose, and the male main character, Warren, develop feelings and fall in love very quickly. I was annoyed when Rose declared to herself that she was in love with Warren mere sentences after she said how disappointed she was with how he is in real life when compared to his letters, and how irritating she finds him. The feelings of dislike to that of a ‘fluttery feeling’ happens much too quickly. I would suggest this book as an introduction into the romance genre for a young reader. There is absolutely no spice, just a few chaste kisses, and they get married at the end. I would say that this is the perfect book for a young person who is a fan of fairy tales. I would even say that this might be a good read for an adult who likes sweet stories that stay away from the more raunchy books that are very popular at the moment. I myself found it much too innocent for my tastes, but I can see where it potentially might find a following. For that reason, I will not be reading the second book in this series or any of the other books written by these authors as they seem to flow in the same vein. I am hopeful that I will enjoy my next voracious read much more than this one.

To read for free, sign up here to have a chance at getting a downloadable copy: voraciousreadersonly.com

And since I don’t have a copy of this book, here is a picture of a nice flower I saw when I was walking through a public garden.