Serendipity - A miscellany of short stories

by John Butler

Overview

An avid reader of short stories myself, I have enjoyed journeying along with the likes of Mark Twain, O'Henry, Maupassant, Frank O'Connor and others of such ilk. Nearer home, writers like Keith Waterhouse, Bill Naughton, Sid Chaplin, Stan Barstow are among my favourites and of course the inimitable P.G.Wodehouse.

In gathering together over the years, this collection of short stories, I feel somewhat like a campanologist with his carillon of bells – ringing the changes.

In 'Serendipity' there is something for everyone. If your taste is humour there are plenty including 'It's No Laughing Matter', 'Stop! ...Don't Go Any Further'. There are slices of real life in 'Arthur', 'Lanky Franky', 'Death of the Hindenburg' and 'My Only Sunshine'. There is satire and irreligious ones – written without any malice. In the animal stories 'The Dog', 'The Gulls' Court' and 'The Camel' I have given myself full rein and enjoyed exercising anthropomorphism. In short 'Serendipity' is the word - take a dip and find your winner.

I hope while reading these stories you will be able to share the enjoyment that I felt when writing them.

Book reviews online: Published Bestsellers @ www.publishedbestsellers.com

Product Details

BN ID:	2940149426492
Publisher:	Pneuma Springs Publishing
Publication date:	12/06/2012
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	196
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

After leaving university John tried to make a career in banking but finding himself a square peg in a round hole, decided to enter the teaching profession. In his forty years of teaching, he has taught all ages from infants to 6th form, eventually becoming a headmaster.
As secretary of his local teachers’ union he was involved with reports and political matters in education.
On retirement he started a course of lectures for the W.E.A and Sheffield University, teaching creative writing to adults.
He had a short story accepted by a Chicago magazine and the Daily Mail published his account of the death and resurrection of Oscar, his children’s goldfish.
He has travelled to many places in the world. On its sesquicentennial anniversary he followed the route of the Oregan Trail. He has also travelled extensively through the USSR, in Europe and the Road to Samarkand. And of course Ireland!

Editorial Reviews

"Like a Magic Box Serendipity allures with clever use of pun, alliteration, metaphor and simile; such as 'flying filth' and 'minnows of boys like pilot fish leading a whale shark'...and many others.
The author's enthusiasm and joy in writing Serendipity shines through. In 'It gives me great pleasure' he admits 'The power of the word makes the mind boggle.'
The stories are brief but perfectly constructed and of infinite variety."

Bronte Gazette - Irene Truman

"In this, his new book of short stories, John Butler demonstrates a rare talent for humorous comedy and three-dimensional writing skills, which make his work a joy to read.
Each tale stands alone on merit and rightly deserves a place in the book.
To my mind, many of the stories are clever observations of human nature in its many forms and give us the chance to laugh at ourselves. As the fairground caller might shout: roll up, roll up, everyone's a winner!"

Eastwood Booktown Development Group - Harry Riley