A man carries his girlfriend in the left-hand breast pocket of his shirt. During World War II, a young soldier searches the houses and barns of the families with whom he grew up. An astronaut wonders whether she can adapt to life back on earth.
In her second collection of short fiction, 100neHundred, Laura Besley explores a kaleidoscope of emotions through 100 stories of exactly 100 words.
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“This is a book I sucked greedily dry, taking its characters’ anxieties in order to soothe my own. When the last page was read, I kissed my wife. I listened to her, both the words and the silences. I rested my hand on my children’s chests and felt their hearts beat, until they told me to ‘get off’. Stars – in return for this healing and renewal? I would cast a net through the sky and pour a sparkling torrent in this writer’s lap.” – Simon Van der Velde
“Somehow managing to satisfy whilst also leaving you wanting more, these stories are meaningful and at times wildly inventive, like the man carrying his girlfriend in his pocket, or the woman choosing her partner by his heart. The stories are at times tender, at times funny, but all left me with the same strange smile on my face – probably in awe of how much someone can say in so few words.
You could read through all of these in one go and in order, or you could pick this up and turn to a page at random whenever you feel like it – that’s the beauty of this wonderful and versatile collection.” – Review by Tilly Loves Books on instagram
Purchase copies directly from the publisher: arachnepress.com
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Biography
Laura Besley has been listed by TSS Publishing as one of the top 50 British and Irish Flash Fiction writers. She is the author of the flash fiction collection, The Almost Mothers, and a collection of micro fiction, 100neHundred. She tweets @laurabesley
Header image: TilyLovesBooks
