It's a long time since I've posted on here anything but the reports of our reading group discussions, but the publication today of my new mini collection prompts me to do so. I'm really thrilled with this little book - it's so beautifully produced by Confingo, with such wonderful care and attention. It's the seventh in a series of collaborations between writers and artists, and I'm truly delighted with the stunning full-colour artwork by Laura Scott which echoes so thoughtfully the themes and ideas of the stories.
The stories can be read as self-contained yet are linked by their characters and a past trauma shared by all of them. Each story is cast in a different genre which illustrates the particularity of the effect on each character and on his or her outlook, and the way that, while being connected by the experience they are also isolated from each other by it So there's a ghost story, a love story (of sorts), crime, science fiction, and a postmodern story. Read as a whole, however, their connections and implications grow. (At least, I hope they do!)
This mixed-genre idea was in fact an idea I had a long time ago, and at one point thought of using for my novel Astral Travel, but abandoned it, as the story of Astral Travel was complicated enough in itself ! So what I've done here is take a similar set of characters, but apply the idea to a less complex situation.
And publication day has come with a lovely review from Jackie Law who concludes 'The stories within are just asking to be reread. This is a book I will keep'. Thank you, Jackie!
Five Different Stories About One Thing is available from Confingo Publishing.
