Post Mortem

By Alan Blackwood

This new collection of pieces by Alan Blackwood can hardly be called short stories; they are gem-like concentrations or distillations of a series of images erotic, sad, darkly humorous, that Alan calls ‘vignettes.’ They will have the reader turning compulsively from page to page to find out what on earth he’s going to come up with next. It’s literature in a world of its own.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Austin Macauley Publishers
• Release date: Jul 21, 2023
• ISBN: 9781398492219

Alan Blackwood

Alan Blackwood was a book publishing editor for much of his working life while writing numerous books on music. Now in his later years, he has turned to fiction, but with a big big difference. In his first published set of short stories, Snap  Shots, Alan aimed for brevity, in the belief that less is more. In Post Mortem he has taken the process further, concentrating his thoughts into a gem-like finish. From the erotic to the sad and sometimes darkly humorous, the thoughts, images, and situations have spilled out of him. You can’t call them stories. ‘Vignettes’ is the word that springs to mind. Do they work? Over to you, dear reader.

Book preview

About the Author

Alan Blackwood was a book publishing editor for much of his working life while writing numerous books on music. Now in his later years, he has turned to fiction, but with a big big difference. In his first published set of short stories, Snap  Shots, Alan aimed for brevity, in the belief that less is more. In Post Mortem he has taken the process further, concentrating his thoughts into a gem-like finish. From the erotic to the sad and sometimes darkly humorous, the thoughts, images, and situations have spilled out of him. You can’t call them stories. ‘Vignettes’ is the word that springs to mind. Do they work? Over to you, dear reader.

Dedication

For Sally

Copyright Information ©

Alan Blackwood 2023

The right of Alan Blackwood to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by the author in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers.

Any person who commits any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library.

ISBN 9781398492202 (Paperback)

ISBN 9781398492219 (ePub e-book)

www.austinmacauley.com

First Published 2023

Austin Macauley Publishers Ltd®

1 Canada Square

Canary Wharf

London

E14 5AA

POST-MORTEM

S

HE jumped from the taxi, ran across the road to her block of flats, fumbled with the entrance keys and fumbled again with the ones to her door, which she closed noiselessly behind her. The neighbours heard everything.

In the bathroom mirror, she inspected the swollen bite on her lip. Dinner with the boss before the naked, grabbing, grinding, trembling climax to what they call the Little Death.

Sober now with the chill first light of another day, she lay on her bed with a plaster on her lip and a part of him still inside her. She slept but not for long. How to face them at work?

BLIND DATE

T

HE moment she stepped onto my train, it all came flooding back—the dating agency. We arranged to meet at Holborn Station. She’d be