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    Shorties
    Shorties
    Shorties
    Ebook58 pages42 minutes

    Shorties

    By Terry Hayman

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    About this ebook

    There’s nothing quite like a short-short. Stories under 1000 words, sometimes under 500 words, demand a quick one-two punch of set up and payoff. And when done right, they deliver the quick-hit pleasure of a box of chocolates.

    From building-jumping office workers to time-traveling lovers, suicidal swimmers to gamblers who are friends with very tiny aliens, there’s enough mind-bending stuff in here to light up even the darkest day.

    Bet ya can’t read just one...

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherFiero Publishing
    Release dateNov 13, 2013
    ISBN9781310701153
    Shorties
    Author

    Terry Hayman

    Raised in five different countries and currently living with his family in one of the most beautiful places on earth, Terry is a full-time writer and actor who accepts struggle, believes in goodness, and seeks truth always.

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      Book preview

      Shorties - Terry Hayman

      SHORTIES

      Terry Hayman

      This book is also available in a print edition from your favorite bookstore or online retailer.

      Copyright Information

      Shorties

      Copyright © 2013 Terry Hayman

      Published 2013 by Fiero Publishing, Smashwords Edition

      Book and cover design copyright © 2013 by Fiero Publishing

      Cover design by Terry Hayman/Fiero Publishing

      Cover art copyright © 2013 soonwh/123RF Stock Photo

      Erect by Terry Hayman was first published in Stitches, May 2003.

      Leptoid in My Ear by Terry Hayman was first published by Fiero Publishing, March 2011.

      Plague Poker by Terry Hayman was first published by Fiero Publishing, November 2011.

      The Rock by Terry Hayman was first published by Grain, Fall 1988.

      One Place by Terry Hayman was first published by Art Times, August 2000.

      Never Afraid by Terry Hayman was first published by Fiero Publishing, November 2013.

      Asymptote by Terry Hayman was first published by Fiero Publishing, November 2013.

      Bad Cow by Terry Hayman was first published by Fiero Publishing, November 2013.

      Limb Poker by Terry Hayman was first published by Fiero Publishing, April 2011.

      Just One More Thing by Terry Hayman was first published by Fiero Publishing, March 2011.

      Toy Car Dialectic by Terry Hayman was first published by Fiero Publishing, December 2011.

      All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

      This is a work of fiction. All characters and events portrayed in this book are fictional and any resemblance to real people or incidents is purely coincidental.

      ***

      Table of Contents

      Shorties Copyright page

      Introduction

      Erect

      Leptoid In My Ear

      Plague Poker

      The Rock

      One Place

      Never Afraid

      Asymptote

      Bad Cow

      Limb Poker

      Just One More Thing

      Toy Car Dialectic

      Afterword

      Also by Terry Hayman

      sample of Chasing the Minotaur

      Introduction

      Short-shorts or flash fiction are usually considered stories under 1000 words. They may be passionate tales, comic riffs, or quiet meditations, but whatever they are, they’re in and out of the idea or action really fast. Just enough time for you to take the whole story in a bite or two, then walk away slowly to digest it over time.

      At their finest, it is my contention, they actually have a full three-act structure—set-up, exploration of the idea or theme (often with a try-fail sequence or two), and finally a payoff, an answer of some kind to the question or trouble that was raised in the opening. Not always a solution to that problem, mind you, but an answer. There have been trends in literary fiction to not finish the story. To merely present a slice of life and trust that the given slice is profound enough for the reader to draw their own conclusions.

      Yeah. Um. That’s not me. Usually. Life’s inconclusive and confusing enough as it is. The fun thing about fiction is that we have a chance to give it structure and meaning. Which is why, I think, so many writers are either seekers of truth or convinced they’ve got bits of it and are eager to share.

      After reading the stories in this collection, you’ll probably conclude (correctly) that I plead guilty to being in both camps.

      So how did these particular stories come to be?

      Erect came to me in a dream. I literally woke up with most of this conversation in my head and a grin on my face. I gave it a bit of a framing device and punch line and somehow sold it

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