Humor and nonsense, flights of fantasy into other realms, fright, disgust and disappointment, silliness and wonderment, and the sadness of reality and heartache.
It’s all here, and more, in 30 short stories and flash fiction pieces that may leave you a little Off Center in the Attic.
AVAILABLE in Audiobook, eBook and paperback.
The 30 Stories
Acting in a Coffin – A director plays a prank that backfires on a movie set.
The Wallflower – A woman compares herself to one who is the life of the party.
Pupule – A neighborhood gets a lesson in humility from a crazy old Hawaiian man.
To Soar – What a bird drops.
Out of Body – A man is shot and his brain goes through a metamorphosis.
Looking for Life – Never the right one.
Most Wanted – The killer of young boys remains at large.
Grandpappy’s Cows – Antics of backward backwoods relatives.
Boy at the Crossroad – The making of a monster.
Cafeteria Science – How to lose your lunch.
Indoctrination – A daring woman wants to experience something different and gets her wish.
Explosive Day – No escape.
The Smell of Death – A clue to the dying.
Legacy – A woman in mourning changes her life to follow in her mother’s footsteps.
An Urgent Message – A plea to a writer.
Rituals – Neurosis as a way of life.
Watched – Being watched can kill.
The Swimmer – A man losing his sanity.
Thanatos – The urge to die.
Alien Footprints – An invisible perpetrator.
Vibratory Rates – Visitations from heaven and hell.
The Voodoo Kit – A Jamaican hex follows a woman home.
Pekoe – A newborn kitten abandoned in a portable toilet.
Great Lady of Wisdom – A holy goat.
The Last Thing I Do – The end of making memories.
Future Winner – A little-known artist gets a break.
Innocence – A high school girl on the verge of betrayal by her innocence.
Sister Fly – Karma
Homeless, Not Heartless – A man and his dog.
Roots – What you may find when tracing your family tree.
A 5-Star Review by bjonsmom
Expert, captivating and flawless
Whenever I write a book review I like to see what other reviewers have said, not to copy their thoughts, but to learn the diversity of impressions each has come away with. The reviews of Mary Deal’s book are both subjective and objective, and define this collection of short stories perfectly. Her writing is expert, captivating and technically flawless.
There is so much variety in the stories: some are just snippets of fleeting thought, perhaps a sentence or two long; others are luxurious in detail and rich in imagery. Some are disturbing in exposing the dark side of humanity, others transcend the earthly with mystical philosophies about death and near-death experiences. Bizarre voodoo or extraterrestrial superstitions are creatively explored. Some are written from the point of view of a wallflower, a bird, or – I kid you not – a pen! My favorite is “Out of Body,” with its roller coaster ride through a crime victim’s varying levels of consciousness, to an awakening of clarity and a new “reality.”
There is no escaping Deal’s love of art and her spiritual connection to the tropics, particularly Hawaii. These come from her personal and intimate experiences in those realms. And her stories certainly have a subject matter that will amuse, confound, or emotionally touch readers who have dissimilar literary tastes. You are certain to find one or more that will have you pondering the deeper meaning behind the words.
eBook: http://mybook.to/OffCenter
Paperback: https://tinyurl.com/wgwpu9e
Audiobook: https://tinyurl.com/sztrjjz
