Twisted Tales

By Raging Aardvark Publishing

Twisted Tales is an anthology of short, sweet story snippets which have the ability to tempt the imagination, tantalise a reader and pose questions.

This collection explores the twisted existence of love, family and relationships as characters seek a sense of self and identity. It is filled with a mixture of stories, some which will make you think, others smile and tales which will have you reaching for your security blanket.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Raging Aardvark Publishing
• Release date: May 31, 2012
• ISBN: 9781476108988

Raging Aardvark Publishing

Champion the short story & derivatives, our aim is to provide a space for emerging writers. If it needs to live on the fringe - it belongs here. Publisher of CYOA - Choose Your Online Adventures - a collaborative project encompassing an international team of editors, writers and beta readers.

Book preview

Twisted Tales

Flash Fiction with a Twist

2012

Smashwords Edition

Edited By Annie Evett

Published by Raging Aardvark Publishing at Smashwords

PO Box 5063

Algester 4115

Queensland

Australia

http://ragingaardvark.com

Copyright © 2012 – each individual author maintains the copyright to their individual story.

Copyright of this Anthology remains with Raging Aardvark Publishing.

The right of the authors to be identified as the contributors to this work has been asserted by them in accordance with: Australia: Part IX of the Copyright Act 1968; United Kingdom: Section 77 of the Copyright, Designs & Patents Act 1998; and generally under section 6bis of the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

Thank you for downloading his free ebook version. Although this anthology is a free book, it remains the copyrighted property of the authors and may not be reproduced, copied and distributed for commercial or non commercial purposes. If you enjoyed this anthology, please encourage your friends to download their own copy at Smashwords.com where they can also discover other works by the authors. Thank you for your support.

All characters in this publication are fictitious and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Opinions expressed in Twisted Tales are those of the contributor and do not necessarily represent those of the editor or publisher.

Cover artwork by Annie Evett

Photo taken within Waitomo Caves, New Zealand.

Cover layout by Annie Evett

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Contents

The Trouble with Sydney By Cath Barton

Fresh Start By Clive Martyn

I had a Dog By Margie Riley

Don’t Forget! By Rod Sytsma

They Say By Elizabeth Reapy

First Blooding By Annie Evett

Sweet Sixteen By SJI Holliday

Sisters By Valerie Sirr

Nails By Penny Pepper

Uncle Henri By Sylvia Petter

In Plain Sight By Sara Kirkpatrick

Little Man By Angela Readman

Unexpected By Scott Williamson

Master of the Universe By Jim Dunkley

Robbed By Valerie Sirr

A Peel By Oonah V Joslin

Future Tense By Iain Pattison

The Girl in the Mirror By Laura Huntley

The Circle By Vicki Griffin

Cheating Death By John Ritchie

Faces in the Night By Rollo Waite

The Black Widow By Deborah Rickard

Mrs Barnes and the Were-Ralph By Sophie Green

Arnie By Jim Dunkley

Keep Chopping By John Riley

Symmetry By Cathy Lennon

A Ghost Story By Jody Moller

Hook and Line By Lindsey McLeod

Bondsville Story 1958 By Beverly Lucey

Blowing off Steam By Sarah Logan

At a Bus Stop in Santa Barbara By Ted Taylor

Bang on Time By Iain Pattison

How Does that Make You Feel? By CM Stewart

Kine Spirits By Margie Riley

Calico By Catherine Russell

Biographies

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Foreword

Welcome to the first edition of Twisted Tales, an anthology celebrating Flash Fiction. Short, sweet snippets of stories which have the ability to tempt the imagination, tantalize a reader and pose questions, form the heart of a great flash fiction. Twisted Tales was born out of the need to showcase Flash Fiction in its own right and a desire to present writers whose first love lies within the short story.

For far too long has society been over-indulged with the excessive word count. Readers have become gluttonous consumers of mountainous tomes. It is time the short story and all its derivatives demand their rightful place back into readership.

This collection explores the twisted existence of love, family and relationships as characters seek a sense of self and identity. It is filled with a mixture of stories, some which will make you think, others smile and tales which will have you reaching for your security blanket. Rather than list the stories alphabetically, they are grouped loosely into tales of twisted love, families and relationships. Even in doing so, these lines blur and intertwine.

A huge thanks to all writers who submitted. It was wonderful to include established writers beside emerging authors and heartwarming to receive emails from thrilled contributors who are excited to launch their careers within this anthology. The support and encouragement for this project I continue to receive is fantastic and much appreciated.

Thank you to Ether Books, in particular Bea Moyes the Director of Content and Digital Community, for her valued assistance in the selection process.

Without the support and encouragement of Calum Kerr, Director of National Flash Fiction Day, this collection would not have reached the audiences and garnered the interest it has.

Heartfelt thanks to Margie Riley, the proofreading guru, for her valued friendship and editing ‘sanity checking’ abilities. (Yes that’s an Australian term)

A warm thanks to Chris and Heidi White from Photocopier Press for their online encouragement.

To my proofreaders who wish to remain anonymous, your input and Skype chats have been invaluable.

Most importantly, I’d like to thank my long suffering family for their on going support and encouragement. Twisted Tales, and all of the creations within Raging Aardvark Publishing, would truly not happen without them.

Annie Evett

Editor

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The Trouble with Sydney By Cath Barton

Muriel called me from the bottom of the garden. Your Great Auntie Ethel's on the phone, she yelled. Sydney's had a stroke. Ruddy Sydney. He was always causing mayhem, especially with the way he talked, swearing all the time and upsetting people. Uncharitably, I thought maybe him having a stroke was a good thing.

I was halfway through pruning the bushes, my glasses all steamed up and sweat running into my eyes. I was not