Welcome to Litsy!

This landed on my radar thanks to @Singout ‘s #AuldLangSpine list and how thankful I am! I normally avoid short stories (because “give me more!” or “what was that?”). BUT! These stories are fully realized and effective in storytelling. Haunting and often full of magical realism heightening everyday emotions: sibling jealousy, a teen being bullied, neglected stepdaughter (Cinderella!), divorce. Centers women & lgbtq+ experiences. Excellent!

“‘Why are you so unhappy, Louise?‘
‘I‘d not be so unhappy if Bob loved me just a little.‘
‘You mustn‘t be unhappy, Louise-you know that I love you.‘ They would leave together, and talk, and have no secrets from one another. But it wasn‘t like that. Louise was alone. She had a daughter; but though a child might give warmth, a presence and a reason for living, she couldn‘t offer relief or help of any kind- she was more like a tender burden.”

First line of Louise- The third story.

“When melted sugar falls on the steel surface of a stove it‘s the very devil, it sticks like glue.”

#FirstLineFridays @ShyBookOwl

“The books she borrowed were full of words like pay-gap and redline, and she noticed that in all genres, no matter literature or biography, men‘s fury stained the pages, sowing lines like white seeds inside of people‘s hearts.”

A deliciously dark and strange assortment of short stories ❤️‍🔥

Diverse Books Website

I spent some time going through diversebooks.org, and what stood out most was how practical it all is. It goes further than just talking about the need for representation and is actually helping teachers and readers find those stories. The site feels grounded in real classroom needs, and tools like book lists and grants seem to make it easier to go beyond the typical curriculum.

“Nicolas was a big man: he shook the whole bed. He leaned heavily against her and his voice went soft. Whenever he spoke intimately he faltered and stammered: ‘M-my ddear little pussy…‘ Anna struggled: she was soaked in sweat and gasping, trying to keep her teeth clenched. She struggled against herself: Nicolas would overcome her body, and her body would overcome her. -

Claire Keegan delivers here quite a sad, but not uncommon tale of an unhappy marriage.
Quite atmospheric, it's a well-written short story.

This is my second reading of Stephen King‘s Skeleton Crew, which serves as the June selection for our Constant Reader book club meetup. First published in 1985, this collection of short stories has stood the test of time. It boasts a diverse range of stories, varying in length, intensity, and horror gore. I thoroughly enjoyed this collection, just as much as I did during my first reading. 🐒

Full Review abookandadog.com/blog/skeleton-crew

I love a weird first line!

Current audiobook listen is Book 2 in the “Vampires Never Get Old” series 🧜‍♀️🌊

#audiobooksarebookstoo

#shortstories