The Fiction Shelf

A short image with an inconsequential end that reflects the futility of the situation. The honest talk reads like an open‐ended discussion on violence and sex. The untempered language tells effectively of an unremarkable happening in an average setting. Effective and brutal.

Childish absent‐mindedness and the lack of a reason, incomprehensible to adult ears, form the basis of this oddly‐touching and humorous short story. A quirky tale whose peculiar subject is matched with an out‐the‐ordinary narrative that remains engaging and entertaining.

A short, deeply pensive exploration of the self and how an individual perceives it. The prose, complex by their brevity, are steeped with meaning so that the piece feels almost poetic.

Ostensibly a comedy that finds humour in the brief moments of light in a working day, but, like all good comedy, there is a twinge of tragedy in this sensitively‐crafted and wholly‐enjoyable work about a regular visitor to a coffee shop.

Beginning with a charming return to a childhood in an America where “Disney meant Disney” and kids feasted on Goobers, Chuckles and SkyBars while waiting for the next Big War, this dry‐witted and engaging story goes on to chart a man’s life and his constant struggle with Luck.

In this piece the writer captures the breathless pace of modern urban living and pairs it with the single minded consumerist selfishness of its main protagonist. The piece follows a day in the life of Jon, a have it all city worker struggling to maintain multiple relationships, multiple addictions and a veneer of professionalism. In style it owes much to British writing on the post modern condition and captures it in its ugliest light.

A short tale that captures the giddiness and excitement of the ‘chase’, the elation of getting that first laugh and the fall towards love – but also cautions against the blurred perceptions offered by alcohol.

In this piece the Author explores the relationship between the protagonist and their Grandfather. The focus upon the Grandfather’s love of photography and his meticulous journal keeping are in contrast to the fleeting moments shared and the contrasting interpretations of their days spent together.

Like Nabokov’s Pale Fire, this innovative and interesting story acts as a user guide to a fictional work. The writer uses a movie review format to examine marriage, possession and tokens of affection.