Title: Southern Shorts: Memorable Situations and Just Made Up Stories
Author: Winnfred Smith
Publisher: Westwood Books Publishing, LLC
ISBN: 978-1685360955
Pages: 130
Genre: Short Stories
Reviewed by: Lily Amanda
Pacific Book Review
Southern Shorts by Winnfred Smith is well balanced, eclectic collection of short stories which feature a wide range of characters. Here, futures are molded, relationships are broken, friendships are forged and murder cases are solved. The stories are individually imaginative and mirror the rhythm of life and at times elusive truths just waiting to be clasped. The author creates an illusory atmosphere in his stories and readers will inevitably be drawn in on every entry. Set in the Southern States, the entries skip between worlds; the paranormal and other times reality.
A few stories such as “The Operative” is written in subtle humor and are entirely for pure escapist entertainment, and others have lessons readers could draw upon like “The Grave Painter.” In ” Stolen Ransom,” a man is determined to save his lover from a kidnapping, where here readers are introduced to high-octane action.
The book is divided into two parts; with part one being a set of the author’s imagination while part two mainly spotlights the author’s memorable moments in life and serves as a tribute to his grandmother and Miss Mary Riggins, his school teacher. While each story has its central plot and unique characters, the stories are narrated in a composed tone.
I enjoyed reading each story. With their beguiling beginnings, I was drawn in from the onset. I loved the innovativeness in the book’s illustrations after every fictional story, and the ably vintage photos provided by the author in part two provided an authentic feeling to what the author shares.
Across the fifteen stories that display diversity in length, the collection will appeal to a large audience as it’s a blend of love and mystery which could appeal to many readers. The clear and affable language makes the stories come alive. Further, the well-crafted characters are memorable and relatable. Their moral struggles and victories are spotlighted with an emphasis placed on choosing right over wrong.
There is undeniably something for everyone in this collection. Southern Shorts: Memorable Situations and Just Made Up Stories by Winnfred Smith is a wonderful collection from an adept writer, who takes on the complexities of life artfully and entertainingly!
