Many thanks to Marcia for letting me take over her blog to tell her 3,600 dear friends about the release of my short story collection, Donkey Boy and Other Stories.
The ebook is already up on Amazon at the amazing, introductory price of 99p (which I think translates into $1.34 – still cheaper than a cup of coffee. The paperback will be out in a few weeks.
The cover, which I love, was designed by Melissa Priddy of Creative Station.
It’s a slim collection of stories which will entertain, amuse, and make you think – and there are little touches of humour. The reader will meet diverse range of characters in a number of different locations. A donkey boy in Pakistan dreams of buying luxuries for his mother; a mouth artist in rural Scotland longs to leave the circus; a visually impaired man has a problem with his socks; and a woman tries to come to terms with what may be a frightening gift – or a curse.
Here’s a sample story as an appetiser:
Such Soft Hands
Everyone admires her husband’s hands. They’re delicate with long, tapering fingers, the nails beautifully shaped. They might have been considered effeminate on another man but they’re all of a piece with Jonathan’s overall elegance.
Moira’s own hands are broad with stumpy fingers, the nails cut short. The backs of them are brown from hours spent in the garden. A few liver spots have appeared. She folds her arms, tucking her ugly hands under her armpits and turns her attention back to her husband on the television screen.
The camera focus shifts to his face, away from his soft hands, gently cradling a porcelain bowl. No-one had expected a programme on the history of porcelain to be such a hit but the camera loves him. Viewers – mainly women – adore his sexy voice and shiver at the sight of his beautiful hands caressing rare and delicate objects; they write in to tell him so.
Moira glances at the clock on the mantelpiece and jumps up as though startled at the passing of time. Her husband’s voice fades as she leaves the room, automatically checking for finger marks on the display cabinet which houses the pride and joy of his collection.
Upstairs, from the bedside cabinet, she takes a photograph album, sits on the edge of the bed and turns the pages. She pauses at a picture of Jonathan, an adoring expression on his face, holding Megan, their daughter. He is holding her as though she might break. It was taken before they realised there was something wrong with her. After the diagnosis he couldn’t bear to look at her. Eventually, a place was found for her – too far for Moira to visit as often as she would like. With a sigh, she replaces the album.
A half-filled suitcase lies open on the bed. She throws in some underwear, a couple of skirts, not bothering to fold them properly. Jonathan would hate that – packing, like everything else in his life, has to be perfect. She snaps the suitcase shut and calls a taxi.
She takes a dress from the wardrobe, strips off the one she is wearing. The bruises are still at the dark purple stage. They take longer to fade nowadays. Once dressed, she picks up her case and hurries downstairs.
In the living room she unlocks the display cabinet, removes Jonathan’s favourite vase and holds it for a moment. She relishes the sound it makes when it shatters on the hardwood floor.
The ebook is available now on Amazon.
Congratulations, Mary! Good luck!
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Thanks so much, Olga.
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Good luck, I’ve bought the ebook.
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Thank you so much, Hilary. I hope you enjoy the stories. Do let me know what you think of them (unless you hate them, in which case, don’t tell me!).
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Congratulations Mary! Wishing you great success with this book. Thanks for sharing the story of this battered woman who chooses to leave! The title seems to be a satire! Well chosen!
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Oh, thank you for such a lovely comment. Yes, the title of the story intends to be ironic.
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Just bought my copy, Mary. At 99 p, it’s almost free! I don’t know when I will get around to reading it, but I just had to have it ready in my Kindle library. I wish you every success, sincerely.
Best wishe
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Oh, thank you for buying it, Pete. If your tbr pile is as high (or long, as it’s on Kindle) as mine I won’t hold my breath. However, it is a very SLIM volume 🙂 Thanks for your good wishes.
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Oh, wow, Mary! I love that excerpt and am heading over to Amazon to buy this one! It made me shiver. (I hated him already, with his hands so much nicer looking than MINE! 😀 ) And I’m going to add the title of the book to your post. It might help people notice it. 🙂 Thanks for visiting today, and feel free to post more when you like. Especially since I won’t be very visible for a while yet. 🙂 ❤
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Thanks, Marcia, both for your comments and for buying Donkey Boy. I hope you enjoy the stories – they aren’t all about wife-beating husbands. Totally with you on his hands – my own are much more like Moira’s brown age spots and all. Thank you for adding the title to the post.
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My pleasure, Mary, and I’m glad you were willing and able to find something(s) to share with the group while I’m dealing with smashed garages and cars and a neighborhood full of rotting vegetation. Gleep. It’s going to be a long, slow month or six. 😀 Please feel free to share anything else you wish! ❤
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Will do. And lots of luck with all you have to deal with right now. Hugs.
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Contrast mixed with irony, effectively done, Mary. Congrats on your new release! Pinned & shared. 🙂
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Thanks for the congratulations Linda and for your comment on the story. And, thanks so much for sharing.
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The sample story is amazing! Thanks for sharing it. Best of luck with this collection of stories.
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Glad you liked the sample story, Darlene. Thanks for your good wishes.
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Congrats Mary! Loved the story. Now off to buy your book. ❤
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Delighted you enjoyed the story, Debby. Thanks so much for buying the book – hope you enjoy the other stories, too. Hugs.
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I will be sure to review Mary. 🙂 x
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Thanks, Sue 🙂
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Love the teaser. Congratulations! Looks wonderful!
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Thank you so much, Alethea.
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Reblogged this on Barb Taub and commented:
New release from one of my favorite writers!
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Thanks for sharing, Barb.
I’ve been in touch with Rosie so if you want a review copy let her know 🙂 Preety please.
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Reblogged this on poetry, photos and musings oh my!.
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Thanks for spreading the word, Lea.
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Congratulations Mary! I shall look forward to reading it and hopefully it is available in paperback for those of us who are hold-outs…
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Thank you, Lea. It will be coming out in paperback, too. I’ve almost finished the process and am waiting for my proof copy to arrive for a final check.I’ll let you know as soon as it’s available.
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Congratulations, Mary! 🎉 What a treat of a cover and book – I loved the story extract and will be adding this to my tbr list! 😀😀
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Thanks, Annika. I’m very fond of the cover. I think the designer did a good job and she hadn’t even met the donkey boy! I hope you enjoy the stories when you get to them.
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Mary, I’m sure I’ll enjoy the stories and look forward to reading them.😃At the moment I’m preparing to publish my slim volume of short stories and I’ve been on the lookout for cover designers…I was so taken with yours I might very well contact them, if that is okay with you.
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Congratulations. Let me know when your stories are out. I’m more than happy for you to contact my cover designer. A friend of mine who liked my cover is getting Melissa to do hers, too.
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Lovely to see Mary’s new book featured here, Marcia.
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I agree. It’s always lovely to feature books from my fellow writers and online friends. It’s the whole purpose of the blog, really. Helping each other spread the word. (I’ll be happy to do the same for you, whenever you have news to share, or just want to bring your books to the attention of possible new readers.) 🙂 ❤
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Thanks, Robbie. It’s very good of Marcia to let me shout out about it here.
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Shout all you like, Mary! You are ALWAYS welcome here! 🙂 ❤
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Thank you, Marcia.
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❤ 🙂 ❤
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