Once in a while, I get the privilege of letting you know about books I'm reading and let you know how I felt about them. I don't know if you would call them reviews. I'm not much of a reviewer, but I know a good book when I read one.
Today I want to tell you about a collection of flash fiction and poetry that I read recently. The short book is called "Marked: Collected Ramblings" by Sheila R. Pierson.
First, you should that there are few indie writers out there that know how to put passion onto a page, But Ms. Pierson can get slip into emotions and pull on those heartstrings for days. She is really good. It was shocking to me because flash fiction requires, in most cases, that a writer tell a story in 500 words or less. Some of these stories are just plain great!
What I liked:
Her characters are sharp, well thought out, and intense. In "Restored" we meet a woman, damaged by people and bad decisions, who encounters redemption in an unusual way. You can feel her pain in a way that is palpable. Heck, I'm a guy and I have felt the way that Elaine does in this story. Ms. Pierson has tapped into the feelings of this character and she made me relate to her almost immediately.
In "Steak and Potatoes" I met Ellie and Harvey as she cooked them dinner and they sat down to consume their favorites. These characters are great. I felt that I was sitting next to them, all the way to the ending, which surprised me. I could feel the heat of the stove and hear the two as Harvey sat at the table and Ellie stood at the stove. There is a strong sense of place in all of Ms. Pierson's stories in
this volume.
Her poetry is rife with hard felt emotions that drip off the page. My favorite was "A Fragile Pirate" about a woman drowning her sorrows.
All together, "Marked" is a short read, but a satisfying one. I really enjoyed and would recommend it. The stories and poetry in this volume are powerful. Excellent first outing for Sheila R. Pierson!
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