In a radical departure from his previous works, K. C. Parton has turned his prodigious imagination to the unsettling genre of the world that is sometimes glimpsed but never understood: the supernatural. This thrilling new collection of ghost stories explores the traditions of Edwardian horror placed in a contemporary setting. With compelling reads including, ‘The Last Train’ and the evocative ‘Ghost of Spetchley Bridge’, K. C. Parton portrays how people react when forces move beyond their control. Diverse locations and memorable characters are used in every story to maximise the disturbing effect. Old factories, the South Downs and Southend-on-Sea provide a vivid backdrop for these spine-chilling tales. With unearthly movements, strange noises and mysterious disappearances K. C. Parton creates an eerie atmosphere. Whether it is the creeping discomfort of a man being forced to challenge his understanding of the world, or an eerie appearance at the local cricket club, he transports the reader to the supernatural world. Ten Short Tales about Ghosts is a haunting read that will interest fans of gothic literature at any age. Characteristics of both Edwardian and Victorian ghost stories are present in this collection. Residents of the county areas mentioned in the stories may also be interested to explore the paranormal potential at their local landmarks. K. C. Parton has been inspired by the writing style of Susan Hill. His admiration for M. R. James encouraged him to develop his many characters of the collection. These spooky short stories, inspired by the genius of M. R. James, explore extraordinary things happen to ordinary people. Local stories of ghost sightings and strange hauntings also enabled K. C. Parton to find amicable settings for his characters to develop in.
Los Angeles Times Book Prize Finalist: A “stellar collection” of stories about navigating life off the reservation, filled with laughter and heartbreak (People). In these lyrical, affectionate tales from the author of The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian and The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven, characters navigate the crossroads of culture, battle stereotypes, and find themselves through everything from politics to basketball. Richard, the narrator of “Lawyer’s League,” grows up in Seattle, the son of “an African American giant who played defensive end for the University of Washington Huskies” and “a petite Spokane Indian ballerina.” A woman is caught in a restaurant when a suicide bomb goes off in “Can I Get a Witness.” And Estelle Walks Above (née Estelle Miller), studies her way off the Spokane Indian Reservation and goes on to both enjoy and resent the company of the white women of Seattle—who see her as a shamanic genius, and look to her for guidance on everything from sex and fashion to spirituality. These and the other “warm, revealing, invitingly roundabout stories” in Ten Little Indians run the gamut from earthy wit to sobering emotional truth, mapping the outer reaches of the human heart (The New York Times Book Review). From a New York Times–bestselling and National Book Award–winning author, these tales, “rambunctious and exuberant, bristle with an edgy and mordant humor” (Chicago Tribune). This ebook features an illustrated biography including rare photos from the author’s personal collection.
It is often said that the best things in life come in small packages; anyone in search of proof need look no further than the stories in this collection from the acclaimed author of the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series: brief, utterly engaging tales that offer lasting surprise and delight, accompanied by charming illustrations by Iain McIntosh. In Tiny Tales, Alexander McCall Smith explores romance, ambition, kindness, and happiness in thirty short stories accompanied by thirty witty cartoons designed by Iain McIntosh, McCall Smith’s longtime creative collaborator. Here we meet the first Australian pope, who hopes to finally find some peace and quiet back home in Perth; a psychotherapist turned motorcycle racetrack manager; and an aspiring opera singer who gets her unlikely break onstage. And, of course, we spend time in McCall Smith’s beloved Scotland, where we are introduced to progressive Vikings, a group of housemates with complex romantic entanglements, and a couple of globe-trotting dentists. These tales and illustrations depict the full scope of human experience and reveal the rich tapestry of life—painted in miniature.
Explore the lives of 83 of the most talented children's authors writing today. Told in the authors' own words, these lively biographies describe the creative process, and offer advice to today's young writers. Learn how they crate wonderful books, where they get their ideas, what their desks look like, and what their favourite books were when they were growing up.