Twisted Shorties

Several of the stories rated five stars, but I didn't care for much of the poetry.

Loved this book. All the best of the Gather Writers are here. Thank you Pam Britain and A.F. Stewart.

I’m one of the authors, a minor player, a face hiding in the crowd in this collection of FREE short pieces. Poetry, humor, romance, science fiction and wondrous scares abound. But I put off reading this, didn’t want to have to write a review because… well, first, how do you review something that includes your own work, and second, how could I stand to be the first not to give a five-star rating? After all, I could hardly claim perfection for something that includes my own words.
But I am a very small bit-player here… what of the rest? So yes, it gets five stars in spite of me.
Twisted Shorties is free and would still be really good value if you had to pay for it. The pieces really are good—quick short reads filled with passion, plot, laugh-out-loud hilarity and haunting pain. They’re neatly collected so you can read by author or by theme (thank you A. F. Stewart!). They’re so varied everyone will find something to enjoy. They’re so well organized you’ll contentedly keep reading from beginning to end, and so short you’ll have no problem finishing something then stopping to go shopping or answer the phone.
The collection starts beautifully with Alice Grimes’ lovely poem, Salt Covenant. R. C. Larham trips over miracles. John Beck delights in metaphor. And the world suddenly turns with A. F. Stewart’s trademark swiftly drawn and fully imagined worlds. But there’s more… An upward moving elevator (Len Maxwell), entrancing exerpts from Patricia Gilliam’s Hannaria series, Ms. Lee P.’s Steampunk Grandma and Lord Gregory’s thought-provoking insanity. Then there’s Doug Westberg’s spoonerisms, magical children’s stories, Jax’s Practical Pig, Christmas, Terry McDermot’s wise animal capers, Greg Schiller’s biting social commentary told with his equally biting humor.
Indeed, there are too many authors to mention. Too many favorites to list. Does Hell have a “municipal code”? If so, perhaps I’ll violate its laws in rating this, but it’s going to get a five for all that I’m in it, simply because it deserves it. Just don’t go looking for my name—my pieces really are small fry in this wonderful pond.

Disclosure: It’s free. I bought it. I loved it. I read it so I reviewed it.

Found very interesting and enjoyable, I would recommend this to anyone who likes to read different stories....

I was so excited to find a book with this many amazing authors in it. The gather community is filled with talent and this book is just more proof of that. I smiled, wiped a tear and laughed out loud while reading this collection of stories and poems. I love how this online community is making its mark on the real world. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves to read. Each story/poem is just the right length to read before going to sleep at night or when you just have a short time to read.

I've read the work of many of these authours and this is some of the best work they've put out. The best point is that all of the stories and poems are short so you can read one in between doing other things. Excellent work all of you.

It's fascinating to see how a group of on-line friends have used modern tools to combine forces and publish this amazingly diverse collection with so many different sorts of voicing. I like what I'm reading and I continue on!

I enjoyed this book. My favourites were Douglas J. Westberg witty "How to Recognize Me if I Try to Contact You from the Afterlife", Greg Schiller's "The Cat Box" that reminded me of some people I know, and Sheila Deeth's "Excalibur" and Ms. Lee P's "The Dogs of Doom and Steampunk Grandma" that were properly quirky. I'mnot usually a fan of poetry but "She's All of These" by John Beck was excellent. Worth a look!

The Writing Essential portal at Gather.com (writing.gather.com) is home to a pantheon of talented writers. It's one of the most supportive and vibrant writer communities you'll find anywhere. There you may find formal poems of the most diverse sorts, drabbles, sci-fi novel chapters, satire, cat diaries, prehistoric sagas, even the occasional sermon. Seven weekly editors provide guidance, support, and inspiration in the form of inventive prompts which rarely fail to generate a raft of creative responses.

Many writers here are published and/or make their livings writing. It's an inspiring place to be and has been a huge factor in one of the most creative periods of my life. Thanks to Pam Brittain, you can now sample the creme de la creme at Gather in this remarkably variegated and delightful collection of short writing. Many of these writers have been enormously inspiring to me. They will you, too.

Enjoyed the read. Fantastic descriptions set the scene perfectly A++