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Showing posts with the label Steve Morris

Quick upbeat original short stories ideal for coffee break and commute

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Out On Top - A Collection of Upbeat Short Stories By Steve Morris "Take your pick: - Wrongs put right. Second chances in life. Lost loves reunited." We are long overdue a break. Out on Top is a bag of stories where wrongs are often put right. Instead of dwelling on what might have been, characters get their chances to rectify their regrets and tidy up their troubled pasts. Once-reluctant Romeos, clever creatures and innovative new technology sees the cast of Out on Top get second chances to see the truth finally come out whether it wants to or not. From the author of In All Probability, Out on Top sees Steve Morris return to set a few things straight. .. .. Find out more

A review of 'In all Probability: A collection of short stories'

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This collection of 30 short tales packs in so much its hard to know where to start. Each tale packs a lot in with plenty of implied and hinted backstories and endings that let you build on the teaser style writing that Morris uses. Because of this, these stories don't feel anywhere near as short as they are and before you know it you have been pulled into Morris' world in all its strange, scary, odd and unsettling glory. Morris's writing flows as well as ever and will appeal to all types of reader (unless you really don't like short stories, but even then you should try these to see how well they can be done). I was particularly fond of It's An Ill Wind and Dead Eye, and was somewhat amused by Progress and Better Late Than Never. A few of the tales were also quite touching, especially Swan Song which I think definitely ranks in one of my favourites. A great collection, proven by the fact that I read the lot in one evening...oops. Sam's review, Dec 30, 2016

Be Blown Away!

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Treachery and Triumph - An Anthology of World War II Stories Editor Jeremy Moiser   Murder WAR? DEATH AND DESTRUCTION? VIOLENCE, HATRED, INEXPRESSIBLE GRIEF? PEOPLES PITTED AGAINST EACH OTHER, TO THE DEATH? WHY ON EARTH SHOULD I WANT TO READ ABOUT IT? THERE’S ENOUGH IN THE MEDIA EVERY DAY, SURELY? YES: BUT THIS IS DIFFERENT. In these pages, there is violence – impossible to avoid in an anthology dedicated to the memory of war – but there is also humour and romance, suspense and emotion, heroism and daring. The action is set variously in France, Britain, Eire, Kenya, Russia, Poland ... You are guaranteed hours of stimulation, enjoyment and fruitful relaxation with a book devoted to one of the defining events of our times. STARE INTO THE PAST WITH THE EYES OF THOSE GRIPPED BY ITS DRAMA. ... .. Find out more “ Exhilarating - be blown away ” …publishedbestsellers.com What is unique about the book? Treachery and Triumph - An Anthology of World War II

"This was an interesting read."

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Playing Havoc, partly based on fact, partly a black comedy, describes one small British island’s battle to maintain some normality in the chaos after a coronal mass ejection, seen through the eyes of one man who had only recently moved there with the very intention of getting some peace. The Review: "Once again, I thoroughly enjoyed reading the work of Steve Morris. It is very refreshing to read a story apart from the main stream, everyday context. The storyline is interesting in a way that makes you actually think about all that could and would go wrong. Giving you a better concept of not only the things and people around you, but of yourself as an individual. The main character is a likable sort of fellow, if not a little detached from the world around him. He grows as a person in his perceptions of the people and things around him. More importantly, he learns a lot about his inner self. This book not only deals with the relationships you have with others, but the relati

Five star review of Jumble Tales by Dan Wright, Read 2 Review

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"Even thought Jumble Tales can easily be read in one sitting, I took my time reading this book as I always like to do with short stories. I like to take in each story one at a time, analyse their structure, take in the message that they carry (if any) and just enjoy the story. And there is a lot to both analyse and enjoy in Jumble Tales. Each story focuses on a part of real life, whether it would be a football match, an assault in Iraq, a band trying to make it, or even just finding lost love in the most bizarre of places. The tales are nicely told and flow very well – and there is always a nice little twist at the end. The good thing is that it’s rare you can see what the twist is and it’s always a nice surprise. Only on a couple of stories did I guess what the ending would be. In short (no pun intended), Jumble Tales has a great mix of stories that will make you think, but are not overly preachy and can be enjoyed just for what they are. A lot of time and effort has clea

How do you cope in a complete black-out with no electronic device?

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Playing Havoc By  Steve Morris Just how would we cope in the event that every electronic device on our planet was rendered useless in an instant? If all electric power, industry, basic utilities, transport and the very communications that we all take for granted were zapped in a moment, how would life carry on? What skills do we possess to help us rebuild life from its very foundations? Find out how the people of a small island managed to survive.  Find out more Author Steve Morris says “Playing Havoc is a story based on fact. CMEs occur on average around once a century. The last event like this fried the world’s early telegraph network at a time when we still travelled by horse and cart. There are a few more electronic gadgets around these days … and you know how you feel when only one of them lets you down. We are now overdue for the next solar flare!” “An intriguing black comedy with a sci-fi twist” Paperback | Waterstones | Amazon UK Ebook | Kobo |  Google Pl

Review by Kitty Bullard, "Great Minds Think Aloud”

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'In All Probability' and 'Jumble Tales' " These are two wonderfully delightful books by a man that has clearly had his own ups and downs in life. Steve Morris weaves tales of good fortune and hardship with a master storyteller's pen. I am use to anthologies that range from romance to horror and almost any other genre you can think of, but this is the first time I have read a book about the lot life can hand you and the good or bad that often comes with it. I'll admit I was skeptical going into these books but I was surprised to find the mixed bag of tales that both contained. These books prove that true life can often be just as wonderfully exciting, adventurous, and fantastic as tales woven from the gossamer fabric of fantasy. I will be looking for more to come from this UK Author! " Kitty Bullard Jumble Tales Ebook | Kobo |  Google Play |  Amazon Kindle |  Apple iBook | Nook In All Probability Ebook | Kobo |  Google Play |

Eccentric and Ecclectic. An exhilarating review of Jumble Tales

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Jumble Tales by Steve Morris By S. Shove "Ecobitch" (Cardiff) An ecclectic collection of tales that show how fickle Fate and Luck can be, this collection is cram packed with what ifs and if onlys and with each tale being the perfect length for a quick read at the bus stop, waiting in line or if you have a spare five minutes this is a superb book to have in your bag, just in case. Each tale has its own character based on dark humour, gritty real life and even a touch of romance and they even manage not to feel like short stories that rush to get everything but instead guide the reader through at a leisurly pace to ensure maximum enjoyment and impact. Morris writes in a very easy and accessible manner that a wide variety of readers will enjoy and this collection has a little tale for everyone, be you the hardened football fan, the old romantic, the action lover, the dark comedian or the cutting edge scientist.

Live by the Sword (or Pen?): A Review of “Jumble Tales” by Marc Johnson Books Blog

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Yet another excellent review of "Jumble Tales" The landscape that used to be the medium of the short story is quickly becoming an arid wasteland left to the childish musings of novelists interested in making a quick buck. Some, like Cormac McCarthy, have completely abandoned the medium as pointless. There are a few writers out there who are valiantly trying to keep the short story alive. Steve Morris is one of them. With his second short story collection, Jumble Tales, Mr. Morris illustrates eighteen individual stories with grace. His strengths lie in his ability to seamlessly bring us into the narrative, providing the reader with just enough to follow through the tale without being bogged down with trivial information. Many of the stories introduce a type of twist at the end, which, for the most part, is used effectively. There are times, however, that some of these twists seem a bit forced. For me the twist at the end of The Best Policy was jarring and, for me,

Some fun, some foolery and lots of short stories...

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Some fun, some foolery and lots of short stories... Seen as the cast-offs of stories that weren’t good enough to warrant novelisation; short stories have a bit of bad rep. Morris challenged this preconception with his earlier collection In all Probability with a great degree of success, so it is perhaps no surprise that encouraged, he has produced a further compilation of shorts for our consumption. As with In all Probability, Jumble Tales is a mixed bag. Our favourites are One-Nil and Get it Out of Your System . Both offer a unique perspective of their protagonists and are brimming with humour, irony and ridiculously sublime wit. Each story possesses the now familiar unflinchingly open, matter-of-fact style that is synonymous with Morris’ writing; but as with its predecessor not all stories are made equal and there are a worryingly high percentage of duds in Jumble Tales.

Richard Van Holst's review of 'Out on Top', a new collection of short stories by Steve Morris

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This new collection of short stories by Steve Morris has some family ressemblances to his earlier work, because we see some familiar themes emerging. His protagonists are often misfits, or at least maladjusted in some way, and therefore they stand in some sense outside of mainstream society looking in. In this book, good reasons are given for this, such as lack of maturity, or past trauma. But let's face it; we all like to root for the underdog. And this makes it all the more possible to get into these stories. Steve seems to enjoy sports. I surmise this from the way in which his characters participate in them with such great intensity. Steve can convey the adrenaline of the individual team member as well as the spellbound fascination of the spectators. I suspect that Steve also has a great affection for animals. For he writes about them, sometimes with humour and sometimes with pathos. He tries something here which I think is new for him: one tail tale is narrated partly f

The Short Review ~ "Thought-provoking" - Jumble Tales

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"I can’t predict future events. Neither can I pick race-winners nor National Lottery numbers alas. That would be easy money and I would have made my pile years ago. I don’t believe anyone actually can do those things. Ironically I’ve never believed in all that hocus-pocus nonsense. It’s all just tricks. What I can do is pick up the predominant thoughts of a person standing in front of me. Mine is an inherent ability, a science, and a human skill that so far only a few of us have learned how to use." Reviewed by A J Kirby In his introduction to Jumble Tales, Steve Morris writes, "Life is a gamble in itself and perhaps sometimes, too much of one. Its course of events is continually being determined by what is in effect, the equivalent of a series of dive throws, unpredictable to all but Lady Luck herself. The difference between fortune and misfortune often is as finely balanced and as simple as that". These stories, he writes "examine life’s possibilit

"In All Probability" - "The collection is very diverse. I simply loved the characters."

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A collection of short stories. I must confess, I liked this set of stories as much as the collection in "Jumble Tales". These stories are just a little bit dark in nature. That does not take away from them in the least. I found this book very enjoyable and easy to read. I really like the writing style of this author. This is a great book to sit down and read a little bit at a time. The stories are long enough to be interesting yet, short enough to read at any time. All types of different subject matter could show up at any point in any tale. Each very different from the next yet, common at the same time. I really enjoyed this book. Sometimes it is nice to change up your reading material. Steve Morris allows you to do this without losing a lively, colorful, and lovable story. The collection is very diverse. I simply loved the characters. Not everyone can have a happy ending. It keeps you guessing, for the stories do not usually end the way you predict they will. Very

Book Video - A Collection of Upbeat Short Stories

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Out On Top - A Collection of Upbeat Short Stories | Fiction: Short Stories by Steve Morris

"Every story is different, you won't find two similar ones." - Magdalena's goodreads review

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"The book contains 30 short stories. Every story is different, you won't find two similar ones. They are interesting and during the read you have no idea how they will end. Stories concern every part of everyday life. They are about ordinary people which we can identify with. In the stories we see that nothing is sure in life and we have to grab the opportunities while we can because only moments later they are gone and we are stuck with regrets or consequences of the wrong choice . The author shows us what people are capable of doing to fulfill their dreams or reach their goals. Every short story is unique. Although the stories are only few pages long they give you something to think about after you're finished. I found it difficult to read one story after another, simply because I was still stuck thinking about the previous one. The stories are especially perfect when you have only a little free time and you want to read something but don't want to disrupt your re

A detailed story-by-story review of 'In All Probability' by Ami Blackwelder

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"A Collection of Literary Entertainment" The first story "Dead Eye" has a good flow to it, reminds me in the beginning of a short story by Mark Twain, the way the mundane details of the everyday become intriguing. the ending made me laugh a bit. Irony. Yet, I also enjoyed the way the sentences flowed in this story, Some short and some long confutation of words makes it flow naturally. "Lightning Strikes Twice", the second short story, about a possible one time wonder musician has another shot at a record deal and a woman, but though he tries to runaway from his past, his past catches up to him eventually in the end. I enjoyed the witty humor in this one. The third short, "The Lay-Off", told in first person, tells a story of an athlete, a soccer player, with poor luck. or perhaps just luck most of us have. Relatable and true, this was a joy to read.

Cult debut Short Stories Collection "something to entertain even the most ardent of critics..." Video

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In all Probability: A collection of short stories | Fiction: Short Stories by Steve Morris  

Playing Havoc - 5 Copies to Give Away!

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Win 1 of 5 copies of Playing Havoc, Steve Morris' newly released novel, featured in the winter (Christmas) edition of Yattar Yattar magazine. Draw closes on 1st March 201 2. See Magazine Feature . To enter, email with your details to: editorial@yattaryattar.co.uk . Playing Havoc, partly based on fact, partly a black comedy, describes one small British island’s battle to maintain some normality in the chaos after a coronal mass ejection, seen through the eyes of one man who had only recently moved there with the very intention of getting some peace.  Steve Morris is the author of 'In All Probability' , 'Jumble Tales' and the newly released novel, 'Playing Havoc' .   'Playing Havoc' is available in eBook. Playing Havoc - Tesco PDF and ePub eBooks Playing Havoc - Amazon Kindle Playing Havoc - Kobo ePub Playing Havoc - Apple iBook      

British Island’s battle for normality following a coronal mass ejection

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Steve Morris' newly released novel, Playing Havoc has been featured in the Reader's Shadow . Playing Havoc, partly based on fact, partly a black comedy, describes one small British island’s battle to maintain some normality in the chaos after a coronal mass ejection, seen through the eyes of one man who had only recently moved there with the very intention of getting some peace.  Steve Morris is the author of 'In All Probability' , 'Jumble Tales' and the newly released novel, 'Playing Havoc' .   'Playing Havoc' is available in eBook. Playing Havoc - Tesco PDF and ePub eBooks Playing Havoc - Amazon Kindle Playing Havoc - Kobo ePub    

"A good read but left me worried..." Sally Bunn, the Shropshire Star

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Steve Morris' newly released novel, Playing Havoc has been reviewed in the Shropshire Star Newspaper. Steve Morris is the author of 'In All Probability' , 'Jumble Tales' and the newly released novel, 'Playing Havoc' .   'Playing Havoc' is available in the following eBook formats: Playing Havoc - Tesco PDF and ePub eBooks Playing Havoc - Amazon Kindle Playing Havoc - Kobo ePub