Short Stories By a Short Guy in Shorts

My book is 17 easy-read stories of fiction, 67,000+ words. All are from events of real life. You may think you know the people, places and things I write about. But no--there are lefts and rights leaving you, I hope, with an "Ah. Okay!" I take notes on dreams, "what could happen if" scenarios, the sane, bizarre and heartfelt things everyday people utter. You'll read about disastrous home projects, list makers, love taking off and love going south, bacon, pickles and the police. It's an expansive but oddball buffet.

Lovers of short fiction stories will enjoy the 17 in "short stories by a short guy in shorts." I'm better at 1000 to 8000 words than trying to construct ten or twenty times that. In my stories, you'll get the essence quicker with the motivation to find out what's next. Next, I am a short guy. Gravity is winning. Finally, I dread summer and its accompanying requirement to wear fewer clothes. Shorts are my anathema. When I wrote the subtitle, "musings, meanderings and mindfulness (sort of)," it was a clue to where my stories veer off the blacktop onto bumpy rutted roads. So, clues to what's within those 17: 1. Hire a professional for home projects. 2. Spend time with your kid and avoid "that" neighbor. 3. Bacon. 4. Drive, keeping your eyes on the road. 5. Be careful who you confide in. 6. Don't you just love to spend time at the deli counter? 7. You can't always have what you want but you'll get what you need. 8. Things to do with bones. 9. You won't just hurt your back picking up a penny. 10. Sweet dreams often aren't. 11. Not everyone wants to be told what to do. 12. Loves labor lost. 13. All the reasons to avoid Black Friday. 14. Why would anyone ask a question like that? 15. A good guy goes up. 16. A good guy goes down. 17. Don't wait for someone to die. My book is suitable from Y/A on up. While there's no descriptive sex, some stories required "the word." You'd be surprised what kids know and hear. Many of my stories are from true life events allowing me to fictionalize them and add my creative dialogue. I won't reveal which ones actually happened--you'll figure them out.

What would anyone want to know about me? I have B+ blood which I donate regularly. They give me snacks and nice T-shirts. When the Red Cross calls, they always ask if anyone else I know wants to come along with me. "Olly, Olly, out are in free." I served four years in the Air Force. Every time a team was put together, I had my hand up. Thank you for sending me to Libya. Yes, long ago we had a base there. HOT! I grew up in Boston, MA and went through the Boston school system. At one time, I could do math in my head because our teachers took no guff, no crap, no back talk. Do the work and shut your face! Good times. The Air Force and good employers paid my tuition at Northeastern University. Because I had a full time job, I got my degrees after 17 years of night classes. Beside an ASBA and a BSBA, I had a knot on my forehead from falling asleep on my desk. I started reading around age 3. My dad pushed it. I found great fascination in the written word--I thought, hey, I can do that. In my book, "short stories by a short guy in shorts," I listed every thing and everyplace I wrote for and/or had published. Don't worry; I got it on one page. I'm not a serious guy so many of my stories have some element of humor. I often say outlandish things so the dialogue by my characters may engender, "Hey, where'd that come from?" Some personal stuff. I like a good hoppy IPA, black and white cookies (the best one was in Grand Central Station), and a creative salad. Keep the kale and tofu. I'm a Type 2, often dueling with my doctor who thinks I may need 100 strings at the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade. Indeed! Finally, I write every day. Not everything is a rare jewel. I think if my mother was still alive, she'd say, "Oh, Leslie, that was brilliant. Hemingway couldn't write what you write." I told you I write fiction.