You may remember when not too long ago I reviewed a book of short short stories published by Rose Metal Press. I discovered I loved the short short story form, and thankfully that book wasn’t the only of this sort Rose Metal chose to publish. Their latest, In the Land of the Free, written by Geoffrey Forsyth, is another fascinating example of why I feel short shorts should get more exposure. Forsyth’s stories, most lasting no more than three or four pages, are packed with raw human emotion. From humor to ache, love to death, these stories are concentrated forms of literature that bear reading over and over.
Forsyth’s stories are most original; I’m sure it’s a large part of the reason he won the Rose Metal Press Second Annual Short Short Chapbook Contest. His stories feature young people – a baby born in the kitchen, a man who in his youth purchases a wall out of his naivete, a young man who wakes to find his dead relatives in his living room. These addictive little bits will most certainly get you hooked on short shorts.
If you’ve not read a short short story before, I highly recommend you try it. We all need something artistic and deep in our lives, and let’s face it – most people skip it completely, never realizing it’s missing. But for us readerly types, it’s a necessity that we recognize. Think of short shorts as multivitamins for the brain and the soul. Or a pick-me-up more handy than a cup of coffee, healthier than a cigarette break. If you decide to start with In the Land of the Free, you’ll have yourself a most creatively published work as well. This chapbook has an old-style letterpress cover which was produced at the Museum of Printing in Andover, Massachusetts–the perfect format for In the Land of the Free. I ask you, when was the last time you heard of a mainstream press take such care with their book printing? Another reason to love the Indie presses.
Want to win your own copy of In the Land of the Free? Here’s your chance.
3 Ways to Win:
1.) Leave a comment telling me what interests you about reading short short stories. Have you read them before? Why would you like to try? Have fun with your comment! Winners are randomly chosen, but if the name drawn doesn’t respond, I choose the next winner by comment.
2.) Email subscribers are entered into this and all future giveaways, for as long as their subscription is active. Simply place your email address in the little white box at the top of my sidebar on the right. (Please make sure to verify your Feedburner subscription by responding to the email they send you. If you don’t receive it, check your junk mail. Only verified subscriptions are entered for all the giveaways.)
3.) Blog about this giveaway on your blog with a link back to this post. Come back and leave me a Comment with a link to your blog post.
Do all three, and you’ve got three entries to win! You have until midnight EST on Thursday, September 18, 2008, to enter.
Short stories have no extra words. Everything is so intentional and precise, and usually they pack a punchy ending.
I like short stories because they are usually short enough that I can get through them in my spare time.
I like short,short stories because I am short.
I like short stories because they tell a full story without wasting time or words. The impact can stay in my mind for a while so that I go back and read the story again.
My free time is always limited so I love short stories.
gkstratos@yahoo.com
I like how they often tell just part of a story, leaving your imagination to fill in what happened before and what will follow. This is a good stretch for my usually tightly-wound, planned, Type-A personality.
Thanks!
Megret
musesofmegret (at) gmail (dot) com
I’ve just reviewed a book of short stories and it reminded me why I like them so much. They are often powerful enough that they are memorable. I still remember “Rain” by W. Somerset Maugham,or “Odor of Chrysanthemum” by D.H. Lawrence 40 years after I read them. I would love to read “In the Land of the Free”. Thank you.
With two kids running around, I honeslty find it easier to read short stories these days.
I like short stories for reading at bedtime,then I don’t have the scenerio where the book is too good to put down making me stay up late.
You make the stories sound so fascinating! I think the really humanistic perspecitve sounds the most interesting to me. Thanks for the giveaway.
I always like short stories because they are nice to take on trips when I am not sure how much reading I will get done. That way with all the excitement of the trip, I don’t forget everything that I had read previously.
Short stories are appealing because they are succinct, make the most of the plot and storyline and capture my interest totally. Thanks for this great giveaway.
I like short stories because obviously, they are short, and they are a lot of story packed into a little one. I haven’t read many lately, but I did a lot in high school. Great giveaway, thanks!
I haven’t read short stories in a several years, but I like them. In college I bought a big textbook full of short stories, but I haven’t read them in a while. It would be nice to have some new short stories to read!
I like a book of short stories to put on my nightstand because I can usually get through one or two of them before falling asleep.
I first became interested in short stories when a Doctor that lived across the street from my Aunt (we called him Pop) wrote a book with a bunch of short stories in it. The fun part was that everyone he loved and lived for was in the book in one of his stories. So reading it was great.
I like reading short stories because you get the story without adding a lot of not needed wording. You can get through it pretty quick so you have time for other things.
book worm
This helps fit in with my short periods of silence with work and two children.
I enjoy short stories especially when my time is limited.
Love all types of books & this sounds very interesting & can pick up & drop inbetween chauferring & errends
I am intrigued by short shorts, and interested in reading more as I would like to be able to write them: I have made a couple attempts but not, I don’t believe, successful ones . . . so more reading will help, I’m sure!
Hi, I became interested in short shorts years ago when I was in college. One class was entirely based on this type of story. In a certain way, I see these
shorts as a type of poetry, but in sentences. They are more poignant because they take less time to get to the point! This books sounds wonderful!
Thanks, Cindi
I love reading short stories before going to sleep.
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Short stories certainly have a lot of merit with me. I love a long, engaging novel also but with short stories, it gives you sort of like a thought for the day. I like reading them right before bedtime and the next day, the story is on my mind.
I enjoy all types of reading but short stories are like snacks for the brain.
I like to read short stories since I usually can finish reading the story the same day that I started it. I get so engrossed in reading sometimes that I ignore everything else until I finish the story.
Thanks for another nice giveaway.
love the immediacy of short stories
I love to read during my lunch break, short stories are the best, thank you
I enjoy reading short stories before going to sleep at night.
I love short stories but I don’t think I’ve ever read a short short. I imagine I’d like the same thing about them that I like about traditional short stories – that they capture very quickly a very specific mood. Thanks for the chance!
I love that you can get a ‘great read’ finished even when you have little time…love short stories!
I usually read novels but would like to start reading short stories.
I like nonfiction short stories!
I like to read before going to sleep. Short stories enable to finish and not stay up all night.
They take little time to read and you get to the point quickly. That is a big plus in my busy life.
I like short stories because they generally don’t have “dead zones” that make me want to read ahead or skip sections. Because of the length and style, a writer is forced to be clear and details provided become ever so important.
I love reading short stories, especially anthologies. What’s great about them is they introduce me to new authors!
I like short stories because if I get a long book I tend to sit up till dawn reading, short stories fill me and let me catch some zzzzzzs
I love short-shorts; it’s a true art form all its own, and I myself am a published writer of short-shorts.
When I was much younger I read the short stories of W. Somerset Maugham during a difficult period in my life. Since then I have loved the short story format. They tend to carry more of a punch than novels and are perfect for a rainy afternoon.
I enjoy old detective Pulp short stories. As a mom, it is easier to read a story that will have a ending soon! I enjoyed reading Raymond Carver in college.
Count me in
I’ve never really read short stories before. But this one sounds good and I’d like to try it just to see what they are like.Just maybe I’ve been missing out on something great.
I love reading short stories because, as a single mother of 3, sometimes that is all I can squeeze into my busy day!
I love reading anything good regardless of length. This has been passed on to two of my three kids. For the one “non-reader” in the family good short stories have been have an incentive to join in reading with the rest of us.
I teach a first year college English course and the students nowadays read short short stories, both fiction and non-fiction. As part of my job, I am always looking for short lengths of prose and the authors of them, so I can give my students examples of good short stories to view or discover. I have found, through this process, that I have developed an affiliation to short fiction. Many times, I find myself reading short short stories just for the fun of it too.
I’m a bookworm, single mom, university student. This doesn’t leave me nearly as much time for recreational reading as I would like. This is perfect!
i love short stories.