Off Center In The Attic by Mary Deal.
A Collection of Short Stories and Flash Fiction.
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 stories that may leave you a little Off Center in the Attic.
- 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.
5 Star Review by Deborah Lloyd for Readers’ Favorite: A wonderful collection of short vignettes comprises Off Center In The Attic: Over the Top Stories written by Mary Deal. Many of the stories detail true-to-life incidences, while others are “flights of fancy into other realms.” There is a large range of scenarios – from a brief out of body experience, to an adolescent girl who was saved from possible devastation by a ten o’clock curfew, to the appearance of a gaunt, scary-looking man at a funeral. Several stories occur in Hawaii, illustrating the author’s familiarity with its people, landscapes, and culture. A few others take place in a northern California setting. The author also demonstrates an appreciation and love for the arts, as well as exploring the areas of spirituality and mysticism.
Review by Ron Holte, Kapaa, Kauai, Hawaii: One of the best aspects of this collection is the great variety of works; it feels as if several authors contributed to this book, not just one. The reader experiences a wide range of emotions while reading these stories – from joy to disgust to anger to wonderment. While the book can be a quick read, it is best enjoyed when savored, enabling the reader to consider some underlying messages. The true craft of creative, inventive writing is on full display. Author Mary Deal has skillfully scripted a thought-provoking, imaginative collection of short stories in Off Center In The Attic. At the end of the book, she shares how her writings over the years culminated in this fanciful collection. This is a book that can be revisited many times – enjoy!
Mary Deal has the capability of altering reality in each of her stories, whether humor, tragedy, anything in between, or nonfiction. Sometimes I think her mind is out in the ozone, but if that’s where these stories come from, then she should keep going there and bringing back her ideas. Her stories are truly unique, give the mind a turn, and made me wonder about the possibilities.
From The Author: I have written many short stories and flash fiction pieces. Some have won awards. One story, The Last Thing I Do, was nominated by Silver Boomer Books for the coveted Pushcart Prize. My stories have been published in numerous anthologies, publications and magazines. For a while I had stopped writing these shorter pieces in order to complete a few more novels. I’ve put 30 of these slightly warped stories and flash together for this anthology, Off Center in the Attic. My next collection could be just as strange as this one.
Product Details:
Print Length: 130 Pages
Publisher: Creativia; 2nd Edition (December 3, 2017)
Language: English
Story Stories and Flash Fiction
Amazon Print:
https://www.amazon.com/Off-Center-Attic-Mary-Deal/dp/B08PHRX623/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
Customer Ratings:
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Author’s Page At Book Marketing Global Network:
https://bookmarketingglobalnetwork.com/book-marketing-global-network/author-mary-deal/
