Announcing Raymond Grant's newest collection of flash fiction
"Don't Be Impatient: Read a Short Story!"
From Red Engine Press
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"With economy and deft delivery, Raymond Grant has
slipped into the consciousness of everyman with the arrival of his new
collection of short stories. A flash of humor, a flash of fantasy, a
flash of many a sacred cow--all delivered with a liberal sprinkling of
moon dust and marmalade! There's something here for everyone--especially
the time-challenged reader who wants a fresh, entertaining, and often
contrary look at the world around us." ~ Chick Lang: Fiction Editor
Futures Mystery Anthology Magazine; Fiction Editor of Coffee Cramp
eZine.
“I discovered Ray Grant’s writing a year ago and have been enjoying his stories ever since. His latest collection, Don’t be Impatient…Read a Short Story, is full of reasons to smile, be surprised, and sit back and reflect.” ~ Mark Chorna, Paris, France. “Ray Grant’s stories range from the sixteen word humorous micro-fiction, Memorandum to Record to the fifteen hundred word poignant flash, On Leaving. Don’t miss The Model Driver, a tale about a hybrid car owner, Dance, about a strange encounter on a lonely road, and my favorite, Morning Mist, about continuing love.” ~ Carol A. Cole, Virginia, U.S.A., Author of By the Chimney With Care, in the Anthology, Aleatory's Junction.” “A delightful book, Don’t Be Impatient…Read a Short Story, flash fiction at it best - humor, fantasy, and bittersweet stories to read and savor. This is a book you will return to again and again.” ~ Gloria Watts, Northamptonshire, England. “Turn a page of
Don’t Be Impatient…Read a Short Story! and read about sky-diving, turn
another, and you’re in the old west. Read about a woman collapsed on the
street and the rocker who writes a song about her, or share a woman’s terror
of an approaching tornado churning across the prairie. Raymond Grant’s
compassionate, humorous voice rings through tales as varied as life is, and
he does it each time with admirable style.”~ Nonnie Augustine, Florida, U.S.A., prize-winning poet and short story
writer. “Don’t Be Impatient…Read a Short Story contains a delectable array of tasty treats that should more than satisfy literary flash fiction fans. What’s more, you can read any story in under five minutes. I was so entertained by the first two stories I read, I paid to publish them in my magazine. By the time I finished the book, I found myself addicted. I hope Ray Grant won’t make us wait too long for his next book of short fiction.” ~ Michael A. Kechula, Arizona, U.S.A., Owner, Flash Tales Mazagine. “For the time challenged only? Not so. In this day of 'fast everythings,’ Raymond Grant's collection of flash fiction is geared to move you. Open the book, kickback, and enjoy a comfortable ride through almost every setting imaginable. In a hurry? Shift into 'quick read' with a cup of your favorite beverage and be entertained by a well-tuned tale. Maintenance is easy on the wallet, too. Can't get lost. Simply close cover after inserting bookmark, and Don’t Be Impatient…Read a Short Story is ready to run again as soon as it's opened. Believe me, you'll enjoy the trip.” ~ David Coyote, California, U.S.A., Author of Roomful of Rainbows. "Ray Grant is a powerful writer -- whether he's making you laugh or making you cry, he does it in a flash. Perfect for those moments when you can't commit to something longer, but need a little something to make your day." ~ Joyce Faulkner, Pennsylvannia, U.S.A.,Author of In the Shadow of Suribachi and For Shrieking Out Loud!
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From My Bigger Toe: My mother told me to see a shrink. I tried that too. He asked me questions. Did I love my mother? How did I feel about my father? Did I believe I had to compete with my sister for my parents’ attention? I kept pointing to my left big toe…the bigger one. He only glanced at my toes once and continued to ask questions. I didn’t go back. He didn’t understand that life is different when your big toes aren’t the same size. mmm From Lines: “I see you are cautious and have limited endurance… you dwell on subjects briefly…you like the things that money can buy...and you enjoy being in control. Have you ever thought about running for political office? Twenty dollars, please.” The Palm Reader thought: Poor fellow, his life is shallow, his attention span short, his head contains little. He is materialistic, greedy, and arrogant. He’s a natural for politics! mmm From Stardust: Carefully separating the comet dust from the aerogel, the scientists measured sizes, densities, and chemical composition of the particles…a delicate and tedious process. When the first particles were examined with an electron microscope, the scientists were astonished… each molecule of each particle had the same coded message on its surface. The National Security Agency has the largest and fastest computers and the most sophisticated decryption programs on Earth. After two weeks of round-the-clock computation, the message was finally decoded: Made in Heaven. mmm From Anger Management: When I started fourth grade, Bobby, my little brother, began first grade. Since we went to the same school, Mama made it one of my jobs to escort Bobby to and from school. It was a task I would never have thought of on my own. mmm From Morning Mist: As his eyes opened, there stood his wife of forty years…short, pudgy, fair-skinned, white-haired, and worn in the way of a well-cared-for tool. “Were you dreaming, dear?” his wife asked. “You had such a contented look on your face.” “Yes, my darling, I dreamed of the first time we met, and how beautiful you are to me.” His wife responded with a loving smile. Before she could say another word, he stood up, placed her hand in his, and said, “You have your sandals off. Good! Let’s take our morning walk. We can get our feet wet in the warm, salty water…before I forget, do you need any sunscreen?” mmm From My Sister's Treasures: I used the last of the twenty to buy my first copy of Playboy. I sure found the pictures of the ladies in that magazine amazing. Ray told me that they had funny cartoons and interesting stories in there, too. The cartoons were funny; some of the stories were okay. But, those ladies…they sure were healthy looking. Some day when I grow up, I want to marry a lady just like one of them. I wonder if they’re as smart as they look.
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In the beginning, actually the earlier years, Raymond Grant practiced Engineering and Applied Science. As a professional researcher, project manager, and program manager, he wrote numerous technical reports – some as long, if not longer, than contemporary novels. In his spare time, which he had little, because he was a married man with three growing children and a large mortgage; he wrote poetry for his own enjoyment. Now that he’s retired, he writes short stories and poems. He enjoys writing flash fiction, very short stories, because they require careful selection of plot and wording – a process very similar to writing poetry – clarity of meaning and exactness of word choice. As Moderator of the MuseItUpClub’s Flash Fiction Group, Ray dreams up writer’s prompts, suggests publishing venues, and comments on members stories to help improve their techniques and sharpen their stories. Along the way, he creates plots, characters, and unexpected endings for his own stories. Over the course of a year or so, he discovers he has a sufficient number of stories to create a book. Voila! A manuscript is born soon thereafter! Incidents of family and friends, politics, the nightly news, and the movement of the planets spark the creation of his fictional stories. He says, “it’s a challenge to write a compelling, terse story in a couple of hundred words (or fewer) that readers not only enjoy but think about afterwards.” For samples of his short stories and poetry, visit |
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To book Raymond Grant for signings, readings or speaking engagements, click here. |
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Ray Grant's first book from Lulu |
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Last Updated On: 12/23/2007 |
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